The Carolyn Arnold Interview
Author Carolyn Arnold is best known for her fast-paced crime thrillers, particularly the long-running Detective Madison Knight and Brandon Fisher FBI series. She’s also one of my personal favorite thriller authors.
Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing the one and only Carolyn Arnold about her thriller novels, Madison Knight, the writing process, and so much more. Did you know Hollywood wanted Madison Knight, and that Carolyn visited the local police service’s Citizen Academy and encountered a dead body? Or that a brand new series is coming to readers soon?
Read on.
Dan: What inspired you to first start writing thrillers, and was there a pivotal moment when you decided to pursue writing as a career?
Carolyn: I love the fast-paced action that comes with crime thrillers. Not to mention the mystery, intrigue, and the twists and turns.
My pivotal moment came in my late twenties, after being separated from writing for over a decade. As a teenager, I wrote poetry and romantic suspense novellas. In fact that was the genre of the first full-length book I finished.
It all started when my department at work was facing a lay-off. Any minute, people from head office could be walking in with our severance packages, so needless to say, my fellow employees and I weren’t very motivated. A coworker who I took lunch with was an avid reader, and one afternoon she sent me an email that said, “Tell me a story.” She had no idea that I ever wrote stories, and at the time I never even questioned her request or even gave real thought to my past either. I simply fired back a paragraph or two. She requested more and we went back and forth a few times. Then she said, “You have to finish this.”
I took that challenge, and a year later, I had completed my first novel.
Dan: Your novels often include intricate plot twists and detailed investigations. How much research do you typically do before starting a new book, and what’s your process like?
Carolyn: I usually do most of my research during the writing and editing stages, though from writing several police procedurals, I have become rather familiar with the basics. Clearly, when I’m utilizing new technology in forensics, it involves additional research. I take from several sources on the internet, never trusting just one site, and compare so that I have a solid grasp. If I need more detail, I have some contacts in law enforcement who I can reach out to. To gather facts relating to real places, I call them or have my partner do so. For the Amanda Steele series, for example, I have a contact with the Prince William County PD, who I run things past sometimes.
“When I started the series, the women usually reported to men in crime dramas. I wanted to flip that around.”
Dan: What is your approach to crafting strong and memorable lead characters like Madison Knight and Amanda Steele? Are they inspired by people in your life or purely products of imagination?
Carolyn: A blend of both. Let’s start with Madison Knight. She was my first female detective. The second book I wrote starred Madison. That being Ties That Bind, book one in what became a series of her name. But I also incorporated her in my first novel. (Now published as a prequel to the series, Life Sentence.) Honestly, Madison was loosely based on my character, though she was more a straightshooter than me and afraid of commitment. I was inspired at the time to place a woman in the lead and make her strong enough to carry her own. When I started the series, the women usually reported to men in crime dramas. I wanted to flip that around.
As for Amanda Steele, I wanted another strong female, but someone a bit softer than Madison with a different slant. I wanted to give her a tragic history—a husband and young daughter killed by a drunk driver. Her story makes her relatable and provides a backbone for her growth. I’m currently fourteen books in (written), and I can’t get over how far she’s come in that time.
Dan: Writing crime thrillers involves exploring the darker side of human nature. Have you ever found certain aspects of a story particularly difficult to write, and how do you work through the darkness?
Carolyn: I mostly find it fascinating to write from the killer’s point of view, but there have been times I get creeped out by my characters. (Or the characters who come to me…)
“There have been times I’ve had to step away from writing to breathe.”
When I wrote Eleven (Brandon Fisher FBI Series),I had nightmares and “visions”. I didn’t think I’d ever write more, but then I did. The second book in that series haunted me too, but these books are the darkest I write. They follow Brandon Fisher with the Behavioral Analysis Unit while he and his team hunt serial killers.
As for how I work through the darkness, there have been times I’ve had to step away from writing to breathe. I find that bit of separation helps.
Dan: You have written books in multiple series, each with its unique style and focus. How do you keep track of character arcs and ensure each story feels fresh?
Carolyn: This is becoming more challenging all the time. I’m always asking what I can do next that is unique, as well as searching my memory to make sure I haven’t done something similar already. There are also story ideas that hit me, and due to having multiple series, I can see where they would best fit.
As for tracking character arcs, I strive to complete a summary when I finish a book that touches on the main highlights, such as the characters’ greatest challenges in the book and how they overcame them. Also included in this is anything that is noteworthy to their growth or life circumstance. Example being relationships that break up.
Dan: How did your background and life experiences shape your storytelling, and are there any specific events that have greatly influenced your novels?
Carolyn: Going back to your research question, one of the experiences I had was that of going to the Citizen’s Academy of the local police service. That was very insightful. Included with this was a ride along in which I shadowed a sergeant. As “luck” would have it, there was a body that day and I was able to be alongside the sergeant through the man’s house. It wasn’t clearly a homicide though, or that wouldn’t have been permitted. But that experience provided insight for my writing. The sergeant even asked for my observations and validated them.
“Only when I got home and recapped everything to my husband did the flood of adrenaline leave, and it hit.”
I was strong on scene even while talking to the neighbors who were emotionally upset having found him. During the hours I was in the room with the body, I was present and calm too. Only when I got home and recapped everything to my husband did the flood of adrenaline leave, and it hit. A man had died, leaving behind a daughter, an ex-wife, and a girlfriend. Extended beyond that, I’d suspect other friends and family too. He’d been a person with goals and dreams. It increased my respect for the police and what they do daily. I waited in the car while the sergeant provided notice to next of kin, but he would have faced their grief head-on and then woken up the next morning to go to work again, to encounter who-knows-what.
Another recent experience is going to London, England, and visiting many tourist destinations. One that made an impact was Westminster Abbey. Did you know that 3,000 people are entombed within the walls of the church? That’s elaborate crypt after crypt… Well, it just so happened that I’d pitched a book to my publisher about a body being found in the wall of a church. I was due to start writing it when I returned from my trip. That book poured out of me! I was able to use the “feels” in that novel. If you want to check it out, it’s Hidden Angels, out February 20, 2025.
Learn More: The Official Carolyn Arnold Website
Dan: Okay, Hollywood calls and wants to produce a Madison Knight movie. Who plays Knight?
Carolyn: Well, Hollywood did call and they wanted Madison Knight for a TV show. There was even a signed option for a while, but it was all during Covid and it didn’t end up panning out. But, Hollywood, if you’re reading this, I’m ready for your call. As for who plays Knight, I’d like to leave this to the universe!
Dan: You chose to publish under Bookouture. How has the experience been working with Bookouture?
Carolyn: Quite favorable. They’re supportive and transparent about business. They’ve recently decided to translate the first three Detective Amanda Steele books into German. They do well, and there will be more. Also, since Bookouture is related to Hachette, the possibility exists for a traditional print run at some point in the future too.
Dan: What advice would you give aspiring authors who want to write in the thriller or crime fiction genre but are unsure of where to begin?
Carolyn: Read a lot in the genre. You can watch it too, but don’t believe everything you see or read. Research procedure and forensics, and if you’re unsure what one resource is telling you, cross-compare until you get a clear understanding. You can always reach out to your local police department or where you’re setting your book or series too.
Dan: What exciting stories are you bringing to your readers in the near future?
Carolyn: I’m bringing readers a new series in 2025, and the first is set to be released at the end of May! I don’t want to say too much here, but if you pick up a copy of Hidden Angels, you’ll learn about it because the named character gets a cameo role!
Thank you, Carolyn, for taking time out of your writing schedule to talk to us.
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