Jeffery Deaver
Jeffery Deaver
Jeffery Deaver is an American mystery/crime writer. He has a bachelor of journalism degree from the University of Missouri and a law degree from Fordham University and originally started working as a journalist. He later practiced law before embarking on a successful career as a best-selling novelist. He has been awarded the Steel Dagger and Short Story Dagger from the British Crime Writers' Association and the Nero Wolfe Award, and he is a three-time recipient of the Ellery Queen...
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth6 May 1950
CityGlen Ellyn, IL
When I find myself frozen - whether I'm working on a brief passage in a novel or brainstorming about an entire book - it's usually because I'm trying to shoehorn an idea into the passage or story where it has no place.
I have to say that there are certain books that exist to tell a particular story and then there are books that exist in the context of character.
In general, I think, less is more, and that if a reader stops reading because a book is too icky then I've failed in my obligation to the readers.
Throat clutching from the outset! The Never List stands as a sterling example of psychological thriller writing at its best. Cancel appointments and give up on sleep. It's that kind of book.
In other words, the people who populate my books are more than caricatures.
When it comes time to write the book itself I'll shut the lights out, picture the scene I'm about to write then close my eyes and go at it. Yes, I can touch type.
My books are primarily plot driven but the best plot in the world is useless if you don't populate them with characters that readers can care about.
The outline is 95 percent of the book. Then I sit down and write, and that's the easy part.
Generally my typical books have lots of twists and turns a big surprise ending and then usually another surprise at the end and ideally, as in Garden of Beasts, we get to the very end and we find at the last few pages that there's yet another surprise.
Trying to write books with a subject matter or in a genre or style you're not familiar with is the best way to find the Big Block looming.
Hardcover books are fairly expensive these days and to read one requires a significant commitment of time in our busy society. So I want to make sure that when readers buy one of my books they get something they're familiar with.
I spend about eight months researching and outlining my book.
Readers are paramount. I live to write books for them.
I've often said that there's no such thing as writer's block; the problem is idea block. When I find myself frozen-whether I'm working on a brief passage in a novel or brainstorming about an entire book-it's usually because I'm trying to shoehorn an idea into the passage or story where it has no place.