Writers Who Read: Amy Thomas

Our Writers Who Read series continues with novelist Amy Thomas, author of The Detective and The Woman mystery series.

Who are you?

My name is Amy Thomas, and I write The Detective and The Woman mystery series about Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler. As a podcaster with the Baker Street Babes, I’m always meeting new people who love Sherlock Holmes and delving deeper into my own love for the character. I wrote my first book, The Detective and The Woman, for NaNoWriMo. After it was picked up for publication by MX Publishing, I wrote two sequels (and have started a third) because I just can’t get enough of writing about one of the most intriguing male characters in literature and the woman who outsmarted him. In the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Irene is an extremely vivid character, but she appears relatively little. My books flesh her out and imagine a friendship between her and Holmes. It’s a little unusual (thankfully becoming less so) for Holmes books to have a feminist twist, but I write half of each book in Irene’s voice, and she’s a feminine force to be reckoned with.

What are three beloved books you first read before the age of 12?
Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling
The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

What is one book you are always recommending to friends and family (and maybe the local barista) as an adult?
Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis

What is your book kryptonite–those unique elements in a book, beyond just great writing and three-dimensional characters, that make you unable to resist reading?
Snarky protagonists, urbane detectives, and characters going through major personal transition.

What is your ideal time and place to read?
Late morning, on my lanai, with the sun shining, a nice breeze, and cup of tea next to me.

Which books have had the biggest influence on your writing?
This is a tough one to narrow down. I would say the depth of emotion and human understanding in the great Russian writers like Dostoevsky definitely influenced my desire to write in a way that truly and completely reflects the human experience. Also, I can’t possibly leave out Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who created many of the brilliant characters who fill my books.

How do you balance reading and writing in your life?
I tend to write a lot in very short spurts. I finished the first drafts of all three of my books in about a month each. I find that if I focus my energy that way, I’m able to finish, whereas if I give myself more time, I tend to write and rewrite endlessly. That way of working means I have a lot of time to read and pursue other hobbies when I’m not in a mad writing dash.

Choose your penned poison: ebook, physical book, or audio book?
I have a NOOK device, and I definitely enjoy e-books. I also have a large collection of physical books, and I can’t see myself ceasing to collect them any time soon.

Do you consciously plan your future reading–i.e., set book goals, keep a TBR list, participate in book challenges or book clubs? Why or why not?
I have tracked my reading before, and I enjoyed it, but I’m not doing it right now. I’m a very spontaneous person, and I hate doing the same thing the same way over and over. I might go back to keeping a list some day. Who knows?

What are you reading now?
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. She’s a genius, and I can’t recommend her books highly enough.

Where to find me:
Twitter: @Pickwick12
Tumblr: girlmeetssherlock
Website: girlmeetssherlock.wordpress.com