Terry Ambrose

Writing is like a good barbecue sauce, if it ain't bold, it ain't worth doing.

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Behind the story of Don’t Believe It by Charlie Donlea

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Charlie Donlea is an international bestselling author. His latest, Don’t Believe It, is his third novel. Charlie believes a novel must call to a reader for it to be read and writes accordingly.

No issues, but there is a thread

“My novels are meant for pure escapism reading, so I don’t see them as tackling social issues in any grand form,” Charlie said. “However, a common theme between all three of my novels is society’s obsession with missing persons cases and unsolved murders. Pop-culture magazines frequently feature on their covers missing girls, some of whom have been found after being missing for years. The common questions include how they were taken, why they didn’t escape sooner, and how they are readjusting to freedom.”

The first novel, Summit Lake, dealt with a father’s attempt to keep his murdered daughter out of the tabloids as a tenacious investigative reporter arrived in the small town where the murder took place looking for answers.

The Girl Who was Taken tells the story of two abducted girls, one who returns and another who does not. The girl who makes it home goes on to write a bestselling memoir that thrusts her into the public’s eye and draws attention to parts of her story she wants to keep secret. In researching novel, Charlie visited a morgue to view an autopsy. He still recalls his reaction. “Let’s just say that noodled legs and a fuzzy head made the experience less than stellar.”

Don’t Believe It taps into the public’s obsession with true crime documentaries and tells the story of a filmmaker creating a weekly-serialized documentary that delves into the grisly details of a decade-old murder that took place in the Caribbean, and which explores the enigmatic woman who has been convicted of the crime.

“The common thread among all three stories is the public’s unquenchable thirst for the morbid details of disturbing stories,” Charlie said.

A fascination with true crime

“I’m a true crime junkie,” Charlie said. “The podcast Serial hooked me, and Making a Murderer gave me an affliction. Since then, I’ve binge watched just about every true crime documentary on Netflix. My biggest complaint about these films is that they tend to raise more questions than they answer. So I decided the story of a documentary filmmaker uncovering the secrets of ten year-old murder not only provided a great premise for a timely novel, but also gave me the ability to create as wild an ending as my imagination could conceive. I hope readers feel that the finish of Don’t Believe It not only ties up loose ends in a way real documentaries seldom do, but also provides a shocking ending that will have them ripping back through the pages to see how they missed it.”

Competition on all fronts

“I am a true believer that in order for a novel to be successful, it has to call a reader back to it after they put it down. If a book is easy to put down and hard to pick up, most readers—including myself—will give up on it. I’m hyperaware of this fact when I write. I know there is fierce competition out there from other books, television, movies, and more. So, I try to make it hard for readers to put my books down. And I make damn sure to include in the pages enough reasons for readers to pick them up again after they do.”

The Matt Damon connection

The setting of Don’t Believe It is a tropical resort in St. Lucia called Sugar Beach Resort. It’s a resort on the Jalousie Plantation that Matt Damon commandeered to renew his wedding vows. Charlie said he and his wife discovered the resort while visiting the island on Spring Break with their kids. “I thought it would make the perfect location for my novel. So much so that my wife and I returned to Sugar Beach the following year to celebrate our anniversary and do some much needed research to boot.

“My Matt Damon connection comes from a St. Lucian guide who worked for Sugar Beach. I hired him to take my wife and me on a tour of the island for my research. We asked if he drove Matt Damon or any celebrities around the island. No, he told us. But he did transport Damon’s photographer back to the airport after the vow renewal. Close enough.”

Learn more about Charlie Donlea at charliedonlea.com.

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Review of The Lost Order by Steve Berry

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The Lost Order by Steve BerryFrom the publisher:

The Knights of the Golden Circle was the largest and most dangerous clandestine organization in American history. It amassed billions in stolen gold and silver, all buried in hidden caches across the United States. Since 1865 treasure hunters have searched, but little of that immense wealth has ever been found.

Now, one hundred and sixty years later, two factions of what remains of the Knights of the Golden Circle want that lost treasure―one to spend it for their own ends, the other to preserve it.

