We chat with co-authors Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh about Echo Road, which sees two cross-country cases collide and Bree Taggert and Mercy Kilpatrick join forces to catch a serial killer.
Hi, Kendra and Melinda! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourselves?
Kendra: I grew up in Oregon but now spend a lot of my time in Florida. I have three daughters still in Oregon. I was a dental hygienist for 16 years and but left two months before my first book came out.
Melinda: Hi! I’m a former banker.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
Kendra: I hated writing all through high school and college and never had any interest in writing, but I was always a voracious reader. I was almost forty when I decided to see if I could write a book.
Melinda: I came to writing late, not starting my first book until I was nearly forty.
Echo Road is out July 2nd! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Melinda: Mercy and Bree finally meet.
Kendra: I think Melinda nails the answer here.
What can readers expect?
Kendra: Readers can expect the usual awesome suspense Melinda and I deliver, but I think the unexpected is the relationship between our two lead characters. Both of our agents were surprised by the depth of respect and genuine affection that developed between Mercy and Bree.
Melinda: Readers can expect two of their favorite characters to work together and form a strong friendship. When we began writing, we had a basic plot in mind, but we didn’t know how the characters would mesh. The dynamic between Bree and Mercy developed organically as we worked. We hope readers enjoy reading the story as much as we enjoyed writing it.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring further?
Kendra: I was really pleased with the black moment. Those are always tough to develop, but with Melinda and I working together, I feel we really pulled off something suspenseful. I also really enjoyed throwing together two smart, determined, and stubborn women who didn’t know the other person but were expected to work together.
Melinda: The whole book was an adventure to write. Though we talked extensively about the plot for the four years we’ve been planning it, there were plenty of surprises along the way. One benefit to writing collaboratively is having another person as deeply invested in the story as you are. It’s easier to work through a plot hole with two brains working the problem. Now that Bree and Mercy have such a great rapport, it’s possible we might bring them together again.
How does your collaboration process work?
Kendra: Talking, talking, talking. It was so nice to be able to immediately ask another person for help or ideas. When writing my own books, I bounce ideas off Melinda but usually that’s after I’ve agonized over something for three days. With Echo Road, as soon as I had a question, I’d throw it at her. We’ve been friends for almost 13 years and know how the other person thinks and works. It’s been a good partnership. I can’t think of anyone else I’d trust enough to write a book with.
Melinda: Kendra and I have written two novella series together, for a total of twenty titles, so we were already comfortable plotting jointly. Normally though, we are both mostly pantsers when it comes to writing our individual books. A single collaborative novel required more planning than either one of us typically uses. That said, we only plotted a few chapters at a time. We were both in Florida for part of the process and wrote together often. When not together, we’d talk through issues on the phone or through messages. We were pleasantly surprised how easily Echo Road came together. Two brains are better than one!
What do you love about the mystery genre?
Kendra: I love to learn things while I’m reading. Mysteries and suspense offer glimpses into psychology, police procedure, forensics, and action. I try to entertain the reader along with giving them information about worlds they’re not familiar with.
Melinda: When it comes to writing, I love the challenge both leaving a trail of clues for the reader to follow and simultaneously shocking them with an unexpected end. As a reader, I love trying to solve the crime and seeing how the pieces of the puzzle come together. There’s nothing better than having a writer surprise me with a spectacular twist I didn’t see coming. The mystery genre makes my brain work.
What’s next for you both?
Kendra: I’m working on the first in a new series about a long time secondary character, Detective Noelle Martin.
Melinda: I am writing the 10th book in the Bree Taggert series. After that, I’ll be starting a brand new series that I’m very excited about. Kendra and I have also talked about another collaboration. Lots of exciting projects to come!
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
Kendra: Harlan Coben’s Think Twice. I will always buy anything written by Lisa Gardner, Gregg Hurwitz, Michael Connelly, and Lee Child. Usually I’ll preorder when I see something is available by them and then get surprised when they pop up on my Kindle on release day. Looking forward to Michael Connelly’s The Waiting.
Melinda: Recently I’ve enjoyed Lisa Gardner’s Still See you Everywhere; Gregg Hurwitz’s latest Orphan X book, Lone Wolf; and Diana Nyad’s memoir Find A Way. I’m currently reading a fascinating memoir, Sociopath, by Patric Gagne. I’m looking forward to The Guncle Abroad by Stephen Rowley because I loved the first book.
