Gray Ghost
Gray Ghost is law enforcement crime fiction novel that is the culmination of fourteen years of law enforcement, fly fishing, and writing. I wrote it in a style called inverted, which means the reader learns fairly quickly who the main bad guy is, but the characters do not know until it’s possibly too late. It’s a fast-paced read that appears to be gaining some attention on Amazon (yeah!!).
You were inspired to tell this tale while you were fly fishing in the Bahamas, so please can you tell us a bit more about this.
While flying into Andros Island in the Bahamas to go on a fly fishing trip, I noticed several downed and gutted small planes near the runway. I was curious about them so I asked the locals about the planes. I quickly learned they were primarily used for smuggling narcotics and that the Bahamas as a whole had a serious problem with narcotics. I was on the island for a week and basically asked everyone I saw what they knew about narcotics smuggling. I’m one of those people who other people feel very comfortable in just telling me things, so, I kept notes and thought it would make an interesting book someday.
Why are your passions for law enforcement and the outdoors weaved within your writing?
I feel strongly about my career in law enforcement and fly fishing because I think they are respectable activities, rich in tradition and esteem. I weave these concepts into my writing because I know about them, I understand them, and I live them. Therefore, what I write is from the heart and accurate. I think this makes my writing believable and draws emotion from the reader. In addition, when I’m in chaotic situations at work, I draw on the calmness I feel from fly fishing to help me make quick precise decisions in an effort to save lives or go home to my family.
This is your debut novel, so do you have plans for another?
I always wanted to write a series and I’ve just completed the second book in this series called, The Collectors. It’s a stand-alone novel, but follows the same too detectives (Dix and Petersen). It’s based in San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico. I’ve included a little romance in this book and it has special meaning to me because I was able to create a character based on a mentor and fallen Deputy Sheriff named Koti Fakava. I’m going to donate proceeds of the book to his family, which includes his wife and five children.
How much of your experiences in narcotics have going into this book?
All of my experiences are wrapped up in Gray Ghost. I’ve investigated hundreds of narcotic cases around the United States and internationally. Pieces of those cases are featured in Gray Ghost.
You have been praised for hooking the reader in from the beginning, so how have you achieved this?
This was a main concern for me. I am an avid reader in mystery, suspense, and thriller novels. I wanted to hook the reader right away and not let off the gas pedal throughout the book like many of the successful authors do today. I had an original manuscript for Gray Ghost that had five chapters before what is now the first chapter in Gray Ghost. I was fortunate to learn from another author, Sunny Frazier, how to edit and grab the reader. I reluctantly removed the first five original chapters and I’m very happy I did. In the genre I write in (mystery, suspense, and thriller), I think to be successful you MUST pull the reader in right away. If not, the reader loses interest and may not even finish your book.
Who do you most like to read in the mystery genre?
I will always be a huge fan of the Tony Hillerman novels; I’ve read them all several times. I also enjoy Stephen King, Hoag, Clancy, and Deaver. I’ve met several amazing authors over the last two years and I think they write just as well as “The Big Authors.” Frazier, Brantingham, Ambrose, McGraw, Meredith, Chausee, Enger, Diehl, and all the other Oak Tree Press authors can really write!
What environment do you have to work in to write?
Chaos. Whether I’m in the middle of surveillance, at home, in court, serving a search warrant, or chasing a bad guy, I always have a note pad or my iphone around jot down ideas, thoughts, and whatever else I feel like writing (I dabble in poetry now too). Sometimes I make a cup of coffee, kick the feet up, and write on my laptop as well.
What is next for you?
I’m hoping to keep the Bill Dix series going (just started writing book three!) and work on some non-fiction projects as well (social media guides, what life is really like while wearing a badge). I’m trying to get my small business going while juggling a hectic work week and spend time with friends and family. I’m developing a t-shirt line and a brand that will be law enforcement/ fly fishing related. Several of the reviews for Gray Ghost have mentioned Hollywood and movie...That would be amazing for someone to pick up the rights to Gray Ghost and make a movie out of my writing!! I’d love to see my characters played and what twists the director would add.