Author Behind the Story Blog Series - C. Kevin Thompson

 

It's been a while since we posted an interview with an author. Well near a year, actually. It wasn't part of the plan. It was simply life getting in the way of an author with some medical issues. 

"Hello." (See me waving?) "That would be me."

Yet, despite the absence of new posts, God has been good. We have had over 25,000 views since November 2024. We're on pace to break 30,000 views in a year! All I can say is, "Wow!"

When deciding who I should contact to line up our next interview, it was brought to my attention I had never done one. Of course, this was by design. I started this blog to do two things. First, to showcase other authors. Second, to be a link to any writings I published, like back when I wrote for Seriously Write and other publications. "And since you do not write for those entities any longer," one person said, "readers would like to get to know you too." 

So, after weeks of consideration, and because thirteen years of work on The Blake Meyer Thriller Series has come to a close, I was urged to take this time and showcase my writing for a change on this venue as a "reward of sorts" for being faithful to the series and not giving up (and trust me, there were times when I contemplated it).

Therefore, without further ado, I'm going to sit down on the Florida Front Porch, grab a glass of sweet tea in this sweltering heat we are experiencing, and answer a few questions. 

And since interviewing myself seems a bit weird, I'm going to reword the questions a little for you...and me.

I will, however, answer the first question I always put to our guests, which is, in fifty words or less, who is C. Kevin Thompson? 

Besides a writer, I am a husband, a father, a grandfather, a minister, a teacher, a school administrator, a drummer, and a sinful slave, who became a friend of his Master, and is striving to please HIM by being obedient (John 14:14-16).

Did you ever have the notion of becoming a writer/author at a young age? If so, how old were you, and what were you doing in that time of your life?

To save time, I will allow my story on my website to answer this question. Click on the link to read it.

Let's do the list of favorites. Mention your favorite in each category and then tell us in one sentence why it is your favorite.

 

Favorite Song of All-Time:  This is a tough one. There are so many ones I like. However, the one I keep going back to is Forever by PFR. I love the harmonies of this group. They remind me of The Beatles, in that regard. The lead singer, Joel Hanson, even sounds like John Lennon in many of their songs, and as a result, they were asked in 1993 to be a part of a tribute album to The Fab Four and did so with a guest appearance by Phil Keaggy (Hanson sings verses 1 & 3, Phil sings verse 2 & 4, and they combine on verse 5 and the bridges). Ironically, they did a song where Paul McCartney was the lead vocalist...missed opportunity?

Favorite Non-Fiction Book (other than your own & besides the Bible): Slave: The Hidden Truth About Your Identity In Christ by John MacArthur – This book has opened up my understanding of the entire Bible. Things make so much better sense now.

Favorite Bible Verse: Romans 12:1-2: The Christian life summed up in two verses.

Favorite Movie: Hopscotch (featuring Walter Matthau, Glenda Jackson, Sam Waterston, and Herbert Lom). I don’t know why I like this movie so much, but I saw it for the first time on TV and really liked the storyline. Of course, being on TV made a big difference. They bleeped out Ned Beatty’s mouth, which was a good thing, but I didn't know it at the time. I bought the DVD years later and was shocked. “That wasn’t in the version I saw!” Also, this was a book turned into a movie, and both were written by the author. I have to admit…the movie was much better.

Favorite Actor or Actress: I don’t really have a favorite, per se, for I have found all actors and actresses play some roles very well and other roles not so much. I favor picking roles from different actors/actresses.

Favorite TV Show: This is a tough one too. Blue Bloods, 24, The Blacklist, Sherlock, Shetland, Vera, DCI Banks, are a just a few.

Favorite Novel (other than your own): A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Such a great story in so few words.

Favorite Author (other than you): Fiction: Arthur Conan Doyle & Michael Crichton.  Non-Fiction: John MacArthur and F. F. Bruce

Favorite Sport: College Football. By far. There is not a close second, here, just so we're clear.

Favorite Team (Can be any sport, any level): Florida Gators

Favorite Subject in School Growing Up: If I am being honest? Girls. I wasn't saved back then, so in my defense...