Thrust into this battle is former Justice Department agent Cotton Malone, whose connection to the knights is far deeper than he ever imagined. At the center is the Smithsonian Institution―linked to the knights, its treasure, and Malone himself through an ancestor, a Confederate spy named Angus “Cotton” Adams, whose story holds the key to everything. Complicating matters are the political ambitions of a reckless Speaker of the House and the bitter widow of a United States Senator, who together are planning radical changes to the country. And while Malone and Cassiopeia Vitt face the past, ex-president Danny Daniels and Stephanie Nelle confront a new and unexpected challenge, a threat that may cost one of them their life.

Review of The Lost Order:

Once again, Steve Berry takes us on a highly entertaining treasure hunting adventure with Cotton Malone and Cassiopeia Vitt. Berry takes little known facts and expertly weaves them into the novel in a way that makes learning about history entertaining.

The writing is classic Steve Berry, very smooth with a well thought out plot. The characters are realistic and fit seamlessly into a complex thriller in which historical fact and compelling fiction become indistinguishable.  Another great addition to the Cotton Malone series.

Behind the story of The Jihadist List

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The Jihadist ListJeffrey Seay is a former NCIS agent and the author of The Jihadist List. He says he’s only been serious about writing for a couple of years, but has realized the importance of telling a story, not just having something to say. For this interview, Seay discussed the story behind The Jihadist List.

The Jihadist List takes form

Seay believes any message a writer wants to make should develop naturally through the characters. For that reason, he found himself walking a fine line while writing The Jihadist List. “With the former administration’s constant negatory response to domestic Islamic terrorism, I had to develop a story arc that allowed me to address the issue as a natural flow through the plot line. I didn’t want the third person narration becoming a character with its own rant.”

In the end, Seay says he accomplished his goal of blending his message into the story. “On the surface, The Jihadist List is just a pulp fiction thriller. However, if you peel the onion back a bit, it could be described as a not-so-subtle dissertation on the intent of Islam and how it plays against western Judeo-Christian values and the warped acceptance narrative of today’s progressives. Sort of.”

The idea for the story began after the November 2009 Fort Hood shooting spree by Major Nidal Hasan. Seay said he was familiar with the case and knew why Hasan was charged with murder and not terrorism. As a result, he wanted to explore the notion of an Islamic terrorist radicalizing young Muslim converts and having them enlist in the U.S. military.

Seay said he went into the project with only the kernel of a story. “I knew how it would start and I was fairly certain how it would end. The details, however, didn’t reveal themselves until my fingers started working the keyboard.”

Jeffrey Seay - The Jihadist ListResearching Islam

During his research, Seay immersed himself in the nature and values of Islam. “It wasn’t difficult to find and assimilate the source material. There’s somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, and the message of Islam in the Quran, the Sunna and Hadith are widely published. The eye-opener and mind blower, when you get to the heart of the religion, is the openly declared demand by true believers that all nations are to follow Sharia. By choice or by force it makes no difference. The conversion or the slaughter of the infidel is the imperative.

“The real corker for me, though, has to do with these truisms still being marginalized, obfuscated, rejected or simply ignored by a western media obsessed with its own narrative.”

The coolest job on the planet

Describing himself as ordinary, Seay said the only exception to the description would be his job as an NCIS agent. “In extraordinary times, in dicey overseas locations, and with people ranging from the exemplary to the irredeemable, I can claim participation in missions critical to Navy and Marine Corps operations and national security. Being an NCIS Special Agent was truly the coolest job on the planet.”

Unfortunately, Seay won’t talk about his NCIS days other than to say, “My response is another overused bromide: I wish I could tell the story, but it’s still classified.”

Book & a Latte Contest

What: This month, Jeffrey is giving away two soft cover copies of “The Jihadist List” and I’m adding two $5.00 Starbucks gift cards. Two random entries will be chosen as winners. Each winner will receive a book and a gift card.

