Fallen Angel Reviews would like to welcome New York Time's best selling author, Tess Gerritsen. Thank you so much, Tess, for taking time out of your busy schedule to interview with us.

Please tell us a little about yourself.

I grew up in California as a second-generation Chinese American, and I feel lucky to have parents who encouraged me to explore every interest I had as a child. Since I'm a curious person by nature, it meant I spent a lot of time playing with science experiments and probing every nook and cranny of the canyon next to our house. It's my interest in science that has informed much of my writing. I approach crime fiction from the point of view of the scientist and the doctor. I feel comforted by the idea that there's a LOGICAL resolution to a mystery.

Congratulations on your new release, Body Double! For those that have yet to read it, can you tell them a little about this book?

The premise for BODY DOUBLE occurred to me while I was watching an autopsy. The body on the table was that of a young man. I couldn't get past the fact the man was 20 -- my son's age -- and I thought: "is there anything worse than watching someone you know get autopsied?" And the answer that struck me was: "Yes, there is. Watching YOURSELF get autopsied." I kept playing around with that concept, wondering how I could work that situation into a book. The result was BODY DOUBLE. Medical Examiner Maura Isles returns from a trip to Paris to find a crime scene in her front yard. A woman has been shot to death -- a woman whose real name is a mystery. When she looks at the victim, Maura is stunned. The dead woman looks exactly like Maura. And when she later watches the autopsy, Maura experiences that stunning premise that I had thought up that day in the autopsy room: I'm watching a post-mortem on myself.

In your experience, what is the best and worst thing about being a writer?

The best part? When a truly gripping premise hits me, and I can't wait to write the book. The worst part? When I get halfway through the manuscript, and I realize I don't really know what the book's all about!

As someone who was in the medical profession, is writing something you always dreamed of doing or is it something you "stumbled" into?

I've always wanted to be a writer. As a child, I was constantly dreaming up stories, but I never imagined I'd be able to make a living at it -- it seemed like the sort of dream profession that very few people actually succeeded at. Even in medical school, I thought that I'd write stories only "as a hobby." So it's been a thrill, to finally fulfill my childhood dream of being a novelist.

Describe a day in the life of Tess Gerritsen.

I get up late. Well, late for most working people, and don't usually sit down at my desk until around nine. I try to write about four pages a day, because I know that's the pace that will keep me to my deadline schedule of a book a year. I write first drafts in long-hand -- something that surprises many people, but it's the most comfortable way for me to get my thoughts down quickly, and I like the feel of pen on paper. I take a lot of breaks -- way too many, in fact -- to check out the garden, read the paper, practice my fiddle, or look at email. When I've finished my page quota, I call it quits and pour a glass of wine. That's about it! The not-very-exciting life of a writer.

Of all the books you have written, do you have a favorite? If so, which one and why?

I think my favorite is GRAVITY. It was a personal challenge, writing a thriller focused on the space program -- a thriller with no villain, no murderers, no real bad guys -- and make it edge-of-your-seat suspenseful. I wanted this to be a book with aerospace details so realistic and accurate that a NASA engineer reading it wouldn't find anything wrong. I started off the project with months of research, and visits to Johnson Space Center and Kennedy Space Center, picking up the jargon, meeting engineers and flight surgeons, and learning all the ways that spaceflight can go wrong. I was so excited about the premise, about the subject matter, that I just launched right into it, and came up for breath months later knowing I'd written my best book ever

Some of your books have recurring characters. For those that are new to your books, can you tell them which are stand alone titles and which should be read in order?

My stand-alones are: HARVEST, LIFE SUPPORT, BLOODSTREAM, and GRAVITY. My series books, starring Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles are (in order): THE SURGEON, THE APPRENTICE, THE SINNER, and BODY DOUBLE.

Do you have plans to write other genres in the future?

I can't predict my future subject matter. Right now, I'm pretty happy writing the Rizzoli/Isles crime series. But if some new subject really grabs my curiosity, I will eagerly pursue it.

Has your life changed since you've become a published author? If so, how?

I'm living the life I always dreamed of -- my job is making stuff up! Early on, writing allowed me to stay home with my young sons, and that in itself was a good reason to change careers. But in the last few years, writing has also brought me a great deal of financial success, and has allowed my husband to retire early.

What authors do you enjoy reading?

I'm an eclectic reader, enjoying both fiction and nonfiction. Among my favorite novelists are Mo Hayder, Jeffrey Deaver, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, and Nevada Barr.

Are you working on anything at the moment?

I'm working on another Rizzoli/ Isles novel called WAKE THE DEAD.

Have you ever had an embarrassing moment at a booksigning?

I've had some squeamish moments. One man came up to me at a signing for THE SURGEON (a book about a serial killer who gets sexually turned on by killing women.) The man leaned over and said softly in my ear: "Thank you for writing this. It allowed me to indulge in my fantasies." Whoa. I think I just smiled, signed his book, and felt very relieved when he walked away.

I found on your website that you play the fiddle. What kind of music do you enjoy?

I love Celtic music! Jigs, reels, and airs. I get together with other musicians about once a month to jam, and occasionally even perform in public.

I have found that some authors listen to music while they write. Do you listen to music or is it something that is distracting to you?

I can't listen to anything while I write. I'm too easily distracted.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Just sit down and write the book. All the way to the end. Only after the first draft will you really know what the book is about, and who the characters are. Don't just talk about writing -- do it!

Is there anything you would like to add to this interview?

A good writer is also someone who is curious about the world, about people, about what's around the corner. Indulge your curiosity. I think writers should write not just about what they know -- they should write about what they WANT to know.

Thank you so much Tess for interviewing with us! It was a pleasure to meet you and I look forward to your future books!

For more information on Tess and her books, please visit her website.



Interviewed By:
Cindy