Favorite Subject Now: It is a three-way tie between English, History, and certain subjects within science. These come in handy when writing, and I find them fascinating...now.

Favorite Teacher in School: Mrs. Sue Crumpton – She sparked my love for writing.

Favorite Time of the Year: Fall – A high of 65 degrees, no clouds in the sky, leaves turning color, and a steady 10-15 mph breeze? I think that will be the temperature of Heaven, by the way..

Favorite Place to Vacation: The beach. I could sit on a balcony and listen to the waves come ashore forever.

Favorite Drink: Unfortunately, Coca Cola Classic. I’m a recovering Coke-aholic, and I am glad to report I am losing my love for it (for health reasons). Coffee is a close second, and there will never be any recovery sought. This keeps me sane.

Favorite Food: It’s a tie. Pizza (pepperoni) and steak (rib-eye). If I could eat these with no ill effect, that’s all I would eat. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sure, I'd add some eggs to the steak for breakfast when I wasn't eating leftover pizza...and now, I'm hungry.

  

What makes you cringe?

Foods that were never intended to be eaten. I saw two videos recently which had me dry-heaving. One was of a woman who had four large leopard frogs positioned on a baking sheet. They were sitting on a bed of some kind of lettuce and had been bathed in some kind of oil. She then took live, black creatures – I could not tell if they were baby eels or some kind of leach, but based on how active they were, I believe it was the former – and tossed one or two into the open mouths of the four frogs. She then took an egg mixture in some kind of Pyrex mixing bowl and poured it all over the frogs and in their mouths. (Are you getting ill yet?) She then baked them in a primitive oven, pulled them out, and proceeded to take large tongs, grab one of the frogs, and eat it, starting with the head.

I’m out. I’ll choose starvation. "Lord Jesus, Come."

You know, we had a garden, right? It was beautiful. It had all the food we would ever need in it (not to mention eternal life!). And I have to think the whole earth was just like it. As Adam and Eve’s family grew, there would have been a need for more acreage and plant distribution. But instead, we wanted the one piece of fruit that was off limits. We traded in all of the lusciousness of the Garden of Eden (and eternal life!) for baked leopard frogs. Baked frogs? Really? Oh, and the other video? The woman was cooking rats in a pot like gumbo. She pulled one out and starting eating it like a cob of corn. You see how sin has tricked us into thinking such cuisine is normal? 

Everybody seems to have a bucket list. Do you? If so, what’s on it? If not, why not?

There are several places on my bucket list I’d like to visit. I’d love to travel the roads, take the boats, and walk the streets the Apostle Paul traversed on his missionary journeys. I’d also like to walk and travel the paths of Jesus, from Nazareth to Capernaum, from there to Jerusalem, to Bethany, to Bethlehem, the Dead Sea, and the Sea of Galilee.

And then there’s Europe, Australia, Hawaii, and Alaska. Better start pinching my pennies, huh?

When you look for a new home, what are the things that are important to you?  

Funny you should ask. Ha! We’re actually doing this right now. We’ve been in the market for a new home for about six months. Although we have: 1) narrowed down the area; 2) continued to scour Realtor.com and the other sites; 3) have decided we’d like a split-plan, a living room big enough to hold the family when they come over, a walk-in shower in the master bath that doesn’t require doors, shower curtains, etc., a decent-sized lanai (pool is optional), a back yard big enough for the grandkids to play, and a kitchen with a sizeable place for food prep, like an island or “bar-type” extension; 4) and as we know floors, paint, etc., can be updated or changed to suit, we also are keeping the Lord's will in mind. When you read about John the Baptist living in the wilderness as a stark dichotomy to the religious erudites of his day, or think of Jesus when He says "the Son of Man doesn't have a place to lay His head," it puts things in perspective. Jesus and John were definitely a contrast to House Hunters.

In addition, those houses containing everything we desire are pricey at current interest rates. If we compromise, then what goes? Since this will probably (?) be our last home, it’s a difficult choice, so we are being patient and continuing to keep our ears to the ground and our eyes on Jesus.  

