THE SECRETS OF THEIR SUCCESS

Fast Facts:

Pursuit: International best-selling author.

Definition of success: “Doing what you love, and making a living at it.”

She is an international best-seller, winner of the prestigious Nero Wolfe and Rita Awards, and her books have sold more than thirty million copies in forty countries worldwide. In a literary career spanning almost thirty years, she has written in the romantic suspense, medical thriller, science fiction and historical genres, but she is best known for her crime series featuring homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles, now in its fifth season as the TV series “Rizzoli & Isles”. Here to tell us how it all began and to share the secrets of her success, the one and only Tess Gerritsen.

“I knew I was a writer at age seven,” Tess says when I ask what inspired her to first put pen to paper, “which seems to be a typical age for writers to self-identify. It was probably inspired by all those Nancy Drew books I devoured as a kid.”

Now firmly established as one of fiction’s leading writers of medical/crime thrillers, Tess started out in a different genre: her first nine published novels, beginning with Call After Midnight, were romantic thrillers. Her debut medical thriller, Harvest, was published in 1996 and from there, it seems, the die was cast: another fourteen internationally acclaimed medical/crime suspense novels followed, and the latest, Die Again is available at the end of the year. If you think that translates to a busy life you’d be correct, and nothing is routine. 

“There is no typical day,” Tess agrees. “It depends on where I am in the writing cycle. Right now, I’m frantically preparing for my Turkish book tour. Then after I get home, I have to finish my next book – I’m about ninety percent there. Then I have to go on book tour in the US and UK for my December release, Die Again.”

The practice of her craft, at least, allows for a little more structure.

“On a typical writing day, I’m at my desk after breakfast and try to complete four pages – first draft in longhand.”

I ask Tess how many hours this equates to, but of course there’s no easy answer.

“Tough question. On book tour, you’re going 16 hours a day. At home, it’s at least 40 hours a week.”

Like all successful people, Tess enjoys a challenge. Perhaps she recognises the concept of raising the bar, the need to keep stretching one’s reach in order to stay at the top of her game. It explains why, when I ask her of her proudest achievement to date, she cites a novel representing something of a breakaway from her traditional stomping ground. 

“After raising two wonderful sons? It would be my SF novel Gravity, about a female astronaut stranded aboard the International Space Station. Technically it was my most difficult project, and I’m still amazed I had the audacity to tackle such a subject.”

Note how it’s strictly family-first in the world of Tess Gerritsen. It’s a savoury concept that’s reflected in other spheres of her life too. Take a look on Tess’s website and one of the first things you’ll come across is her support for the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. That, too, sprung initially from the plight of a family member.

“My dad had Alzheimer’s, and it was the most horrible end,” Tess recalls. “He was lost to us long before he died. It’s a particular nightmare for all of us, to lose our intellect, and I want to do what I can to beat this enemy. Besides contributing dollars, I had a fundraiser, where anyone who contributed to Alzheimer’s research had a chance to name a character in my book. We raised $25,000, which I personally matched.”

Literature, film and television, charity – there aren’t many corners Tess hasn’t explored, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t harbour a desire to cram a bit more in.

“There are lots of other vocations I’d love to try. Paleobotanist! Archaeologist! Musician! But I’m also completely in love with what I do now. Just wish we could have more than one lifetime to try them all.”

Do you get the feeling that in the next life she’d make a good go of any one of those vocations..? Luckily for her innumerable fans across the planet, this time around Tess discovered writing. If you’re a would-be author you’ll know all about perseverance and wading through countless rejections, but whatever your goals in life, Tess has this simple but indubitable advice:

“Don’t give up too soon. If you’re passionate about it, then it’s worth the risk.”

My grateful appreciation to Tess Gerritsen for taking the time to talk to me, and to give us all a glance into her life and how she’s achieved her status. I can tell you that she battled not only a blizzard but also temperamental internet connection in order to be with us at The Secrets of their Success! If you’ve not read any of Tess’s thrillers – you must.

To find out more about the lady herself, go to www.tessgerritsen.com. You can follow Tess @tessgerritsen or on Facebook at facebook.com/TessGerritsen.

Die Again, Tess’s latest thriller and the eleventh in the fabulous Rizzoli and Isles series, is released on the 30th December in the US and 1st January in the UK.