Just released: Bestselling author's latest book tells how to make a living as a writer

By Mark Young

James Scott Bell

An interview with novelist James Scott Bell regarding his latest how-to book on writing might—at first blush—seem a little off topic for this blog about cops, crime and novels. You are right, but let me plead my case. I feel strongly enough about this just-released book that I've chosen to break the rules this one time. There comes a time in any writer’s career where they find themselves fighting off feelings of discouragement and disillusionment. I believe that How to Make a Living as a Writer (HLW) can be one of those tools that helps writers regain solid ground in their publishing career.

This book goes well beyond what the title suggests—selling books and making money—by giving a writer a holistic approach to writing. Writing quotas, time management, and creating a workable business plan are just a few of the topics discussed in HLW. Jim writes from experience as both a traditionally published author and as an indie author. His twenty-year career includes many novels, anthologies, books on writing, and a weekly contribution to the popular blog The Kill Zone.

It is a privilege to have James Scott Bell with us today to discuss his latest book on writing.

MARK: Jim, thanks for joining us here on Hook’em &

Book’em once again. What prompted you to write this book? Who do you consider to be your target audience?

JIM: I have always been about helping writers not only write better, but write with an eye toward making actual money. I believe in professionalism. I believe it’s quite all right to make a living doing what one loves to do. 

In my case, it was writing. When I started out to pursue this dream, I didn’t think the odds were so great. But it’s what I wanted to do and I never stopped, and I managed to make it my career.

With this book I wanted to pass along the principles I used that I think will help all writers who want to be pros.

MARK: What is the most important message you want writers to glean from this book?

JIM: That you have to think of this as a business. You have to put some rational thought into this if you want it to give you a return. When I began to pursue writing as a career it was after several years of being a lawyer and also running a successful small business. I had learned both study and entrepreneurial skills. These were invaluable to me.

The good news is that these principles are not difficult to understand or put into practice. The trick is in the doing of them. That’s discipline. I explain how to be disciplined in the book.

MARK: In HLW, you debunk the idea that only a few chosen writers ever succeed in this business. Why are you so positive that new writers can actually make a living at this game?

JIM: Because the playing field has changed drastically in the last 7 years. The Kindle was introduced in 2007. The next couple of years saw writers starting to self-publish on Amazon with great monetary success. At the same time, there is still a traditional publishing industry, which I continue to be part of. The key is there are options now, and the writer who approaches things systematically, with a commitment to quality, improves his or her odds of making significant bank.

MARK: In a chapter titled The 7 Things You Absolutely Must Have to Succeed—you cast doubt on the concept that writers must have talent to make it in the writing game. Please share your take on this issue with our readers.

JIM: What I actually say is that talent has to be there, but it’s the least important quality. There are many, many naturally talented writers out there who never make it. There are a number of reasons for that. One is that they rely on the talent but never master the craft. Or they’re the sort that “just wants to write” and never think about being businesslike.

On the other hand, there are always those who may not be as gifted who work hard and work smart, and they surpass the “unrecognized geniuses.” That’s true in anything—sports, schooling, the arts.

MARK: In another chapter—titled Running A Successful Business—you discuss creating a business plan. How can this help to focus a writer to look at the bigger picture?

JIM: Every successful business has a plan. That plan may change, it may morph, it may be thrown out for another. But you have to have a direction and steps to take that are reasonably related to your goals. I give a sample plan in the book that anyone can adapt.

MARK: Later in HLW, you discuss the importance of time management and how to squeeze more time in a writer’s busy schedule. There are those writers just starting out who may be ‘contemplating’ writing their first novel. They may have a fulltime job, a family to take care of, or other commitments that make their hope to write seem like an impossible dream. They may take a look at HLW and say, “Wow! I can never accomplish all this.” What would you say to them?

JIM: I deal with that. The key is finding out how much you can reasonably write in a week, taking into account all the other responsibilities you have. That becomes your weekly quota of words. I suggest upping that number by 10%, to stretch yourself.  But keep it. Be zealous about it. I know there are some writers out there who think a quota is a crimp on their style. I beg to differ. I’ve had a quota ever since I started and it’s the biggest key to any success I’ve happened to achieve. As Robert B. Parker put it, the most important thing a writer does is produce the words.

MARK: Based upon all the topics you’ve discussed in HLW, is there one area in your own writing career that you found hardest to master? Why?

JIM: It’s hard for me to single out one thing. A writing journey is a series of challenges, and you do what you can to overcome them. I’ve always felt I could learn anything I needed to know in order to succeed, and the rest would be up to hard work. I don’t believe in pure luck. 

I will say I’ve always been interested in the mental game of writing, too. Learning how to handle rejection and keep going, things like that. Most of it boils down to slaying expectations and concentrating on being productive every day. Every moment you’re writing in flow is a moment you’re not worried about things you can’t control.