We are also considering building a house, too, as an option. Another option is to get a cheaper fixer-upper. We know enough people in the construction field to get help, advice, etc. If we do either of these, then we’ll make sure we can get all these things included...eventually. And I can do the flooring, tile work, etc., as that was the family business growing up. Good skills to fall back on, if I ever had to…just not sure the knees can handle it these days.

Do you have a favorite line from a movie or book? If so, what is it?

Do you remember the show, Remington Steele? I’m kind of like him. I’m always quoting movies, books, comedians at various times. But some I think of or actually say are: 

•      “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” from Jaws.
•      “Must go faster! Must go faster!” from Jurassic Park.
•      When people say I’m crazy, I reply: “You’re just getting that now?” from Sherlock.
•      “Sleep is a weapon too.” from The Bourne Identity (the book, not the movie).
•      “I taught Jason Bourne everything he knows, but I didn’t teach him everything I know.” from 30 Days Hath Revenge (Sorry, I know this seems like a shameless plug, but I do use it).

 If you could go back and have a “do over” concerning something in your life (we’re thinking about something non-writing related here), what would you have done differently?

When I was in ministry as a pastor, I was young, both in years and in my walk with the Lord. Because of this, I listened to those around me who I respected and took their counsel as “gospel.” I wish – and have for years now - I would have followed “my gut” (which I later learned was the Holy Spirit) and been obedient to His leading. Instead, it’s been the school of hard knocks, for sure, to get where I am now, to unlearn everything the "powers that be" taught me about pragmatism and instead allow God to renew my mind (Romans 12:1-2).

Do you have a crazy, interesting, behind-the-scenes story about the publishing world you’d like to tell your readers without boring them to death with industry gobbledygook?

Oh, there’s a few. One involves this very series we are promoting right now, The Blake Meyer Thriller Series. I write about this a little in the preface to the first book in the series. The first publisher started to go belly up without telling anyone, and when other authors started to pull their works, it was decided, by my agent at the time, that I should do the same, since the life of the contract had officially run its course.

After receiving zero responses from emails, I finally had to write one to the then current employer of the individual who was still in charge of the publishing house. It had become a situation of Christian integrity at that point for me, and I did not feel the actions of the publishing house were honoring God, thus having the possibility of bringing reproach on this institution as well. Interestingly, a couple of days later, I received an email from the editor, promising a formal split within thirty days. The statement came, and we signed it.

That entire process took roughly a year from start to finish. They weren’t a shady enterprise. They came highly recommended. I just think the company grew too large, too fast, and they were not recouping financially what they were spending on the front end. Then, with losing authors left and right, the ship sunk. 

And did I tell you about the swindler who sent me a contract and then took $300 from me? That was in the infancy of my writing career when I was greener than green grass and about as naïve as they come. She’s since been arrested (I did not have anything to do with her arrest), and for a while, I was receiving restitution in the form of a check from the prison system in Texas. I’ve got about $5 of it back so far...in 20+ years. Author beware, for sure. I later learned she was on the Preditors and Editors website. Wish I had known that website existed BEFORE I traveled down that hole. Live and learn.

Of all the stories/books you have written, which one is your favorite? And what compelled you to write this story?

My favorite so far is my first one published, The Serpent’s Grasp. When I was in middle school, I had aspirations of becoming a marine biologist. I guess that’s why I like the beach so much. However, I get deathly seasick on boats, and when I learned marine biologists spend months at sea, I knew that wouldn’t work for me. My love for the sea never wavered, though, and The Serpent’s Grasp is proof of it. I’m also proud that it took First Place in the First Fiction category (Debut Novel) in the 2013 Selah Awards, beating out some other titles which have done very well for themselves since then.

Tell us about what project you are currently working on.

I recently finished Devil of a Crime, which is the last book in the six-book Blake Meyer series. It’s been thirteen years in the making (because of all the publishing issues I mentioned before and other things). It’s definitely been a labor of love, in a way, and I could not just quit and leave Blake and others hanging out there. Too many readers had invested time and money into the first books.

