Ask the Author: Amy Engel
“I'll be answering questions about my new book, THE FAMILIAR DARK, the week of February 17, 2020. Feel free to ask a question now, and I'll answer it next week!”
Amy Engel
Answered Questions (62)
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Amy Engel
Hi Lynn, actually the IVY series is only two books. Forever is the Italian translation of The Book of Ivy. They changed the name when they published the book in Italy. My most recent book, The Familiar Dark, has the dark-damaged-Ozarks family theme, if you haven't read it yet. And I have a new book in that same vein coming out in 2023. Hope you enjoy! Amy
Amy Engel
Hi Tracy, thrilled you're enjoying THE FAMILIAR DARK! I would suggest THE ROANOKE GIRLS next. It's adult fiction, dark psychological suspense, like TFD. Thanks so much for your interest in my books!
Best,
Amy
Best,
Amy
Amy Engel
Hi Caroline,
I knew I wanted to set the book in the Midwest, and the Missouri Ozarks seemed like the perfect spot for a story that deals with murder and secrets, as well as rural poverty. The Ozarks can be a forgotten part of the world and the more I thought about the story the more the Ozarks took on the form of another character in the book. Thanks for your question!
Best,
Amy
I knew I wanted to set the book in the Midwest, and the Missouri Ozarks seemed like the perfect spot for a story that deals with murder and secrets, as well as rural poverty. The Ozarks can be a forgotten part of the world and the more I thought about the story the more the Ozarks took on the form of another character in the book. Thanks for your question!
Best,
Amy
Amy Engel
Hi Katie,
I generally know how a book will start and how it will end, but everything in between is a mystery until I actually start writing. I always leave open the possibility that I might change the ending, but I rarely do change it. Since I don't outline, it helps to know what I'm writing toward. Thanks for your question!
Best,
Amy
I generally know how a book will start and how it will end, but everything in between is a mystery until I actually start writing. I always leave open the possibility that I might change the ending, but I rarely do change it. Since I don't outline, it helps to know what I'm writing toward. Thanks for your question!
Best,
Amy
Amy Engel
Hi Eva,
I think "want" might be too strong of a word. In the same way that most of the girls go along with the arranged marriage and seem happy about it, they go along with what happens afterward, too. It's how they were raised and the way they're expected to behave. It's the normal way their society functions, so for the majority of the citizens, they don't question it. Hope that helps!
I think "want" might be too strong of a word. In the same way that most of the girls go along with the arranged marriage and seem happy about it, they go along with what happens afterward, too. It's how they were raised and the way they're expected to behave. It's the normal way their society functions, so for the majority of the citizens, they don't question it. Hope that helps!
Amy Engel
Hi there, I'm not really sure I can answer this question for you as it's a personal decision. TRG is not YA. It's an adult book with adult language and themes, some of which are potentially upsetting. It probably depends on how mature of a reader your daughter is and how you feel personally about it. I do know TRG is carried in many high school libraries and my daughter read it at 14. Hope this helps. Best, Amy
Amy Engel
Hi Jennifer,
First off, thanks so much for recommending TRG; I really appreciate it! As for the next book, it's adult psychological suspense and I'm almost done with it. Release date will be up to the publisher, but hopefully it won't be too far away. Thanks for your interest and support of my books!
Best,
Amy
First off, thanks so much for recommending TRG; I really appreciate it! As for the next book, it's adult psychological suspense and I'm almost done with it. Release date will be up to the publisher, but hopefully it won't be too far away. Thanks for your interest and support of my books!
Best,
Amy
Amy Engel
Hi Jennifer,
My mom grew up in Neodesha and the park in the book is loosely based on the one in Independence, Kansas. Obviously, I made the town(s) a lot more sinister and awful than they are in real life! I mainly just wanted to evoke a small town feel because my time in those towns is so clear to me still.
Best,
Amy
My mom grew up in Neodesha and the park in the book is loosely based on the one in Independence, Kansas. Obviously, I made the town(s) a lot more sinister and awful than they are in real life! I mainly just wanted to evoke a small town feel because my time in those towns is so clear to me still.
Best,
Amy
Amy Engel
Hi Amanda,
Sorry it's taken me so long to answer this question! I think granddad's parents were a lot like Gran. Not very warm or loving. Sort of stoic, salt of the earth people. And his sisters worshipped him. I think because Yates is so narcissistic and has such a huge ego, he got addicted to that feeling. He couldn't live without it.
Sorry it's taken me so long to answer this question! I think granddad's parents were a lot like Gran. Not very warm or loving. Sort of stoic, salt of the earth people. And his sisters worshipped him. I think because Yates is so narcissistic and has such a huge ego, he got addicted to that feeling. He couldn't live without it.