MARK: Where can writers purchase How to make a Living as a Writer?

JIM: The book is available as an ebook on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. The print version is available here.

MARK:  You have taught at a number of writing seminars nationally and internationally, and hosted your own writing seminars. What are a few of the most common questions you encountered from writers attending these sessions?

JIM: Many people want to know about structure, if it really matters that much. I tell them to try making an omelet without eggs and a frying pan. It’s not that structure is a rigid slave master; it’s that it works for connecting readers to stories. So once you understand it you can feel free to mess with it all you want, just know that the more you mess the less you’ll sell.

I also emphasize that you don’t have to try to copiously outline an entire novel before you write it. You need freedom to be creative. But creativity alone is not enough. Throwing eggs on the road is not art. Breaking them one-handed into a bowl, scrambling them up, putting them in the pan and throwing in selected cheeses and spices, that is art!

MARK: Speaking of writing sessions, you teamed up with two other men— agent/author Donald Maas; and Chris Vogler, movie/novel consultant and author of The Writer’s Journey—to help others improve their writing skills. What do the three of you try to teach at these retreats? Where can a writer go to find out more information on this?

JIM: If it was only Vogler and Maass, I’d call this the best storytelling conference going. I am pleased to be part of it. Vogler leads off with his mythic take on storytelling, providing the wide universe of what connects us deeply to a work of fiction. I follow with my specifics on the critical areas of fiction—plot, structure, character, scenes, dialogue, voice, theme. Maass comes along after and gets the writers into the nitty gritty of their works-in-progress, prompting them to deeper and better stories.

On the fourth day, the three of us lead a chapter by chapter analysis of a great novel that everyone reads beforehand. At this upcoming session it will be To Kill a Mockingbird.

People can find out more at the Story Masters site.

MARK: Any last words of wisdom to share with writers struggling to gain traction in this writing game?

JIM: Recognize that it IS a game. A good game, a fun one, and one that can pay off if you know how to get the odds in your favor. That’s what my teaching is all about, getting people to a place where their chances for success improve. It takes time and it takes practice, but so does anything worthwhile. So I counsel writers to write until they die. That about covers it. 

MARK: Jim, thanks again for taking the time here to share your thoughts about the writing business. I am sure your latest book on writing will be a success. 

Writing friends, be sure to check out How to Make a Living as a Writer.

*******

James Scott Bell is the #1 bestselling author of Plot & Structure, and thrillers like Don’t Leave Me, Blind Justice,Deceived, Try Dying, Watch Your Back, and One More Lie. Jim is currently at work on two series: pulp style boxing stories featuring Irish Jimmy Gallagher and the vigilante nun series Force of Habit. Under the pen name K. Bennett he is also the author of the Mallory Caine zombie legal thriller series, which begins with Pay Me in Flesh.

Jim served as fiction columnist for Writer's Digest magazine, to which he frequently contributes, and has written four craft books for Writer’s Digest Books: Plot & Structure, Revision & Self-Editing, The Art of War for Writers and Conflict & Suspense. His Write Your Novel From The Middle was an instant #1 Amazon bestselling writing book. A former trial lawyer, Jim now writes and speaks full time. He lives in Los Angles and blogs every Sunday at The Kill Zone.

Getting Inside A Cop’s Head: Interview with Ellen Kirschman, Police Psychologist

By Mark Young

Dr. Ellen Kirschman

Fiction writers are always trying to figure out what makes a cop tick. What makes cops run toward danger rather than fleeing from danger? Are there any psychological motivations and stresses that might make a law enforcement officer crack or cross the line between law abider and law breaker? How far can their characters be pushed in the novel until their world collapses?

 There are a few writers who have been granted a rare glimpse into the cop culture—their motivations, their fears, and their worst nightmares. Police Psychologist Ellen Kirschmen is one of those unique individuals who has gained access to police culture for more than thirty years. 

Ellen wrote about cops in her doctorate dissertation titled Wounded Heroes. Her first book, titled I Love A Cop: What Police Families Need to Know, was motivated by her desire to help law enforcement families cope with the stresses of the job. Later, Ellen wrote Counseling Cops: What Clinicians Need to Know to help mental health professionals and others to know how to relate to cops. Several months ago, Ellen came out with her first mystery novel, Burying Ben, a story about a female police psychologist trying to survive the police culture as a civilian, a woman, and a political liberal. The world of main character Dot Meyerhoff is turned upside down when a rookie cop by the name of Ben—whom she is counseling—unexpectantly commits suicide and leaves behind a note blaming Dot for his death.

MARK: Ellen, welcome to Hook’em and Book’em. I would personally like to thank you for helping those in law enforcement face the psychological challenges of the job. In my career, I have witnessed the damage the job has done to these officers and I know the barriers you must have faced during your career. Thank you! 

