Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Garrett Addison
Book Title: Closure
Released: 08/29/23
Genre: Adult Crime Thriller
Interview by Heather L. Barksdale
What inspired you to write “Closure”?
Addison: I was thinking about palliative people and I wondered what they think about in their last days. I also wondered what they’d do if they thought they could make good of their lives when they have nothing to lose. I found myself writing about someone sharing their lifelong regret and someone else so angry that their final days were obsessed with revenge. For a long time I thought they were two separate potential novels vying for my attention, until I questioned if they were really two facets of the same story. I thought what if there were two characters, one full of regret and one full of revenge, both dying, and another character somehow between the two. The result was actually a lot of fun to write.
How did you come up with the names of your main characters?
Addison: I don’t think about character’s names until very late in the process, so much of the first draft just uses placeholder names (like AAA, BBB, or CCC) until a name seems appropriate. I guess I have my little “black-list” of names for some characters, particularly the ones who don’t fare so well in the story. That list includes the kid who stole my lunch money in the second grade and the guy who owes me money. Some of the character names just seem to work when I’m reading my dialogue out loud, and others stick in my head when scanning the credits in movies.
Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?
Addison: I just sit and write. I don’t work to any plan; I just write what comes to mind, invariably a scene, sometimes just dialog, sometimes just action, sometimes just thoughts. I don’t even write with a particular character in mind. When I’m done, I just file it away, until every now and then I get the urge to read what I’ve written. Sometimes a few of the scenes will gel in my mind and inadvertently affect my writing such that I find myself writing before or after scenes; what happened first or what happened next. Gradually the makings of a story takes shape, admittedly with a lot of gaps, and I then start closing those gaps until I have something resembling a first draft.
If "Closure" was adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?
Addison: I always pictured Eric Bana as James Malter, and yes, I’ve sent him a copy. I saw him as being able to play a broody professional suddenly struggling with untapped anger. For Tom Willson, I think Sam Neill would do a great job as a calm, repentant, dying old man waiting for his past to catch up with him. Funnily enough, I never thought of who would best portray the vengeful Nigel.
When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?
Addison: I only ever write my stories scene-by-scene, not following any plan, and each scene is just what occurs to me at the time, so I never get writer’s block. If no particular scene comes to mind, I simply read some already written scenes and “how did we get here?” or “then what?” kind of questions make the scenes I need to write apparent.
Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?
Addison: Just write the story you want to write and don’t be lured into the trap of writing wanna-be fiction or trying to copy someone else’s style.
What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?
Addison: I like revenge stories, and I don’t know what that says about me. Mystery, thrillers, crime and suspense are all good fun … particularly if there’s a good bit of revenge in the mix. Matthew Reilly and John Birmingham remain my favourite well known authors because they turned me into a reader, but I like the way Freida McFadden writes, and the Jack Reacher stories are still my popcorn-read.
What are you working on next?
Addison: I’m writing another 2 novels at the moment, both revenge stories, of course. Like cultivating a few seedlings, inevitably one will start to look better than the other and will attract more love and attention until it’s completed.
Learn more about Closure and the author here:
Twitter: @GarrettAddison
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