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Author Revealed

P. J. Parrish
Photo by Barbara Parker

P. J. Parrish

P. J. Parrish is actually two sisters—Kristy Montee and Kelly Nichols—who pooled their talents and their lifelong love of writing to create the character of Louis Kincaid. Their New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling novels include An... Read full bio

Author Revealed:
Q. What is your motto or maxim?
A. Easy reading is damn hard writing. -- Nathaniel West
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P. J. Parrish Revealed
About P. J. Parrish
  • What is your birthdate?:
    11/18
  • Previous occupations:
    newspaper reporters and editor
  • Favorite job:
    current one: Telling stories!
  • High school and/or college:
    Cherry Hill HS, Inkster MI and Eastern Michigan U.
  • Name of your favorite composer or music artist?:
    Shostakovich
  • Favorite movie:
    Cinema Paradiso
Revealing Questions
Q. What is your motto or maxim?
A. Easy reading is damn hard writing. -- Nathaniel West
Q. How would you describe perfect happiness?
A. Late Fall, sundown, a chill in the air, a sidewalk cafe on Ile Saint Louis, a kir royale, husband and dogs, good health.
Q. What’s your greatest fear?
A. Phoning it in.
Q. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you choose to be?
A. Paris
Q. With whom in history do you most identify?
A. George Sand
Q. Which living person do you most admire?
A. Parents and in-law parents (they're gone but still alive to me)
Q. What are your most overused words or phrases?
A. "I'll get to it." It will be on my tombstone.
Q. What do you regret most?
A. Procrastination, my bete noir
Q. If you could acquire any talent, what would it be?
A. Being able to play the piano well.
Q. What’s your greatest flaw?
A. Procrastination
Q. What’s your best quality?
A. Loyalty
Q. If you could be any person or thing, who or what would it be?
A. An otter
Q. What trait is most noticeable about you?
A. Wish I could say devilish style; will settle for red hair
Q. Who is your favorite fictional hero?
A. Charlotte the spider
Q. What is your biggest pet peeve?
A. Bad manners, especially cell phone screamers and gum smackers
Q. What is your favorite occupation, when you’re not writing?
A. Gardening
Q. What’s your fantasy profession?
A. astronomer
Q. What 3 personal qualities are most important to you?
A. intelligence, passion, loyalty
Q. If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your days, what would it be?
A. Big Louie's pizza
Q. What are your 5 favorite songs?
A. "Sweet Virginia" (Stones), "Caravan" (Duke Ellington), "Reason to Believe" (Springsteen), "Caroline No" (Beach Boys) "La Vie en Rose" (Piaf)
On Books and Writing
Q. Who are your favorite authors?
A. Joyce Carol Oates

Pete Dexter

Q. What are your 5 favorite books of all time?
A. Charlotte's Web

Because It Is Bitter and Because It Is My Heart

Shogun

Lolita

Q. Is there a book you love to reread?
A. Not really...too many uncracked and too little time to go back
Q. Do you have one sentence of advice for new writers?
A. Learn to take criticism.
Q. What comment do you hear most often from your readers?
A. "When's the next book coming out?"
Q. How did you come to write Thousand Bones?
A. Our childhood vacations were spent "Up North," as Michiganders call it, so we knew we wanted to set a book in the beautiful Leelanau Peninsula. The story began with an image of a bone buries in the fall woods and everything built from there as we discovered characters, locales and clues as we progresses. The best finds came as we researched Native-American history and found the "Hunger Moon." Serenpidity and unplanned discoveries are the best part of writing. You never know where one small thing is going to lead you.