Laurie Buchanan
Author Interview - Laurie Buchanan
Author of Iniquity: A Sean McPherson Novel, Book Four
When a human trafficking ring kidnaps PI Sean McPherson’s pregnant wife, McPherson learns the lines he’ll cross. Because when a person has it all, they have everything to lose.
Crime boss Georgio Gambino abducts Sean “Mick” McPherson’s pregnant wife, Emma, and his friend’s two daughters and contracts to sell them and another group of women—some into forced labor, others as sex slaves, and a few for their organs.
Gambino confines three best friends—Mick, a PI; Joe, a homicide detective; and Rafferty, an FBI special agent—to Pines & Quill writing retreat and pits them against each other with a warning: “Mick, if you try to save Emma, I’ll kill Joe’s daughters. Joe, if you try to save your daughters, I’ll kill Emma. And Rafferty, if you help Mick or Joe, I’ll kill your fiancée, Ivy.”
With help from the writers in residence—a fiction novelist, a retired maritime pilot, the granddaughter of a legendary pearl diver, and a prior mountain climber now double-amputee—Mick, Joe, and Rafferty manage to sneak away and journey to Mount Baker, where the captives await transport. Along the way, the three best friends learn the lines they’ll cross to save the people they love.
Author Interview - Laurie Buchanan
Author I draw inspiration from:
Louise Penny is one of my favorite authors, she consistently delivers excellent books. This fall, the nineteenth book in her Chief Inspector Gamache series, titled "The Grey Wolf", is coming out. I'm amazed by her prolific writing. Brava!
Author Interview - Laurie Buchanan | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
I read over a hundred books a year, so I try to read whenever and wherever possible. I usually read physical books at home, but I listen to audiobooks during my daily walks. I walk six miles each day, splitting it into three two-mile increments. These walks help me clear my mind and stimulate my creativity. I'm lucky to live near a river and a college campus, both of which provide interesting environments to explore.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
Another one of my favorite authors is David Baldacci. If I were ever stuck in an elevator, I would want to be with his character, Atlee Pine. She's an FBI agent with unique abilities who's stationed in the remote wilds of the southwestern United States. Atlee constantly has to face new challenges while confronting an old nightmare, making her an incredibly intriguing individual to speak with. Further, she could get us out of the elevator.
Author Interview - Laurie Buchanan | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
Before becoming a full-time novelist, I worked as a Holistic Health Practitioner. During that time, many of my clients suggested that I should write a book based on my experiences. So, I wrote two books: "Note to Self: A Seven-Step Path to Gratitude and Growth" and "The Business of Being: Soul Purpose In and Out of the Workplace." I enjoyed the process of writing so much that I decided to try my hand at writing crime thrillers, which is my favorite genre. This led me to write the first book, Indelible, published in 2021, in what has turned out to be an ongoing series.
Each book in the series is titled with a four-syllable "I" word. Iconoclast was published in 2022, Impervious in 2023, and Iniquity comes out in April 2024. The use of four-syllable "I" word titles adds an extra layer of intrigue for both myself and the readers.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
When I borrow a book from the library, it's usually a hardback. But when I buy books, I usually go for paperbacks, ebooks, or audiobooks. I like the weight of a hardback book in my hands when I sit down to read. However, I prefer the portability of paperbacks, ebooks, and audiobooks, especially the latter two. What I love about audiobooks is that I can listen to them hands-free while doing anything.
The last book I read:
I just finished reading FIRST LIE WINS by Ashley Elston. She's a new-to-me author I've added to my must-read list of writers.
Author Interview - Laurie Buchanan | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
After completing my first two-mile walk of the day, I sit at my desk, open my laptop, and spend two hours writing. Then, I take another two-mile walk and continue writing for two more hours followed by another two-mile walk. I always take my cell phone with me. If I think of any new ideas to add to the manuscript I'm working on, I speak them into the notes app on my phone so that I remember them. At the end of my writing day, I open a document titled "And then what happens?" and write down what's essential so I can quickly pick up where I left off the following morning.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
I'm a huge dog lover and would definitely be great friends with Enzo, the dog from Garth Stein's book, The Art of Racing in the Rain. I also love including dogs in my Sean McPherson series, like Hemingway and Maggie. My furry companion Henry, a smart and friendly 86-pound Standard Poodle, is always by my side, even on my daily six-mile walks.
Author Interview - Laurie Buchanan | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
Growing up, I wanted to be a magician, international spy, and mad scientist. There’s still time!
Favorite decade in fashion history:
Katharine Hepburn was a fashion icon ahead of her time. She popularized pants, flat shoes, and minimal makeup. Despite the social pressures of Hollywood, she never allowed anyone to dictate what she wore.
Diane Keaton is another actor who's cultivated a timeless look that's unique to her. Neutrals—black, white, beige, and gray—ground her outfits that tend to include extra-wide belts and high-waisted pants.
Place I’d most like to travel:
I would go back to the Highlands of Scotland in a heartbeat. The last time I was there, my husband and I walked 211 miles (across the country) from the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean along the Caledonian Canal. At the midway point, we climbed Ben Nevis, the highest point in the British Isles.
My signature drink:
Nonalcoholic drink—unsweetened iced tea with lemon.
Alcoholic drink—gin and tonic.
Favorite artist:
Poet—Mary Oliver. Many years ago, I had the privilege of hearing her read work in person in Chicago.
Number one on my bucket list:
Hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). The trail's southern terminus is next to the Mexico–United States border, just south of Campo, California, and its northern terminus is on the Canada–US border, upon which it continues unofficially to the Windy Joe Trail within Manning Park in British Columbia; it passes through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington.
Anything else you'd like to add:
Be forewarned: Once you read Indelible, the first book in the Sean McPherson crime thriller series, you'll be hooked and read the entire series!
Find more from the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TuesWithLaurie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriebuchanan.author/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@lauriebuchanan.author
Substack: https://substack.com/@lauriebuchanan
About Laurie Buchanan:
Author Interview - Laurie Buchanan
Laurie Buchanan writes the Sean McPherson novels—fast-paced thrillers set in the Pacific Northwest that feature a trifecta of malice and the pursuit and cost of justice. A cross between Dr. Dolittle, Nanny McPhee, and a type-A Buddhist, Buchanan is an active listener, observer of details, payer of attention, reader and writer of books, kindness enthusiast, and red licorice aficionado. Laurie’s goal is simple: to leave you wanting more.
Her books have won multiple awards, including the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Gold Winner, the International Book Award Gold Winner, the National Indie Excellence Awards Winner, the Crime Fiction/Suspense Eric Hoffer Awards Finalist, the PenCraft Award for Literary Excellence, and CIBA Clue Book Awards Finalist.
Laurie, her husband Len, and Henry, their not-so-standard Standard Poodle, live in the Pacific Northwest, where she enjoys long walks, bicycling, camping, and photography—because sometimes the best word choice is a picture.
HBL Note: Laurie also wrote a guest post during my maternity leave, Pumpkin Spice Pull Apart Bread with Vanilla Glaze, a delicious, must-try recipe this fall.
