We chat with author Carter Wilson about his new psychological thriller The Father She Went To Find, along with writing, book recommendations, and more!
Hi, Carter! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Sure! I’ve been writing for over twenty years, having started one day as an attempt to solve a riddle I posed myself. Ten published books later I’m finding my groove in the psychological-thriller market, having hit the USA Today bestsellers list and having won numerous awards. In addition to my writing, I’m the founder of Unbound Writer, a company that offers one-on-one coaching, writing retreats, and online classes. I live just outside Boulder, Colorado.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
It wasn’t until I was 33, though it was in my 20’s that I first fell in love with books (most notably Stephen King and James Clavell). I never had any dreams (or experience) to become a writer, but on that fateful day when I posed myself a riddle and tried to find an answer, the result was a 400-page manuscript that I wrote in just three months. That book never sold, but it made me stop in my tracks and think: maybe this is what I’m supposed to do with my life.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Damn, I’m not sure I can think back that far. But I remember the first book I loved in school was The Princess Bride, which we read in 7th grade.
- The one that made you want to become an author: No particular book–I just learned I loved to create my own stories. I think most authors take their inspirations from many books, in addition to movies and TV shows.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Your latest novel, The Father She Went to Find, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Road trip gone terribly wrong.
What can readers expect?
They can expect a unique character in Penny Bly, who’s a 21-year-old savant with exceptional mental abilities. They can expect to find Penny struggling mightily when she ventures outside the comfort of everything she’s ever known to search for her father. They should be prepared for some violent scenes, but those are a small part of the story. They can expect a lot of emotion and questions about what it means to search for and find happiness.
Where did the inspiration for The Father She Went to Find come from?
Penny just popped into my head one day and I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I didn’t know anything about this person except that she was 21 and a savant. I was in the middle of writing another book at the time, and I told myself, “if I’m still thinking about this person when I’m done, I’m going to write about her.” Months later she was still there, so I sat down with a blank Word document and tried to figure out who the hell she was.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
One of Penny’s abilities is to draw with an almost photographic realism. She doesn’t even know how she does it; she simply visualizes dots appearing in her mind as she stares at a blank piece of paper, and she just touches the dots with her pen. The first time I wrote about her doing this I had the greatest time. I think I had to cut it down quite a bit because I got too carried away.
What’s next for you?
My next book is titled TELL ME WHAT YOU DID and comes out January 2025. It’s a dark thriller centered on a popular podcast host being hunted by the same person who killed her mother.
Lastly, are there any book releases that you’re looking forward to picking up this year?
I can’t wait to read Stuart Turton’s THE LAST MURDER AT THE END OF THE WORLD. Stuart’s a helluva writer.
