Meeting Harry

Hi, Harry.
The Life and Death of Rose Doucette is such a well-crafted, interesting story. But what I liked even greater was the “voice” of your protagonist, Dylan—narrator--
“In addition to the fatigue, there was something else wrong that I couldn’t identify, an air about her that clouded the table like cigarette smoke. The way she held her arms, the angel of her head. The tendons along her jaw tight against her skin. With a start, I recognized what it was, an emotion I’d never seen before from her. Fear.”
Calm. Steady. Keen in observation. From the very beginning, I felt secure in his hands—and yours.
Now, on to the questions…
There is a great amount of emotional suspense in this story. Dylan (protagonist)  has personal reasons for needing to find the person responsible for Rose’s death— besides professional. How did you maintain the balance of this emotional suspense while laying out the plot?The story engine for the novel is straightforward—a detective is forced to partner with the man who broke up his marriage, both men trying to find out who killed the woman they loved. Because of that, the balance between emotional suspense and plot came together easily.

How did you decide to reveal the truth about Rose—deciding what the reader should know and when?That’s the point of the book, the big reveal, so I kept that for as late as possible. When I am outlining, I tend to think in terms of reveals—the nuggets that keep the reader turning the pages. So I try to space them out across the story.

I felt that at certain points, you were surprised as well as the protagonist, when aspects of Rose’s life came out. Were there times while writing that surprised you?
Not really. I had a pretty extensive outline for this book before I started. (That’s not always the case!)

What was the most challenging scene or moment?
Without giving away any spoilers, there’s a scene toward the end where a child is in jeopardy. I found that challenging to write.

What did you hope readers would feel when they reached the final pages? Did you have this in mind at Chapter One?
I hope they feel what Dylan felt—a catharsis.

What techniques do you use to keep the pacing tight without sacrificing the atmosphere—or even more importantly I feel, the voice?
I endeavor to follow the Elmore Leonard maxim: “Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.” Also, I like to end each chapter with some sort of cliffhanger if possible.

Many authors write, edit, rewrite as they go without a complete drafting type of process. Which are you?
I cannot move forward until every syllable of a chapter is perfect. That doesn’t mean I won’t make substantial revisions later on. But as I write the first draft, I strive for the writing to be the best it can be.

Do you find you have a clear idea of the characters and edit for plot more? Or since the voice of this story is so well done, do you edit more for language?
The plot stayed the same throughout. I tweaked the characters as I went. And of course I obsessed over the language.

Morality is a huge theme in this book. How did you want to approach this theme with such complex characters—especially in a genre where readers expect clear heroes and villains? And if you want, so as not to give away anything—you can address Rose, Tito, and the complex subject of mental illness here if you want.
I’m going to skip that last because if I answer, I’m afraid I’ll give too much away.
You are correct; morality is a huge theme. Or, as I think of it, immorality, especially the kind associated with extreme wealth. I was trying to bring the reader into a world where consequences have a different meaning than what most of us are used to. Think of the HBO show Succession. The rules are just different for people with that level of wealth. Until someone like Dylan Fisher comes along.

Looking back now that the novel is on the bookshelf and off your desk, what did the writing of The Life and Death of Rose Doucette teach you about storytelling that might carry you into your next book?
The power of developing a character to their fullest, spending time with them to really get inside their mind.

How would you advise a challenged writer with this type of story?
Focus on the character. The rest will follow.

Next book we need to watch out for? I know I hit “FOLLOW ” AUTHOR  on Amazon.
My tenth novel comes out in October 2026, just around the corner.
Mother May I is about a former CIA operative who learns her missing daughter may still be alive and the quest she embarks on to find her child. Think Taken meets John Wick.
 
It was so good to meet you, Harry, and to learn more about your crafting of story. I know I will get to read another sometime soon.
Great to meet you too! Hope to see you at the next conference!

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