Granite spires, the deep blue of Lake Tahoe, wildflowers in the spring, aspens in the fall and the first snowfall of the season, there is no doubt that Tahoe boasts magnificent landscapes and awe-inspiring beauty. It is also the home for many creatives, writers, musicians and artists who are called to create here. Authors write their stories while sipping coffee at the base of a mountain or use Tahoe as a setting for their next thriller or romance story. For many Tahoe is their muse.
New York Times-bestselling author Katy Hays is one such author who calls Tahoe home.
She recently released her much-anticipated new book, “Saltwater.” Mystery and intrigue are at the core of her latest story. “Saltwater” opens with the death of Sarah Lingate, who is found below the cliffs of Capri, Italy. Was it an accident, as the family claims, or was it something more?
On the 30th anniversary of her death, the Lingates arrive at the villa to find a surprise waiting for them: the necklace Sarah was wearing the night she died. Steeped in intrigue, power and money, and driven by a daughter’s desire to uncover the truth, Hay’s novel unfolds to take the reader on a captivating adventure.
Hays will be a featured author at the 2nd annual Tahoe Literary Festival on Oct. 11. It is a chance to hear her in conversation with best-selling romance author Jill Shalvis. Both authors will share their insights on writing fiction and the creative process. Tickets to the festival are on sale now.
“The Cloisters,” Hays debut novel, climbed the bestseller list, immersing readers in the world of the occult, tarot and murder. While both books are different in nature, there is a familiar thread. Hays says the question she always asks is, “What are people capable of believing?”
“ ‘The Cloisters’ is very much about whether or not the women in the book can talk themselves into believing 14th-century tarot cards. ‘Saltwater’ delves into whether or not people can convince themselves of believing certain things. For me, those circumstances often have to do with environmental factors and landscape and setting for a novel,” explains Hays.
Writing, for Hays, is a love and a passion. She teaches Art History full-time and writes whenever she can.
“I don’t wait for the right inspiration. I don’t wait for the perfect time in the day. I get up early. I squeeze it in wherever I can. I usually work seven days a week, so I write on weekends. I think it’s the kind of thing where if it’s a priority, you find the time to do it,” explains Hays of her process.
“I really enjoy the work. I love to work in general. My approach to work has always been, I want to find something I can do forever,” adds Hays of her work ethic.
For aspiring authors, Hays advises to be tough to face the rejection that comes along with being a writer, whether its sharing your writing or trying to publish a book.
Her advice: “Just keep at it and you are doing it for any other reason other than because you love the process and find the process rewarding, I don’t think you’ll survive,” says Hays.
In addition to teaching full-time, Hays serves on the Community of Writers Board of Directors and is currently in the process of revising her third novel.
“It’s more of a family drama. It’s funnier and lighter. I’m excited to see how it’s received. It doesn’t even have the title yet,” says Hays.
She says that she looks forward to meeting readers, signing books, and, perhaps most importantly, celebrating literature in her own community at the Tahoe Literary Festival on Oct. 11.