How to enter: Choose one or more of the options below. Each option gives you an additional chance to win.

Who can enter: This contest is only open to continental US residents over 18 years of age.

Winners: Selected winners must claim prizes within 72 hours of notification. Verification of entries: All winning entries are subject to verification.

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Review of Where I Can See You by Larry D. Sweazy

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Where I Can See You by Larry D. Sweazy

From the publisher of Where I Can See You

Haunted by the disappearance of his mother when he was eight years old, detective Hud Matthews begins his own investigation to find out what really happened so many years before. When a rare murder occurs in the lakeside community, Hud’s veteran skills are called upon to capture the killer. Pulled deep into the threads of the community with ties to the past, Hud quickly becomes a target, not only of the killer, but of those who wish the past to be left alone. As Hud gets closer to discovering the truth about the crimes, he has to face a choice of enforcing the law, or stepping outside of it to make sure that his version of justice is served.

My review

Sweazy is back with a serious and intense thriller. “Where I Can See You” is a police procedural with plenty of questions for the reader to answer. Sweazy continues his style of writing good descriptions to establish the physical location as well as the time and place. His characters are well-developed, suffering from their own set of  flaws that can make it difficult to know if they are friend or foe. These complexities help to keep the reader guessing what the final outcome of the book will be.
The plot flows evenly, gradually building in suspense to a surprise ending. In “Where I Can See You,” there are multiple plot lines, which helps to constantly move the story forward.

Throughout the story, there are flashbacks to the protagonist’s past. These clues to the current story line help to fill in the blanks and keep the story engrossing. The flashbacks are a bit confusing at first, but by the end of the book, these conversations help to tie the storylines together.

Behind the story of Blood Trails with Diane Capri

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Blood Trails cover - Diane CapriDiane Capri writes several different thriller series. In this interview, the New York Times bestselling author discusses her new Michael Flint thriller, “Blood Trails.” The story behind the novel began when a friend received an inheritance.

“Every new book begins with a spark that leads to an idea I can turn into an exciting story,” Capri said. “In the case of ‘Blood Trails,’ the idea was sparked by a friend’s amazing good fortune. She was contacted by a ‘land man,’ whose job was to locate Oklahoma mineral rights heirs. The contact was not a scam and she eventually received quite a windfall. Her situation made me wonder about all of the other heirs out there who are eligible for significant sums of money but don’t know it.”

Capri said she spent a long time finding the perfect name for her heir hunter of last resort. She asked her readers for suggestions, and they came up with hundreds of names. “Some of the suggested names were hysterically funny,” Capri said. “I kept a list and they may turn up in a Flint story one of these days. Flint is the guy you turn to when all else fails. He’s a P.I. with a mercenary streak and a heart of gold who can find anyone, any time, anywhere, dead or alive—for the right price, of course.”

In “Blood Trails,” Michael Flint claims he can locate anyone. But, finding people is tricky business. “Situations involving missing people and missing information fascinate me,” Capri said. “Perhaps it’s the very human need for closure or simply my mystery writer’s drive to figure things out. Either way, I want questions to be answered and problems to be solved, to know where missing people are, how they went missing, and why.”

Of course, heirs can have many different situations. One of the scenarios Capri wondered about was what if the heir had been running from the law? She said, “I wondered what if Michael Flint was hired to find the heir after everyone else had failed? What would happen if Flint failed, too?”

Double Trouble Contest Code for Blood Trails: #FallThriller

While she now splits her time between Michigan and Florida, Capri once traveled extensively. She’s visited many places she loved, including Greece, Italy, and Hawaii. “I had quite a few adventures in flying—some of which have made it into my books. But I think the perfect setting for many of my stories is Florida. I visited Florida when I was in college and fell in love with the place. Reading Travis McGee novels back then bonded me to the Sunshine State. I hope I can always live there— even as my characters travel the globe!”