Once I get past the Book 6 release date and marketing plans the Blake Meyer series, my efforts will turn to a new mystery series, about which I am really excited. I have to admit, the first book in this upcoming series just may become my favorite, as I really like the characters. It’s middle grade fiction, and the books will be a series of standalones. It all began actually as an idea I originally wrote as adult fiction. When a friend read the manuscript and said something about the characters needed more humor and shouldn’t be so serious all the time, I took it to heart and sat on it for about fifteen years while I worked on other things. Now, I’ve taken these two characters and pushed them back in age to middle school. Once I made the change, the characters came alive. My critique group loves the story and thinks it may be the best thing I’ve written yet. The book is written, although there are a few tweaks I need to make, but those should not take too long. I plan to release it this fall (looking at mid-November). The cover art work is all done too. 

If you have noticed, I haven’t given away the title, and that’s for a reason. We will be doing a build up to the cover reveal and then the pre-order release date hopefully sometime in mid-to-late September. Be on the lookout!

What surprised you the most during the research for the series you are finishing up?

The reality of it. What do I mean? As I was writing the Blake Meyer series, article after article came out, along with a couple of books, demonstrating in real time what Colin Murphy and his ensemble of bad actors had cooked up. One such example of many was an article by Meghan Roos in Newsweek that came out in October of 2021, eight years after 30 Days Hath Revenge was published. Eighteen people died from using an aromatherapy spray they purchased at Walmart, which was produced in India for Better Homes & Gardens. The spray had a rare but deadly bacteria in it. CDC officials determined the bacteria came from mud in a nearby area close to the production facility. Apparently, workers carried it into the facility on either their hands or feet, and it somehow got into the spray as it was being produced and packaged. At least, that’s the explanation that came out, which interestingly enough, has vanished from the original article. It was a CDC investigation, and it now says that webpage has moved and is no longer available. It could be all on the up-and-up. However, after reading Ken Alibek’s book, Biohazard, I’m inclined to think there may be more there than meets the eye.

If you had one person you could meet (think ONLY Bible characters here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be besides Jesus, and why?

Again, a hard decision. However, I think it would be Daniel. He was faithful from a young age, was taken into captivity, stood up to the most powerful man in that day, Nebuchadnezzar, and showed by a righteous life how not only God could and would honor it, but also how God would protect him. Daniel never stood in front of the Babylonian ruler’s palace and protested the food like many Christians would do today (Daniel 1). He didn’t refuse to help the evil king, like many Christians would do today. Instead, he was obedient to God and was honored for it by interpreting the king’s dreams. As a reward, he was lifted up into a position of power as chief of the Magi (Daniel 2), which God was able to use to set the stage for Matthew 2 hundreds of years later. Then, when the king wanted everyone to bow to the image of himself and forbade anyone from honoring any other god but him, Daniel remained faithful. He didn't march in the streets of Babylon or write op-ed pieces. He just continued to pray and worship God alone. Evil men plotted against him, tried to use his righteousness against him, and had him ultimately thrown into the fiery furnace (Daniel 3). You know the rest of the story as the chapters progress.

Daniel served under four different kings and faced many blessings and hardships because of his faith. Yet, each time Daniel was falsely accused, he stood fast to his faith, and God delivered him. As a result, the kings who attempted to take his life ended the scenes by commanding the entire nation to honor the God of Daniel. Thus, Daniel lived a Beatitude life for God before the Beatitudes were the Beatitudes. He thus fulfilled what Jesus said at the end of those Beatitudes, speaking of being salt and light, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Daniel did exactly that, and thus he would be a man I would want to get to know better.

What Bible scripture has impacted your life the most, and why?

Matthew 5:3-12. Jesus lays out what kind of person enters the Kingdom of Heaven in these verses. They start with the first step, a broken and contrite heart and a realization of who you are (a destitute beggar) in light of who God is (Holy and Righteous). It progresses through each verse, showing us how the heart transforms into an eventual peacemaker, i.e., one who tells others about Jesus, so they, too, can be at peace with God instead of at war with Him (Romans 5:1). And of course, there comes the sharing of the gospel part and the hatred and persecution it brings. But take heart. Our "enemies" are the mission field, and they hate us because of the Jesus we share with them. It’s not personal, although it feels that way. It’s the devil’s children believing his lies and feeling the sting and shame of sin when we shine Jesus’s light on their wounds.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover?

