Q&A with Jennifer Hillier about the new Wonderland audiobook
By Crime HQ
April 11, 2023
How has your writing changed from your earlier books to your later books?
I think – I hope! – I’m a better writer now than I was back in the day. Having written seven novels, I’ve gotten pretty good about not repeating the “mistakes” I made when I was a newer writer. Mind you, I’m fantastic at making all-new mistakes, which leaves no room for any kind of ego.
What does it feel like to revisit an older work? Were you tempted to change anything?
It was trippy diving back into Wonderland eight years later. It reminds me of where I was in my life when I wrote it. I actually did make a few tiny changes to some of the language that I don’t think anyone would ever notice but me, but I wanted the writing to align with the standards I’ve set for myself today. No matter what, readers always deserve the best version of the story.
What stood out to you about Eunice Wong’s narration?
I absolutely love Eunice’s voice and style. I listened to a few different auditions, and her sample jumped out because she narrated with the exact right amount of tension needed for a thriller, while still sounding graceful. Wonderland is told from more points of view than any of my other novels (there are five POVs in the book), and I knew she’d do a great job with each character.
What was it like to hear Wonderland for the first time? Were the character’s voices similar to how you imagined them when writing?
Honestly, it’s a dream come true. I was so proud of Wonderland when I finished writing it – my son was only four months old when I handed it into my editor and I was basically half-dead from lack of sleep – but back then, the novel was only released as an eBook. I never thought there would ever be an audio version. Listening to the narration is both magical and jarring, because it doesn’t sound exactly like did in my head when I wrote it. But that’s a good thing. Eunice truly elevates this story, and I’m so grateful to her and to Mac Audio for all the hard work they’ve done to bring Wonderland to a new audience.
Is Wonderland connected to any of your other books in any way?
Wonderland is part of the same fictional world as the rest of my books. Characters and places from earlier novels will often show up in later books, and at some point, almost everyone will end up grabbing a coffee from the Green Bean (which was inspired by my real-life favorite coffee shop that’s now closed forever). While readers don’t have to read my books in the order I wrote them, they’ll discover a few fun Easter eggs if they do.
Was there an inspiration behind the plot of Wonderland?
The only thing I could see clearly when I started writing the book was the amusement park. To me, amusement parks are naturally creepy. They’re filled with people willing to pay money to line up to have their bodies flung around on rides that – should they ever malfunction – could kill them. (Clearly, I’m not a rides person.) But the midway is also kind of terrifying, with the noises and the lights and the smells and the games crew trying to entice you to spend twenty bucks to win a toy you could buy at the dollar store. (Okay, fine, I’m not a games person, either.) Amusement parks are all about having fun, and I thought it would make an interesting place to (fictionally) murder people.
What are some of your favorite audiobooks?
Fiction: The Maid by Nita Prose, the Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano, Never Coming Home by Hannah Mary McKinnon.
Non-Fiction: Storyteller by Dave Grohl, Spare by Prince Harry, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry, Finding Me by Viola Davis.
What would you recommend listeners read, watch, or listen to after Wonderland?
This is a hard one! But if I had to pick, I’d say Little Secrets. A character from Wonderland plays a small but significant role in that story, and I think – I hope! – readers will enjoy it.
Listen to an excerpt of Wonderland by Jennifer Hillier
Purchase the Wonderland audiobook here!
*Author Photo Credit: Darren Blohowiak
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