Liz Lazarus

Author Interview - Liz Lazarus

Author of Dawn Before Darkness

Dawn Smith, a vet tech living in rural South Carolina, catches her boyfriend in a series of lies and abruptly ends the relationship. Rather than accepting the break-up, he begins to stalk and harass her, forcing Dawn to seek a restraining order. Undeterred, he launches a deeply personal attack—suing for guardianship and conservatorship of Dawn’s infirm mother. In court, he manipulates the truth using evidence that he planted while the couple were still dating. And just when Dawn thinks things can’t get any worse, she is faced with an impossible choice: rekindle the relationship or lose her mother forever.

Author Interview - Liz Lazarus

Author I draw inspiration from:

I’m quite a fan of a few British thriller writers: Michael Robotham because his twists are really earned, BA Paris because her novels are page turners and Clare MacIntosh because her police officer background is so evident in her novels and she’s such a nice human being.

Author Interview - Liz Lazarus | Author I Draw Inspiration From

Favorite place to read a book:

On my couch with a glass of red wine and my cat in my lap.

The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:

I never did. My first novel, FREE OF MALICE, wouldn’t leave me alone so I finally took a leave of absence from work and wrote it. The book is fiction, but the attack on the main character is real, drawn from my own experience. It tells the story of Laura Holland, a journalist, who awakes in the middle of the night to see a stranger standing in her bedroom doorway. She manages to defend herself from the would-be rapist, though he threatens to return as he retreats. Traumatized with recurring nightmares, Laura seeks therapy and is exposed to a unique treatment called EMDR. She also seeks self-protection— buying a gun against the wishes of her husband. When Laura learns she could have gone to prison had she shot her fleeing assailant, she decides to write a hypothetical legal case using the details of that night. She enlists the help of criminal defense lawyer, Thomas Bennett, who proves to be well versed in the justice system but has an uncanny resemblance to her attacker. As the two work together to develop the story, Laura's discomfort escalates particularly when Thomas seems to know more about that night than he should. Reality and fiction soon merge as her real-life drama begins to mirror the fiction she's trying to create.

Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:

I really like audiobooks if the voice actor is good. I’m pleased to say that I’ve been involved in choosing all the voice actors for my novels. My criteria is: a pleasant voice that you could listen to for hours, versatility so different characters are easily distinguished and accentuation of the words as I intended when I was writing. I travel a lot, so audiobooks entertain me on the road, but I do find that I retain the story better when I’m actually reading. Or maybe I’m just getting forgetful.

The last book I read:

THE STALKER by Sarah Alderson as I was looking for comps for my novel. It’s a psychological thriller about newlyweds whose honeymoon on a remote Scottish island turns terrifying when they realize they are being watched. The writing was excellent and the twist was unexpected but good.

Author Interview - Liz Lazarus | The Last Book I Read

Pen & paper or computer:

Computer with my outline in Excel – with lots of color-coded rows and columns. I guess once an engineer, always an engineer.

Book character I think I’d be best friends with:

Another favorite author is KJ Howe. Her FMC, Thea Paris, is a hostage negotiator and strikes me as a female Jason Bourne. Thea is smart and tough, so I think we’d be friends. And KJ’s books, SKYJACK and THE FREEDOM BROKER, are so well researched and full of action.

Author Interview - Liz Lazarus | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With

If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:

Businesswoman, which I am. I spent 20 years at GE Healthcare and then became a Managing Director at a consulting firm. I’m currently serving part-time as the Chief Operating Office for a medical start-up that just received FDA clearance.

Favorite decade in fashion history:

The 80’s … and I may still have a few items in my closet from that decade.

Place I’d most like to travel:

Back to Paris, France. The city was my home for three years when I was an expat with GE. Landing at Charles de Gaulle always feels like going home.

My signature drink:

Red wine and if not in the mood for wine, a vodka cranberry.

Favorite artist:

Maurice Utrillo because he paints areas around Montmartre in Paris.
Favorite singer is Vince Gill – I love country and he has such an amazing voice. I’ve seen him a few times: at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, at the Ryman in Nashville, and most recently with the Eagles.

Number one on my bucket list:

Writing a screenplay for one (or all) of my novels. I’ve made a stab at SHADES OF SILENCE, my third novel, as I think it would do well on the screen.
Here’s a quick summary: Julianna Sandoval is living in limbo. Her husband’s plane has vanished over the Atlantic Ocean and although the Coast Guard has suspended the search, she clings to hope that he’ll still be found alive. Three months later, a young woman appears after hours at Julianna’s Ormond Beach restaurant, declaring, “He’s not who you think he is.” Before the stranger can say anything else, a gunshot through the window kills her instantly.
Seasoned detective Paul Grant is assigned to investigate the girl’s murder. He senses that the shooting was not random but doesn’t know the connection to his only witness. Was the girl referring to Julianna’s presumed dead husband, her lazy stepson, her shady bar manager, or someone else? As Grant methodically gathers evidence and challenges alibies, Julianna’s faith in her friends and family is tested. The investigation leaves her wondering who she can trust and culminates with an eerie link to the past that no one sees coming.

Anything else you'd like to add:

I’m known for gripping, fast-paced legal and psychological thrillers that keep readers on edge until the final page. My protagonists are typically sympathetic heroines navigating life-changing and high-stakes situations, and I always have a twist ending.

I do a lot of research for my novels to ensure the professions I portray are accurate. And I often explore meaningful social causes, shedding light on real-world issues while still delivering compelling, page-turning entertainment. I try to strike a powerful balance between educating readers while immersing them in unforgettable, suspense-filled journeys.

More information about my books is on my website: www.lizlazarus.com. There you will find links to purchase the paperback, ebook and audiobook. We also have a sample 5-minute listen of each audiobook, and you can request sample chapters of each book to see if you like my writing style before purchasing.

Find more from the author:

• @authorlizlazarus

About Liz Lazarus:

Liz Lazarus

Liz Lazarus graduated from The Georgia Institute of Technology with an engineering degree and from Northwestern’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management with an MBA. She went on to lead a successful career as an executive at General Electric’s Healthcare division. Later, she joined a leading consulting firm as Managing Director and is currently Head of Operations for a healthcare start-up.