There's No Mystery Why These Two Colorado Authors Teamed Up for Tattered Cover Event

Writing is a solitary endeavor, or so they say. Lonely, even.

But not on Wednesday, January 29, when two of Colorado's favorite authors come together at Tattered Cover to read from their hot-off-the-press novels and answer questions from fans.

Carter Wilson is an award-winning and prodigious novelist whose latest is Tell Me What You Did, the story of a crime podcaster who finds herself in the middle of a murder that hits all too close to home: her own mother's killing years before. And one she thought she'd avenged with her own retributive hand.

The idea for the book came from Wilson's own life — specifically, a thing he does for fun with a friend. "I have a buddy and we always give each other podcast recommendations," he says. "One day he told me about a podcast where callers call in and leave an apology on a voicemail line. I was fascinated by that idea, and I thought to myself, what if it wasn't an apology, but a confession? That's where the initial idea came from."

Once Wilson has the idea, his process is pretty organic. "I don't plot, so that [idea] was the only thing I knew about the premise," he says. "But books are about tone as much as plot and character, and I had a sense this was going to be an angry book. A scary book. And I started writing and it all kind of just flowed out of me."

That energy really fueled the novel's narrative engine. "What I like about this book is its propulsive drive," he says. "I was on the edge constantly while writing it, and I hope readers get to feel the same experience."

Nickless's new novel, The Drowning Game, is similarly intense. An award-winning author herself, Nickless knows her way around suspense and high tension — and this time, she puts that storytelling skill to work on a contemporary spy novel set in and around the U.S. and China's international relations, as well as the Ultra High New Worth Individuals for whom not even the sky is the limit. It's a world, she notes, "teeming with money, treachery, murder and…courage."

It's perhaps a surprising list of elements, but Nickless says that's exactly what drew her to write the book. "Two things I love: spy stories and tales about people who — when the chips are down — surprise themselves with their courage," she says. "I love spy stories, because they pull back the curtain on what’s really happening in the world, geopolitically speaking. Who is making the deals, pulling the levers, infiltrating the enemy camp? And tales of courageous people, because I like to probe my own psyche: Would I have the courage to do the right thing? Who among us is willing to risk everything to defy immoral actors or to speak truth to power?"

Having these two authors come together at Tattered wasn't just a matter of convenience, since both books launch on the same day. "The Colorado mystery and thriller writing community isn't as large as one would think," Wilson explains. "And it didn't take me long to realize Barbara was a mystery-novel tour de force in the area. We knew each other through book events and the Colorado Book Awards, and we soon struck up a friendship. The stars aligned this year with each of us having a book coming out in January, and so it made sense for us to do a joint launch event."

Nickless agrees, adding that teaming up with a respected colleague also reduces the pressure from what can sometimes be a stressful time for a writer. "I’ve been to some amazing readings, but it takes a writer with real narrative skill to pull it off," she says. "And there's the simple fact that it’s fun. Writers are unique humans, and it’s fun to be on stage with another out-of-the-box thinker."

"And there's a difference between a reading and an event," adds Wilson. "I'm a big fan of events, even though it's always a lot of work to get the word out and get people to show up. Readings can be a way for an author to hide at an event, and I much prefer to hear the authors talk about their books, their writing style and their challenges along their publication journey. I'll do a reading if I'm asked to, but I much prefer to have a lively conversation with the audience."

The one-two literary punch of a two-writer reading event can be both effective and enticing. "For the audience, I think the added value is in listening to two authors have a very open and honest conversation about the life of a writer; the struggles and the joys," Wilson says. "As an author, I love partnering with other writers for events, because it's a great way to compare notes, talk shop, and listen to how the creativity of others manifests itself."

"And on a more pragmatic level," Nickless laughs, "you double or triple your chance of having someone sitting in the audience."

Barbara Nickless, author of The Drowning Game, and Carter Wilson, author of Tell Me What You Did, will read from and discuss their novels at Tattered Cover, 2526 East Colfax, at 6 p.m. Wednesday, January 29. Tickets include a copy of one of the two books; see the Tattered Cover event page for more information.