That being said, I also must add that I know that in some cases harm has been inflicted on officers when psychologists did not understand the police culture, they violated confidences, or when police departments used these psychologists as a means of discipline to force the cop off the job.

I imagine it is a fine line you must tread when trying to help these officers and their families. Before we get into this subject more deeply, please explain to our readers how you became a police psychologist and what are the goals of this unique professional?

ELLEN: I was working as a clinical social worker in a psychiatric clinic. Several of my clients were married

to cops (this was a long time ago when there were few women officers) and the stories they told about their home lives were quite distressing. When I asked my clients to invite their husbands to a session, not only did the husbands never show up, their wives quit therapy soon after. All this piqued my interest: what was it about the job that created such problems for families? More out of enthusiasm than experience, I put together a class called "I Love a Cop" at my local community college. The first session was filled to capacity and there were 40+ women on the waiting list. I had stumbled into an unfilled need. 

There are approximately 250 police psychologists in the US. By that I mean those whose practices are primarily devoted to public safety and who belong to recognized police psychology organizations such as the police psychological services section (PPSS) of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Over the past several years, the profession has received recognition as a specialty by the American Board of Professional Psychology. In brief, the goal of the profession has been to apply behavioral science principles that are ethically and empirically based to problems facing law enforcement at both the individual and organizational level.  The four basic domains of police psychology practice are assessment, organizational consultation, intervention, and operational assistance. Many, if not most, police psychologists have assessment practices. My background is in the consultation and intervention domains. 

MARK:  The police culture is very guarded for obvious reasons—public scrutiny, possible civil or criminal sanctions, and fear for the safety of their families to name a few. It would seem your success in helping officers might depend upon how they got to your office—voluntarily seeking counseling or department-mandated Fitness For Duty (FFD) evaluations. Please define the differences between the goals of voluntary counseling and FFD evaluations?

ELLEN: My practice has always been voluntary. In fact, I spent twenty-five years consulting to one agency where my office was located on the flight path between the briefing room and the locker room. This was an unusual decision made by the officer-led task force who hired me. They wanted to normalize counseling and make it part of healthy self-care. Officers had the option to see me in a private location as well. I did a lot of counseling "on the hoof." Apparently, standing up and talking while leaning on the doorsill doesn't count as therapy. Neither does talking in patrol cars or in the locker room.

There are two major differences between voluntary counseling and FFD evaluations. 1) In an FFD the client is the agency who requests the FFD, not the officer; and 2) There is no confidentiality for the officer in an FFD. In voluntary counseling a clinician could lose his or her license for violating confidentiality. The only exceptions are when the client is a danger to self or others, abusing a child or an elderly person, or incapable of caring for self.

MARK: Under what conditions are FFDs ordered by the police departments?

ELLEN: FFDs have never been my speciality. Your readers are best served by checking out the FFD Evaluation Guidelines published by the PPSS. According to those guidelines the purpose of an FFD is to determine whether the employee is able to safely and effectively perform his or her essential job functions. A FFD is considered when there is an objective, reasonable basis, founded on direct observation, credible third party report, or other reliable evidence, that the employee's ability to work safely and effectively is in question. An FFD should never be used as discipline. Nor, for that matter, should mental health providers ever be used as stand-ins for decent supervision.  

MARK: Let’s switch gears for a moment. You have just released your first novel titled Burying Ben. What is the gist of this novel?

ELLEN: Dr. Dot Meyer has barely settled into her new job as department psychologist for the Kenilworth Police when Ben Gomez, a troubled young rookie that she tries to counsel kills himself. Overnight, her promising new start becomes a nightmare. At stake is her job, her reputation, her license to practice, and her already battered sense of self-worth. Dot resolves to find out not just what led Ben to kill himself, but why her psychologist ex-husband, the man she most wants to avoid, recommended that Ben be hired in the first place. Ben’s surviving family and everyone else connected to him are determined to keep Ben’s story a secret, by any means necessary. Even Ben, from the grave, has secrets to keep. By the time she uncovers the real reasons behind Ben’s suicide and brings the people responsible to justice, Dot has not only resurrected belief in herself, she has also acquired some surprisingly useful new skills: impersonating a public official, burglary, and assault with a deadly weapon. 

MARK: What motivated you to write this story?

ELLEN: I was delusional. After writing two non-fiction books, I actually thought it would be easier to make things up. It isn't. I've always worried that a client of mine would kill him or herself and I've wondered how I would cope with the guilt. Writing Burying Ben gave me a chance to work this out on paper. Writing fiction is payback time. I get to take pot shots at cops, at my fellow psychologists, at my ex-husbands, and myself. Lastly, and most importantly, it is time to talk about police suicide and the fact that officers are two, perhaps three, times as likely to kill themselves as they are to be killed in the line of duty.

