Interview with Ilona Salley, author of Yesterday is Never Gone

Title: Yesterday is Never Gone
Author: Ilona Sally
Publisher: iUniverse
Genre: Thriller/Crime
Format: Ebook

Niki is no stranger to horrific personal challenges. As a child, she bravely endured abandonment by her father. While in her teens, she witnessed her mother’s murder and the abduction and presumed death of her only sibling. Although her secrets have always been carefully cloaked from others, they have shaped her personality more than she would like to admit. But with a past as terrible as hers, how can Niki ever hope for a bright future? Years later, Niki is a dedicated profiler in a criminal investigation agency with no idea her life is about to change exponentially. One day, through a quirky twist of fate, she receives startling news that her sister, Inge, is alive. As a driving force compels Niki to search for her, she embarks on a quest that takes her through cities and wilderness on two continents. She encounters difficult decisions, threatening mobsters, near-death experiences, and romance, yet nothing deters her from reaching her goal—not even a gruesome discovery about her father. But Niki is about to discover that things are never what they seem to be. In this thrilling tale, deception and inner turmoil hamper a young woman’s journey toward a new reality as she attempts to reconcile her past and find the truth.

Could you please tell us a little about your book? A young woman discovers that the sister she thought had been dead for many years, was actually still alive. But her whereabouts are unknown. Niki leaves her job as criminal profiler for the Berlin Police Department and embarks on a quest to find her. The journey takes her through many cities in Europe and ends in Canada. Along the way, Niki encounters difficult decisions, threatening mobsters, near-death experiences, and romance. The story is a tale of deception and inner turmoil, and Niki learns that things are not always what they seem to be.

Who or what is the inspiration behind this book? The inspiration is not a single person, nor a single story, but layers and layers of books, written by various authors, and movies of different sorts. These form a backdrop of ideas which have been woven together to form a new fabric, a new book. TV shows such as Criminal Minds and CSI were important and I remember a movie from a long time ago which stuck in my mind. ‘Forbidden Promises’ was about the Russian Mafia.

What cause are you most passionate about and why? I am not a crusader of any specific cause, but human trafficking plays a large role in the book, along with smuggling. The story also touches also on the plight of refugees, and the injustice at play when the strong prey upon the weak.

Do you have any rituals you follow when you finish a piece of work? After finishing a lengthy project, I like to take a breather, a time out, while I absorb new ideas. Like small seeds, these begin to germinate and grow until I am ready to write again.

Who has influenced you throughout your writing career? Ever since I planned to write a thriller, I immersed myself in the books of writers such as John Grisham, David Baldacci, Kathy Reichs, and Patricia Cornwell.

What are some of your long term goals? As a writer, I hope to continue to grow and polish my technique. I have begun a sequel to ‘Yesterday Is Never Gone’ and already have an idea for the book after that. My aim is to give to the reader something which will please and hopefully open up new ideas to consider and emotions to explore. I try to introduce interesting characters for the reader to get to know.

Ilona Salley emigrated from Germany to Toronto, Canada, with her family when she was three. Throughout her life, her interests have included squash, skiing, wood carving, literature, art, and languages. Her fascination with architecture and archaeology has led her to travel in search of ancient places and artifacts. After a long career as an educator, she expanded her horizons by teaching in England and China. Now, she spends part of each year in Fort Myers, Florida.