I Know You Remember Interview with Jennifer Donaldson
Questions
About the Book:
How did you get the idea of writing I Know You Remember?
I knew I wanted to write something set in Anchorage, which is where I grew up, and I knew I wanted to write about an intense female friendship. Everything else grew out of that; once I knew Ruthie had been gone from Alaska a while, I knew she’d have to struggle with the ways Zahra had changed, and that was how a lot of the plot points fell into place. Whether you’re writing a thriller or something less plot-driven, going home to a place you used to live is always a bit of a mystery. Things have changed, and your brain--or at least my brain--works really hard to fill in those gaps.
What is the key message of this book?
I don’t know that it has a message, per se, but my interest in crime writing has always been really linked to my interest in trauma. I’m curious about the forces that shape our personalities for good, ill, or otherwise. So for me, this book is largely about loneliness and loss and pain and the ways--constructive or destructive--that we deal with them.
Can you tell us the process of how you came up with the cover?
I didn’t have much to do with the cover, though I love it!
What was the hardest thing about writing I Know You Remember?
I can’t answer this in too much detail because I’m trying to avoid spoilers--but as a blanket statement about writing thrillers and mysteries, the hardest part is to plant the seeds of the conclusion without giving it away too early. In this particular book it was a fun challenge, but there were moments where I went back and forth on where to lay the clues.
What was your favorite part to write about? Beginning, middle, or the end?
I like beginnings and endings a lot. The beginning, you start with a bang; the end is satisfying because there’s hopefully a payoff. Middles are sometimes where I struggle, because I’m trying to sustain myself and my reader--our interest, our attention, our endurance--over a long haul. I have a few tricks for keeping myself going along the way, but yeah, when I get exhausted, the middle is generally where it happens.
Where can readers purchase your books?
Most decently-sized bookstores, either brick and mortar or online, will either carry it or be willing to order it! Go to indiebound.org to find one near you.
About You:
How often do you write?
It can vary a lot, but now that I have a child, I try to write every morning while he’s at daycare. Because that’s the time I have. I used to write a little here, a little there, but I have to be more disciplined now. But it’s not like a regular job where you clock in and clock out. I can’t write much more than four hours a day; my brain kind of peters out past that and the returns aren’t worth the labor at that point. So I try to focus for a solid block of the morning and then I move on to other tasks.
Instead of being an author, what other career would you have chosen and why?
Librarian! I love libraries. I truly believe it’s some of the most important work to be done. I worked for a long time as a library clerk and thought at various times about getting my MLS. Who knows; life is long, may I still will.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I love to read, or to watch TV or movies. I’m kind of lazy. I really love the outdoors but Texas is a little hot for me, so I don’t get out as much as I used to.
What is your favorite food to make at home?
I hate to cook, but I love to bake. My favorite things to make are cupcakes. They’re delicious and fun to decorate. I am still perfecting my ganache frosting, but I’m an easy hand at buttercream.
What is your favorite holiday to celebrate and why?
I like Halloween’s aesthetics the best, though like I said--I’m a bit lazy. I often don’t do much for it. But I love costumes and makeup and horror and suspense, so I love just being out in the world for Halloween.
What is your favorite vacation spot in your country?
The Hawai’ian island of KauaŹ»i, or possibly Anchorage itself, now that I don’t live there anymore.