MARK: You found switching from non-fiction to fiction to be challenging but I suspect you are having fun. Am I right?

ELLEN: Very challenging but a lot more fun. Writing non-fiction is a journalistic endeavor. The challenge is to get your facts right and present them in an understandable, readable package. Fiction requires the writer to capture the reader's imagination so that he or she is locked into the story, cares about the characters and wants to know how the whole thing turns out. Non-fiction readers can pick up a book and put it down again at will. A good novel should have the reader baring her teeth at anyone or anything that interrupts her before she finishes the story. 

MARK:  Just prior to the release of Burying Ben, you and two other colleagues released a non-fiction book Counseling Cops: What Clinicians Need to Know. Is this strictly targeted toward clinicians, or would others—like fiction authors—find this book of value in understanding cops?

ELLEN: Several mystery writers have told me that they own dog-eared copies of I Love a Cop that they use for inspiration. I think Counseling Cops could be equally helpful. The book is targeted toward anyone who counsels law enforcement officers; in addition to mental health providers that would include chaplains, medical doctors, and peer supporters. 

MARK:  What was the purpose behind writing Counseling Cops: What Clinicians Need to Know? Can you provide us an example as to why this book is necessary?

ELLEN: The purpose of writing Counseling Cops was to create culturally competent clinicians. My two co-authors are both retired officers as well as psychologists. Their experiences on-and-off the job make this a much richer book than had I written it myself. As you know, cops find it very difficult to ask for help. They're supposed to solve problems, not have them. To a cop, having problems equals being weak. So when pressure mounts and an officer finally reaches out for help, he or she deserves to see a provider who understands cops and the culture in which they work. Here are two examples from the book of how things can go wrong: 

"Tracy was looking for a therapist. The first therapist he consulted teared up and didn’t think she could bear listening to the kinds of challenges he encountered at work. The second therapist reassured Tracy that he understood the impact of carrying great responsibility because many of his clients were CEOs of large organizations. Tracy responded in anger. 'When a CEO makes a mistake, the company loses money. When I make a mistake someone dies.'" The therapist Tracy finally chose was a combat veteran who knew firsthand what it meant to put your life on the line and the costs of doing it year after year." P. 6.

"Bill had been in two shootings that resulted in his killing two suspects. He was having nightmares and seriously considering quitting police work in order to avoid the possibility of a third deadly encounter. His department EAP referred him to a local clinician who had a lot of experience, none of which involved law enforcement. This was Bill’s first-ever counseling session. The therapist listened to Bill’s story carefully. When Bill was finished talking the therapist asked him “So, are you ready to stop killing people?” Bill left the session very upset. It wasn’t until he talked to some of his friends who had been in therapy that he learned how inappropriate and un-therapeutic this question was and accepted another referral to someone familiar with the police culture." P.8

MARK: What are some of the more prevalent issues you deal with when a law enforcement officers walks through your door? 

ELLEN: As you said earlier, trust and confidentiality are probably the biggest hurdles to forming a therapeutic alliance. In terms of clinical issues, or common problems, cops probably don't vary greatly from their civilian counterparts. I don't know of a scientific answer to your question, but I'd say family problems probably top the list. The issues we cover in Counseling Cops are alcoholism, substance abuse and addiction, depression and suicide, trauma, organizational stress and betrayal, family issues, growing old on the job, sleep deprivation and shift work, and something we call the Emergency Responder's Exhaustion Syndrome which is a combination of depression, exhaustion, isolation, and anger. 

MARK: A lot has changed in the law enforcement community in the last 30 years—including the way stress-related issues are understood and handled by officers and police departments. What are some of the positive changes you have witnessed that might help these officers survive?

ELLEN: Critical incident debriefings are common these days. They vary, of course, in effectiveness, but they are way more helpful than choir practice. Large urban departments and many smaller ones now routinely provide access to low cost confidential counseling as well as police chaplains. In my opinion, one of the best changes is having well-trained and well-managed peer support teams. Cops like talking to other cops, if they can be trusted.

MARK: What are some of the areas that law enforcement might do a better job in helping these officers cope?

ELLEN: I would like to see every agency, big and small, have a confidential peer support program including family members, family orientations at first hire and again every five years, a chaplaincy program, supervisors who are knowledgeable about spotting mental health issues and compassionate when talking to their officers, and easy access for officers and their families to culturally competent, confidential, low cost counseling. I'd like to see police academies devote more time to teaching officers how to manage stress and develop resilience, and I'd like to see field training programs incorporate behavioral science principles and promote wellness, both physical and psychological. 

MARK: What suggestions would you give authors trying to create plausible and realistic cop characters? What sources of information would you suggest?

