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Emotional Connections
The Daughter Between Them follows a successful reporter who aspires to be the editor of the newspaper where she works. Her daughters are the target of a hit-and-run leading her to believe an enemy from her past has returned. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Last year, I fell in love with the idea of writing a novel from alternating points of view in the past and present, wherein the narrators are mysteriously connected. I used this structure for my novel, The Girl in the Blue Blazer and it was well received. With that in mind, I decided to use the same structure for The Daughter Between Them. While thinking about the characters and the storyline, the idea of two mothers came to me. There would be a mother in the past and a mother in the present and the two women would be mysteriously connected. The connection would eventually be revealed.
Your characters are well-developed and draw readers in building an emotional connection. What character did you enjoy writing for? Was there one that was more challenging to write for?
I enjoyed writing the Barbara Morris character more than any other character because of her mental challenges. I also liked the challenge of making her multi-dimensional. I didn’t want her to be one-note. I wanted the readers to see that Barbara had some redeeming qualities and I believe in spite of Barbara’s antics, readers will empathize with her. While I enjoyed writing Barbara, she was also the most challenging because as previously stated, I wanted to make sure she was multidimensional. I had to make the readers understand how Barbara justified her actions and why. I believe writing in first-person present tense helped me build the emotional connections that are in the book. Writing in first-person present tense, really helps me get in the mind, heart, and soul of a character. As a result, when writing, I am that character. I am feeling and thinking as that character and thus the words on the page are based in truth.
What was the hardest part about writing a mystery story; where you constantly have to give just enough to keep the mystery alive until the big reveal?
The biggest challenge was making sure I did not have any plotholes. There are so many twists and turns in the book, I had to make sure I kept up with events and occurrences from previous chapters when writing new chapters.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I will begin working on another then-and-now structured suspense novel at the end of 2024. It will most likely debut toward the end of 2025.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
In 2019, Leslie Graham is within arm’s reach of her goal to become the news editor at the Dancing Hills Times. At thirty-five, she has it all—a promising career and a close relationship with her two teenage girls, Rhonda and Jillian. But when an old enemy from her past resurfaces, threatening to reveal life-changing information about one of her daughters, Leslie does everything in her power to keep her world from crashing down.
A decade earlier, in 2009, Barbara Morris’s seven-year-old daughter, Nancy, goes missing in Queens, New York. Barbara and her husband frantically search for her. But all is not as it seems in the disappearance of Nancy Morris, and Barbara may not be the innocent victim she’s painted herself to be. After ten years of her life spiraling out of control and Nancy still missing, Barbara decides to head to Dancing Hills, believing she’ll find the answers she’s looking for. Barbara and Leslie’s worlds will collide there, and the secrets of the past will finally be revealed.
The Daughter Between Them
Leslie Graham, an accomplished news editor, leads a fulfilling life in California with her two daughters, Jillian and Rhonda. Despite her contentment, the shadows of her past still loom over her. As Leslie pursues a promotion and her daughters gain independence, their lives are suddenly jeopardized when the girls are involved in a hit-and-run incident. Leslie starts to believe that their past is not entirely behind them and is prepared to do whatever it takes to protect her daughters, even if it means confronting old ghosts.
The Daughter Between Them by Alretha Thomas is a fast-paced crime thriller that captivates from the first page to the last. Spanning just over 300 pages, the novel reads quickly, thanks to Thomas’s skillful establishment of the central mystery and the escalating drama that leads to an exhilarating reveal and a satisfying conclusion. From the outset, Leslie is portrayed as a driven and capable mother and professional, yet she harbors a palpable fear rooted in her past. Her anxieties are validated when Jillian and Rhonda are targeted in a hit-and-run.
As Leslie grapples with the enigma of their attacker, readers are introduced to Barbara’s narrative from ten years earlier. Barbara, who initially appears to be a protective mother to her daughter Nancy, gradually reveals herself to be less sympathetic than she seems. The stories of Leslie and Barbara intertwine and eventually converge seamlessly. The dual perspectives and timelines are handled adeptly, enhancing the narrative’s depth and engagement. While mostly clear, the settings add an element of surprise and discovery. For example, a late excursion to a theme park starts with the intrigue of a mountain campground before the appearance of rides, and the eventual naming of the park clarifies the scene.
