California native Alexandra Sokoloff is a professional screenwriter, director, choreographer and author of supernatural thrillers, harrowing, Price, The Unseen, and now the latest, Book of Shadows. The first was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for superior work in the first novel and the Anthony Award for Best First Mystery. She is also the International Thriller Writers' Thriller Award. She has adapted numerous novels for film for companies such as Sony, Fox, Disney, and Miramax. Sokoloff is a regular blogger Murderati, collective dark suspense author.
Thanks for this interview, Alexandra. All your novels are supernatural thrillers. What got in the field of the paranormal?
I grew up in Berkeley, California, which has paranormal experiences all on their own! I'm not really joking, either - people in this town are very committed to implementing an altered state of consciousness, be it chemical, spiritual, psychological, or occult. Very early on I developed a fascination with the question of whether paranormal events is a psychological experience, supernatural one, or some combination of the two. That's what I always write about it. And of course, my favorite books and movies of all time are the ones that they are investigating the psychological / supernatural mysteries and hauntings, such as Shirley Jackson's Haunting the Hill House, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper, and Stephen King's The Shining and Carrie.
Let's talk about the latest one, Book of Shadows. What was your inspiration for it?
I've always wanted to write a story with the background of the modern practice of witchcraft. Since the California native, I have friends who practice the craft, and it is so rich in archetypal images and visual power. And You May have noticed I'm pretty obsessed with gender issues and differences. I wanted to write a book that would pit a rational external, logic-driven man, in a very male profession (homicide detective), from a very rational city (Boston) against a very otherworldly, psychic, unconscious drives women (practicing witch), with a lot of mysterious (Salem) - and play with contrast and the line between what is real and what is supernatural, as two of them explore what he thinks is a serial murder that she insists on including a real demon. I thought I could make some great chemistry and mistrust between the characters there, paranormal noir, if you will. Then I've also been working with my constant theme of people, especially young people (in this case, a troubled student) opening doors that they really do not understand and to deal with what might be supernatural consequences.
new aspect of this novel is not really present in the elderly, a detective as a protagonist. It adds a touch of crime / mystery book. Why did you decide that your character is a cop?
I wrote a lot of police procedurals as a writer, and I read a lot in the genre, I love it. For the Book of Shadows I wanted the protagonist to be a cop, because as I said, it was out as the male, rational, professional, and will provide the greatest contrast and conflict with which they are forced to team up with to solve the murder. He is also constantly fighting their own unwillingness to believe that the supernatural element involved in the case. The interesting thing about the police, however, that they are really very intuitive, so it has more in common with the witch but will initially be inclined to admit.
Did the police conduct research for a story?
I interviewed all kinds of law professionals and have done much research of forensics for the script that I wrote, so I know how to work the murder investigation. However, the Book of Shadows, when I was visiting Boston and Salem in the research, I was very happy to find a criminalist in the Boston police who gave me a great tour and the Police Department crime lab and was very generous about answering my specific procedural issues.
There are many fascinating and frightening-information in the story about witchcraft. After writing about this subject before, you must have been familiar with most of it. Is there anything new that we learned about "dark forces", while working on this novel?
do not know about the Dark Arts, but I am learning both in writing and in life that we humans are much, much more powerful than we give ourselves credit for. Our intent to create our own reality, so it's important to be clear and conscious about what we think and what we want, so we always focus on the positive and reflected unconsciously something with negative consequences. It is, in short, the practical magic.
All throughout the story I could feel that a careful and methodical you almost have to create doubt in the reader-we never stop wondering, Is this or is it supernatural. Is it easy to make from a technical point of view?
hah - what about writing is always easy? In the story I was very committed to letting all ambiguous, I wanted the reader to decide - or not! - is there something truly supernatural going on. It is my experience of what is real magic, it is subtle, and not one or the other. I have never deviated from that mission, which I think is easier to write, because I was so clear about what I wanted to do.
I read online that all her books, this is your favorite so far. Why is this so?
I think it's because I love all the characters and story of the mysterious world of so much. The main characters are all flawed people really trying to do the right thing, and risking themselves to save the lives of others.
I hear you have a nonfiction e-books to help writers plot out my novels. Tell us all about it!
When my first novel, the harrowing, came out, I was really surprised at the request I teach writing at conferences because I have worked many years as a screenwriter, wrote the book is now recognized as. I very quickly realized the author had never heard of the film techniques that are the bread-and-butter of Hollywood writing and filmmaking. So I started teaching workshops and writing a blog explaining the process of writing the film, and showing how to watch movies to pick up the story structure and cinematic techniques that are a great help with writing a novel. workshops and blogs evolved into a workbook, script tricks for authors, which is available on Amazon.
also give workshops on-line. Will you give up one in the near future?
have two weeks online workshop coming 15th July and one in November. Details and registration links are on my i.
What's next for Alexandra Sokoloff?
my first paranormal coming out in November, gearbox, part of a trilogy set in New Orleans, co-author Heather Graham and Deborah LeBlanc. I work in a very dark young adult paranormal thriller and second, that dark, supernatural adult supernatural thriller for next year.
Thanks, Alexandra!