ELLEN: You mean after reading my books? Go on a ride-along. After all these years I still learn something new every time I do. Attend a citizens' academy. You'll learn a lot and have an opportunity to interact with officers. Volunteer at your local police department. Whatever you do, don't watch cop shows on television. 

MARK: Any other suggestions as to how these authors might obtain a better understanding of this closed culture?

ELLEN: Learn about guns. Practice on the range. Try your hand at a firearms training simulator (FATS). If you're qualified and have the time to invest, consider becoming a reserve officer or putting yourself through a police academy. 

MARK: Are you still a practicing police psychologist or are you pursuing other goals at this point in your life?

ELLEN: I no longer have a private practice. I do continue to teach peer support, self-care for cops, give workshops for public safety families, and for clinicians who want to work with first responders. My biggest commitment is to the West Coast Post Trauma Retreat (WCPR) for first responders with post traumatic stress injuries (PTSI). I volunteer to do four six-day retreats a year. If any of your readers and their spouses or significant others are suffering with symptoms of PTSI, I encourage them to find out more about this amazingly effective, all volunteer, peer driven, clinically guided program at www.wcpr2001.org. 

MARK:  What is ahead in your writing career? More fiction? More non-fiction?

ELLEN: More fiction. I've just completed the first draft of the second Dot Meyerhoff mystery and I can't wait to start revising. 

MARK: What would be one thing you’d like to share with new police officers just starting out in their career?

ELLEN: Remember, this is a job, not an identity (nobody wants to hear that, especially not rookies). Work hard to find some balance in life. Police work entails a lot of negativity. Negativity is contagious. Try not to catch it. Remember that all you can control in life is your professionalism and your integrity. Don't waste time trying to change anyone else. Keep your expectations realistic. You may love the job, but it won't love you back. Most importantly, know the difference between your work family and your real family. Your work family can (and will) be fickle. If you treat your real family with respect, they'll be there when the job isn't. 

Thanks for giving me this opportunity.

MARK: Ellen, thank you for joining us here on Hook’em & Book’em.

*******

Author and writer, Ellen Kirschman, MSW, PhD, has been a police and public safety psychologist for over 30 years. Ellen’s work with first responders has taken her to four countries and 22 states. After giving up her private practice, Ellen spends her time writing, teaching, and volunteering as a clinician at the West Cost Post Trauma Retreat for first responders. Her first book, I Love a Cop: What Police Families Need to Know, has sold more than 100,000 copies. Her next book, I Love a Fire Fighter: What the Family Needs to Know was penned after the tragic events of 9/11. Her next non-fiction book, published this year, was Counseling Cops: What Clinicians Need to Know, the third in the ‘Need to Know’ series. Just released, Burying Ben, is her first foray into the fiction world of writing.

Ellen lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, a photographer and a retired remodeling contractor. In their spare time, Ellen and her husband enjoy hiking, traveling, and cooking. Find out more about Ellen at her web site at www.ellenkirschman.com.

Interview: Medical thriller novelist Jordyn Redwood

By Mark Young

Medical thriller novelist Jordyn Redwood has not been idle since we last visited a little over a year ago. At that time, Jordyn had just released her debut novel from the Bloodline Trilogy titled Proof. Since then, she has released two more in the series; Poison, published in February of this year; and Peril, hitting the bookstores last month.

Jordyn writes from experience. She is a registered nurse, working in emergency departments or intensive care units for the pasts twenty years. She teaches advanced resuscitation courses and has taught all levels of medical providers regarding pediatrics. She describes herself as a “medical nerd by day,” reading medical textbooks for fun. She write a very popular bog—Redwood's Medical Edge—for those seeking to know the fine line between medical reality and fiction.

I have invited Jordyn back to Hook’em & Book’em to tell us about her novels and what she had learned about the publishing industry since her last visit.

MARK: Welcome, Jordyn. It is heartening to see an author doing so well in this challenging era. We look forward to reading about your corner of the fiction world. Let’s start with an overview of the Bloodline Trilogy by focusing on some of the key characters. Who should we start with?

JORDYN: Mark, it’s so great being back on Hook’em & Book’em! I remember when you first started this blog and it’s great to see all your success.

Dr. Lilly Reeves is the heroine in Proof. She’s an ER physician and the victim of a serial rapist. When DNA testing sets him free her journey begins to prove his guilt assisted by southern charmer Detective Nathan Long. During a hostage crisis in Proof, we meet SWAT captain Lee Watson. In Poison, Lee helps Keelyn Blake, a survivor of the Proof hostage situation and now his fiancée, figure out a mystery when a hallucination of her father’s comes back in the real flesh. In Peril, Lilly discovers she has a sister, Morgan

Adams. Lilly’s famous neurosurgeon father, Dr. Thomas Reeves, is performing a medical experiment and Morgan is held hostage by a few research subjects to get him to disclose why they are sick which brings Lee and Nathan on the scene again. 

