Kate Williams is the author of Never Coming Home. Never Coming Home is a mystery thriller that follows Unknown Island—it’s the world’s most exclusive destination. The mysterious resort launched with a viral marketing campaign, and now the whole world is watching as the mysterious resort opens its doors to the ten elite influencers. YEM was able to speak with Kate about what it was like writing a mystery/ whodunnit, her writing process, and something that she learned about herself during her writing process.
Young Entertainment Mag: When did you first realize you wanted to become an author?
Kate Williams: I have been a writer for as long as I can remember—I even wrote for my middle school yearbook, then went on to become a journalist after I graduated from college. I always knew I wanted to write books, though, because books have shaped me more than any other art form (except maybe music, though I can’t sing to save my life).
YEM: What can you tell us about your book Never Coming Home?
Kate: It is a classic, locked-room murder mystery updated with a very modern twist.
YEM: Was any part of your book influenced by people or events in your real life?
Kate: No. Thank god, I have never been trapped on an island with someone trying to murder me. I am, however, still relatively young, so I guess there is still time? However, I worked with a lot of celebrities and influencers when I was a journalist, so a lot of the book was inspired by the behind-the-scenes peeks I got there.
YEM: What made you decide to write about influencers?
Kate: We live in a culture that is obessed with fame, and I think a lot of that comes from the mistaken belief that all of your problems go away when you become famous. I wanted to show that a life in the public eye is not easy, that it actually takes a lot of work and comes with some very real consequences.
YEM: Was writing a mystery/ whodunnit always something you wanted to do?
Kate: Yes! I come from a family of mystery readers, so it is the genre that I am most familiar with. It was fun to think about what I like most about mysteries and try to recreate that here.
YEM: What was your writing process like?
Kate: I do a lot of meticulous plotting before I ever sit down to write, but then once I really get in the flow, I’m still surprised by what happens.
YEM: Do you have any advice for someone who wants to be an author?
Kate: Read, write, read, write, read, write! And make sure you really enjoy the writing process—books only come out once a year or once every couple of years, so you have to make sure you’re having fun in between all that.
YEM: What is a takeaway you hope that your readers have after reading Never Coming Home?
Kate: I hope that they understand that nobody’s life is perfect, and that what they see online isn’t always the full story.
YEM: What is something you learned about yourself in this writing process?
Kate: Oooh, this is a tough one. I had a lot of difficult things happen in my life while was working on this book, and I think that is reflected in these characters’ journeys. For a lot of my life, I wasn’t very open about whatever it was that I was going through because I was worried what people would think, or I didn’t want to bother them. Now I know that you have to be honest about your life, even if it makes people uncomfortable, because wounds need air to heal.
YEM: Is there a quote or line that you find to be your favorite?
Kate: “Promises of heaven unpacked in hell.” This is when a character is going through her suitcase and almost laughing at everything she brought, since it is all useless now that someone is trying to kill her.
YEM: How would you describe Never Coming Home in one word?
Kate: killer
YEM: Would you ever write a sequel to Never Coming Home? Or are you looking to write about something totally different in the future?
Kate: I would totally write a sequel! If I could ever figure out how to do it!