I have more ideas for books than I have time to write them. A good problem to have, I hear, as some authors struggle to churn out a book a year. Once I retire, then it will be full speed ahead.

I have a book (could be a small series) already foreshadowed in the Blake Meyer Thriller Series. It would be a follow-up series, starring Julee Scarfano, with a cameo appearance by Blake. There will be a great deal of research to do for it, so it’s on the back burner currently.

I also have Book 2 in the middle grades fiction series mapped out and ready to write, and this series could have as many as 20-30 books in it before it's over. We'll see. I have some unique plans for it, for sure, that I believe all readers will appreciate. 

And I have some ideas for another series of adult fiction standalones that would require me to travel and research areas and their history, which would be a wonderful thing. It would be a great tax write-off, too, right? And maybe I could combine this idea with that bucket list I mentioned earlier…

Alright everybody, I'm done. That wasn't too painful, was it?

If you're interested in following me on social media, through my newsletter (which only comes out when we have a new book release), then you can go to my website @ www.ckevinthompson.com and find all my social media outlets there, which include Bookbub, Facebook, Instagram, X, Amazon, Pinterest, and Goodreads (although I will admit, some of those are more updated than others).

Thanks for stopping by!

Kevin  

 

PS - This interview was done and uploaded on July 12, 2025. On Monday, July 14th, I learned, along with thousands, that Pastor John MacArthur had been hospitalized, and the prognosis was not good. Within hours, Pastor John left this earthly dwelling for his heavenly home. I'm happy for him. He's where we all long to be, and we do not grieve like the word does, for we have hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). However, I am sad to see him go. Even in the last year of preaching, God was giving him fresh insight, and thankfully, he shared it with others just like he did for well over fifty years. 

"A Novel Approach" - Kevin's Interview in Local Newspaper, The Daily Commercial

Come check out an interview I did in a local newspaper that made the front cover of the Sunday Edition on Feb. 9, 2020 in a lead up to the release of Kevin's latest novel, The Letters! This link is the online version which appeared the next day.

Pretty Cool.


You can read the article HERE!

The Legacy of Writing (A Seriously Write Blog)

Robin Patchen beat me to it. I was going to write a post that would have been eerily similar to hers, so I’ll refrain from stirring those roiling waters of writing for yourself versus writing for your readers again. (You can read her post here…after you’re finished with mine, of course!)

One part I was going to include in my post on that subject was how your writing will, whether you like it or not, become your legacy. What do I mean by that?

One evening, we visited my oldest daughter and her family. As soon as we walked in, my nine-year old grandson informed me that he had pestered my daughter incessantly until she finally caved in and allowed him to utilize her computer (keep in mind she was in nursing school at this time, and deadlines were approaching). He wanted her laptop so he could “write a book.”



You can read the remainder of the article HERE!

My First of three Author Interviews by Lena Nelson Dooley

I was fortunate and honored to be interviewed by Lena Nelson Dooley on her blog.

Here's an excerpt:

Welcome, Kevin. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

I’ve been told some of the phrases I use come out in the dialogue of characters. “I hear you say that,” my readers will tell me. But overall, I try to use certain things from time to time to help make the character more authentic. I remember putting into the manuscript of The Serpent’s Grasp a description of a car Micah Gregson used to own that caused him to purchase the car he owned now, a red Mustang Cobra. The car he “used to own back in the day” was a red 1971 Mach 1 Mustang with a 351 Cleveland. That was the car I had in high school and when we were first married (boy, do I wish I still had it now). Unfortunately, that recollection of Micah got axed in the final edit. However, he is driving the Mustang Cobra when he gets followed by the FBI agent, trying to find a news station that carries late, breaking news, and wishing he hadn’t allowed his satellite subscription to expire (another personal piece of info about me, by the way).

