Daniel Kenitz is the author of the new novel Don't Look Away. He also has written the novel The Perfect Home. He lives in Wisconsin.
Q: What inspired you to write Don’t Look Away, and how did you create your character Leslie?
A: I typically look through headlines of the day and try to ask myself the typical what-if questions. I don’t remember specifically what headline led to Don’t Look Away, but I remember wanting to focus on a retirement scenario because I’ve read so few books like that myself.
I also liked the juxtaposition of someone (Leslie) who felt like their life’s accomplishments were behind them, suddenly being thrust into a situation where they have to rise to the occasion in a way that will end up defining their life.
Q: The author Darby Kane said of the book, “In Don’t Look Away, Daniel Kenitz expertly balances compelling crime plotting with family drama for a fresh take on a serial killer thriller.” What do you think of that description?
A: I think it’s high praise from a great writer! I’m particularly pleased with “fresh take” because it does seem like a genre in which, if you’re not careful, you can easily slip into cliché.
Q: Did you know how the novel would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?
A: In the big picture sense, yes, though there were lots of helpful edits along the way.
So far, I’ve been a bit surprised by the strong reaction to the climax in particular—which I hope readers will agree with—and I think an advantage of writing highly specific outlines is that when the climax drops, it feels like all of the threads are clicking into place.
Though most of the characters all ended up where I originally planned, the way it went down changed a lot during the process.
Q: The story is set along Florida’s Gulf Coast--how important is setting to you in your writing?
A: Really important. Even when querying agents, I remember people constantly harping on including sharp details about unique settings. A setting is like any other detail in that it’s part of what makes a novel feel lived-in and credible.
I think I picked the Gulf Coast because it felt like the non-obvious choice for a novel in a beach community, and was where someone like Leslie might end up. I also liked that Leslie ended up in a place where so many people were out-of-state transplants, which ended up reflecting some of Leslie’s internal tension, even if she didn’t know it.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: Trying to figure out which of my ideas for the next novel is going to be the one. I have two ideas in particular I really like, which is great in one sense, but also difficult because picking one means putting off the other.
I also have a new short story being published in North Dakota Quarterly some time this year that draws some influence from my domestic thriller writing experience.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: I’d say to stick with Don’t Look Away because, even though the plot sounds like it’ll get pretty hairy, it’s going somewhere with it.
One reader told me they enjoyed The Perfect Home because it wasn’t a thriller that left them with this dark feeling like there’s no hope for humanity. Even with all the bad things going on in Don’t Look Away, I think the same idea is present here.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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