From the bestselling author of My Lovely Wife comes a reckless, delicious thriller that gives a whole new meaning to the dangers of modern dating.
Wes and Ivy are madly in love. They've never felt anything like it. It's the type of romance people write stories about.But what kind of story?
When it's good, it's great. Flowers. Grand gestures. Deep meaningful conversations where the whole world disappears.
When it's bad, it's really bad. Vengeful fights. Damaged property. Arrest warrants.
But their vicious cycle of catastrophic breakups and head-over-heels reconciliations needs to end fast. Because suddenly, Wes and Ivy have a common enemy--and she's a detective.
There's something Wes and Ivy never talk about--in good times or bad. The night of their worst breakup, when one of them took things too far, and someone ended up dead.
If they can stick together, they can survive anything--even the tightening net of a police investigation.
Because one more breakup might just be their last…
Reviews ~
—Sylvia Day, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Toxic relationships, dark deeds, and a cast of unreliable narrators. All the best ingredients for a deliciously disturbing read. Twisted indeed.”
—Alice Feeney, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Darker
"Samantha Downing’s writing is pure, twisted magic…will take you from the height of sexy, crashing-into-walls obsession to utter disbelief, loving every second."
—Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author
"Subtle, compelling, and clever. A Twisted Love Story will take you on a tense and emotional thrill ride that doesn't let up until the final page. Downing has crafted a complex, masterfully written tale that will have you rooting for the dysfunctional couple while simultaneously not trusting either of them."
—Jeneva Rose, New York Times bestselling author of You Shouldn’t Have Come Here
“This story about a toxic relationship spiralling out of control is dazzlingly, deliciously dark—and enormous fun.”
—JP Delaney, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Before
Author interview with Samantha ~
Tell us a little about
yourself and how you started writing.
I was always a big reader as a kid, and eventually, I started writing. I started with short stories and then wrote my first book. It was something I really enjoyed so I continued doing it. Writing was a hobby for many years before I was published.
What are some things you enjoy when not writing?
I like storytelling in general, whether it’s a book or music or TV and movies. I enjoy studying how people tell stories, what perspective they use and how they approach the story. It’s endlessly fascinating.
Do you have a particular writing routine?
Mornings are when I write. In the afternoon I tend to work on revisions or editing, this is when I re-read what I wrote earlier in the morning.
Is there anything major that changed in this novel from when you first plotted it out?
I don’t plot my books at all. Sometimes I have a few vague ideas about where they will go, but that’s always subject to change as I write. So I would say all of my books go through major changes as I write them. That’s one of the challenges of being a pantser instead of a plotter…there’s no road map for the book, so it can go anywhere.
It also means I am constantly revising. If I make a major change when I write chapter 20, I have to go back and revise everything that came before. I do that as I’m writing the first draft. Otherwise, I’m left with a huge mess when I finish!
Finish this: “I can’t write without…”
Coffee.
If I had to spend a week on a deserted island, I would need…
The internet! But if I can’t have that I would say paper, a few pens, some books and…coffee.
What is something about you that would surprise people?
I don’t know if this is surprising, but I am a completely boring person. Truly, I don’t do a lot and lead a really quiet life. I’m not a “joiner.” I don’t drink, and at parties I prefer to stand in the corner and watch everyone else. My daily life is wholly unremarkable.
Do
you have a ‘day job’ as well?
Not
right now.
What
was the original title of this book?
My
original title was Always Have, Always Will.
Where
do you get your ideas, or what inspired this book plot?
Ideas
can really come from anywhere. It can be someone I see out in the world, just
the way they move or talk can inspire a character. Ideas can come from
documentaries or news stories. Sometimes I see something and it inspires a new
twist on the idea. I try to take something relatively normal—like a couple
living in the suburbs—and twist it into something more sinister.
Do
you have a manuscript(s) in your drawer? If so, will it ever see the light of
day?
I
have a lot of manuscripts in the drawer and they will never see the light of
day!
If
you have written more than one book, which story would you choose to live?
Oh,
I would live in any of my books. Just to watch! But after a while, I’m sure I
would want to escape.
Do
you have a go-to first reader after you feel your manuscript is ready?
I
am part of a writer’s critique group and they are always the first ones to read
what I’m writing.
What
are you working on now?
Another
thriller, although I can’t say much about it.
Is
anything in your book based on real-life experiences?
Only
some small things. The locations, places I’ve visited or lived, and some
character traits. But I’ve never known anyone who kills people (that I’m aware
of!)
Do
you have a favorite chapter or scene?
I
like writing about the interactions between characters. Millicent and her
husband in My Lovely Wife, the siblings in He Started It, Teddy
and the other teachers in For Your Own Good. In A Twisted Love Story,
I really enjoyed writing the scenes between Wes and Ivy.
Do
you have a favorite character?
No,
they’re all my favorites!
Finish
this sentence: “If I could write about anything, it would be…?”
That’s
a tough one. Sometimes I have too many ideas, other times I don’t have any, so
I guess it depends on what day it is. I start books and throw them out all the
time. Either the idea doesn’t take hold or I can’t figure out where to go with
it. But no, I don’t have one single thing or idea I want to write about.
Do
you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Be
prepared to multi-task. Not only do you have to concentrate on the craft of
writing, you also have to know how to market yourself and successfully use
social media. It’s basically a necessity these days. My days are typically
split between the two.
What
are the downfalls of your writing career? The best parts?
I
would say the downfall is the need to outdo myself, and this is something I did
not see coming. Ideally, every book should be better than the last, and every
book should sell better than the last. That’s what a career is. By definition,
a career progresses, it does not regress. So I am constantly trying to outdo,
outwrite, and outsell my last book. It’s something I think about and try to
achieve every single day.
Favorite
book and/or movie?
I
have so many favorite books, but I’d have to say Rebecca by Daphne du
Maurier. As for my favorite movie, it really depends on my mood!
Is
there anything you’d like to say to your readers and fans?
Just a huge thank you for reading my books! I am so grateful to everyone who has read one (or more) of them!
To connect with Samantha ~
https://www.samanthadowning.com/contact
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