APRIL HENRY, WRITER
  • Home
  • Past News
  • Bio
    • Goodbye, 2021
    • How my Apple watch saved my life
    • Masks for Covid-19
    • In the name of research
    • Why I write scary things
    • Roald Dahl Made Me a Writer
    • Fun Facts about April
    • Questions teachers often assign
    • 10 Reasons I Love Martial Arts
    • Learning to Fight Back
    • Dear Teen Me
    • My Parents >
      • My Dad, Hank Henry >
        • Witnessing Nat King Cole's Greatest Hit
      • My Mom, Nora Henry >
        • My Mom and the Round Rock
    • My great-grandfather, the killer
    • I come from a long line of criminals
  • Books
    • For Teens (and Adults) >
      • Future books
      • Girl Forgotten
      • Two Truths and a Lie
      • Eyes of the Forest
      • Playing with Fire
      • The Girl in the White Van
      • Run, Hide, Fight Back
      • The Lonely Dead
      • Count All Her Bones
      • The Girl I Used to Be
      • Blood Will Tell (2nd in the Point Last Seen series)
      • The Body in the Woods (1st in the Point Last Seen series)
      • The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die
      • The Night She Disappeared
      • Girl, Stolen
      • Torched
      • Shock Point
    • For Adults (and Teens) >
      • Lethal Beauty (3rd in the Mia Quinn series)
      • A Deadly Business (2nd in the Mia Quinn mystery series)
      • Matter of Trust (1st in Mia Quinn series)
      • Face of Betrayal (1st in the Triple Threat series)
      • Hand of Fate (2nd in the Triple Threat series)
      • Heart of Ice (3rd in the Triple Threat series)
      • Eyes of Justice (4th in the Triple Threat series)
      • Learning to Fly
      • Circles of Confusion (1st in Claire Montrose series)
      • Square in the Face (2nd in the Claire Montrose series)
      • Heart-Shaped Box (3rd in the Claire Montrose series)
      • Buried Diamonds (4th in the Claire Montrose series)
    • Foreign Covers
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • About My School Visits
    • A Sneak Peek at a School Visit
  • Fun
    • FAQ
    • Does Your Character Need a Job?
    • Girl, Stolen Alternative Covers
    • I Get Letters
    • Blob on the Side of the Filing Cabinet
    • Books I Like
    • JB's Cinnamon Rolls
    • Vanity Plates
    • Diary of My First Book Tour (From 2000)
    • 1999 Interview with James Lee Burke
    • 1997 Interview with Carol Shields
    • Oregon, the Writer's Toronto
    • Stealing From Myself to Create A Character
    • Panties in a Twist
    • Heteronyms
  • Write
    • How to get an agent
    • Videos with writing tips
    • Writers writing during Covid-19
    • Tips for writers
    • Story starters
    • Write what you know?
    • What if you get stuck?
    • More tips about writing
    • Need to create a fake social media profile?
    • How to start a new book
    • My daughter is 14 - how can she be published?
    • I'm a teen writer-can you give me feedback?
    • Student Writing
    • How to get it right
    • Questions about writing from two teens
    • Should I pay to be published?
  • Blog
  • Contact

Frequently Asked Questions

Picture
Q. Your first published book, Circles of Confusion, sold in two days. Was this an example of overnight success?
A. I wish I could say yes, but my "overnight success" was built on three previous novels that never found a publisher. For these, I garnered over a hundred rejection slips, first from agents and then, once I found an agent, from publishers. During this time I met other talented writers who gave up after a handful of rejections. I decided to persevere. I truly believe that tenacity is as important as talent.

Q. I have written a book. Will you read it and tell me what you think?
A. Sorry, I can't. I get too many requests like this to be able to fulfill them and keep up with my own work.

Q: What is the best way to find an agent or publisher? How do I get published?
A: There is no best way and no magic answers to these questions. Jane Friedman has a run down on how it works here. Consider joining the Mystery Writers Of America, Sisters in Crime, the Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators or another professional organization that exists to help writers. They have symposiums and conferences annually. Many offer offer e-mail lists or online bulletin boards for writers to discuss subjects like getting published, finding an agent, etc. They are a great resource. There are also numerous web sites available for writers.