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I’ve sat here for ten minutes, and I can’t think of much. I even asked my wife, who’s known me since we were 15. She can’t either. So, I guess I’m not a very “quirky” person. More on the conservative side when it comes to my actions, I guess. However, I suppose it depends on who’s watching, too. Some people would say becoming a writer is a little quirky. “How can you sit at a computer for hours on end?” Ever heard that one? I’ve also had others “say”—not with their words so much but more with their looks and actions—that becoming a follower of Christ is quirky, if not borderline crazy.

When did you first discover you were a writer?

I had an inkling when I was in middle school. Creating stories was an interest, for sure. However, I really didn’t have anyone around who noticed or encouraged it growing up, and there weren’t the opportunities available back then like there are now for young writers (which maybe answers why I wasn’t encouraged?). I finally got more serious about it in my mid-thirties, got more serious about it in my mid-forties, and now, here I am, wishing I’d gotten serious about it way sooner.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

With fiction, I enjoy mysteries and thrillers and wander around that section of the bookstore the most. That doesn’t mean I won’t pick up something else and give it a try, like a speculative fiction work or a science fiction piece. As for non-fiction, that’s all over the map, depending on what I’m doing. Christian spiritual growth books, if I want to read something for personal edification. Books about education, which are related to my day job as an assistant principal at a middle school (that job choice may qualify as quirky, too). Books about the subject I am researching for a novel I am writing. If you look at the bibliography in the back of The Serpent’s Grasp (and yes there is one…I put it there for a reason…), then you’ll get an idea of what I’m talking about here.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

Sanity? What’s that? I work in a middle school. And I’m a writer. Doesn’t get much more insane than that. Especially in this day and age of school shootings and brick-and-mortar store closings. But hey, you can’t say that I’m a bystander in the game of life. I’m right in the middle of the action. 

Through it all, though, the only thing that keeps me even-keeled is Christ. If I wasn’t a Christian, I’d probably be in prison by now. Some of the thoughts that cross our minds at times are far from Christ-like. Understandable, maybe, but miles away from unconditional love. So God helps me stay on track, especially when I start to jump the rails. I do have to admit that as the days get darker and the pressure gets more constrictive, I’m finding the need for more time with Him. But my biggest struggle is I don’t deal with “stupid” and “foolishness” very well. I have always had very little patience for it, and that is wearing thin these days. I understand when people get upset about things that are unfair or even teeter on the line of being criminal or not (we’d all probably be upset if we were in those shoes). But there is so much foolishness going on today, so much stupidity, and so much senselessness. For example, humans taking challenges like eating Tide pods. Really? Back in the day, those teens would be working on a farm somewhere or learning a trade that would eat up all the free time they have. Or what about those who take a stand on political, divisive subjects they have no clue how to truly solve (but they’ll tell you how to solve it so it helps their cause)? The Apostle Paul’s description of minds thinking, acting, behaving, and believing as if they were seared with a hot iron was never truer than it is today. And all this drives me to God more and more. Personally, I don’t know how He does it (doesn’t destroy us all), or how He did it (died on a cross to save us). I know why (love). But to know and to act are two very different things. I guess that’s what makes Him God and me a fallen human.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

You know, that’s a good question. Some are just random. I need a certain name, and I’ll scan the books on my shelf to see if one jumps out at me. Other times, I’ll run across a name I really like and jot it down for future reference. In many cases, because the names are nationalistically important, I’ll do a web search of “Russian surnames” or “Hispanic female first names,” for example, and choose one after researching it further to verify that it would work. But my favorite way has been when I have assigned the names of my children and grandchildren to secondary characters in my books. I try to use them creatively, and not use them exactly like the real name. Like, for example, making my grandson’s first name the last name of a deputy.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I’m assuming you’re talking about writing accomplishments? Because I’d say being married for over 36 years is quite an accomplishment, especially with everything my wife and I have been through. J As for the writing, my proudest moment was when my book, The Serpent’s Grasp, won the 2013 Selah Award at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference for first fiction (debut novel). My second proudest moment was when my second novel, 30 Days Hath Revenge (A Blake Meyer Thriller – Book 1), won second place in the 2013 Readers’ Favorite awards for Christian Fiction. I found out later that the only reason it didn’t win first place was because of the cover, which I admit was not that tantalizing. This book has since come out in second edition with a new, great-looking cover.