The Daughter Between Them is a compelling thriller that maintains its intrigue and excitement throughout. Thomas has crafted a convincing and consistently enjoyable read that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
Pages: 312 | ASIN : B0D1JR9N8W
Justice and Accountability
The Girl in the Blue Blazer follows a determined woman who sets out to make a man pay for his past actions. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
When the #MeToo movement started in 2017, I remember seeing the hashtag everywhere. Although I had empathy for the victims, I suppressed the thoughts and memories of my own sexual assault experience. When I was a little girl, my mother’s boyfriend touched me inappropriately numerous times and at one point tried to force his member into my mouth. As I continued to see the hashtag, I added my name to the list. It was at that point, I knew I would one day write a book that shined a spotlight on this issue. Thus, five years later I began writing The Girl in the Blue Blazer.
Pamela is everything a strong female protagonist should be. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
When writing Pamela, I was driven by my own experiences and the experiences of other women who have worked for and have been taken advantage of by men in power. Additionally, I thought about people who have lost love ones at the hands of another person and that have never seen those individuals receive justice. Justice and accountability were definitely ideas that fueled my development of Pamela.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Two themes that I hope resonate with readers are Justice–Justice for the socio-economically disadvantaged that are wronged by the elite without recourse. Justice for women who are at the mercy of their powerful male bosses. And secondly, Good vs. Evil. I believe that there are evil people in the world who have no conscience. I also believe that there are good people in the world that would give their life to save another human being. I thank God that there are more of the latter in our world.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My next book will also be suspense. Similar to the Girl in the Blue Blazer, it will contain two separate stories being told concurrently with a common theme that binds the two together. It will be released in early 2024. I want to thank readers everywhere for their interest in The Girl in the Blue Blazer. I look forward to them reading my next book.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
In 2019, Pamela Carter is determined to secure her dream internship with billionaire businessman Andrew Clifford III.
Twenty-five years ago, in 1993, Andrew is just starting out. Without any of his later fame or fortune, the party boy becomes a legitimate hero when he intervenes to save assaulted Elizabeth Westlake. Sure, she’s a waitress at a strip club, but that’s not her dream. Elizabeth is determined to write her way out of the Harlem hellhole she lives in. Maybe Andrew is the ticket? Even the best-laid plans go awry, and for Elizabeth, tragedy looms.
Pamela is impossible not to notice and she soon becomes Andrew’s prime intern. But, just as with Elizabeth, not all goes to plan. The stocks are plummeting. The company is careening. And then, Andrew himself goes missing. Will Pamela also be plunged into the tragedy that surrounds this man? Or is Pamela the one person who really knows what happened that fateful night in 1993? More than a company is at stake, as Andrew struggles for survival. But sometimes, the past is too powerful. Some secrets refuse to remain buried. Sometimes, truth kills.
The Girl in the Blue Blazer
Pamela Carter just got her dream internship at Clifford Investments. Andrew Clifford, her new boss, is a man with a murky past. With her burning desire for retribution for atrocities committed decades before and her new job, Pamela is getting closer to her objective of destroying Andrew’s empire. Andrew has no idea that the things he did 25 years ago will follow him forever.
Nobody can stop Pamela from taking on this man who put her mother in so much pain. Elizabeth Westlake, Pamela’s mother, was a young woman with big dreams who became a victim of Andrew’s cunning tricks. Without raising an eyebrow, Pamela advances in the company, targeting Andrew’s business and reputation. For Andrew, tragedy looms; will he be able to avoid it? Also, why is Pamela so determined to destroy his life?
Alretha Thomas’s suspenseful novel The Girl in the Blue Blazer weaves together incidents from the past and the present to give readers a sense of what happened and how things are now. This moving tale depicts the struggles of women who have been subjected to sexual assault, verbal abuse, and gender discrimination by both strangers and close friends. It is a story of loyalty, love, friendship, and enduring ties. Each component is skillfully woven into the narrative. Readers get a sense of Pamela’s fierce determination and her willingness to stop at nothing to accomplish her goals from the very first pages. The few characters present were well-developed. The main character, Pamela, was outstanding, with no weaknesses in any respect. Sandy was the one I loved the most; she is a model of what a true friend should be.
The Girl in the Blue Blazer is flawlessly written, and the plot moves along smoothly. I eagerly await to read more books by Alretha Thomas. She has writing talent. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy general fiction because it is the ideal fusion of love, friendship, adventure, and crime.
Pages: 298 | ASIN : B0BSL1NG8M
LITERARY TITAN 