Maggie Thom - Tainted Waters Interview

Maggie Thom made the hard decision to leave her successful, twenty year career in management, to write full time. The leap was easy, the freefall was adventurous and very enlightening. When she’s not running her children around or spending time with her best friend, her husband, she’s writing – anywhere, anytime. Give her five free minutes and you’ll find her busy scribbling down ideas. She lives in the real world but loves to get lost in the lives of her characters – who live, love and laugh, and who are all figments of her imagination. A member of the WGA (Writer’s Guild of Alberta), she released her first novel – Captured Lies – in October 2012. Her second novel – Tainted Waters was released in April 2013. She is currently busy writing her third novel – Deceitful Truths.

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Hi, Maggie. Thank you for joining me today.

Hi Kim. Thank you for having.

Your latest book is Tainted Waters please tell me about it?

He didn’t commit suicide but who’s going to believe her...

Frustrated at being fired from her latest job and overwhelmed by her consolatory family, Sam decides to move to the family’s cabin at the lake. A place she hasn’t been since her dad committed suicide there twenty years before. Or did he? Snooping is something she’s good at but someone seems to be taking offence to her looking too closely at what has been happening at the lake. What she discovers is shocking. Now she must uncover what’s real and what’s not. All that she learned growing up, may be false.

 

Keegan who has recently moved to the area to finish his latest book is also trying to find out if his grandfather, who’d passed away ten years before, died of natural causes or was murdered?

 

The descendants of the four families who own the land around the lagoon are dying off. Since Sam and Keegan are the only ones questioning the deaths, they find themselves working together to seek the truth. Are people being murdered? Who would benefit from their deaths? Why would there be barricades and armed guards at the north end of the lake? To stay alive, Sam and Keegan must find the answers and convince others, before more people are killed... including them.

 

I don’t think it’s any secret that your first book, Captured Lies, rocked me to my core. In fact, I’m still thinking about it. How different for you was it to write Tainted Waters as opposed to Captured Lies?

It was very different actually. I was in a very different space when I wrote Tainted Waters. I didn't have any of the drama that was going on in my life when I wrote Captured Lies. Having said that, when I wrote Tainted Waters I was very stressed because I had made the decision to pull Captured Lies from a Traditional Publisher and Indie publish it (gulp!). I was on a very steep learning curve (I felt like I was climbing Mount Everest) and trying to write Tainted Waters at the same time. It would seem that I like to be under a fair bit of pressure when I write. (smiles) Writing by itself I guess isn't enough.

How would you describe Samantha and Keegan individually and then in regards to their relationship with one another?

Samantha is very independent, a little rough around the edges, not a whole lot of direction in her life, she's tried just about every job but either gets tired of it or others don't like her attitude and she gets fired. She has a lot of opinions and attitude.

Keegan is a pretty laid back guy. He is motivated, not easily distracted. And then he meets Sam, who kind of steam rolls her way into his life.

Samantha is the kind of person that just jumps in without really thinking things through. Keegan tries to put the brakes on and get her to slow down and to think about what she is doing. She gives him adventure and he gives her stability, direction and a solid shoulder to lean on.

They are so great together. I have to say they are an adorable couple. Their interactions are great and I love the way Sam keeps Keegan on his toes. Was there a character or scene in this book which you enjoyed writing the most?

There is a scene where Sam is trying to get away from the bad guys and decides to cut through someone's yard. She climbs their eight foot fence, only to find herself face to face with a German Shepherd that is none too happy that she has invaded his space. She then has to figure out how to escape the yard without becoming the dog's chew toy and still hide from her pursuers.

That was a funny scene. Though I probably shouldn’t call it funny. Now that you have two books under your belt, what’s the one most important thing you’ve learned?

That there are a lot of people willing to help me on my journey, I just need to ask. I have connected with so many amazing people and I have learned a lot. I am very thankful for people like you, who have come into my life.

God. You are TOO kind. Thank you very much. Your books are full of several different twists and turns. Do you plot things out or do you just let the characters involved lead you?

I do both. Sometimes I start with plotting out what the story is about and then start writing. Other times I start with a scene and then I'll plot out how and where that fits into the story. Then I'll outline where I think the story needs to go, what needs to happen. I find with each book that I'm writing it's a little different as to what I do to develop the plot.

Some of your characters are pretty dark. Since in your past life, you weren’t involved with any law enforcement agencies where you would got firsthand experience dealing with people like this, how are you able to come up with the characters and make them so sleazy and evil?

Great question. My mind’s kind of scary, hey? I'm not sure how I make them so dark but I'm sure that they are a combination of everything I've heard, read and have seen. Also, in my twenty year management career in a people services industry, I saw, heard and sometimes had to deal with situations where some disturbing things (abuse, theft, etc) had happened. And if I run out of ideas the media is always full of interesting people.

Where’s your favorite place to write and what are some things you MUST have in order to get any writing do at all?

I love sitting in the sun, in spring, on my back deck and writing. However being outside is often rather distracting for me and really not too productive. To get anything done, I compromise and sit indoors but near a window, so I get the view. I need to be left alone when I write. I get very involved in my writing and I'm not really able to answer questions or give coherent answers. There can be noise all around me just not directed at me. I also like to have a glass of water beside me. It helps to keep me from snacking.

I know Tainted Waters has just came out. But is there anything else you are currently working on, which you would like to share?

The next book, which is a sequel to Captured Lies, is Deceitful Truths. The official synopsis is:

He created a legacy that no one could imagine...

Tarin has lost a week of her life. She doesn't know what happened but not long after she returns to work she is fired from her job. Confused and pregnant, she marries Stephen only to be thrown into another whole nightmare. Desperate, she grabs her son and moves to get away from her abusive husband.

Finding a job with Knight's Associates as their assistant, halfway across the country helps her to feel safer and more secure. Thrilled at getting the job, not only because she will be able to help them solve cyber crimes but because she can use their resources to find answers to who has been messing with her life.

Graham, who owns Knight's Associates along with Guy, finds himself swamped. Guy is getting married so is a bit distracted, so he's left with training a new employee, figuring out who hacked their site as they are flooded with requests, discover who is sabotaging Guy's step grandmother's 100 year old winery and figure out who is trying to stop Guy and Bailey's wedding.

Has Geoff returned from beyond the grave to finish what he'd started over thirty years before? Tarin and Graham discover that although they don't trust each other they are forced to work together to solve several seemingly unrelated crimes that may lead to one disastrous conclusion. Can they figure it all out before Bailey's nightmare plays out or an eighty year old woman pays with her life? Or before Tarin learns a truth that may seal her fate and be the one secret that will keep her and Graham apart as neither she nor Graham may be able to forgive or forget...

I can’t wait....Wait. Did I just say that? I’m preparing myself now. Okay, I’m SURE I CAN’T WAIT!!!! (Check out my review of Captured Lies to understand what I mean by this.)

FUN QUESTIONS:

Coffee or tea?

Herbal Tea (I haven't drank coffee in over 20 years - gasp!)

Favorite TV show?

The Big Bang Theory

Favorite ice cream flavor?

Butter Pecan

What’s your comfort read?

Romantic Suspense

Are you right handed or left handed?

Right handed although I do wish I were ambidextrous.

Is there anything else you would like to add about your book or yourself?

I love to read, so if you know of a good book, let me know. I also appreciate all of the feedback I get from readers. I would love to connect with you on Facebook.

Maggie has recently started a Street Team. She is EXTREMELY interactive with her readers. If you would like to be apart of it, check out this link.

Click HERE to be taken to my review of Tainted Waters.