I was surprised and honored when my novel Maggie’s Journey won the Selah for long historical. I had only won one other major prize at that time.  If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

Probably a cheetah. I could outrun anything trying to catch me and outrun anything I’m trying to catch. And I’d have the tools needed to defend myself from most anything. Next would be a tiger. Wouldn’t be able to run as fast, but I’d better better-looking. J

What is your favorite food?

That’s a tie between an inch-thick, medium-well ribeye steak cooked to perfection with a slight char on the outside (I’m channeling my inner Guy Fieri here) and a good pepperoni pizza (preferably from a locally-owned place versus chain stores). If I could eat these two things every day and not gain an ounce, that would be heavenly.

Good luck with that. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

When my first two novels were published, the publisher who had them started having problems (a common tale these days). They stopped publishing new titles, and became very hard to get a hold of. Although they were still “in business,” I was not receiving any monies from sales either. During this time, I acquired an agent. We both agreed that getting the rights back would be the best option, since publisher was, by that time, in breach of contract. It took well over a year to see that come to pass. Because my second book, 30 Days Hath Revenge, was the beginning of a series, it really caused issues because most publishers don’t want to reprint the first book in a series. As a result, we had to “self-publish” that book and the subsequent books in the series (I put it in quotes because it’s a bit of a different process than your typical self-pub route). My agent did find a home for my first novel, and it was reprinted by Hallway Publishing last summer.

Now, we have four books out. Book 4 of the Blake Meyer series, When the Clock Strikes Fourteen, is coming out later this year. Books 5 and 6 will complete the series in 2018.

Tell us about the featured book.

The featured book is 30 Days Hath Revenge. The overarching theme of the series is, “What is true peace?” We hear about that topic a lot these days. So did the Israelites in the days of Jeremiah…right before the Babylonians showed up. It’s this biblical scenario that has given me the bones from which to develop this story.

In my Blake Meyer Thriller Series, SSA Blake Meyer is the biggest patriot out there. He’s served his country in the military. He’s worked undercover. He has Black Ops training. And now he’s part of the FBI as a means of keeping tabs on certain people. Nobody bleeds red, white, and blue more than him.

It’s this past that raises its ugly head when a man by the name of Colin Murphy, who Blake actually worked with 15 years prior, organizes a diabolical plot to release a deadly, weaponized contagion with no known cure within the major cities of the U.S. as an act of revenge. This attack is being orchestrated by several big financial players from around the world, who are using Murphy to help bring the U.S. to its knees so it can use economic espionage to finally topple a nation they would never be able to beat militarily.

Blake is the only one who knows all about the past, and he has now been tasked by the president to lead the effort at finding the people responsible before it’s too late.

Please give us the first page of the book.

June 14

Four Years Earlier

Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa

A Congolese man stumbled down a narrow, filthy alley clutching his chest. He staggered like a drunken man, bouncing back and forth off the walls like a pinball as he traversed its length.

He burst forth into a swarm of people in an open market and scanned the crowd before grabbing his head with both hands. He took a few more lumbering steps before falling face-first into the busy dirt road.

He rolled onto his back with a grimace, and his body contorted and writhed in agony. Mouthing something inaudible, he mustered the strength to flip over to his stomach.

Pounding the ground with his fist, he willed himself to his hands and knees. His labored breathing and internal pain caused his entire frame to heave in a distressed, desperate dance.

The ailing man finally rose to his feet. His well-worn clothes puffed plumes of dust as he teetered toward a passing ambulance, attempting to flag it down. Frantic but unable to wave his arms, he watched the vehicle turn the corner and disappear behind a building. He shook his head in despair and raised his arms in disbelief. Unintelligible words were overcome with tears as the man collapsed into a sobbing heap.

Seconds later, the man’s body shook with a violent force. Then, as if a great cable or rope was wrapped around his midsection, pulling him to the clouds, he arched his back and let out a horrific cry. As the man’s howl subsided, his body eased back down to the ground like a deflating balloon.

To read this post on Lena Nelson Dooley's website, click HERE!