She's known by her many fans as the 'Queen of the Twist' for her intricately plotted psychological thrillers and is an Amazon Top 30 bestselling author with her books currently being translated into multiple languages.
Based in Nashville in the US, she's just released her latest novel, Tell Me The Truth. I caught up with her for a quickfire Q&A to ask about her writing process, her incredible work ethic and her inspirations.
Where do you live?
I live in Nashville, Tennessee in the US.
Do you write full-time?
I do! I'm fortunate enough to have been writing full-time since late 2019.
Who are your favourite authors?
Some of my favorites include: BA Paris, Minka Kent, Mark Edwards, Sue Watson, Jess Ryder, Gillian Flynn, and Jodi Picoult!
How many books have you published?
31 and counting!
How long have you been writing?
I've been writing all my life! I've enjoyed making up and telling stories long before I could even physically write, but once I could, it was all I did. I asked for notebooks and pencils for every holiday and filled them up as quickly as I could. I started with short stories and I wrote my first "novel" in fourth grade. The rest is history, I guess. But I've been publishing for just under six years!
What does your writing day look like?
I typically write anywhere from 6-8 hours a day. Sometimes my days start at 7 am, sometimes it's 10 am. I allow myself flexibility there, as long as I'm still hitting my goals. For each book, I have a set number of chapters I aim to write per day. Basically, I outline my entire book by chapter, then divide the chapters by how many days I have until my deadline to figure out how many I need to be writing each day, and that's my goal. Obviously, it fluctuates some, but tangible goals help to keep me on track.
Where do you write?
I do most of my writing in my office, but I move between my desk and my writing chair quite a bit. I've also been known to take my laptop on long car rides to squeeze in a few extra words!
You’re known as the ‘Queen of Twists’ by your fans – how do you come up with your ideas?
I try very hard to keep my readers guessing and always surprised by the next twist, so I love to hear that. My stories come to me from all over the place. I've been inspired by songs, movies, other books, people watching, random "What if" questions, vacations, and much more. Most often, I'm hit with the inspiration for a wild plot twist, and I build my plot around the twist!
Which has been your most successful book to date?
The Arrangement
If readers are new to your work – which book of yours do you recommend starting with?
I always recommend The Arrangement as a great place to start because it has been my runaway success story and is a good indication of my writing and storytelling, but I like to think you can't go wrong with any of them!
What are you currently working on?
I'm nearing the end of my newest psychological thriller, which I'll release in May. It's tentatively called The Dinner Party and has been a ton of fun to write!
Tell us about your latest release.
My latest release, Tell Me the Truth, is a domestic thriller that centers around a woman named Edith who suspects her husband of having an affair. When he denies it, Edith sets out to discover the truth for herself, but her search for answers soon has her living a double life and telling a few lies of her own!
Tell Me The Truth is available to buy at Amazon or free with Kindle Unlimited.
Kiersten Modglin is an Amazon Top 30 bestselling author of psychological thrillers, a member of International Thriller Writers, Novelists, Inc., and the Alliance of Independent Authors. Kiersten is a KDP Select All-Star, a recipient of ThrillerFix's Best Psychological Thriller Award and Suspense Magazine's Best Book of 2021 Award. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband, daughter, and their two Boston Terriers: Cedric and Georgie. Kiersten's work is currently being translated into multiple languages and readers across the world refer to her as 'The Queen of Twists.'
AJ Wills is the bestselling author of multiple psychological thrillers. He was a journalist for more than twenty years and has been writing full-time since March 2021. He's married to fellow thriller writer, AJ McDine.