Amy Engel
Hi Cat,
Great question and catch! Yes, I actually did take inspiration from the Lost Colony of Roanoke. I actually wasn't thinking of the Lost Colony at all when I came up with the name Roanoke. I knew I needed a name that worked as a last name and also as the name of a house. Roanoke is a beautiful old neighborhood in Kansas City and I've always loved the name. Then, when I was writing the book I knew I wanted Allegra to leave words and clues around the house. In the first draft, they were actual notes and I didn't like that. So I started brainstorming and had a vague memory of the Lost Colony and something carved in wood so did a little research. And that's how Allegra ended up leaving her words carved in wood. Thanks for the question and I'm thrilled you enjoyed the book! Best, Amy
Great question and catch! Yes, I actually did take inspiration from the Lost Colony of Roanoke. I actually wasn't thinking of the Lost Colony at all when I came up with the name Roanoke. I knew I needed a name that worked as a last name and also as the name of a house. Roanoke is a beautiful old neighborhood in Kansas City and I've always loved the name. Then, when I was writing the book I knew I wanted Allegra to leave words and clues around the house. In the first draft, they were actual notes and I didn't like that. So I started brainstorming and had a vague memory of the Lost Colony and something carved in wood so did a little research. And that's how Allegra ended up leaving her words carved in wood. Thanks for the question and I'm thrilled you enjoyed the book! Best, Amy
Amy Engel
I'm trying to attach a copy of the family tree from the beginning of the hard cover copy, but for some reason it's not allowing me to do it. I'll keep working on it, but in the meantime, if you get on Amazon (US) and look up TRG you can click on the "Look Inside" button and scroll back to the family tree. Hope that helps!
Amy
Amy
Amy Engel
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)[Hi Piepie,
I'm thrilled you enjoyed TRG! The idea for the book actually started with the setting and the character of Lane. I knew I wanted to tell a dark story about a very dysfunctional family and the idea for just how dysfunctional they turned out to be sprang from the setting. I wanted a family dynamic that mirrored the insular and claustrophobic nature of small town Kansas. Some people might not believe this, but I honestly didn't write the book to shock anyone. Perhaps it was my years spent as a criminal defense attorney, but I don't find TRG that shocking. Heartbreaking and disturbing, for sure, but not all that shocking given what I've seen of the world. I wrote it, first and foremost, to tell a good story. But I was also interested in the ways in which we tend to view victims of sexual abuse. I think many people have a fundamental misunderstanding of the way such abuse often works, particularly in families--how manipulative and couched in terms of "love" it can be, how confusing it can be for the victim. And, in those cases, the often knee-jerk reaction is to blame the victim, to say, "why didn't she...?" instead of offering empathy. So that was definitely one of the issues I really wanted to explore in the book. Anyway, this is probably WAY more of an answer than you wanted! Lol. Thanks for your question and P.S. I am working on my next book and it is dark and psychological. ;) Best, Amy (hide spoiler)]
I'm thrilled you enjoyed TRG! The idea for the book actually started with the setting and the character of Lane. I knew I wanted to tell a dark story about a very dysfunctional family and the idea for just how dysfunctional they turned out to be sprang from the setting. I wanted a family dynamic that mirrored the insular and claustrophobic nature of small town Kansas. Some people might not believe this, but I honestly didn't write the book to shock anyone. Perhaps it was my years spent as a criminal defense attorney, but I don't find TRG that shocking. Heartbreaking and disturbing, for sure, but not all that shocking given what I've seen of the world. I wrote it, first and foremost, to tell a good story. But I was also interested in the ways in which we tend to view victims of sexual abuse. I think many people have a fundamental misunderstanding of the way such abuse often works, particularly in families--how manipulative and couched in terms of "love" it can be, how confusing it can be for the victim. And, in those cases, the often knee-jerk reaction is to blame the victim, to say, "why didn't she...?" instead of offering empathy. So that was definitely one of the issues I really wanted to explore in the book. Anyway, this is probably WAY more of an answer than you wanted! Lol. Thanks for your question and P.S. I am working on my next book and it is dark and psychological. ;) Best, Amy (hide spoiler)]
Amy Engel
Hi Renee,
I'm thrilled you're enjoying TRG! If you're looking for books that are dark and character driven, like TRG, I would say probably anything by Gillian Flynn. Also, you might try "Luckiest Girl Alive" by Jessica Knoll or Tana French's novels. Maybe "Mystic River" by Dennis Lehane or "The Weight of Blood" by Laura McHugh. Hope that helps!
Best,
Amy
I'm thrilled you're enjoying TRG! If you're looking for books that are dark and character driven, like TRG, I would say probably anything by Gillian Flynn. Also, you might try "Luckiest Girl Alive" by Jessica Knoll or Tana French's novels. Maybe "Mystic River" by Dennis Lehane or "The Weight of Blood" by Laura McHugh. Hope that helps!
Best,
Amy
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