In the upcoming thriller Hide Away, we get a powerful introduction to Rachel Marin, but despite multiple awards and nominations, as well as prolific writing in multiple genres, some of us might still need an introduction to author Jason Pinter.
From the proverbial kid hiding under the covers reading by flashlight, to international bestseller, Jason Pinter gave us an opportunity to ask some questions about the best parts of becoming a writer, writing different genres and which comes most naturally, and what is just ahead, both for him and for the character of Rachel Marin, the hero in his new book, Hide Away.
Tell us a little about yourself and your new novel, Hide Away!
I’m the author of seven novels for adults and two children’s books, and the founder and publisher of Polis Books, an independent press. Hide Away is about a woman named Rachel Marin who, after a horrific crime shattered her family, moves with her two small children to begin a new life, while also honing her mind and body to be able to protect them from a world she no longer trusts. But when the former mayor of her new town is found dead, Rachel deduces that it was no suicide—it was murder. She feels an obligation to bring the killer to justice, but in doing so could reveal the terrible truth she has been running from all this time.
Was being a writer something you always knew you wanted to do, or did you arrive there through a more circuitous path?
I believe I came to be a writer because I was, from the earliest age, a voracious reader. I was that kid holding a flashlight under the covers at night, refusing to go to bed until I literally couldn’t keep my eyes open. When I was younger I wrote, largely bad, short stories, but it was in college when I thought, “You know, I think I want to give this thing a try.” I wrote an absolutely terrible coming-of-age novel while in college (which will never see the light of day!). But I’d always been drawn to mysteries and thrillers, both that married riveting plots with engaging characters. So that’s when I began my first novel, THE MARK, which was an international bestseller, nominated for several awards, and optioned for film.
What is the best part of being a writer?
Without a doubt, hearing from readers. Writing is such a solitary endeavour, it’s something like magic when the manuscript on your computer because an actual book that makes its way into readers’ hands. I’ve gotten the most incredible letters from readers—from people saying they’d never finished a book until they read one of mine, to soldiers saying my books helped them pass the time while stationed overseas.
Where did the idea for the character of Rachel Marin come from?
The idea came soon after my wife and I had our first daughter. I was toying with the notion of a new series, but hadn’t hit on the right idea yet. But Rachel came to me almost fully formed. I wanted to write a character who was smart and strong and capable, but also incredibly vulnerable because she had children who depended on her. Many characters in mystery and thriller fiction tend to be loners. If they get into trouble, so be it. But Rachel is someone who has to balance her desire to seek justice with the fact that she has children who need her, who depend on her. I thought that balance would make for a compelling protagonist.
Rachel seems be able to do anything and everything. When you were writing, was it difficult to balance making her an absolute badass without going overboard into superhero territory?
Absolutely. She is very, very flawed, and does not always make the right decision. You can see her training her mind and body to deal with criminals, but she does not train herself to always make the best decisions. Like any of us, she does the best she can, even if in hindsight she was mistaken. She also sometimes pushes herself past the breaking point, to the point where she actually puts herself in harms way due to her stubbornness, and we see even more of that in the second book in the series.
Are you as much of a Tolkien fan as Eric and Detective Serrano?
I am a fan, but not as much as Eric and Detective Serrano. I am a huge fantasy/science fiction fan, though growing up my drugs were Terry Brooks and Piers Anthony. I didn’t actually read the Lord of the Rings trilogy until I was in my twenties. But the Tolkien link is hugely important for both of these characters. Without spoiling anything, there’s a reason that Serrano is a Tolkien fanatic that goes well beyond just liking the books.
It may be hard to answer this without spoilers, but what part of the story was the hardest to put together, or was the last part to come together?
Definitely the relationship between Rachel and her children, Eric and Megan, and the kids themselves. It’s so complex, because Eric, the older child, experienced the same trauma Rachel did but in a way even more so. So he’s grown up essentially traumatized. Megan, the younger sibling, was too young to really remember anything. So she has one child who is largely happy and boisterous, and another who is a shell of who he used to be. Figuring out the psychology of her children, and how her relationship to each of them was different because of that, took a lot of work to try and get it right. The Marins had to feel like a family—one that had been through hell, but a real family.
You have written thrillers, middle grade, and children’s books – do you have a favorite when it comes to writing, or does one come more naturally to you?
I like to say that thrillers are my bread and butter, it’s the genre I’m most drawn to and see myself writing in predominantly. With children’s books, it can be a palate cleanser. My thrillers tend to have a level of darkness to them. The kids books don’t really have that—they’re much more straight hopeful and joyful. That’s not to say I don’t want to or enjoy writing the kids books, and I hope to do more, but the thrillers come a little more naturally.
Will we see more of Rachel Marin?
YES! The second Rachel Marin book, A Stranger at the Door, will be out in early 2021. I love this book, as it allowed me to expand Rachel’s world, go even more in depth into the characters, and introduce new ones. In a lot of ways writing the second book in a series is the hardest, because in the first book you’ve introduced the characters and their world. And then you have to say, “Ok, what’s next?” And I’ll just say I’m very, very happy with the next book.
What’s next for you?
I’m already sketching out the story for what will hopefully be the third Rachel Marin book. And at the same time, I have a standalone suspense novel that’s been stuck in my head recently. So with any luck, in the not-too-distant future you’ll see even more of Rachel Marin, as well as something totally different.
Jason’s Social Media: Twitter | Instagram | Website | TikTok: What’s that? One of those newfangled ‘App’ things for kids? Get off my lawn.
