It's my pleasure to introduce you to the lovely Janyre (pronounced Jan-ear, not Jane Eyre) Tromp.
Janyre Tromp is an award-winning, best-selling historical suspense novelist who writes fiery myth-laced tales that, at their core, hunt for beauty—even when it isn’t pretty. Her atmospheric books include Burning the Raven Tree, The Scorpion Thief, Darkness Calls the Tiger, and Shadows in the Mind’s Eye. But she’s also a mom, award-winning editor, and wrangler of all things—including her fantastic teens and crazy fur babies. You can find her on social media (@JanyreTromp) or visit her website, www.JanyreTromp.com, where you can download a free novella and subscribe to the Books & Beauty Journal.
Thank you so much for being here today, Janyre. I know it was a bit last minute, so I'm so thankful and honored that you made time for me this week. The Scorprion Thief looks amazing and caught my attention from the first time I read the description, and I can't wait to dive into it.
The Scorpion Thief is a historical novel full of suspense, mystery, and some intense scenes. I love most the idea of the sisters being on opposite sides of the coin.
Why don't you tell us about your new release, The Scorpion Thief? What inspired this story?
The idea for this book dropped into my email inbox without fanfare. The headline declared that the 1970s King Tut tour had a decidedly political purpose. I clicked the link to read more…and dove into a rabbit hole of fascinating history I had never heard of.
When I stumbled upon the historical security failures and then Thomas McShane (the real-life historical FBI art sleuth), I was giddy. I imagined a curator destined to protect the artifacts. But then I uncovered the fact that the communist movement in the US often used stolen art to fund their prolific bombings and activities. And I knew I had a compelling conflict: Two sisters propelled by the same event with opposite conclusions and ideologies. One destined to protect the artifacts and the other to steal them.
Do you have a favorite character in this book?
My favorite character is probably Estelle—she’s fiery, self-reliant, and over and over, she’s forced to admit she isn’t as strong as she wants to be. She’s someone who would rub a lot of people the wrong way because she’s pretty sure she’s always right, but she’s terrified of being weak. Of course as a cruel author, I gave her type 1 diabetes, so she is chained. But she’s also resourceful and heroic, fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves.
Estelle deeply loves her sister. But Estelle is everything Noura is not. Flamboyant, purposed, strong despite circumstances. She knows Noura wishes that she could stuff her little sister into her self made container. But then Estelle would never be able to fit herself in so small a space. Either Estelle would shatter or her big sister would. Unfortunately the two sisters are inextricably headed to that point.
Who was the most difficult character in this book to write?
Despite the fact that she’s really the only one who isn’t hiding more than a few secrets, Noura was definitely the hardest character for me to write. I think it’s because at the beginning of the book, she doesn’t know who she is. She’s spent her entire life bending herself around everyone else just to keep the peace…but she’s utterly failed. So she’s a bit of a mess, still trying to figure out how to create some kind of peace in her life and not sure where to start.
What is your favorite setting from this book?
Oh man. I love both major settings to the book—Cario, Egypt and New Orleans. There’s actually so much about the two settings that overlap—two of the major world rivers, a fascination with the dead, and a sense of the nearness of the other side.
The Cairo Museum in Egypt is such a cool place. It’s dusty, hot, historic, and absolutely eerie. There was so much interesting history from when the American team was there cataloguing King Tut’s treasure for the tour.
But New Orleans is equally eerie and fascinating. The history here (including a real hurricane that hit) was perfect for the uncanny flair in the book.
Did this book require you to do any interesting research?
I actually have a huge binder of information from the New Orleans Museum of Art regarding the tour. There’s only a fraction of the information in the book itself, but I was able to include so many realistic touches because of the information from NOMA. I also read the autobiography of one of the FBI art heist sleuths, who mentioned how easy it would have been for someone to steal King Tut’s gold mask…which launched the mystery part of the book.
How long have you been writing?
My mom says I’ve been telling stories since I was a kid…I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing!
But I published a middle grade book about 20 years ago, then took a long break before publishing Shadows in the Mind’s Eye five years ago.
Did you always want to be an author?
I was always an avid reader, but authors were always kings and queens to me—people far above me. So it didn’t occur to me that I could be a writer. In fact I started college as a Chemistry major. I’d planned on being a medical researcher. But I hated it. So I switched to what I loved, never intending to graduate as an English major. Even then, I thought I’d use my writing skills in marketing. When I got a job with a publisher, I was thrilled to work with all the authors. It wasn’t until the managing editor suggested that I try writing a book that I even tried.
The rest is history.
This series is a little different, in what genre would you classify these books?
All of my books land somewhere in the historical suspense genre and they all have a bit of romance as a subplot. One of the things I didn’t do on purpose, but just kind of came out is that all of my books have myth or folklore as part of the story fabric. But those nods to myth are much stronger in the Threads of the Lost Myth series. I cut my teeth on myths and fantasy, so I guess it’s only natural for those themes to come out more heavily now.
If you could be a character inside any one of your books, which one would you choose?
My poor characters go through a whole lot. I’m not sure I’d want to be any of them! If I had to choose, I guess it might be Colwyn from Burning the Raven Tree. I love how that book ended and Marcus is one of my favorite heroes I’ve ever written.
Which of your villains in your favorite?
I can’t answer this without giving away plots! The funny story here is that I always have an idea of who the villain will be when I start writing…and I am always wrong. Every. Single. Time the villain catches even me off guard.
Which do you enjoy more, creating villains or heroes?
Most of my heroes and heroines aren’t sparkly clean characters and most of my villains are pretty sure they’re doing the right thing. So the process of creating the characters is pretty similar for me. But ultimately I like creating the heroes because, in the long run, I think they are the ones who carry hope and light through the end of the book. And man, do I ever need hope and light in my world.
Threads of the Lost Myth Series—Standalone
A Cold War Era Myth-Infused Historical Thriller of Political Intrigue, Family Betrayal, and a Heist Worthy of The Maltese FalconOrder here:
Schuler Books |
Barnes & Noble |
Bookshop |
AmazonA deadly Cold War political game.
A cursed Egyptian artifact.
Two sisters: one the treasure’s guardian, the other its thief.Egyptologist Noura Marquette has spent her life piecing together remnants of the past, but nothing prepares her for the day her sister resurfaces in Cairo. Estranged for years, Estelle unleashes a web of whispered threats and dangerous connections that capture Noura in a treacherous snare of betrayal, art theft, and espionage.
In Washington, Nixon’s administration maneuvers to use King Tutankhamun’s treasures as a glittering tool of propaganda.
From the souks of Cairo to the hurricane-lashed streets of New Orleans, something older than history watches, stalking Noura as loyalties fracture and the lines between history and myth blur. Some curses never sleep, and some debts can never be paid.
“Sweeping and hypnotic, The Scorpion Thief is a deeply researched historical novel exploring the thin veil between love and hate, myth and memory, and the terrible price of unearthing what was meant to stay hidden. Perfect for fans of The Maltese Falcon, Sarah Penner, and Kate Morton.”—Julie Cantrell, NYT bestselling author of Into the Free
Giveaway:
I'm going to giveaway a eBook copy of Janyre's book, The Scorpion Thief to one commenter.
To enter: answer this question.
Would you rather be trapped overnight in an Egyptian tomb filled with scorpions OR spend the night in a museum where the mummies have mysteriously disappeared?
And be sure to leave your email address so you can be contacted if you win.
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