Book Title: The Psychologist's Shadow by Laury A. Egan
Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 336 pages
Genre: Psychological Suspense
Publisher: Enigma Books, imprint of Spectrum Books, UK
Release date: Nov 18, 2023
Content Rating: PG-13. One scene of violence, no sexual scene
In October 1992, Dr. Ellen Haskell begins a new therapy practice in Princeton after a tragic error with a former client. Demoralized by her failure, Ellen strives to restore her emotional and professional confidence. Her parents have departed for Greece, leaving Ellen alone in their secluded country house. As the reader is introduced to her roster of clients through their individual sessions, Ellen becomes unnerved when she receives hang-up phone calls and a series of bizarre gifts from an anonymous admirer—at first at her office and then at home. As the obsessive lover increasingly invades her life, Ellen’s anxiety crescendos and she begins to fear the stalker’s behavior will escalate into violence.
The Psychologist’s Shadow is a portrait of a compassionate, introspective therapist who finds herself in a dangerous struggle with an unknown stalker. The novel is a simmering literary suspense, one in which tension accumulates as the reader gains insights during sessions with clients—one of whom may be the psychologist’s shadow—and through the stalker’s journal entries, which serve as a discordant counterpoint.
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Laury A. Egan is the author of eleven novels, The Firefly; Once, Upon an Island; Wave in D Minor; Turnabout; Doublecrossed; The Swimmer; The Ungodly Hour; A Bittersweet Tale; Fabulous! An Opera Buffa; The Outcast Oracle; and Jenny Kidd; in addition to a collection, Fog and Other Stories. Four limited-edition poetry volumes have been published: Snow, Shadows, a Stranger; Beneath the Lion’s Paw; The Sea & Beyond" and Presence & Absence."She lives on the northern coast of New Jersey.
connect with author: website ~ X/twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads
1. When did you begin writing?
My first poem was composed at age seven, while I was sitting in a bathtub. I shouted for my mother to bring me paper and a pencil and then wrote four stanzas, which astonished me as much as it did my mother. I continued to write poems, a local newspaper, and then my first novel (age 12); stories and poems in high school, which were published in the school’s literary magazine; and then mostly poems after that until I began phasing out my career as a book designer. Why did I originally begin writing? While I don’t recall specifically what touched off that first poem, most of my early work honored nature. I lived in a beautiful area, on the northern coast of New Jersey, on a high hill above the Atlantic Ocean and Lower Hudson Bay, with views of the Manhattan skyline in the distance. Behind our house was a forest; to the south was a rolling meadow. While my poetry has been described as lyrical, much of my fiction is also sensitive to setting, perhaps reflecting poetic tendencies, but also my artistic background as a fine arts photographer.
2. Besides the natural beauty of your area, why did you begin writing and when did you decide you wanted to be a writer?
I was an only child, without grandparents or close younger relatives, and lived several miles from school. My mother was an artist who painted all day in her studio (door closed); my father was a building contractor who usually worked late and on weekends. As a result, I didn’t have many social opportunities, nor did I fit in with many of my classmates. I began writing as self-entertainment, but also to create worlds where I could live, characters who could become friends, and as a way to examine what I thought and felt. Then and now, I’ve always been an observer—an important trait for a writer—and one shared by Dr. Ellen Haskell in The Psychologist’s Shadow, who also describes a childhood somewhat similar to my own. As for when I assumed the identity of a writer, this happened at a very young age—I knew this was who I was and what I wanted to do. Unfortunately, when applying to colleges, I veered from this goal and attended Carnegie Mellon University, receiving a degree in graphic design and photography. How I wish I’d accepted Bennington or Bard in creative writing instead! My publishing career would have started in my twenties instead of much later.
3. What were the challenges you faced writing The Psychologist’s Shadow?
This novel was begun in 1992—my third attempt at long fiction except for my early teenage effort and one unpublished work. I don’t recall when I finished the first draft or how many rounds I did until I undertook a serious and more experienced revision in recent years. But my growing knowledge about writing surely improved the work, which I hope is reflected in the present incarnation.
One of the most challenging aspects was to create a diverse roster of clients, each with his or her unique voice, behavior, history, dress, and psychological issues. The client’s dialogue and manner had to be consistent with the person’s background and the mental/emotional problems presented. While this was a wonderful opportunity to play therapist, it was also a daunting task.
4. What is your typical writing schedule and how long do you take to write a book?
I tend to work seven days a week, almost all day, although writing comprises only a modest percentage of the hours spent at my desk. More time is devoted to marketing and promotional outreach (activities I don’t enjoy!), revising (often 30-40+ rounds prior to professional editing), corresponding with publishers and editors, and—in my case (and a pleasure)—creating cover designs and sometimes photographing images, such as the mask still-life illustration for The Psychologist’s Shadow. As for the total writing time, from start to finish, it varies. This current book is one of the longest in process. Usually, a first draft takes about eight or nine months, but the heavy lifting comes during revision. This stage can take equal or greater time compared to the initial writing.
5. Some writers say they don’t read books in their genre while they have a book in process in that genre. Is that true of you?
No. Rarely do I encounter distractions due to reading in a genre similar to the one I’m working in, though sometimes I’m inspired to improve my style or to consider structural reorganizations, such as adding a prologue. Because I write in different categories, I also enjoy reading widely, though most of my selections are mysteries or suspense novels. Currently, I’m binging on Nordic Noir—Lilja Sigurðardóttir, Jo Nesbø, Ragnar Jónasson, with a sprinkling of UK titles by Val McDermid, Mari Hannah, and my favorite, Kate Atkinson, whose style and plotting make me terrifically envious.
6. If readers want to learn more about you and your books, are you on social media?
Yes. My website www.lauryaegan.com displays a complete list and descriptions of my published and forthcoming titles, with pages devoted to my poetry collections and photography. I’m most active on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laury.egan/ or X/Twitter: LauryA.Egan@EganLaury Sometimes, I post on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurya.egan/ And, though I mostly include reviews of books I’m reading, readers may follow my blog: http://www.lauryaeganblog.wordpress.com/
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