The most important thing for Capri is whether her readers enjoy her books. She also likes to use her experience as a former practicing attorney. She said, “I spent years uncovering secrets and solving mysteries in real life. Those experiences have helped me create exciting, clever, twisty plots, great characters, didn’t-see-it-coming endings, and almost touchable settings with loads of atmosphere. If stories with these qualities appeal to you, you may want to give my books a try.”

Behind the story of Salem’s Cipher with Jess Lourey

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Jess LoureyJess Lourey is the author of the outrageously funny Murder-by-Month mystery series. She’s also written a magical realism novel and has now turned her pen toward thrillers. Say hello to “Salem’s Cipher” and the mysterious world of cryptography.

Lourey describes herself as someone who loves puzzles. “My brain cracks and pops like a mad dancer when it gets a chance to crack a code, solve a riddle, find a treasure. I wanted to create a book like a playground for minds like mine.”

In addition to her interest in puzzles, Lourey also said she worries about how she handles herself socially. “Like most people, I spend a lot of time worrying about saying the wrong thing, ruining everything, and generally not fitting in. I wanted to explore that in my fiction in the hopes of releasing some of it.”

Jess Lourey decided to take on the thriller genre in late 2014. At the time,  thriller writer Chelsea Cain said she wished there were more female thriller writers. “I’d just finished writing ‘The Catalain Book of Secrets,’ my first foray into magical realism, and I was looking for my next writing challenge. Chelsea’s offhand comment was the spark.”

“Thrillers need bigger-than-life plots,” Lourey said. “It looked like there was a solid chance Hilary Clinton was going to be the first viable female presidential candidate in the United States come 2016, and I thought, why not follow that thread? Once I had that very rough kernel of an idea, I began outlining Salem’s Cipher.”

I dumped all my social fears into Salem so I could figure out how to overcome them…

As she began writing, Lourey decided the book needed more depth. She turned to her past for inspiration and decided to draw on her husband’s suicide in 2001. “I was pregnant at the time,” Lourey said. “For years I’d wanted to explore through fiction the ramifications of a child’s parent committing suicide. Salem’s Cipher is the result.”

Lourey also said she had the book’s concept before she had the main character. Knowing what subject she wanted to tackle, she asked herself who would be at the center of this story. She decided it had to be a woman. “She had to be smart, imperfect, and real with a reason to solve puzzles.”

The result was Salem Wiley, a genius cryptanalyst and reluctant heroine of the series. Readers will learn Salem’s father killed himself, and she feels responsible. They’ll also learn Salem became agoraphobic after her father’s death. “I dumped all my social fears into Salem so I could figure out how to overcome them,” Lourey said. “I made her a cryptanalyst to feed my hummingbird brain.”

Lourey is passionate about writing and teaching others to write fiction. She believes a novel must be entertaining but also have depth. “When you walk away from it, the characters still linger on the fringes of your life. Good fiction connects us to something bigger and better than ourselves.”

Double Trouble Contest Code: #Secrets

To write Salem’s Cipher, Lourey needed to immerse herself in the world of cryptography. She said she knew nothing about the subject, not even the basic terminology. Early on, she discovered a cryptographer makes code and a cryptanalyst breaks code.

“Most of the code making and breaking is done via computers these days, but there is a rich history of manual codes,” Lourey said. “The recent Oscar-nominated movie The Imitation Game brought WWII British cryptanalyst Alan Turing to the world’s attention, but the origin of code dates back much farther. In fact, the written word itself was the original code when first developed as only a few could read it.

“There are stories of slaves who had messages tattooed on their bald heads, which were then covered by hair as they traveled to deliver the secrets, effectively covering the code until the recipient shaved the slave’s head. Another early form of code was used by Victorian lovers who wrote coded messages for all the world to ‘see’ via letters to the editor.”

When asked why she’s put writing humor on hold, Lourey said, “I love stories. Period. I follow the story that captivates me, letting its shape and theme decide the genre. But, I do miss writing funny and am planning to write ‘March Madness,’ the 11th book in my Murder-by-Month series, this summer. I need more laughter and lightness in my life.”

Learn more about Jess Lourey on the web at jessicalourey.com.