Nicola Solvinic: Be Willing To Experiment With Your Story

Nicola Solvinic has a master’s degree in criminology and has worked in and around criminal justice for more than a decade. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and cats, where she is surrounded by a secret garden full of beehives. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Nicola Solvinic

Photo © Simon Yao, 2022

In this interview, Nicola discusses the surprises along the publishing journey of her crime novel, The Hunter’s Daughter, her advice for other writers, and more!

Name: Nicola Solvinic
Literary agent: Caitlin Blasdell, Liza Dawson Associates
Book title: The Hunter’s Daughter
Publisher: Berkley
Release date: May 14, 2024
Genre/category: Crime Fiction
Elevator pitch: The secret daughter of a notorious serial killer must catch his copycat, using the tricks her father taught her in the forest long ago.

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What prompted you to write this book?

I’ve been fascinated by the notion that people create their own realities for a while, and I wanted to explore how events might be explained by entirely different perspectives. With an unreliable narrator, I thought about how she might perceive a series of crimes from a logical, rational point of view … and also how she might make sense of things from a more emotional view that leaves room for supernatural explanations. I was curious about how she makes connections between her past and present, and the stories she tells herself to make sense of them.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

It took a couple of years, I think. One of the interesting things that happened was that the book forced me to go back and think about the main character’s motivations. Anna is morally pretty grey, and I had to decide whether to redeem her in the end or not. She very much falls under her father’s shadow, and she has to decide whether she can individuate herself from him or if her roots are her destiny.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

I was really delighted with the interest my editor and Berkley took in my book. Writing is a pretty solitary process, and it all of a sudden became a team effort with tons of support. It feels very much like a fairy tale, like getting to go to the ball in a pumpkin carriage with snazzy new glass slippers!

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

I completely pantsed this book. I didn’t try to control it and let it unfold the way it wanted to. I thought I should approach a book with a strong outline and a step-by-step roadmap, but I was surprised that it took on its own life and directed itself. I haven’t had that experience before, and it was really a lesson for me in surrendering to the creative flow.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

I hope that readers will have a good time guessing whodunit. That’s always my favorite part of reading a story—forming theories and seeing if they align with what the author had in mind. A book is a puzzle in that respect, and I want readers to enjoy putting the pieces together.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Be willing to play, to experiment with your story. Up until the moment a book is finalized, it will be revised and subject to change, in flux. Keep in dialogue with the story and its characters and see what new directions open up to you.

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