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Elise Hart Kipness talks about her new book ‘Dangerous Play’

TV reporter-turned-author Elise Hart Kipness chatted about her new book “Dangerous Play.”

Elise Hart Kipness
Elise Hart Kipness. Photos courtesy of Elise Hart Kipness
Elise Hart Kipness. Photos courtesy of Elise Hart Kipness

TV reporter-turned-author Elise Hart Kipness chatted about her new book “Dangerous Play.”

She began her career as a crime and sports reporter for News 12, and grew up in Great Neck. Then, she left her job at Fox Sports Network to start her family and is now a bestselling author.

‘Dangerous Play’ book

Her new second book “Dangerous Play” will be releasing on September 17, 2024. It follows sports reporter Kate Green on assignment covering the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team at the Olympics when a famous designer (and old friend) is found dead in the locker room.

“In this book, I really wanted to dive into Kate’s background,” she said. “So, I thought it would be interesting to connect a murder investigation to a secret Kate was hiding from her time playing soccer on the youth national team.”

“This book jumps between two timelines. The present where Kate is covering women’s soccer at a fictional Olympics in New York and the past where Kate, as a teenager, is teammates with both the murder victim and one of the murder suspects,” she explained.

‘Dangerous Play’ vs. ‘Lights Out’ books

On the similarities and differences between both books, she said, “In ‘Dangerous Play,’ Kate is finally  back at work, trying to prove herself as a TV sports reporter, where, in ‘Lights Out,’ Kate is dealing with a suspension.”

“An unfair suspension, I might add. So in ‘Dangerous Play’ the reader gets to see Kate in action as a reporter. This part was really fun to write because I was able to call on a lot of moments from my own past as a television sports reporter,” she explained.

“In ‘Lights Out,’ the murder victim was a superstar NBA player who happened to live in Greenwich, CT where Kate lives. In ‘Dangerous Play,’ the murder victim is a friend and former teammate of Kate’s from her teenage years,” she added.

Inspiration for her writing process

On her inspiration for her writing process, she revealed, “Coffee! Definitely coffee. Once I’ve had my coffee, I’m most inspired by the chance to get lost in a story. I love when I’m able to lose myself in my characters and follow them down different paths—most twisty and dark.”

The digital age

On being a part of the digital age, she responded, “I love this question because one of the themes in both my books is the role of the media in the digital age.  Stories snowball in ways they didn’t when I worked in local news. And that troubles me.”

“I’m concerned there isn’t enough fact checking these days. Rumors and innuendo get shared and digested as fact. And that is scary and can lead to serious societal problems,” she explained.

Future plans

On her future plans, she remarked, “I am presently working on the third book in the Kate Green series which will center around tennis at the U.S. Open. And of course, a twisty crime.”

“Covering the U.S. Open was one of my favorite assignments during my career as a sports reporter—so I’m really enjoying working on this book,” she said. 

Advice for young and aspiring authors

For young and emerging authors, she said, “I think it’s important for young and aspiring writers to understand that in order to create a successful story, they need to learn skills.”

“You could be the most creative cook, but you first need to know how to turn on a stove, chop vegetables and use a spoon. This may seem like a silly example, but my point is that you need to learn specific parts of how a story is put together. You need to understand the setting, characters, and plot. How to create suspense,” she elaborated.

“Then you need to mix it all together into a story that holds up. It’s not easy. And you are going to cook up a whole bunch of mediocre meals before getting it right. And that’s ok. Because that’s how you learn,” she explained.

Success

On her definition of success, she said, “For me, success is knowing that readers are enjoying my book. I still am so grateful to be at this point.” 

What would you like to tell our readers about “Dangerous Play”? (What’s the one thing you want them to get out of it)

For fans and readers, she said, “I’m really proud of this book. I enjoyed working on the dual timeline and creating Kate’s backstory. I hope when readers finish the book they feel like they know Kate better. And that they have enjoyed spending time with her.”

Her book “Dangerous Play” is available for pre-order on Amazon.

To learn more about Elise Hart Kipness, follow her on Instagram, and visit her website.

 

Markos Papadatos
Written By

Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 22,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.

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