Thanks for asking. While I don’t want to give away too much too soon - and the fact is it’s all subject to change anyway - stay tuned…some announcements may be coming out and a chapter or two may be made available in the near future.
Have you ever experienced writer's block? If so, how do you overcome it?
Every writer at some point or another does. There are different names for it, and the solution is different for each writer. For me, the best thing to do is start writing something other than a novel. In fact, something I can begin and finish in a single setting. A novel doesn’t offer much short-term gratification. In my case, it’s generally an 80,000-word book that takes much more than one setting to finish, and once I have a firm outline I don’t usually experience “writer’s block.” However, when I am searching for ideas, writing a short story, nonfiction type piece, journal entry or something else has helped the process. The irony is it doesn’t really matter what the piece is, what matters is that I am sitting down at the computer and transferring ideas from my mind to the page.
What’s the hardest part of the writing process for you?
If plotting is my favorite part of the writing process, editing is its necessary evil. I know it makes the book better, and I know it’s something I should look forward to. But by the time I’m into the thick of the editing phase, I’ve already rewritten the story five times and am ready to move on to the next idea. It really helps that my wife, a voracious reader who seeks strong character-driven stories, edits every single page.
What’s the harshest criticism you’ve gotten from readers?
In general, I’ve been told my plots are complicated and it’s hard to follow all the characters. I find truth in that, and I have been trying to apply that feedback to my writing. I don’t want to write plots that are simple or don’t have moving parts, but if it’s not clear enough for people to follow it, that needs to be addressed. That said, the most specific criticism I’ve received really stuck with me. A marine reached out to me shortly after The Hubley Case was published and said, “There’s so such thing as an ex-Marine. Use ‘former’.”
I still have that e-mail. And to this day, it’s one of my biggest writing regrets. I have tremendous respect and appreciation for the men and women in uniform, and to think that I unintentionally rubbed them the wrong way in my writing still gives me pause.
Timelines. Your books are pretty fast-paced. Do you feel that the pace of your books contributes to the tension of the “who-dun-it” aspect?
I hope so; at least that’s the goal. The readers of this genre seek and deserve a story that keeps their interest and makes them want to read more. If the mystery or underlying question of the book is wrapped in layers of boring context, they can and should stop reading it. There are simply too many great stories out there not to. So I hope they find the pace to be fast enough to support what they’re looking for in a “beach” read and give them the chance to unplug from the real world and enjoy a story.
Did you ever struggle with a particular chapter in terms of content, violence, etc.?
In life I tend to avoid conflict, so writing the first two books was a bit of a departure from reality and in most ways was a ton of fun. I will say, however, that the “bathroom scene” in The Silent Cardinal is a bit more graphic than I probably felt comfortable with and still do. It’s not overly grotesque, and I’ve actually had fans tell me it was one of their favorite chapters of all my books because of how “bone chilling” it was. But it’s pretty contradictory to who I am, and it was a struggle to write. I knew it would be, too. I remember knowing before I wrote that chapter that I would have to really vilify the victim…for myself as much as the readers. And that’s the reason for the page of context about what the guy was doing right before the scene takes place…
What was the best part about writing a sequel?
I thought it would be not having to come up with backstories from scratch, but it turned out to be putting snippets in the sequel that a) were not truly necessary to understanding The Silent Cardinal but b) also gave folks who’d read The Hubley Case an extra nugget. There are a few arcs and tiebacks, character traits and quips in The Silent Cardinal that those readers told me they enjoyed. That was really fun.
What was the hardest part about writing a sequel?
For me – and you could get a variety of answers depending on the author, genre and book – it was figuring out how to give the right amount of context around the characters that was revealed in the first book. I believe that any sequel should be able stand alone. In other words, you shouldn’t have to read book 1 in order to completely understand and enjoy book 2. But since the characters already have a history, readers of book 2 need some context that was covered in book 1, and I found it challenging to walk the line between not repeating myself yet still giving those who hadn’t read book 1 what they needed.
What attracted you to crime thrillers?
There’s something simplistically intriguing about a story that lets the viewer try to figure something out before its conclusion. Call it a mystery, crime thriller, suspense novel or even a movie, when the audience gets to play along with the protagonist to help solve the crime, I feel there’s a connection to and investment in the story that I don’t get otherwise.
With all the deadlines and time-sensitive activities in your plot, how do you keep the dates clear in your head as you write?
The physical act of keeping track of what happens when is not as difficult as you might think. Simply print out a calendar that shows the dates of a given month that match the days you need. For example, let’s say you need two people to meet on February 6th and it must be on Saturday because the meeting occurs at the Saturday Farmer’s market. I would print out the February 2016 calendar and use that as my reference, populating the events on the page. Then you have a visual one-page reference tool for the entire plot.
The real challenge goes back to the rigor of the outlining process. The first (and most critical) step is to understand when the key events of the plot occur relative to each other. From there, simply fill in the days on your paper calendar. And use a pencil.
How did you become interested in the thriller genre?
It started with writing what I loved to read. I gobbled up all the Tom Clancy, Michael Crichton and John Grisham books I could find at an early age, and was intrigued by the way those authors told a compelling story. The urgency and significance behind the storylines kept the stakes high, and my interest in the genre never faded.
Why did you not tell us you were writing a book earlier?
(still the most-popular question from friends and family)
I honestly didn't think there wasn't anything to tell. Writing was my hobby, like painting or golfing for others. When things started to move forward – getting an agent, finding a publisher, etc. – I figured I’d share my hobby-turned-published-book once a publication date was set.
