Please introduce yourself and your book(s)
Hello! I’m Daisy Knox, romantic suspense author. My book, Go For Broke, was just published in 2021 and I hope it’s the first of many.
Tell us about the characters and relationships in your stories
The main character, Cady, is 23 and has really bad luck with guys so she’s taking a break from dating. She meets a new guy and her friends all think he’s perfect, but she’s not interested and wonders what’s wrong with her. He’s successful, rich, cute and they have tons in common, but there’s no spark. Then a guy from her past shows up and he’s already hurt her once, so she wants to hate him but can’t. She really struggles with her choices because one is clearly a catch and the other is bad news, but things aren’t always what they seem. As she gets to know them better, things take a surprising turn.
What lessons could readers learn about real-world relationships from your novel(s)?
One of the most important things you can do in a relationship (or in any situation really) is to follow your gut. We have instincts and they work, but many of us have grown up ignoring them because of the way society works. Who cares if all of your friends think he’s perfect? If you don’t like him, nothing else matters. And people don’t always deserve second chances but if you like someone enough to put yourself out there, maybe they’ll surprise you. Whether it’s a feeling you get when a stranger asks you out or that little voice in your head that tells you not to walk home tonight, take an Uber instead, always listen to it.
What real-life relationship experiences, observations or insights have influenced your writing?
This is probably a strange combo to some people but I’m a lifelong true crime junkie who was trying to solve the Zodiac Killer cyphers back in middle school, yet also a hopeless romantic. I love to read. I read like it’s my job and have been addicted to books my entire life.
There are tons of great thrillers out there and no shortage of swoonworthy romances, but they’re usually two different genres. So when I ran out of books I was excited to read, I started writing my own. Ironically, I’ve discovered lots of authors who write amazing romantic suspense (like Nicole Snow and Tijan) since getting published, which is awesome. I may never have known about their work otherwise.
I’m inspired by lots of great authors, like Greg Iles’ Mississippi series or the Kenzie-Gennaro mystery books from Dennis Lehane. In romance, there are so many fantastic authors, like Siobhan Davis, LJ Shen, Penelope Douglas and Shantel Tessier, just to name a few favorites. But I especially like to incorporate things I’ve learned from studying true crime. There’s both an art and a science to solving and preventing violent crime and it never ceases to amaze me. Books from former FBI profilers John Douglas, Roy Hazlewood and Robert Ressler are goldmines of information, as is anything from Gavin De Becker. Seriously, everyone needs to read his book The Gift of Fear because it’s the ultimate in life pro tips. I’m also hooked on True Crime Garage, the best podcast ever and these are all great resources that help inspire my stories.
Are there any relationship themes or topics you want to cover in future releases?
I’d love to write a dark romance with bullies or about escaping a toxic relationship. That’s a really tough thing to do well though and I’m new at this so probably need to hone my skills first. It’s something to look forward to, a new goal.