How do you write a captivating thriller? This author found clues in the woods

Many of Megan Miranda's thrillers make nature — the deep woods or a steep trail — a central and often menacing character. (Elissa Nadworny/NPR)

Growing up, thriller author Megan Miranda spent time at her grandparent's house in the Poconos. There wasn't any cell service — it was just her and her family out there in the woods, cut off from society. "During the day, it would be this grand adventure," recalls Miranda. "But at night I would just stare out into the darkness thinking, 'what is out there?' "

So began Miranda's long obsession with the duality of nature — at once, a beautiful serene place, and also, with just a slight change of perspective, a terrifying one.