Paula McLain has enjoyed international success with her historical novels about Ernest Hemingway’s wives, but her latest book, When the Stars Go Dark, is a contemporary thriller tackling darker themes of child abduction and abuse.

Hi there, I’m your host Jenny Wheeler, and in Binge Reading today Paula explains why her latest book is her most personal yet, why she’s drawn to writing stories about the “unclaimed and unmissed” people in our world, and how she never planned to be a Hemingway apologist to smart women.

We’ve got three eBook copies of Paula’s latest book, When the Stars Go Dark, to give away to three lucky readers. Enter the draw on our website, www.thejoysofbingereading.com or on the Binge Reading Facebook page. You will find links to Paula’s books and website there as well, and if you’d like to hear Paula’s answers on Getting-to-Know-You, our five quickfire questions, then do check it out on Binge Reading on Patreon.

ENTER DRAW FOR PAULA'S BOOK

Our first supporter of Binge Reading on Patreon - Celebrate!

I’d like to give a shout out and warmest thanks to Shakurra Amatulla for being our first Binge Reading on Patreon supporter. I so appreciate your being willing to take the step, Shakurra. For the last four years I have been funding all the costs for the Binge Reading podcast and it’s great to have your support.

For the equivalent of a cup of coffee a month, you can help defray the costs of running the show – sound editing, transcribing, hosting, etc – and get exclusive bonus content as a benefit. The sort of thing we’re discussing, like hearing Paula answering five quick questions and the Behind the Scenes newsletter every month. Check it out on  www.patreon.com/thejoysofbingereading.

JOIN BINGE READING ON PATREON

Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode:

The books that discover you, rather than the other way roundOn being an apologist for Ernest HemingwayHow Hemingway's wives 'each married a different Ernest'How her own childhood trauma informed her latest workOn re-discovering Joan DidionHow our most painful times can be our biggest gift.

Where to find Paula McLain:

Website:   http://paulamclain.com/

Facebook: @PaulaMcLainAuthor

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/paula_mclain/

What follows is a "near as" transcript of our conversation, not word for word but pretty close to it, with links to important mentions.

Jenny Wheeler: But now here’s Paula. Hello there Paula, and welcome to the show. It's great to have you with us.

Paula McLain: Thank you so much, Jenny. It's a pleasure.

Introducing author of mysteries and historicals, Paula McLain

Paula McLain - Author of new contemporary thriller

Jenny Wheeler: You have had several acclaimed historical novels, and we will talk about those a little later, but your most recent book is definitely a change of direction for you, from some of your other best sellers. It's a California based thriller. It is also, I hasten to assure listeners, a bestseller – When the Stars Go Dark.

It was singled out as a Good Morning America buzz pick right at the beginning, and it's been described as your most personal novel so far. Tell us how it came into being.

Paula McLain: Sometimes the imagination has its own agenda. Do you ever feel that way?

Jenny Wheeler: Yes.

Paula McLain: It's really interesting. I had no intention of switching genre. It was not conscious at all, the idea just floated into my head one day on a dog walk. I was working on Love and Ruin, my third historical, and really very happy and engaged in that world. I love my work, but every once in a while an idea will come along and snag you sideways.

I pictured this missing persons detective who becomes obsessed with a missing girl. That’s a cliché package, but I understood from the very beginning that what I was interested in was a deeper connection between these two that has something to do, everything in fact to do,