BOLO Books: Stalking in a crime that appears to be on the rise. Do you agree? What part do you think the increased use of social media has on the prevalence of this crime?
Caroline Kepnes: I think we all see the same image when we hear the word stalker, a creepy undateable guy cowering and looming. Joe is interesting to me because he is well-read, smart, naïve and endearing at times. Beck is something of an exhibitionist and Joe is somewhat of a voyeur. He is a stalker, yes, but he’s also the articulate, romantic yet cynical bookworm that we ladies have been learning to dream about since we were little girls. You should despise Joe, but half the time, he’s the voice of reason. I love characters who make me feel conflicted, like maybe I’m morally off.
Social media makes stalking a part of normal daily life. We go on Facebook and/or Twitter and are aware of what our friends are doing, what they want us to know. Social media gives us a sense of control, that you can block people, judge people. Even the word “like” has become somewhat devoid of meaning. You can investigate someone without risk. There is less mystery.
