New York Times bestselling author Karin Slaughter joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her career and what makes a great crime novel. Karin tells us how she plots both her novels and her long-running series, what her research process is like, and the double standards imposed on female crime writers. Karin also tells us about her non-profit, Save the Libraries, and she gives some great advice for aspiring authors. 

• Karin tells us how she got started as an author, and how embracing a “writing as a business” mentality has helped her succeed. 
• She explains how she plots her novels and her series, why striking a balance between characters and plot is so important for a successful novel, and how she manages readers’ expectations when writing a new book.
• Karin talks about her research process, which she loves, and she explains why finding the right kind of expert in the topic you’re writing about is essential
• She discusses the double standards female crime writers have to face, despite being the primary readers of fiction (and the providers of most murder podcasts), and how she has dealt with them throughout her career
• Karin tells us about her passion project, her non-profit organization Save the Libraries, including what inspired her to start the project, how it has evolved, and how listeners can help
• Karin looks back on her career and discusses what she’s learned from mistakes she’s made, and also looks to the future and gives us her predictions for the future of the publishing industry

Use promo code KWLKARIN at checkout to get The Last Widow audiobook for $4.99 from Nov 4th to Dec 1st 2020 (available in CA, US, and MX)

Useful Links
Karin’s Website
Follow Karin on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Pretty Girls
The Good Daughter
The Silent Wife
Will Trent Series
Save the Libraries
Denise Mina
Birdman by Mo Hayder
Kathy Reichs
The Talented Mister Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Patricia Cornwell
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Lee Child
Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews
The Morning Show
The Gilded Cage by Camilla Lackbert
The Federal Prison Handbook
Pull of the Stars and Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue

Published in 37 languages, with more than 35 million copies sold across the globe, her twenty novels include the Grant County and Will Trent books, as well as the Edgar-nominated Cop Town and the instant New York Times bestselling novels Pretty Girls, The Good Daughter and The Silent Wife. A native of Georgia, Karin currently lives in Atlanta. Her Will Trent novels and the novel Pieces of Her are in development for film and television.