We chat with author Kasey Lansdale about First Chance, which is a suspenseful small-town thriller featuring a young, determined PI heroine finding her way through the business… and a twisty local case that might just prove to be her last.
Hi, Kasey! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello! I’m a writer, editor, audiobook narrator and musician. Originally from East, Texas, I live in Los Angeles with my husband and our grumpy maltipoo, Leo.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
Writing has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I was writing little stories and plays for the neighborhood kids to perform in since I was a kid, and writing songs and poetry before that.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: I can’t be sure, but The Stinky Cheese Man and Bunnicula come to mind. Maybe Goodnight Moon?
- The one that made you want to become an author: I never had an aha this is the one moment, it just always felt like a natural step. Of course I wanted to write, I was already doing it.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I think right now it’s Charlie Huston’s Caught Stealing. Mainly because I just watched the movie then read the book, and I thought it captured the everyman in the wrong place at the wrong time energy so well, and it was werid as all get out, which I like.
Your latest novel, First Chance, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Found family, East Texas, Murder
What can readers expect?
A private eye novel set in the fictional town of Hopeful, TX, told through the eyes of a new young detective trying to find her way in the industry, and the world at large. It’s dark, at times funny, and there’s a dog named Sissy.
Where did the inspiration for First Chance come from?
In part is was inspired by my upbringing, but geographically, (I grew up in a small town in East Texas called Nacogdoches,) and also in an effort to play with the classic PI tropes of someone who is isolated, alone, and unsupported. The world can feel hard enough at times, I wanted my fictional friends to have someone to lean on for a change.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
This may be a kill your darlins’ moment, but I enjoyed them all for different reasons. If I have to choose, I’d say either Tia or Joe Dean. That might change to someone else on a different day, but I liked Tia’s honesty, or at least her honesty as she saw the situation, and I appreciated Joe Dean’s humor, though a little bit can go a long way at times.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
Of course, and they were numerous for different reasons. The craft itself and making sure everything lined up and made sense, as well as the confidence as a creator to know I was on a good track in general, telling a story someone might care about. If I had to whittle it down, it was trusting that the colloquial feel of the work would find its readership, and people would understand that rhythm once they got into it. I was told by someone that hearing me read the audiobook really helped them, because once they absorbed my pattern, it all made sense. If I had to REALLY whittle it down, it was the commas. I often hate commas and editors do not.
What’s next for you?
At this time, I have a short story collection forthcoming in 2027 called GRIM AT HEART, and I’m working on the sequel to FIRST CHANCE.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
I recently read Michael Crichton’s A MURDER IN HOLLYWOOD, and it was so fun. It was simple, but I really enjoyed it because of that. It was a breath of fresh air and fun to read something new from him, even though of course, it’s not really new. I’m also dreading/looking forward to PETRIFIED DREAMS, the last book in the Hap & Leonard series from Joe R. Lansdale. Yes, I am biased.
