‘Catalyst Sessions’ recap: Lori Roy
On Friday’s edition of The Catalyst Sessions, novelist Lori Roy provided insights on her writing process, her personal history (she was an accountant before penning Bent Road, the first of her five books), the importance (to her) of the Eckerd College Writers in Paradise workshops, and what is feels like to be photographed for Oprah Winfrey’s O Magazine.
Much of the conversation was devoted to Gone Too Long, her acclaimed 2019 thriller, the story of a Georgia family living – or attempting to live – with a deep, dank secret. The shadow of the Ku Klux Klan lingers on every page of the Southern gothic thriller, set in a backwoods Georgia town.
O called Gone Too Long, with its smells of lingering white supremacy, a “potent cautionary tale” and “a book so good you can’t look away” (and this was before she was photographed and feted by the magazine); “It’s a gripping mystery with a timely, unnerving message,” raved People, honoring it as Book of the Week.
She is a two-time winner of the prestigious Edgar Award (named for E.A. Poe, no less) presented by the Mystery Writers of America.
Roy is one of the 15 authors represented in Tampa Bay Noir, the short story collection hitting shelves (both real and online) Tuesday.
Her contribution, “Chum in the Water,” takes place on Tierra Verde, the author’s home turf. “A gentleman has borrowed some money from a fellow who’s eager to get it back,” Roy explained. “And he gets himself distracted by a pretty young gal who’s working at the bar that he goes to – and is more motivated than ever to get himself out of his financial trouble.”
Lisa Marone
Monday on The Catalyst Sessions: Lisa Marone, president of the 96-year-old St. Petersburg City Theatre.
Streaming weekdays at 7 p.m. on the Catalyst Facebook page. All episodes are archived on our YouTube channel.
