L.S. Stratton
Author Interview - L.S. Stratton
Author of In Deadly Company
An incisive workplace satire and twisty murder mystery featuring a young executive assistant who realizes the peril in being diligently attentive to her boss's whims.
As the assistant of the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, Nicole Underwood has plenty of tasks on her to-do list—one of which is the blowout birthday celebration for her nightmare, one-percenter boss, Xander Chambers. But when the party ends in chaos and murder and Nicole is one of the survivors, suspicion—from the investigators to the media—lands on her. Was she the reason for all the bloodshed?
A year after those deadly events, Nicole tries to set the public record straight by agreeing to consult on a feature film based on her story. However, on the set in LA, she's sidelined by inappropriate casting and persistent, bizarre script changes, while also haunted by the events of that party weekend with visions of her now-deceased boss. It seems clearing her name isn't so simple when the question of guilt or innocence is...complicated.
Author Interview - L.S. Stratton
Author I draw inspiration from:
I’ve been reading Colson Whitehead’s books since I picked up a copy of John Henry Days in college. He’s a writer who appreciates experimentation. No book he writes is just like the previous one. That’s something I respond to as an author who jumps around genre and tone, depending on what I think is necessary for the story. Whitehead is also a deliberate storyteller. He lets the narrative and the characters evolve at the pace that’s necessary for all the story lines and themes to coalesce, and he does it so skillfully. More than once, I’ve read his stuff and thought as I was reading, “Dude, where are you going with this?” But inevitably, I reach the end of his book, and it all culminates and hits me with an emotional and narrative wallop.
I loved The Underground Railroad. It was the perfect marriage of magical realism and historical fiction. It tackled such a harrowing subject in an inspiring way. I was in tears by the end.
Author Interview - L.S. Stratton | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
In the old days, my favorite place to read was the second floor of my college’s main library. I had a spot near the carrels that I went to all the time in between classes. It was the perfect mix of ambiance and access to new reading material. Quiet but not deathly silent. Good lighting. I’ve gone to local libraries to try to replicate that feeling, but the atmosphere just isn’t the same, so my favorite place now to read a book is the lounge area in my bedroom. I try to keep water, snacks, and my phone nearby so I don’t have to get up and break my concentration often. I’ll usually have the TV on at low volume for background noise.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
Joe Goldberg from the YOU book series by Caroline Kepnes. As a thriller writer, I’m fascinated by how his mind works. Maybe it would happen in the elevator of a bookstore in New York City. I know he’d be a great conversationalist because, despite being a murderer, he’s well-read, very observant, and philosophical. I’d find a way to skirt around the whole serial killer thing and just talk to him about books and movies. It would be risky, but I don’t think I’m his type so no worries about him stalking me later.
Author Interview - L.S. Stratton | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
I knew I always wanted to be a writer. I’ve been writing in journals since I was ten years old, making up stories that went with sketches I drew. I wasn’t sure though if I was going to be fiction author or a journalist. I’d heard so many stories about aspiring authors who wanted to get published but only got rejections. (This was before the dawn of self-publishing.) So, I thought journalism was more practical and majored in that. But, oddly enough, my dream to become a published author happened at the same time when my mom encouraged me to submit to a first-time writers’ contest my sophomore year in college. The grand prize was to have a short story published by the now defunct BET Books. I was one of the finalists and saw my work appear in bookstores across the country. That’s when I realized I could do both journalism and fiction writing, something I never knew was possible.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
Hardbacks are beautiful and have more gravitas but are a pain to lug around. Paperbacks are easier to carry but I’m always forgetting where I left them. Ebooks are my preference but I end up wasting money on impulse buys that I quickly download but forget to finish as soon as I purchase and download the next impulse buy. Audiobooks have become my favorite lately. I work full-time AND write novels so my window of free time to read a good book can be minimal. But I can listen to an audiobook while I’m on a morning run, riding on the metro during my commute, or cleaning the house. My only issue with audiobooks is that they are heavily dependent on the narrator(s). A bad narrator can kill a great book.
The last book I read:
The last book I finished was The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak. I picked it up because I loved his previous novel, Hidden Pictures. I liked Hidden Pictures more but this one wasn’t bad. I definitely look forward to his next novel and plan to pick it up.
