You’ve become the Lowcountry’s queen of suspense. You have a national following. How does that feel?
It feels wonderful knowing there are people out there reading and enjoying my stories. I still remember writing “A Flicker in the Dark” years before I had an agent or book deal and assuming nobody, but my family would ever read it. Now, every time I see one of my books in a bookstore or I see how many people take the time to show up to one of my events, I pinch myself. It’s a dream come true.
Who was Stacy Willingham before she was Stacy Willingham?
I’m still the exact same person as I was before my books were published, I’m just a lot busier now. I love my family more than anything and spend most of my free time with them, my dog and my handful of close friends here in town. I’m also a big reader, of course.
Why will readers love your stories? Why do you?
The cool thing about writing fiction is that you can invent your perfect book. For me, I love literary thrillers with a heavy dose of psychology, multilayered characters and a good twist or two, so that is what I try to accomplish. I love exploring the morally grey areas in life and I try to make my books thought-provoking. At the end of the day, I just hope they‘re entertaining.
What do you love about the South? About Charleston?
The South is such a unique place. I have fun trying to recreate it on the page.
From the way the air feels in the dead of summer, to the smell of the pluff mud at low tide, living in the Lowcounty is a sensory experience, so attempting to bring those things to life in my stories feels like the perfect way to immerse my readers in whatever atmosphere I’m creating. Charleston, in particular, has been my home for over two decades and provides endless inspiration.
Which writers have influenced you? Do you “fan-girl”?
I fan-girl other authors all the time. I’ve been fortunate enough to meet some of my biggest role models and I can barely manage to string together a coherent sentence.
Some of my biggest influences include Gillian Flynn, Karin Slaughter, Tana French, Donna Tartt and Megan Abbott.
What is your typical day?
I start my day reading a few chapters of whatever book I’m currently reading; then I transition to whatever book I’m currently writing and re-read the sections I wrote the day before. Once I’m reacquainted, I spend several hours writing, often taking a break around midday to get outside, take my dog for a walk and get some exercise. I tend to feel my creativity waning around late afternoon, so I dedicate the end of the workday to catching up on emails, social media or interview questions — all the components of being a full-time author that aren’t writing-related. Once my husband gets home, I shut my laptop.
What’s next?
I’m working on my fourth book, which will be out in 2025! My husband and I are also welcoming our daughter this July, so were gearing up for some major changes.
What advice do you have for women with “hard-to-get” dreams?
Having a lofty dream is a vulnerable thing; it’s easy to feel silly when you want something more, but you’ll never know what else is out there unless you dare to go after it. I spent several years trying to get my first book published; I racked up over 100 agent rejections before I finally got my “yes.” Failure is just a part of the process, even if it sends your imposter syndrome into overdrive. My advice is to just swallow the fear and do it anyway. Once you start, realize that you’ve already done a lot more than most people do, so you might as well keep going.
