I’m so excited to welcome Teresa on Chit Chat! I first discovered Teresa on Instagram and have followed along with her page ever since. When she reached out about her latest psychological thriller, I couldn’t wait to have her join me to share more about this book. So help me welcome Teresa, and let’s find out more about Lacie’s Secrets!
Lacie’s Secrets is out now. Tell readers more about your new psychological thriller.
Lacie’s Secrets takes place in Maine and tells the story of Kate Williams, who, for the past 18 years, has tried to forget the summer that her sister Lacie’s disappeared and ripped their family apart. But when her mother unexpectedly dies, Kate inherits Villa Magda, the family’s summer home on the Maine coast. But the sprawling, ocean-side house isn’t as picturesque as it seems. As the week goes on, inexplicable incidents and suspicious visitors begin to torment Kate, threatening to expose her deepest secrets. As tensions run high and friendships unravel, Kate starts questioning her decision to return to Villa Magda. We wanted to incorporate elements of some of our favorite authors like Henry James and paid homage to the great Stephen King by setting the story in Maine.
The Villa Magda, the ocean-side house protagonist Kate Williams inherits, is a character in itself in this novel. Was this home inspired by an actual home you’ve been to before?
I love summering in the Hamptons and have for the past 16 years, and my co-author spends her summers in Tuscany. We combined elements of homes we have been in before as well as taking parts of what a home like this would be like. Homes have souls, and we really wanted to portray Villa Magda in that way since she was built for an unrequited love.
Who was your favorite character to craft in Lacie’s Secrets?
Alice was really fun to write. She is complex and mysterious and really does say all the wrong and right things and gives Kate a run for her money. She has elements of Daisy Buchanan from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby in her, which is one of my all-time favorite characters ever written.
There are so many twists and turns in Lacie’s Secrets. How did you keep track of them all?
It was not at all easy, but we have a system to make sure there are never any plot holes. We tend to work backward from the twist and know the ending we want and then get to the beginning that way. Our goal is to always surprise the reader, and the only way to do that is to surprise ourselves. It’s a fun ride to write as much as I hope it is to read.
Did you always love to read a good thriller novel? What made you want to write thrillers?
Thrillers have been my go-to genre to read ever since I was a little kid. The suspense of a good thriller is the best feeling and helps to keep turning the pages. My favorite authors, such as Stephen King, Shirley Jackson, and Patricia Highsmith, have influenced my writing a lot.
Readers may not know this, but you are the founder of the production company, Roman Way Productions. Tell us more about your company and if writing goes hand-in-hand with producing.
In essence, I love telling a good story, and whether it is on the page or on the screen, it comes down to producing content. Many of my realty projects also stem from fiction. For example, I had wanted to do a reality version of Downtown Abbey in the Hamptons and created a show currently on Discovery + called Serving The Hamptons. Also, our first novel, The Woman in the Park, is in development to become a limited series, and Lacie’s Secrets also has some interest currently.
Walk us through a day in your life when working and writing. Do you have to have a quiet space to write or go to a coffee shop? How do you get your twisty thriller ideas on paper?
I am pretty good at multitasking, so I do my best to do multiple things at once. It comes with producing. I am currently writing another novel and try my best to write in the morning when I first wake up and when my mind is clear. It’s working for me right now. I then take meetings and work on my production and media company for several hours before getting in some exercise and lunch. I try to keep my evenings open to spend with my family. I just finished binging Stranger Things season 4, which was incredible. I am always in awe of good storytelling, and the Duffy Brothers really created something special.
If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring writers, what would it be?
My advice would be that everyone has a story to tell, and nothing is impossible. If you think it, it will manifest. It’s cliché to say but just keep writing until it feels right and then show it to whoever you can because you never know who can help you get it published.
What do you hope readers take away from your latest novel, Lacie’s Secret?
I want readers to be entertained, excited, scared, and in awe. I want them to feel nostalgic and immerse themselves in the mystery, the house, and the characters. Reading is an escape, and I want them to escape into Villa Magda for a short while, but once they get to the ending, I want it to stay with them forever.
Before I let you go, share with readers where they can find you on social media.
They can find me on Instagram @teresasorkin, Twitter @teresasorki, and on Facebook as well.
Thank you so much for joining us, Teresa! Definitely don’t miss your chance to get your copy of Lacie’s Secrets! Stay tuned for more author interviews! Comment below any questions you have for Teresa!
You can follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. Don’t forget to check out my feature on Feedspot’s Top 100 YA Book Blogs! You can also contact me about new reads today!
