From Urban Fiction to Thriller Mastery: Toni LaRue's Journey

Thriller author Toni LaRue shares her journey from urban fiction to becoming an NBCC-nominated author with several number one releases on Amazon. She discusses her meticulous character development process, representation challenges for Black thriller writers, and how she approaches trauma and emotional depth in her stories.

• NBCC-nominated thriller author with 10+ novels and multiple #1 Amazon releases
• Discovered thriller writing after reading Lisa Gardner's "The Other Daughter" during a graveyard shift
• Creates detailed character profiles before writing, including birthdays, traits, and preferences
• Works full-time with unhoused populations while maintaining her writing career
• "Juneteenth" explores themes of racial injustice and vigilante justice through emotional storytelling
• Emphasizes the importance of Black representation in thriller genres
• Uses trauma in her stories to humanize characters rather than glorify violence
• Upcoming novel "Safe House" features a domestic abuse survivor encountering serial killers
• Co-writing a Christmas horror anthology with Tanisha Stewart
• Believes thrillers offer realistic perspectives on life's uncertainties and unresolved situations

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