Author Interview - L.S. Stratton | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I use a computer. I’ve tried to write freehand, but my brain has no patience for how slow my right hand moves. Also, I have awful handwriting. As a reporter, I've even looked at my transcribed notes from interviews and thought, “Wait, what word is that?” Using a computer allows me to not only easily read my own writing but also edit in real-time. I’ve never been a “write first, edit later” person. I’m editing constantly. On paper, my editing notes would be a disaster.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
Almost every heroine in Beverly Jenkins romance novels. They’re all awesome, spirited women and would be a blast to hang around. Also, Countess Ellen Olenska in the Age of Innocence. It’s one of my favorite novels. Not only was the Countess one of the few characters who seemed the least repressed and the most open-minded, she seemed like she really needed a friend. They were all so awful to her!
Author Interview - L.S. Stratton | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
I’d probably be an architect. That is what I studied first in college. I did sketches, mock-ups in AutoCAD, constructed models, and went to juries where my designs were evaluated by my professors. My grades weren’t stellar, but they weren’t awful. If I hadn’t eventually made the switch to journalism and if I hadn’t won that first-time writers’ contest, I’d probably be working in some architectural firm right now collecting billable hours and arguing with engineers.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
My favorite era is probably the 1940s. I’m a huge fan of the movie starlet era where women wore showstopper looks on screen: long gowns with “snatched” waists, wide skirts, big shoulder pads, and elaborate hats. Think Joan Crawford, Rita Hayworth, Lena Horne, or one of my all-time favorites, Rosalind Russell. Even the men’s suits back then were better tailored, in general.
Place I’d most like to travel:
I want to visit Iceland. I chose it because it’s the land of Bjork! I’m a huge fan of her music and everything that I see about Iceland online from the northern lights to the volcanic spas sounds amazing. I heard the people there are chill and welcoming to visitors. If I ever have the chance and the means, I’ll definitely pay the country a visit one day.
My signature drink:
My favorite drink to order is a Shirley Temple. I don’t drink alcohol, which isn’t that big of a deal to me but can make me stand out in social situations. I always get odd questions like, “Why aren’t you drinking?” or “Is it OK if I drink in front of you?” I find that a Shirley Temple is a good “undercover” drink when I’m at parties or other events. It looks like an alcoholic cocktail, so I don’t get those questions, and it tastes great.
Favorite artist:
I love Amy Winehouse. Like many, I became acquainted with her music through her Back to Black album, which was so sad and dark, but I also listened to Frank where she shows her cheekiness and flirtatious nature. I loved both albums. I even loved her collaboration with Tony Bennett, one of her childhood music idols. She had one of those voices that comes around once in a generation. It’s not only unique in sound but in its effortless control. She was also very good at interpreting lyrics. Her phrasing was amazing. You feel her music when you hear it. I get sad when I think about what could’ve been—what she could’ve done next if she’d lived longer. I saw a documentary where she talked about how excited she was to start working on an upcoming album with the musician Questlove. I would’ve loved to hear that.
Number one on my bucket list:
I’d love to learn how to swim. I grew up in the inner city where pools weren’t plentiful and usually closed due to under-funding. The waterways nearby were too polluted to swim. I made sure my daughter learned how to swim, taking her to “mommy and me” swim classes and then paying instructors until she got proficient enough to swim in a pool on her own. Now that I’m older, I think it’s time for me to learn as well.
Anything else you'd like to add:
I hope readers enjoy In Deadly Company. It was a book I had a lot of fun writing!
Find more from the author:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/shellystrattonbooks
Bluesky: www.bluesky.app/profile/shellystrattonbook.bsky.social
About L.S. Stratton:
Author Interview with L.S. Stratton
L.S. Stratton is a NAACP Image Award-nominated author and former crime newspaper reporter who has written more than a dozen books under different pen names in just about every genre from thrillers to romance to historical fiction. She currently lives in Maryland with her husband, their daughter, and their tuxedo cat.
Her thrillers have been chosen as Barnes & Noble Mystery/Thriller of the Month pick and Amazon’s Mystery/Thriller Editor’s Picks.
