Interview with Kate Moretti

Today, I’m interviewing Kate Moretti, author of Thought I Knew You, scheduled to be released September 18th.

Hi, Kate! First off, please tell us a little about yourself.

I live in Pennsylvania with my husband of nine years. We have two little girls, four and two years old, and a dog.  My hobbies include writing and reading. In another lifetime, when I had more free time, I enjoyed traveling and playing the piano.

 

What would you say was your single, most compelling reason to write a book?

I’m an avid reader, probably averaging a novel a week. I’ve always scribbled short stories and that kind of thing in journals, and I entered NaNoWriMo a few times, but never finished it. When a close friend of mine confessed she had written a novel – and finished it! – I was inspired to do the same.

 

There’s only one sex scene in your novel. How difficult was that to write?

It took me four days to write it! I don’t read romance. I really didn’t have any idea how to write a sex scene. I downloaded 50 Shades of Grey for my kindle and studied up. Then for four days, I did nothing but think about sex. It was very distracting!

 

Many writers pen novels in genres they don’t normally read. What are your favorite genres?

I read thrillers and mysteries. I don’t actually read much contemporary romance at all. I like Michael Connelly, Harlan Coben, Linwood Barclay, and Dean Koontz. I also love the courtroom dramas of Richard North Patterson and John Grisham.

 

Is your main character based on your own personality at all?

Ha! Yes. She is me, although she makes some decisions that I would not have made. The basic bones of the book mirror my life pretty closely – familial structure, even professional fields of both Claire and Greg (although not specific jobs). The plot, relationships, and characterizations of the secondary characters are fictional.

 

Are the children in your book based on your own kids?

Yes and no. Their ages coincide, only because it was easier. But their personalities aren’t the same as my kids’ personalities. I wouldn’t want to do that to them!

 

What element of the plot of Thought I Knew You came first to your mind?

I like stories where extraordinary events happen to regular people. I asked myself what would rock my world more than anything else? The answer is something happening to my husband or my kids. I didn’t want to do a sad kid story. And I’ve always been intensely interested in the marital relationship, which can be so wonderful and yet, the divorce rate is so high. I liked the idea of exploring how well you can know another person, even if you live with them every day, and you know their habits, good and bad. Can you ever know what they’re really thinking, feeling, etc? Does it matter if you don’t? These are questions that intrigued me.

 

What are some recent books you’ve read and enjoyed?

I just finished Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn, which I thought was amazing. I’m currently reading The Upright Piano Player, by David Abbott. I read Before I Go To Sleep, by SJ Watson, this year, and it creeped me out for days.

 

Claire begins to panic pretty quickly when her husband doesn’t come home. Are you a panicky, worrier type?

No, not really. It takes a lot to get me to the panic state. She’s been edited to be a bit more panicky, as I had gotten some feedback that she wasn’t relatable because she was too laid-back about her missing husband.

 

Are there any characters you would have liked to have given more “face time” had this not been a first-person narrative?

Originally, about a quarter of the book was written from Drew’s point of view. I liked the contrast of showing the different relationships through the eyes of someone who has been with Claire her whole life. But ultimately, it didn’t mesh well with the rest of the narrative and made for a choppy read. I hope I was able to show those nuances through Claire’s eyes, keeping the complexity.

 

Your main character has a dog. Do you own any pets?

Yes. We have a German Shepherd just like Cody in the book.

 

Vanilla or Chocolate?

Chocolate, without question.

 

Paper or eBook?

Paper, for the smell.

 

Introvert or Extrovert?

Both.

 

Science or History?

Science.

 

Huggy or Need-My-Space?

Need My Space.

 

Calm or Hothead?

Calm.

 

Slapstick or Sophisticated Comedies?

Can I say both again?

 

Romance or Action Movies?

Action.