MARK: Are there other characters you would like to introduce to readers?

JORDYN: Drew Stipman is one of my favorite secondary characters. He was wrongly convicted in Proof and sent to prison. An early readers group connected so much with him that he was written into all three books. Drew was that lone character without much tie to family and he got somewhat of a happy ending at the end of the series. I would like to share more of his story. 

MARK: Your latest novel, Peril, was just released last month. Here is your trailer about this novel.

Give us a brief synopsis of the story. What are some of the obstacles your main character faces?

JORDYN: In Peril, Dr. Thomas Reeves is creating super soldiers by enhancing their memory. Unfortunately, the experiments go awry and a few research subjects take Morgan Adams, and the Pediatric ICU, hostage to get him to disclose why they are suffering nightmares, hallucinations and even death. His newly discovered daughter doesn’t have much will to live at the moment. Morgan’s infant daughter was murdered and she feels she could have—should have prevented it. On top of that, she’s now sick and needs a kidney transplant to save her life. Peril is Morgan’s story of overcoming great loss, connecting with her husband again and finding the will to live despite living with great sorrow.  

MARK: As I read a description of Peril, I came across these two sentences which caused me to want to read more—even if I don’t have a clue about what “enhanced NMDA receptors” are all about. Here are the lines:

An elite unit has received neural grafts from fetal cadavers of genetically altered brain cells with enhance NMDA receptors. The results are remarkable…until the recipients begin suffering hallucinations, nightmares, paralysis…and death.”

This does not sound good. Tell me how you came up with this idea? Daytime reading of all those medical textbooks?

JORDYN: Absolutely! In each book of the Bloodline Trilogy, there is a medical phenomenon I explore. In

Proof—what if DNA testing set a guilty man free because he had a genetic defect. And yes, that can really happen. In Poison, can hypnosis cause someone to do something evil? In Peril, is there such a thing as cellular transfer of memories and if there is—what does that teach us about life?

Cellular transfer of memories is where recipients of organs remember or experience memories or tastes of their donor. It’s got lots of anecdotal support in medical literature. We know memories are biologically based—we just don’t know exactly how that biological process for creating memories works. Because of this there is lots of room to explore the ethical implications behind it.

I read lots of non-fiction for my fiction stories and I was completely fascinated by Mind Wars by Jonathan D. Moreno which gave me the idea for the experiment and military angle. 

MARK: Okay, let as move onto your second Bloodline Trilogy, Poison. Tell us a little about this story? What are your characters facing?

JORDYN: Poison delves into what we believe about

truth, what influences truth, and if we believe a lie as truth how that affects our lives. What I love most about Poison is that Keelyn Blake is a body language expert and her fiancé is hiding a big secret. The interplay between the two of them as she “reads” his nonverbal communication really heightened the tension in the novel.   

MARK: All three of your novels have been published by Kregel Publications. How did you connect with them? What did you do to get their attention?

JORDYN: After Proof was finished I was able to get an agent, Greg Johnson, with WordServe Literary. He submitted my book proposal to Kregel and they picked it up. What I’ve heard one of my editors say when I asked her this question was my medical expertise was a plus in writing medical thrillers because they knew the information would be reliable and I had somewhat of a platform started with my blog Redwood’s Medical Edge. 

MARK: Can you share with us perceptions you had about publishing that might have changed since you have three novels under your belt? Any surprises?

JORDYN: Of course, I dreamed about getting to quit my day job a few short months after Proof was published. Financially, I haven’t been able to do that. I quickly determined I wasn’t going to make James Patterson type money but what surprised me is I wasn’t even making twenty-five percent of my part-time nursing salary. There is work on the road to publication and there is also work at building a readership. Each takes six-ten years. Even more surprising is that most authors are working other jobs and will probably have to always do so. 

MARK: Once you were accepted by a publisher, what steps did you take to help get the word out about your novels? Social networking? Speaking engagements? Website presence?

JORDYN: I have done all the above. The best marketing lesson I’ve learned is that it takes six-ten exposures to an author and/or their book title for a reader to make a decision to buy. By incorporating all these things I’m hoping to do just that. 

MARK: Some writers have a perception that once a publisher latches onto their novel, all authors have to do is keep on writing. That the publisher would take care of all the rest. What has been your experience?

JORDYN: I don’t think anyone in the publishing business (authors, agents, or marketers) would say authors get to sit in the backseat as far as marketing. I had a great working relationship with Kregel and I feel they did support marketing the book by buying advertising, supplying me with postcards to mail out, developing a book trailer, Facebook party and providing advanced reader copies to get people excited about the story. That being said, there were some things I wanted to do as well that I financed myself. For instance, I hired a publicist for Peril strictly for pitching broadcast media outlets. 

