Heather Gudenkauf: On Writing High-Stakes Thrillers
Heather Gudenkauf is the critically acclaimed author of several novels, including the New York Times bestsellers The Weight of Silence and The Overnight Guest. She lives in Iowa with her husband and children. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
Heather Gudenkauf
Photo by Kate Cousins Photography
In this interview, Heather discusses the inspiration behind her new thriller novel, Everyone Is Watching, her advice for other writers, and more!
Name: Heather Gudenkauf
Literary agent: Marianne Merola
Book title: Everyone Is Watching
Publisher: Park Row
Release date: March 26, 2024
Genre/category: Thriller
Previous titles: The Overnight Guest; The Weight of Silence; This Is How I Lied; Before She Was Found; Missing Pieces; Not a Sound; and three other thrillers.
Elevator pitch: Five strangers, $10 million, countless secrets, one deadly game, and everyone in the world is watching. What could go wrong?
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What prompted you to write this book?
One word. Survivor. I have been a huge fan of the reality series “Survivor” ever since the first season aired waaay back in 2000. I’ve watched on and off over the years and am continually awed by the physical and mental challenges contestants have faced to become the lone survivor. I mean, classic, right? Who can forget Rob and Amber, Cirie, Rupert, and Jonny Fairplay? And let’s not forget Jeff Probst, the intrepid host. I wanted to take the idea of a reality series, elevate the competition to a deadly level, and then ask: What would you do for $10,000,000?
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I settled on the concept for Everyone Is Watching in the spring of 2021 and read it through for the last time in December 2023. What a journey. While the basic idea of the novel remained throughout the process, many details changed. Characters came and went, plot points were developed and then tossed aside (a major wildfire in the initial draft ended up on the cutting room floor), and the final twist didn’t come together until the 11th hour.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
Everyone Is Watching is my 10th novel, so I’m quite familiar with the publishing process. However, with each and every book, I’m reminded of how fortunate I am to have such a knowledgeable, supportive publishing team with me on this journey.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Every single book I write presents me with plenty of surprises. No matter how hard I try to map out the story, somewhere along the way, a character goes rogue, a new character pops into a scene, or an unexpected twist throws everything into chaos. These moments are what make getting behind the keyboard each day so much fun.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
Everyone Is Watching was such a fun book to write. It’s a wild mix of “Survivor,” “Big Brother,” Squid Game, and Clue. I hope readers enjoy the ride as much as I did.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
There’s always that moment amid the writing process when a little bit (or a lot) of terror settles in. Can I still do this? Is the story any good? Will anyone want to read it? When I get here (and I always do), I take a step back and remind myself that I’ve been in this spot before and have always found my way through these thorny brambles of uncertainty. I walk, I read good books, and I keep writing, knowing and believing the story will find its way to me.
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