Welcome to Inside the Mind where we here at The Faerie Review interview authors and creators.
Our guest today is Anne Russo, the author behind The Dead Don’t Lie

Lily:  Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview Anne, I enjoyed reading The Dead Don’t Lie. What inspired you to write this?

Anne:  Thank you for having me! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the book. As for what inspired me to write it, there are too many different inspirations to list! But really, it comes down to a Toni Morrison quote that always stuck with me. “If there’s a book that you want to read, but hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” So that’s what I did. The Dead Don’t Lie and the Dead Generations series, in general, is a mixed grab bag of every trope, show, book, movie I’ve ever loved and was inspired by. So this series is sort of a love letter to fandom and fandom culture in that respect. But also, as a queer person myself, I wanted very much to write authentic, true-to-life queer characters who are complex and multi-dimensional. I’m endlessly fascinated by morally gray characters and story-lines. 

Lily:  You did an excellent job with the characters! What was the highlight of writing this book?

Anne:  Finishing it! Though, to be honest, it still doesn’t quite feel done, done, but I think that’s just the nature of writing itself. Of course, you’ll always want to go back and add things and make revisions, but overall, I’m so proud of the finished product. But while writing it, the ultimate highlight had to be just how it all came together, like pieces of a puzzle. It was terrific—the experience of plotting the series as a whole and getting ideas here and there, breakthroughs. Even now, I’m still learning new things about my characters and coming up with all kinds of subplots and story ideas for them. 

Lily:  Hehe I’ve heard that from author friends before. Without spoilers, what’s your favorite part of the book? Do you have a favorite character?

Anne: I’m quite partial to the alleyway scene, which if one is familiar with the book, they’ll know what I’m talking about, lol. Ian and Adam’s sparring scenes were also a lot of fun to write, too. Unfortunately, I really can’t say more about my favorite scenes overall without spoiling things since this book features quite a few plot twists. As for favorite characters, that’s like asking me to pick a favorite child! But I definitely have a soft spot for Ian, he hasn’t had an easy life, and it was an interesting challenge creating a sympathetic character who does some not-so-sympathetic things. But writing Katherine, writing villains in general is an absolute favorite of mine. 

 Lily:  You did a great job with the sparring scenes, and I know the alley scene, I agree it was great! If your book were made into a movie, who do you see playing the main characters?

Anne: Honestly, I dislike fan-casting my work. I think it takes away a bit of the fun for some readers, so I like to leave my character descriptions a bit vague on purpose just because I think it’s more satisfying for the reader to picture their perfect cast while reading. 

Lily:  I like being able to use my imagination. Now we’d like to talk about you as a writer. How long have you been writing?

Anne: I’ve been writing since I was a little kid but was for a long time somewhat shy about my work, and though I’m still not entirely comfortable with sharing it even now, I’ve gotten a lot better with it. Now I’m proud of my writing and am happy to share my work with others. 

Lily:  I’m certainly glad you’re sharing it with others. Can you describe your ideal writing space?

Anne: A cabin on a lake, set far back in the woods. Summer thunderstorms and heavy wind. An old wooden desk in front of an open window weighed down by piles of books and notebooks, cups full of pens, a trusted laptop somewhere in the middle. And endless coffee and hot chocolate on tap!  

Lily:  That sounds like an amazing place to relax and write. What is your favorite word and why?

Anne:  Soliloquy. It’s such a beautiful word. And the way it rolls off the tongue is fun. 

Lily:  Ooooh that’s a good one. What household chore is just the worst? Which one is the best?

Anne: I don’t hate any chores per se, though anyone who enjoys cleaning bathrooms is a little questionable in my book, lol. But I would have to say that I somewhat enjoy hand washing dishes. I find it oddly meditative and do many of my best daydreaming and plotting when doing mindless chores. 

Lily:  That’s a great reason to enjoy dishes. I can’t say I like washing dishes much, I prefer laundry myself. Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?

Anne:  I just want to thank you for the opportunity to talk with you today and share with you and your readers a bit about the book and the Dead Generations series. It was an absolute pleasure, and I had a lot of fun. 

Lily:  I’m so glad you were able to stop by! How can readers discover more about you and your work?

Anne: I’ve recently launched my website annerusso.com, so if anyone is interested in learning more about the series, you can check it out there. I’ll also have a monthly newsletter with lots of exclusives about the series and short stories and sneak peeks, and other fun and exciting content. 

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