Jaime Lynn Hendricks: On Thriller Authors Getting Away With Murder
Author Jaime Lynn Hendricks discusses the industry themed backdrop of her new thriller novel, I Didn’t Do It.
Jaime Lynn Hendricks's debut novel, Finding Tessa, was called "an anxiety fueled ride rife with unexpected left turns" by Publishers Weekly, and won a "Best of 2021" in the debut category from Suspense Magazine. It is also available in the UK and Commonwealth under the title His Missing Wife.
Jaime spent over 20 years in the printing industry before becoming an author, and recently moved from New Jersey to Florida with her husband and dog. Find her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
In this post, Jaime discusses the industry themed backdrop of her new thriller novel, I Didn’t Do It, her advice for other writers, and more!
Name: Jaime Lynn Hendricks
Literary agent: Anne Tibbets, Donald Maass Literary Agency
Book title: I Didn’t Do It
Publisher: Scarlet Suspense
Release date: May 23, 2023
Genre/category: Thriller/Suspense
Previous titles: Finding Tessa, It Could Be Anyone
Elevator pitch for the book: When a prominent author ends up dead at a national Thriller Writer’s conference, a sinister social media account points fingers at her literary rivals—especially when it’s discovered that they have secrets connected to her.
What prompted you to write this book?
Thriller authors always talk about how we can (allegedly) get away with murder. We do so much research into how to get away with things, that it almost becomes second nature. Basically, we (allegedly) know “where and how to hide the bodies.”
Throughout years of conversations, it always came up that authors want to read about how an author would try to accomplish this. So, I went with it. I threw in the setting as a Thrillerfest-esque scene as to have authors from all over the country in one place at the same time the murder happened.
The entire story elaborates on how the characters are now living in a thriller novel themselves, and I thought it was such an original idea. Think Only Murders In The Building, but with thriller authors.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I wrote the book in the spring/summer of 2021, over a period of about three months. My agent and I had already submitted a different book to my publisher for my option, but once this one was finished, I decided I liked it better. We pulled the old one and used this for my option instead, knowing the clock would start over before we got an answer regarding a contract, but that was okay.
I got the contract in November of 2021. My sophomore novel was due out in May of 2022, so they slated this one for May of 2023. A week before Thrillerfest! Talk about timing! Although … I feel if anyone gets so much as a papercut at the conference all eyes will turn to me as the culprit (ha ha).
The idea did change once, about the who and why of the murder, but I can't elaborate too much without giving away a huge reveal. In the end, I'm completely satisfied with how I ended the book.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
Not really. I’ve been with the same agent, the same publisher, and the same editor through my first two books and then for this one, so the process was pretty much the same. It’ll be the same for my fourth, which was contracted in November of 2022, and is likely slated for release around May 2024. I got to have all my surprises and learning moments as a debut!
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Yes, I was surprised how much fun I had writing it!
Every author will tell you: We love what we do, but sometimes, the words just don’t come out, and it’s frustrating. A writing session for me is 1,000 words a day. Sometimes I can get it out in a half hour, sometimes it takes me eight hours. This one went surprisingly fast.
People have told me how funny they think the manuscript is, but it wasn’t written to be that way. I’d say it’s more “publishing insider snarky” than funny. Definitely suspenseful with lots of twists and turns.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope they get a fun inside look at the industry and the things that we think and say, and the way we have to interact with certain people. No matter what stage we’re at—New York Times bestseller or a newbie getting ready to debut—we all have highs and lows, successes and failures, pride and jealousies.
While this novel is 100% fiction and based on no one in real life, it’s a very real representation of authors and conferences. It’s a pun on the entire thriller industry. With added murder, of course.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Aspiring writers—all I can say is keep going. The industry as a whole is rife with rejection, but it will never mean you're a failure. Publishing is a business first and foremost, and that’s a hard lesson to learn when everything we do is with passion first. There is rejection every step of the way, from agents to editors to film rights to reviews, so my best advice is to develop a thick skin.
Hone your craft as best you can and try to surround yourself with uplifting people who are ahead of you in the process and can guide you. It’s invaluable, and I love that every day is still a learning experience. The knowledge and persistence will eventually pay off.
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