Q. How can I make my child a reader?
A. Only 45 percent of fourth graders and 19 percent of eighth graders read daily for fun. The average kid spends 6.5 hours a day in front of a screen: TV, video, computer or gaming system. Here are some ideas:
  • Be one yourself. Make sure your child sees you read every day.
  • Read your child stories. Make reading aloud part of your daily ritual, even after your child can read on her own.
  • Encourage your child to ask questions about the book you are reading to him, and ask them yourself. "What do you think will happen now?"
  • When your child reads to you, be patient, listen attentively and don't correct too often.
  • Keep new reading material coming. Make regular trips to the bookstore or library. Get your child his own library card or even a magazine subscription.
  • Expand your child's vocabulary by explaining new words you come across when reading together.
  • Have children practice reading to younger siblings or even pets.
  • Pick books at the right level, because material that's too hard can be discouraging.
  • Be aware of what your child enjoys. If she likes an author, help her find more of that author's work. Encourage her to explore subjects that interest her.

Q. Have you ever been a bone marrow donor like a character in Square in the Face?
A. No, although I have been called back in for further testing. The man who needed a transplant lived back East and was in his forties. Unfortunately, I was not a close enough match. Being tested to be a bone marrow donor is as simple as giving blood, and being an actual donor is not much more complicated. If you are interested,go to http://www.marrow.org. Your bone marrow reflects your genetic heritage, and there is a huge need for minority donors.

Q. How is writing a thriller different from writing a mystery?
A. In a mystery, the reader discovers, along with the sleuth, who the killer or the do-er of the evil deed is. In a thriller, the story question is—will the main character make it out alive?

Q. Do you think writing about murder and violence capitalizes on it?
A. In real life, the motive for murder is often banal, usually involving someone drunk with access to a gun. Killers aren't brought to justice, or when they are, they are revealed to be pathetic losers or psychopaths. Novels make more sense than real life, which is why we read them. In a mystery, you can imagine yourself matching wits with the killer, get a little frightened, be relieved when justice is served, and then close the covers and go off to bed. 
​


  • Home
  • Past News
  • Bio
    • Goodbye, 2021
    • How my Apple watch saved my life
    • Masks for Covid-19
    • In the name of research
    • Why I write scary things
    • Roald Dahl Made Me a Writer
    • Fun Facts about April
    • Questions teachers often assign
    • 10 Reasons I Love Martial Arts
    • Learning to Fight Back
    • Dear Teen Me
    • My Parents >
      • My Dad, Hank Henry >
        • Witnessing Nat King Cole's Greatest Hit
      • My Mom, Nora Henry >
        • My Mom and the Round Rock
    • My great-grandfather, the killer
    • I come from a long line of criminals
  • Books
    • For Teens (and Adults) >
      • Future books
      • Girl Forgotten
      • Two Truths and a Lie
      • Eyes of the Forest
      • Playing with Fire
      • The Girl in the White Van
      • Run, Hide, Fight Back
      • The Lonely Dead
      • Count All Her Bones
      • The Girl I Used to Be
      • Blood Will Tell (2nd in the Point Last Seen series)
      • The Body in the Woods (1st in the Point Last Seen series)
      • The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die
      • The Night She Disappeared
      • Girl, Stolen
      • Torched
      • Shock Point
    • For Adults (and Teens) >
      • Lethal Beauty (3rd in the Mia Quinn series)
      • A Deadly Business (2nd in the Mia Quinn mystery series)
      • Matter of Trust (1st in Mia Quinn series)
      • Face of Betrayal (1st in the Triple Threat series)
      • Hand of Fate (2nd in the Triple Threat series)
      • Heart of Ice (3rd in the Triple Threat series)
      • Eyes of Justice (4th in the Triple Threat series)
      • Learning to Fly
      • Circles of Confusion (1st in Claire Montrose series)
      • Square in the Face (2nd in the Claire Montrose series)
      • Heart-Shaped Box (3rd in the Claire Montrose series)
      • Buried Diamonds (4th in the Claire Montrose series)
    • Foreign Covers
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • About My School Visits
    • A Sneak Peek at a School Visit
  • Fun
    • FAQ
    • Does Your Character Need a Job?
    • Girl, Stolen Alternative Covers
    • I Get Letters
    • Blob on the Side of the Filing Cabinet
    • Books I Like
    • JB's Cinnamon Rolls
    • Vanity Plates
    • Diary of My First Book Tour (From 2000)
    • 1999 Interview with James Lee Burke
    • 1997 Interview with Carol Shields
    • Oregon, the Writer's Toronto
    • Stealing From Myself to Create A Character
    • Panties in a Twist
    • Heteronyms
  • Write
    • How to get an agent
    • Videos with writing tips
    • Writers writing during Covid-19
    • Tips for writers
    • Story starters
    • Write what you know?
    • What if you get stuck?
    • More tips about writing
    • Need to create a fake social media profile?
    • How to start a new book
    • My daughter is 14 - how can she be published?
    • I'm a teen writer-can you give me feedback?
    • Student Writing
    • How to get it right
    • Questions about writing from two teens
    • Should I pay to be published?
  • Blog
  • Contact