This week YA author Kara Thomas took over our Twitter as a part of our weekly Thursday Twitter Takeover. Kara Thomas is the author of That Weekend. (See YEM’s interview of Kara Thomas here.) See highlights from the takeover below.
Hey everyone, I’m @karatwrites, author of YA thrillers, including The Cheerleaders! My newest, That Weekend, is out now. Excited to answer your questions about the book, my writing inspiration, and journey to becoming a published author 🙌 #yaauthortakeover pic.twitter.com/zkkcPeP70Q
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
That Weekend is about 3 friends who take a secret trip to the Catskill mountains…but only one makes it back alive. Check it out if you’re looking for a thriller with:
🤔 A main character with amnesia
⛺️ A camping trip turned deadly
🤯 A twist endinghttps://t.co/yev4Fkpnq9— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
Looking forward to all of your questions! Make sure to follow along with #yaauthortakeover— spoilery questions welcome!
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
(I mean, who really needs math, though)
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
Needless to say, I always LOVED mysteries, and couldn’t get enough of reading/watching them. I started watching Law & Order at a very inappropriate age, and even went through a period where REALLY I wanted to be a detective when I grew up #yaauthortakeover
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
I was OBSESSED with Caroline B. Cooney as a teen, especially The Face On The Milk Carton. This will not surprise you if you’ve read my book The Darkest Corners #yaauthortakeover
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
A lot of people ask me why I love thrillers so much, especially when they can be dark AF! But I honestly love to explore the darkness within human beings, and the way thrillers challenge the reader to ask difficult questions of themselves #yaauthortakeover
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
I always want to challenge my readers to consider the moral dilemmas my characters face and consider how they would respond if they were in their shoes. My favorite thriller books/movies are the ones that do this: Gone Baby Gone, Prisoners, Gone Girl #yaauthortakeover
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
I love thrillers that make people uncomfortable or that don’t shy away from difficult topics, even if it makes it hard to root for the characters. In That Weekend, I wanted people to have very strong reactions to the characters and their actions #yaauthortakeover
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
On the subject of favorite mystery/thriller shows: it will horrify you to hear that I STILL haven’t seen Veronica Mars! I just started OMITB, though! #yaauthortakeover https://t.co/cELkGPhgYi
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
My favorite quote from That Weekend is “Nothing is more terrifying than a villain that sees himself as a hero.” I wanted the reader to ask themself who the real villain is in the book, and to have their perception change as the story unfolds #yaauthortakeover
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
Q: What’s your writing process like?
A: I usually start with a loose outline to map out all of the twists and turns in a story. Then, I’ll start to dig into the characters and their motivations in order to flesh things out before I start drafting #yaauthortakeover— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
That being said, my writing process is different with every book! That Weekend required more outlining because it was very plot heavy, and Claire’s amnesia complicated the pacing of the beginning #yaauthortakeover
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
Process is also something you’ll develop over time— I think the best way to improve your writing is not by taking a class or reading books on craft, but by writing and re-writing and problem-solving between drafts #yaauthortakeover
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
Q: What advice do I have for aspiring writers?
A: Read widely! I think reading more non-fiction, especially memoir, helped me approach creating characters in a more authentic way #yaauthortakeover— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
Q: What’s the most important part of writing a thriller, IMO?
A: Making readers care about the characters. A book can have great twists, but I won't be invested unless the character is interesting/has a great voice, even if they’re “unlikable” #yaauthortakeover— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
It only takes one yes, as they say— but the book I signed with my agent for didn’t sell to editors when she submitted it. The book that sold to a publisher was the third book I’d written. It’s a long process and you sometimes hear “no” a LOT #yaauthortakeover
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
Q: Who are your writing inspirations/favorite authors?
A: @courtney_s and @Gillianfrench13 write some of the best YA mysteries I’ve ever read! On the adult side, I love reading Gillian Flynn, Jane Harper, and Dennis Lehane, among others #yaauthortakeover— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
Q: What’s on my thriller to-watch list?
A: Cannot wait to binge @writerkmc’s #oouil on @peacockTV this weekend and @naturallysteph’s There’s Someone Inside Your House on @netflix! Hit me up with your other recs 👀 #yaauthortakeover— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
Q: Favorite thrillers with 🤯🤯🤯 twists?
A: For movies: Arrival, Knives Out, Get Out. And books: Long Bright River by Liz Moore, I Killed Zoe Spanos by @kitfrick and of course, Gone Girl #yaauthortakeover— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
Ok, that’s a wrap, but you can find me at @karatwrites, and I hope you’ll check out my books if you need a murder and mayhem-filled read this spooky season!! Thanks for having me! #yaauthortakeover pic.twitter.com/sLm1C6t7UK
— Young Entertainment Magazine (@YoungEntmag) October 7, 2021
