Hey everyone! I’m so excited to have Erik Therme here for an interview! First, here’s more about Keep Her Close:

Someone took your daughter. And nobody believes you…

Then:
Three-year-old Ally was found alone in a parking lot.
She was barefoot and dressed only in a yellow sundress. In the middle of winter.
What kind of person would abandon their daughter?

Now:
Fifteen years later and Ally has a new family.
But her real father has sent her a letter.
And now Ally is missing.

A gripping twist-filled thriller that will have you looking over your shoulder. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train and Teresa Driscoll.

Goodreads | The Book Depository | IndieBound

And now for the interview! Enjoy!

Describe your book in ten words or less. Go!
Someone took your daughter. No one believes you.

What inspired you to write this story?
When my daughter left for college last year, I found myself in a state of constant worry, and my imagination ran wild at the thought of something terrible happening to her. I knew I was being ridiculous, and I figured writing about it would be a good way for me to address my fears in a safe, fictional environment.

What scene do you most regret having to cut? On the flip side, what was your favorite scene that got added during edits?
The first draft of Keep Her Close had more sequences with a character named Tucker, but my editor thought he was too “quirky” (he carried a fake samurai sword and wheeled around in a wheelchair because of his severe bunions), and we ended up scaling back his tone and presence. In hindsight, it was probably for the best, but I really liked the character, and I would have loved to show more of him.

On the flip side: my editor had me add a flashback scene (detailing an affair with one of the main characters) that I was reluctant to add, but once it was written, it did give good depth to the character and story.

If you could create an “alternate ending” for your book, what – if anything – would you do differently? Why?
I’ve had a lot of readers feel the ending of Keep Her Close is too open-ended (I can’t give specifics without ruining the story), and while I stand by my ending, I could have easily added another paragraph that would have resolved the issue. That said, I’ve always been a fan of ambiguous endings, but they’ve definitely cost me reviews (and readers), so I don’t know what the right answer is.

Craziest thing you’ve had to Google for a work in progress?
The sounds (and smells) of a corpse. I’ll spare you the results.

What books would you recommend to a reader who loved yours, and wants to read something similar?
Joseph Souza and Sarah A. Denzil write thrillers that are similar to mine in substance and style. Souza’s latest—Pray for the Girl—is available for preorder, and Denzil’s newest—Only Daughter—releases in March of 2019.

What are three must-have items when you sit down to write?
Mt. Dew (chilled in the freezer); Mogwai slippers (from the movie Gremlins); and background music (in the form of movie soundtracks). Inspiration is also a bonus!

Are you working on anything new?
I’m currently finishing edits on my fifth novel (untitled), which has a tentative release date of April, 2019.

And now for the giveaway! Thanks to Erik, we have 10 (!!!) US Amazon Kindle copies of Keep Her Close to give away! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below!

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About the Author
 
Erik Therme has thrashed in garage bands, inadvertently harbored runaways, and met Darth Vader. When he’s not at his computer, he can be found cheering on his youngest daughter’s volleyball team, or watching horror movies with his oldest. He currently resides in Iowa City, Iowa—one of only twenty-eight places in the world that UNESCO has certified as a City of Literature.
 
 

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