Yolanda Renee Interview Published on: 26, Sep 2018
Have you lived in Alaska all your life or did you grow up elsewhere? Where is one place you've always wished you could live in but couldn't due to financial or emotional or other reasons?
I spent four years in Alaska but grew up in Pennsylvania. Living in Alaska was amazing, and I had adventure after adventure. I left to finish my education and met my husband while in college. He hates the cold, so we settled in Washington State. We now live in Myrtle Beach, SC. When we retire we hope to live in Alaska for part of the year.
What makes someone shift from the corporate world to becoming an author?I wasn’t spiritually fulfilled in the corporate world and I’m not into pollical power plays. I’ve always enjoyed writing and it came in handy on the job but writing novels has been much more fulfilling than any job. I just wish it paid as well.
When did you actually start writing full time and what was the final push that made you make that decision?The company my husband and I both worked for downsized, and we had to make drastic changes. When the next job we attained did the same a few years later, those changes allowed me to step away from the corporate world to follow a new dream, and my husband supported me 100%. He’s always had more faith in me and my writing than I did.
Which of your books was the most challenging to write?The one I’m working on now. Book 5 in the series, Murder, Just Because. The antagonist, Stowy Jenkins, is a hard character to write. No, that’s not true he’s almost too easy, but that’s the problem, he takes over the entire book and pushes the protagonist almost completely out of the picture. I will be glad to finish the book and him too!
What is your Detective Quaid Series about? What are some important themes found throughout the series?It’s always been about motives. Why people make the choices they do with regard to love and murder. Something that has always interested me, motivation.
Tell us the name of one of your books that you will suggest your readers. Why?Murder & Obsession. It’s my favorite of the four books for many reasons but it shows the strength and love of the two main characters. Something I tried to portray in all three books, but finally made clear in this one. There’s murder and mystery in each book, but it’s the love story that underlies everything.
How did you feel when you first completed “The Snowman”? Were there any alternate endings you considered to this book?I was thrilled and amazed that that I wrote it. It’s very different from the other books. Harsher in the violence and subject matter, bu again it shows motivation. I couldn’t change the ending because the Snowman story was mentioned in the first book, Murder, Madness & Love when I introduced Detective Quaid. His first case was discussed in chapter one, so I knew the backstory and the outcome. And even though it had been several years since the first book, “MML”, I had to make sure the story fit that narrative.
Tell us about some elements you explored or experimented with in “Murder and Obsession”? Do you think that you would've handled the situation the same way if you were in Steven Quaid’s shoes?Murder & Obsession is all about how far people will go when they WANT something, especially the love or ownership of a person. Even though the other individual isn’t the least bit interested, i doesn’t matter. They’ll go to extreme lengths to get what they want. I studied the motivation behind stalkers to make sure I had it right. It’ mind boggling, especially when they hear the rejection first hand and in words no normal person would confuse. They still manage to turn it around so that they hear it as love or adoration. As for Detective Quaid, I felt that if I were in his shoes I’d have done the same. As for Sarah, I can only hope I would have her strength for survival! Both characters let their guard down. They assumed that they’d already been through hell and back. The warnings were there but they didn’t heed them, which is a very normal human failing.
Have you ever written a character that you hate? Which character have you felt the deepest connection with?I have a great dislike for Stowy Jenkins, he’s sub human in his cruelty. Despite what he’s suffered at the hands of his mother his choices are all his. Despicable. My deepest connection is with Opal, Sarah’s companion. My grandmother’s name was Opal and I fashioned the character after her. She cares for Sarah and Steven and I love the way she gets in his have and slaps him when he breaks his promise to Sarah. Opal is my hero and I enjoyed giving her a love life!
Do you ever forget the plot of characters in some of your books sometimes, since there have been so many? If not, how do you keep track of it all?So far, no. I feel connected to all of them and their back stories are all different and deeply meaningful. I also keep a detailed timeline of all action and characters.
Are any of the incidents in the book “Murder, Madness & Love” inspired from your real life?If yes, tell us about any one of them. My husband likes to say I murdered him in the first chapter. But it was a discussion with him that brought about the back story for Sarah, and her being accused of murder. He’s always seen himself as Michael after I asked him what car he’d want if we were richer than Midas. Also, we eloped on February 14 th
Why did you write ‘The Snowman’ which is a prequel to the Detective Quaid series?As I mentioned before it was discussed in Murder, Madness & Love and I originally meant it to be a short story for introducing the series to new readers, but Stowy Jenkins, the antagonist took over. He wanted a full book and I had no choice. Although I got the last word and made it a novelette! Ha!
What is the sweetest thing a fan has ever said to you?That the books are the best they’ve ever read and that they can’t wait for the next one.
If you could describe your journey as an author in one word, what would it be?Thrilling.
