Pamela Statz
Author Interview - Pamela Statz
Author of Thorn City
Suspected murder, eclectic food trucks, and artisanal cocaine: just another day in Thorn City…
It’s the night of the Rose City Ripe for Disruption gala—a gathering of Portland’s elite. Dressed to kill in sparkling minidresses, best friends Lisa and Jamie attend as “paid to party” girls. They plan an evening of fake flirtations, karaoke playlists, and of course, grazing the catering.
Past and present collide when Lisa stumbles across Ellen, a ruthless politician who also happens to be Lisa’s estranged mother. Awkward... When Lisa was sixteen, Ellen had her kidnapped and taken to the Lost Lake Academy—a notorious boarding school for troubled youth. To make matters worse, Lisa’s boyfriend Patrick crashes the party to meet his new boss—Portland's food cart drug kingpin.
These unfortunate encounters spur Lisa into making a fateful choice that traps her, Jamie, and Patrick in Ellen’s web. As earth-shattering secrets are revealed, will they survive Ellen’s schemes or be sacrificed to her blind ambition?
Author Interview - Pamela Statz
Author I draw inspiration from:
Fredrik Backman, Anxious People
Author Interview - Pamela Statz | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
I like to imagine myself curled up in a comfy armchair reading the day away, but the reality is that I usually read in bed at around two in the morning.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
Holly Golightly in 'Breakfast at Tiffany’s' by Truman Capote
We meet in the elevator at Tiffany’s. I’m selecting a bone china pattern for my upcoming nuptials to a fiancé I don’t particularly care for. She’s visiting the diamonds. I ask to borrow her lipstick. She asks me for change to tip the elevator operator. I comply. She drops her sunglasses on the way out. I retrieve them and trail her as she dashes about Manhattan, never quite able to catch up. I miss lunch with my odious mother-in-law to be, and dinner with my dull fiancé. But when I finally locate her apartment to return the sunglasses, I find that she’s hosting a fabulous impromptu party where I meet my soulmate. Don’t you just love it?
Author Interview - Pamela Statz | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
When I took Emily Chenoweth’s class “Write a Novel in 8 Weeks” and finally learned that writing 94,000 words could be fun.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
Hardbacks look beautiful on my shelves, but they’re too heavy for middle of the night reading.
Paperbacks are nice and bendy, but I still need a light to read them at 2am and that disturbs my hundred pound dog Hooper. He sighs a lot.
I love ebooks. I’m usually reading three or four with the Libby app, but I sometimes think I tend to read them too quickly and miss details.
Audiobooks are still new to me, but I enjoy them at the gym and on road trips.
The last book I read:
The Secret Hours by Mick Herron
I’ve read all the books in the Slough House series and I love how ‘The Secret Hours’ works as a stand alone book while also revealing so many surprising details for those of us fully immersed in the ‘Slow Horses’ universe.
Author Interview - Pamela Statz | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
Computer most of the time, plus I have a to-do app that’s full of brainstorms, quotes, and random thoughts. I also have an extra large glass whiteboard on my desk that’s quite handy for notes.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
Nora Charles from 'The Thin Man' by Dashiell Hammett
She’s smart, hilarious and loves cocktails. I also have a feeling she’d share my passion for karaoke.
Author Interview - Pamela Statz | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
Landscape architect.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
The 80s. I love fluorescent pink and gummy bracelets.
Place I’d most like to travel:
I'd love to visit Japan. I’ve seen so many movies and series about Japan and I’d love to explore the country and see it for myself. I recently saw ‘Perfect Days’ and am in the middle of ‘Shōgun’ and I keep asking myself – why haven’t I visited yet?!
My signature drink:
Dry Vodka Martini
2 1/2 ounces Vodka (or Gin, if you must). A drop of dry vermouth, such as Noilly Prat. Green olive or lemon twist for garnish. Cracked ice.
Pour a drop of vermouth into a martini glass. Swirl to coat and dump excess. Pour vodka into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until your hand is freezing cold, then strain into coated glass. Garnish with olive or lemon twist and serve.
Favorite artist:
Dolly Parton
Number one on my bucket list:
Going to the Oscars. I’ll get there someday!
Anything else you'd like to add:
Thank you so much for the thoughtful questions and for hosting my answers!
Find more from the author:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamelastatz
Author website: https://www.pamelastatz.com/
Ooligan Press: https://www.ooliganpress.com/product/thorn-city-by-pamela-statz/
About Pamela Statz:
Author Interview - Pamela Statz
Pamela Statz grew up in Wisconsin and attended UW Madison earning degrees in Journalism and History. Pamela has worked in media and advertising for Lucasfilm, WIRED, Nike, and Wieden+Kennedy. She currently splits her time between Portland and Manzanita, Oregon, with her husband Justin Graham and their giant dog Hooper. “Thorn City” is her first novel. Connect at pamelastatz.com.
