Never Saw Me Coming is a compulsive, voice-driven thriller by an exciting new voice in fiction, that will keep you pinned to the page and rooting for a would-be killer.
We chat with debut author Vera Kurian about Never Saw Me Coming, including its inspiration and challenges, along with writing, book recommendations, and more!
Hi, Vera! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m a psychologist and writer living in Washington DC. I read avidly, both literary and genre fiction, and love film, TV, and podcasts. My favorite genres are literary, thriller, and horror, but I love work that can transcend genre. I have a small, elderly dog. I’m an avid weightlifter, foreign policy buff, and (retired) multi–championship winning skeeball player. I retired because I grew bored of winning.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
Probably around 4th grade when I started writing in my school notebooks and it looked like I was working. I started writing a horror short story that combined Greek mythology with the sort of gore I had been raised on—classic horror movies like Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 14th. I worked on a novella in 8th grade and later had the opportunity to take writing classes in high school. I started submitting things seriously right when I graduated college.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
D’Aulaires Book of Greek Myths. We had an entire year in English based on this book, with its odd illustrations, and like many 4th graders, I became obsessed with the activities of capricious Greek gods.
Your debut novel Never Saw Me Coming is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Sardonic, viral, fast, psychopath, funny
What can readers expect?
I think this book will be really satisfying to several different audiences. For one, thriller readers who know the tropes well—because I think this novel plays with those expectations. Secondly, although this is a plot-driven novel, everything I write is centered on character—you can expect the main characters to be fully fleshed out people who drive the story. I think you will be pulled into a mystery that has some unexpected turns, and you might find yourself surprised by wanting to root for some psychopaths. I also didn’t intend to write a funny book, but I think it’s pretty funny.
Where did the inspiration for Never Saw Me Coming come from?
I had heard about a behavioral modification program to treat young psychopathic boys where everything was phrased in terms of what reward they could get for doing the desirable behavior. In other words, it’s not “don’t hit that boy because it will hurt him” but more like “if you can refrain from hitting that boy, you can watch TV for half an hour.” I thought it was fascinating because psychopathy is so difficult to treat. Initially I had the idea of an entire school filled with psychopaths, but then dialed it back to 7 embedded within a university—it sort of has a locked room mystery feel, even though it technically isn’t one.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
Personally I don’t really struggle with the writing itself, but the peripheral stuff surrounding the business of writing. At first I found it hard to deal with rejections for short stories, but after the first dozen or so I got used to it. Then it was rejections from coveted summer workshops I wanted to get into, but then eventually I started getting in. Then it was dealing with some pretty intense envy I felt about the best writers in those programs. I often felt like somewhat of an outsider in the literary scene because many literary writers are either the MFA crowd or people who work in or adjacent to publishing. But it wasn’t like I was regretting my career choice: I am not a full time writer and don’t intend to be. The process of getting an agent was the most psychologically distressing for me—Never Saw Me Coming is the third novel I queried, so I went through a few hundred rejections from agents before I got to where I am. There were many, many times where I wanted to give up. Other times where I was confused by positive feedback coupled with a rejection. Or seeing books I thought weren’t that great getting picked up. But all along the way, I always kept researching more about the industry and the market, so that by the time this stuff started happening to me, I knew what to do, what to ask, how the business worked.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Chloe is an incredibly fun character to write. As women, we are told to be modest, nonviolent, selfless, and kind, so it was very fun to write a character who is completely devoid of morality, is hedonistic, and thoroughly thinks of herself as amazing. Without getting into spoilers, I really enjoyed writing scenes with the “triumvirate”—the group of three lead characters who try to solve the murders. They are each posturing and have their own agendas, but also its just funny when they are hanging out together.
What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
In some ways very traditional, in some ways not. I did everything by the book: I wrote some stories, took some classes, and got better and eventually got them published. I did a lot of research about the industry. Everything I’ve gotten published was off the slush pile. I got an agent off the slush pile. I didn’t “know a guy.” A lot of my writing friends look to me as an example of “this is a person who just put her nose to the grindstone and did it.” But in many ways I’m not traditional. My entire book deal went down during COVID lockdown. We went out on submission while I was locked in my apartment. When I got my book deal I couldn’t even hug anyone. The entire process, from getting my agent, doing revisions with my editor, organizing the publicity and marketing campaign for this book, was done virtually. I didn’t even meet my agent or editor until a few weeks ago and we have been working together for more than a year!
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
Nothing specific, but the worst advice comes from the blind leading the blind on the internet. If you’re in a workshop where there isn’t a person there who’s a better writer than you, odds are you’re wasting your time. The best writing advice has been from workshop instructors who fundamentally understood that each person’s piece was ultimately theirs; workshopping shouldn’t be creating a story or novel via committee. At some point you need to develop your own voice and instincts. I like workshopping, but it can’t be your crutch—you shouldn’t feel like you can’t send a story out without workshopping it first. My best writing advice would be to read voraciously. I’m also a meticulous plotter and think that not plotting out novels is a terrible idea.
What’s next for you?
Right now I’m extremely busy with publicity for this book, but once that calms down I’m working on a book that is more of a mystery than a thriller, which goes back to my roots.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
If you’re in a mood for a thriller with a technology angle, I’d suggest Sarah Zachrich Jeng’s The Other ME. I’m also currently reading a clever literary novel called The Portrait of a Mirror by A. Natasha Joukovsky.
You can find Vera on Twitter and Instagram, along with at her website.
