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| Natasha Preston (photo: Gavin Smith) |
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Natasha Preston is a bestselling author of young adult fiction. A U.K. native, she discovered her love of writing when she shared a story online--and hasn't looked back. She enjoys writing romance, thrillers, gritty YA, and the occasional serial killer. Preston spoke with Shelf Awareness about two of her books--2023's The Haunting and her May 2024 YA thriller The Dare (both from Delacorte Press)--and how she devises such inventive deaths for her darlings.
Would you briefly summarize The Haunting and The Dare for Shelf Awareness readers?
The Haunting is a Halloween slasher in book form. There's a killer on the loose for the second year running. The MO is very similar, but last year's killer is currently in a federal prison. Penny and her friends want to prove that the original killer's children have nothing to do with the latest murders. I got to explore some pretty creepy masks and different ways to kill.
The Dare is about an end-of-senior-year prank gone horribly wrong, and how four friends fight to cover up their tracks.
You are a U.K. native, but the settings and characters in these books take place in the U.S. Have you ever lived in the States? How do you so successfully set your books in the U.S.?
I've never lived in the States, but I have visited a few times. My favorite state is Colorado, but I have loved each state I've been to. I don't think my lovely editor thinks my first drafts are very American! I get lots of notes saying, "What does this mean?" and we have to translate so it makes sense in the U.S. My publisher is in the U.S. so that's why (most of) my books are set there. The Cellar was rejected by a lot by British publishers before being picked up in the States. But the book I'm currently working on is set in England.
There are some interesting dynamics between siblings and parents in The Haunting. How did you decide to make the father a serial killer?
I really enjoy writing about different relationships between my characters and exploring how certain situations can change things. I wanted the friend group to already be fractured in this book and then try to figure out how to pull them together... or push them further away. I needed something huge to have happened to alienate them, and a serial killer dad was my choice.
You write teen friendships clearly and delicately, and the women in your books all seem strong and independent. Do you base characters on real people?
My teen years were some of my absolute favorite years, so I definitely draw a lot on past experiences, though none of my characters are based on anyone in particular. Some of them are who I wish I would've been, because I would be the first one in the car if something creepy was happening, ha!
I'm really intrigued by how the puzzles come together in both The Haunting and The Dare. Do you know how the story will end when you begin writing?
Oh, I'm the messiest writer in the world! I have a vague idea of what's going to happen, I even write it out. Then I completely lose the notebook or forget to look at my notes. So, I wing it and rarely even know the killer myself before I get quite close to the end. A lot of it is a surprise to me too.
And the bodies really pile up in The Haunting! How do you decide how characters will die?
I'm not quite sure what this is going to say about me, but I see it as a movie. The book is so clear in my head as I write that it feels very natural. I think this is part of the reason I can't stick to a plan; things change all the time as I write, and if I don't "see" it then I can't write it. It does make the murder scenes rather interesting and hopefully authentic!
The end of The Haunting begs for a sequel. Is one planned?
I don't have any sequels planned for any of my books. However, if inspiration ever struck, I could definitely write a second book for most of them.
It must be hard to kill your darlings... the end of The Dare (available in May) was one of the most satisfying I've read in a long time. What was the inspiration (without spoilers, of course) behind the book and that ending?
Oh, I love killing them off, ha ha! Thank you--The Dare's ending is one of my favorites. I wanted to do something a little different this time, while still being true to my evil-ending reputation. I wasn't at all sure what that was going to be until I was writing the final five chapters. My characters lead the way, and thankfully Marley (the protagonist) showed me exactly what she was going to do.
You also write romance. Are there parallels between writing thrillers and romance?
I think one of my favorite things about writing thrillers and romance is that they're so different, except for torturing some characters, of course. I find that after writing something with much lighter moments, I'm ready to write something twisty with a little gore. Then I get to go back and be kind in the end again.
So, a reverse palate-cleanser then?
Yes, exactly.
You seem to have some die-hard fans.
I have the absolute best readers in the world! They allow me to write endings that they wouldn't, in most cases, prefer and praise me for doing so. I want to thank each and every one of them because I wouldn't be here doing something I love without them.
Last question: I found out that you stumbled into writing in a way that only technology allows. Can you tell us about that? And do you have any advice for potential authors?
Yeah, writing was a complete accident! I found Wattpad on the app store and read for a while. I decided to give writing a try, as I felt I had a couple of stories in me. Those were Silence and The Cellar, both of which have been successful. So, if anyone out there is doubting themselves, absolutely give it a try! If I can do it, so can you. Write something you want to read, something you love, and find like-minded authors and readers to connect with. You've got this! --Shannan Hicks, freelance writer and librarian