The Mistaken

Today I would like to welcome Nancy Thompson who has graciously consented to stop by and answer a few questions about herself and her book, The Mistaken.

Thank you, Marcy, I’m very grateful to be here!  Go ahead, ask away.

Where did the idea for The Mistaken come from and how long did it take from start to publication?

I was cruising around in my car and a new song started playing on my iPod, Thirty Seconds To Mars’ Hurricane.  The lyrics, “Would you kill to save a life, would you kill to prove you’re right?” made me wonder what could make an otherwise good man commit a violent crime and what would happen to him afterwards.  It took two and a half years from that moment in March 2010 to my launch in October 2012.  Not too bad, I think.

That is an interesting question and one which makes me more curious about your book! Who did you model your main character, Tyler, after? A single person? An amalgamation? 

Tyler is definitely a consolidation of several people.  He shares some of my own traits, particularly the ones I don’t care for like his rigidity and strict adherence to the law.  His looks are modeled somewhat after an old friend I used to crush on, and his background after the late actor Andy Whitfield, because I love men with English or Australian accents, and he had both! 

I’m with you there; a man with an accent is hard to resist! What made you decide to go with Sapphire Star Publishing?

I knew the version of The Mistaken I was peddling was going to be a hard sell because it had some rather provocative violence.  I’d queried a few agents, received a few requests, but SSP was the first and only publisher I queried, and they requested the full immediately.  They asked if I would consider changing one scene, the pivotal, but violent one I was most concerned with.  I said I was willing to pull back, but only slightly and they agreed and offered me a contract immediately, before I even made the revisions.  How could I say no when they were so excited about it?

That’s awesome, and I can understand your concern. I wouldn’t want to change pivotal scenes either but then again, it’s good to be able to compromise. What’s been the hardest part of the process? The easiest?

I think now, at this point, after having released my book, it’s the marketing that I find the most difficult.  I relish the days of sitting, hours on end, at my computer, banging out a first draft or charging through revisions.  I didn’t much care for the querying process, either, but I didn’t really do it all that much.  Edit revisions were pretty easy for me.  It’s really all this stuff that comes afterwards, all the effort required to actually sell the book.  It’s hard being a debut author in a genre filled with superstars who’ve been around for 20 or 30 years.  I hope to finally pull back once my month-long Partners In Crime Book Tour begins in March.

I’ve heard from more than a few people that marketing is the hard part. Must be the introvert in us. What are you working on now?

I’m working on a sequel, another revenge story, only this time, the tables have been turned, and it’s the Russians who go after Tyler after he caused the downfall of their organization.  Tyler has to once again struggle with his own moral code and what he’s willing to do to protect the ones he loves.

Sounds interesting. Now, for the easy questions…what’s your favorite thing about where you live?

I live in the Pacific Northwest near Seattle, Washington.  Though it’s gloomy and rainy 9 to 10 months out of the year, it’s also incredibly lush and natural, with immense forests, sparkling waterways, snow-covered mountains, and an abundance of wildlife that comes right up to your front door.  All incredibly beautiful!

I can tell you love where you live! But, if you could live anywhere else for a year where would it be and why?

I yearn to move back to my old home in San Francisco, but if it’s only for a year, I’d have to pick London.  It has a rich history, fantastic architecture, and all the things and culture I love about city living, yet it’s not too far from the country or the sea. 

I love San Francisco! It’s one of my favorite cities to visit.

Did you ever play an instrument, and, if so, what? If not, what instrument do you wish you could play?

I play the piano, have since I was a kid, though I’ve never taken lessons or anything.  I play by ear.  And now I have a Yamaha upright with a Disklavier or a computer system, so all I have to do is insert the data medium and the piano plays itself.  It’s a great way to learn my favorite classical compositions, and my neighbors think I play like a master!

Ha! I used to try to play the piano but that’s about as far as it went, lol. How about the last three books you read?

Well, I’m a book editor, so while I read a lot, they’re all as-of-yet unpublished titles.  Of the published ones, there was Finding Claire Fetcher by Lisa Regan, Social Media Just for Writers by Frances Caballo, and The King of Lies by John Hart.  And right now, I’m reading Slipstream by Michael Offutt.  Oops, that’s four. 

In another life, what job would you like to have?

I currently have two other jobs, as an interior designer and a book editor, but in another life, I’d either be a classically-trained chef, or, if money were not an issue, I’d be a painter of fine art.  I absolutely need to create!

I’m envious of your jobs, especially the interior designer. I love looking at pictures of interiors and picking out what I like and don’t and boy, wouldn’t I love to have the cash to do a little designing in my own humble abode. That’s cool you have jobs that allow you to explore the creative side. Thank you so much for coming by and answering all my questions :)

And thank you, Marcy, for so graciously having me!


Interested in buying Nancy's book? If so, you can either clink on pic for the kindle edition, or get it here: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Nook, Kobo, or iBooks.