Interview and Giveaway with Dayna Lorentz, author of No Easy Way Out

Last year, Dayna Lorentz released No Safety in Numbers, which ended up being one of my favorite books of the year! Of course, that's not surprising for a book that was pitched as a mashup of Life as We Knew It and Lord of the Flies... and then actually lives up to the hype! In case you missed it, you can find my review here.

Today, Dayna visits The Hiding Spot to celebrate No Easy Way Out, the sequel to No Safety in Numbers, which released yesterday, July 16th ! Read on to find out more about Dayna and her novels: the almost B-movie titles, how being a lawyer prepared her for writing, and, of course, her favorite word (which may or may not have sent me in search of a dictionary)!  

And last, but not least, be sure to enter to win a copy of No Easy Way Out, which Dayna has kindly provided for one winner here at The Hiding Spot!

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The Interview

Did you have trouble writing any of your characters or specific scenes within the novel? Or, were any characters or scenes particularly easy to write?

Marco was disturbingly easy to write. I mean, his voice, every scene, it all just flowed out of me. I say disturbing because, well, I don’t want to spoil anything, but he goes on an interesting journey over the course of the trilogy. I went to some intense places with him. And it was disturbingly easy to go there.

Has the title changed or stayed relatively the same as your novel journeyed towards publication?

Titles completely stress me out! The original title for this series, as I pitched it, was Mallrats. Once it was acquired by Dial, that wet noodle of a name was scrapped. My editor and I bandied about a bunch of different titles trying to hit on exactly the right one. We tried innumerable combinations of words with Mall (Dead Mall, Mall of Death, etc.), all of which just sounded like B-movie titles. We gave up on mall and, after many other attempts, finally struck title gold with No Safety in Numbers.  

Of course then we faced the problem of having to come up with titles for the other two books in the series that would match. I spent days trying to come up with catchy four-word titles beginning with “No” that were vaguely aphoristic. It’s much harder than you’d think! In the end, I think we found some winners for the second and third books—No Easy Way Out and No Dawn Without Darkness.

What book or author has most influenced you as a writer or in general?

I feel like every time I read a good book it influences me. Heck, every time I read a bad book, I learn something. I can tell you who I want to write like: David Mitchell. I love how weird and wonderfully detailed and intricately plotted his books are, how he can create such distinct voices and write such evocative prose.

What jobs did you have on your way to becoming a writer/published author? Is there a certain work experience that has shaped your writing?

Mostly, I was a lawyer. I worked as a litigator in a big corporate law firm in New York, and then was a law clerk in the Federal and Vermont state courts. 

Much of what I learned while lawyering has influenced and enhanced my writerly endeavors. First of all, as a law student and then as a lawyer, I developed a punishing work ethic. When you spend a year having to pull down ten or more billable hours a day, anything less feels like slacking. 

Second, I learned how to write clearly and succinctly, and about the importance of structure. Most court filings have strict page limits, so your goal as a litigator is to make a well-structured argument covering every possible point as clearly as possible in as little space as possible, all this while leaving room for case citations. 

Finally, a lawyer is essentially a vessel for her client: your job is to represent another person’s interests and tell his story in a compelling manner. This is basically the same job I have as a writer—I am the representative for my characters and it’s my job to put their stories down in the clearest, most concise and compelling way possible.

 If you had to pick a favorite word, what would it be and why?

 Palimpsest. It’s such a lovely word to say, and just thinking about it stirs up the stuff of story.

My blog is dedicated to my personal hiding spot, books. Who, what, or where can be credited as your personal escape from reality?

Movies. I love movies. I especially love going to the movies with my husband and then getting to sit and talk about the film with him. Maybe it’s less the movies and more the talking with my husband. We have such fun talking and arguing about everything and nothing.  

Find out more about Dayna and her books here! 

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Review: No Safety in Numbers by Dayna Lorentz

Life As We Knew It meets Lord of the Flies in a mall that looks just like yours

A biological bomb has just been discovered in the air ducts of a busy suburban mall. At first nobody knows if it's even life threatening, but then the entire complex is quarantined, people start getting sick, supplies start running low, and there's no way out. Among the hundreds of trapped shoppers are four teens.

These four different narrators, each with their own stories, must cope in unique, surprising styles, changing in ways they wouldn't have predicted, trying to find solace, safety, and escape at a time when the adults are behaving badly.

This is a gripping look at people and how they can--and must--change under the most dire of circumstances.

And not always for the better.

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I arrived at work today to find a package of No Safety in Numbers waiting for me in my mail slot. I had never heard of it, but, inside the package, I found a face mask and a bottle of hand sanitizer, which, luckily, piqued my interest. To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the cover art on the galley I was sent. Personally, I think a black background with a red title would look cleaner. The crinkled yellow background that it features now makes it look almost childish, not serious, which I feel would be more fitting of the plot. BUT if you find the cover off putting like I did, whatever you do, don't dismiss this debut! 

I love the concept of this novel, though it isn't necessary something you've never seen before. It's a movie plot that's been done more than a few times and is being pitched as Contagion meets Lord of the Flies, though, in all honesty, it leans a bit more towards Contagion then the latter. Still, Dayna Lorentz focuses on a group of teens trapped in this dangerous situation, which keeps what could be tired idea fresh. 

I don't know a lot about biological warfare, or warfare in general, but I know enough to be terrified of the possibilities it could create. The setting of No Safety in Numbers makes the idea more present and realistic. The reactions of those quarantined, with little explanation and virtually no information, were, simultaneously, understandable and unbelievable. Being an outside observer, while still being able to put oneself in the position of the character, the reader is at an interesting crossroads. I realized that I would probably try some of the same things if I were trapped inside, but I also know, as the reader, it would all be pointless and lend itself to chaos.

I appreciated that each of the characters had relatable and realistic feelings about the situation. At one point, one yearned for a leader, even one lacking stability, one wanted to help others, one didn't want to feel alone, and another felt separate from everyone else... The next moment feelings would seem to switch between the characters as more unforeseen events developed, lending the characters greater personality.

No Safety in Numbers is the first in a planned trilogy, but the ending of book one wrapped up nicely while still leaving me craving the continuation. Towards the end of this book, I was feeling more of a Lord of the Flies vibe, which definitely caused some excitement and leads me to believe the next installment promises good things. I'd definitely add this one to your 2012 to-read list... you'll never think of a weekend trip to the mall the same way again!

Penguin/Dial. May 2012. Hardcover. ISBN: 9780803738737. 263 pages.

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