Amy Pease: I Love Character Development
In this interview, author Amy Pease discusses pulling back the curtain on the healthcare system with her new crime novel, Wildwood.
Amy Pease is the award-winning author of Northwoods, a small-town thriller rooted in the natural beauty and close-knit communities of her native Wisconsin. She writes emotionally rich, atmospheric stories across genres that explore the relationships that define us. A nationally recognized HIV specialist and longtime nurse practitioner, she is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and the Madison Writer’s Studio. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and two children. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
In this interview, Amy discusses pulling back the curtain on the healthcare system with her new crime novel, Wildwood, her advice for other writers, and more.
Name: Amy Pease
Literary agent: Amanda Jain, Bookends
Book title: Wildwood (Book 2 of Northwoods Series)
Publisher: Emily Bestler Books/Atria Books
Release date: January 6, 2026
Genre/category: Crime fiction, police procedural
Previous titles: Northwoods (Book 1 of Northwoods Series)
Elevator pitch: A deputy sheriff and his mother investigate a murder that leads them into a dangerous criminal network in their small Wisconsin town.
What prompted you to write this book?
I’m fascinated by the idea that the most terrifying villains aren’t killers, they’re systems. In Wildwood, it’s the healthcare system. We all rely on it, but with a vague sense of unease because it’s opaque by design. We can’t see behind the curtain to know what might be lurking there. I’ve been a healthcare provider for decades, so I do know a lot about what’s lurking behind the curtain, and that makes it even more chilling. In Wildwood and its predecessor, Northwoods, I wanted to pull back the curtain, not just because it makes for a powerful emotional experience, but because these stories are compelling in their cynicism and menace. I wanted to hold that darkness up to the light while also showing that there are people who see it clearly and choose to fight back.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
From first draft to pub day was about 1.5 years. I had set up some cliffhangers in Northwoods, and that was a rookie mistake. It was much more difficult having to work the plot of Wildwood around elements I had already locked in.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
This was the first book I’ve written under contract, and writing with a deadline was a different experience. I didn’t have the luxury of going back again and again to polish things, so at times I worried (unnecessarily) that the finished book would feel slapdash.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I love character development—the plot of my books can sometimes take a back seat to emotion and relationship. In Wildwood, I was well into the third draft before I felt like I even understood where the characters were at emotionally. I had some bad moments where I didn’t feel connected to them, but then things finally clicked and I was able to get into their heads.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope they tell all their friends they just read a great thriller about … Medicare fraud.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
It doesn’t matter if it’s your first book or your 20th; there are going to be moments in the writing process where you read what you just wrote and think, That’s the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard. But then you need to keep writing!