MARK: What is your next project now that you have had a moment to catch your breath from Peril?

JORDYN: I’ve developed a fiction trilogy around the phenomenon of near death experiences (NDEs) that I’m hoping will get picked up by a traditional publisher. No word yet. 

MARK: Any words of advice that you could give new writers?

JORDYN: The road to publication is hard work but it is also worth all the hard work. If your words can speak to just one person—you are a successful writer even if you’re not making a lot of money. 

MARK: Again, thank you for taking the time to tell us about your writing career. We look forward to your next step in this writing game.

JORDYN: Mark, I always enjoy being with your readers. You’re a true friend on this publishing road and I’m very thankful for you. 

*********

Jordyn Redwood is the author of the Bloodline Trilogy novels Proof, Poison and Peril. She is a registered nurse with extensive experience in emergency department and intensive care units for more than 20 years. She writes medical thrillers base upon these experiences and from her enjoyment reading medical textbooks. Jordyn hosts the widely-read blog, Redwood’s Medical Edge, where she answers medical questions for fiction writers and readers. She lectures about medical issues and fiction writing, including a popular lecture titled Medical Mayhem: Strategies to Accurately Depict Medical Fact in Fiction. Find out more about Jordyn at her web site.

STRESS TEST: A Medical Thriller

Richard L Mabry, M.D.

They may not have enough evidence to convict him, but they have enough to ruin his life.

Dr. Matt Newman thought he was leaving his life as a surgeon in private practice for a better one in academic medicine. But the kidnappers who attack him as he leaves the hospital at two AM have no such plans—they just want him dead. Bound and in the trunk of his car, Matt's only thought is fleeing with his life. He does escape, but at a price: a head injury that lands him in the ICU . . . where he awakens to discover he's being charged with murder.

Sandra Murray is a fiery, redheaded lawyer who swore she was done with doctors after her last relationship. But when Matt calls, she knows she can't walk away from defending someone who is truly innocent.

Matt's career is going down the drain. His freedom and perhaps his life may be next. But with the police convinced he's a killer and the kidnappers still trying to finish what they started, finding the truth—and the faith to keep going—will be the toughest stress test Matt has ever endured.

Excerpt From Chapter 1 of Stress Test:

It wasn’t hard for Dr. Matt Newman to spot his silver Chevy Impala in the darkest

corner of the deserted garage. There weren’t many cars still there at two a.m., and soon there would be one fewer. He fished his keys from the pocket of his white lab coat and thumbed the unlock button on his remote. His hand was on the door handle when something yanked him backward and cut off his air in mid-breath. Matt dropped the keys and reached up with both hands to pry at the arm that encircled his neck.

In an instant Matt was slammed facedown to the cement floor. He heard a crack and felt the knife-like agony of breaking ribs. The searing pain in his chest made each labored breath more difficult. A weight pinned him to the ground like a butterfly on a specimen board.

Matt struggled, but his assailant held him fast. Fire shot through his shoulders as his arms were yanked together. There was a quick rip of tape and in seconds, his wrists were bound tightly behind him. Rough hands encircled his ankles with more tape, leaving him helpless and immobile. At the same time, someone else grabbed his hair and lifted his head. Matt gave a shrill cry before three quick turns of tape muffled his voice and turned the world black.

He tried to lift his head, but stopped abruptly when something hard and cold pressed against the back of his neck. Matt lowered his face onto the garage floor and went limp. He felt hope escape like air from a punctured tire.

There were murmurs above him, questions in a high-pitched singsong, answers from a harsh rasp like grinding gears. At first the words were indistinguishable. Then they became louder as the exchange heated.

“Why not here?” Was there a faint Hispanic accent to the whining tenor?

“The boss said not at the hospital.” The growling bass flung out the words, and spittle dotted the back of Matt’s neck. “I know just the place to get rid of him. Let’s get him into the trunk of his car.”

In the darkness that now enveloped him, Matt struggled in vain to move, to speak. He strained to hear what was said. He could only make out a few words, but they were enough to drive his heart into his shoes. “Get rid of him.”

He angled his head to catch the sounds around him: a jingle of keys, the sharp click of the trunk lock. Hinges squeaked. Matt had a momentary sensation of floating as he was lifted, carried, dropped. His head struck something hard. Splashes of red flashed behind his closed eyelids, then vanished into nothingness.

Matt floated back to consciousness like a swimmer emerging from the depths. How long had he been out? Hours? Minutes? A few seconds? At first he had no idea where he was or what was happening. Little by little, his senses cleared. He tried to open his eyes but there was no light. He tried to speak, but his lips were sealed. He cried out, but the result was only a strained grunt. Finally, he heard the faint sound of voices from inside the car, a menacing rumble and a high-pitched whine. The voices brought it all back to him.

He was on the way to his death. And the trunk of his car would be his coffin.

BIO: Richard L. Mabry, MD

A retired physician, Dr. Richard Mabry’s four previous novels have won critical acclaim. Honors include inclusion as finalists for the Carol Award and Romantic Times Reader’s Choice Award, and winner of the Selah Award. In addition, they have garnered the coveted 4 ½ star rating from Romantic Times Book Reviews. He is past Vice-President of American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of the International Thriller Writers. He and his wife live in North Texas.

Where to buy STESS TEST:

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/stresstestamazon
Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/stresstestb-n
Christian Books: http://tinyurl.com/stresstestcbe
Thomas Nelson: http://tinyurl.com/stresstesttn
Independent Bookseller:   http://www.indiebound.org/indie-store-finder

Interview: NYT bestselling author Dean Koontz

By Mark Young

Novelist Dean Koontz’s novels have become my own personal addiction. All I have to do is pull out one of Dean’s many novels every time I need inspiration for one of my own manuscripts. His words flow like butter on hotcakes, and his imagery and character development entice readers like Homer’s enchanting Sirens to seafarers.

Dean remains one of the hottest writers on the block. Don’t take my biased account, however, look at the numbers. The New York Times Bestselling list is no stranger to his novels. And, according to Investor.com writing about Dean, they wrote “… his more than 100 suspense-filled novels in various genres have sold 450 million copies (about the same as J.K. Rowling).” Move over Harry Potter!

If you’d like to sample Dean’s writing, here is an excerpt taken from the opening of his upcoming Deeply Odd novel:

Before dawn, I woke in darkness to the ringing of a tiny bell, the thimble size bell I wore on a chain around my neck: three bursts of silvery sound, a brief silence after each. I was lying on my back in bed, utterly motionless, yet the bell rang three times again. The vibrations that shivered through my bare chest seemed much too strong to have been produced by such a tiny clapper. A third set of three rings followed, and then only silence. I waited and wondered until dawn crept down from the sky and across the bedroom windows.

      Later that morning in early March, when I walked downtown to buy blue jeans and a few pairs of socks, I met a guy who had a .45 pistol and a desire to commit a few murders. From that encounter, the day grew uglier as surely as the sun moves from east to west.

  My name is Odd Thomas. I have accepted my oddness. I am no longer surprised that I am drawn to trouble as reliably as iron to a magnet. (Opening lines to Deeply Odd, due to be released May
    28, 2013).

It is an honor to have Dean re-join us here on Hook’em and Book’em. (His last visit two years ago can be seen on this link).

MARK: Dean, I look forward to the release of Deeply Odd. What

kind of trouble confronts your lovable fry cook Brother Odd in this next adventure?

DEAN: DEEPLY ODD is the sixth in a 7-book life arc for Odd. ODD INTERLUDE was a sidestep, having nothing to do with lingering spirits of the dead. Odd is now back on his road to redemption, learning by going where he has to go, in his way doing penance for his inability to save Stormy. He encounters a psychopathic trucker dressed like a rhinestone cowboy, and thereafter it becomes a road novel. As a reader, I've always enjoyed novels in which characters are on the move a lot. There's a sense of freedom in them, a constant freshening of the narrative. I've written a few of them myself--DARK RIVERS OF THE HEART, RELENTLESS, BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON to name a few--but this is the only one in the Odd series.

MARK: In your dedication of the Deeply Odd novel to Stephen Sommers, an American screen writer and film director, you wrote: “This novel is dedicated to Stephen…who kept his promises in a world in which almost no one does.” Very high praise! Is this in connection to the production and expected release of the Brother Odd movie later this year?

DEAN:  Steve is a smart, talented, and incredibly charming guy. He is also honorable and modest and honest in an industry where those virtues are seldom encountered. He made an excellent adaptation of ODD THOMAS that scores high with test audiences, and he deferred his compensation to the back end in order to put every dollar he could into the production. It's about a 25-million-dollar film that looks like an 80-million-dollar film. He got brilliant performances out of Anton Yelchin and Addison Timlin.

MARK: When is the movie expected to be released? What can you tell us about the production process?

DEAN: It now looks as if the movie will never hit theaters, maybe not even DVD. I would love to vent about this. Someday I might. Suffice it to say that, if my life hung in the balance and my survival depended upon the competence and honor of my rescuer, then of the principles involved in this, the only one I would trust with my life is Steven Sommers.

MARK: In other movie and television news, I understand that TNT is developing a drama series based on your Frankenstein series. What progress has been made on this project? When might it be aired?

DEAN: TNT will make the decision to proceed or not with the pilot episode in June. The script is quite good, and with the right cast and show runner, it could be quality TV with great energy. But I can only wait and hope.

MARK: How much do you have to do with these scripts and film projects?

DEAN: I usually have the right to delete half the names on a short list of writers that the studio or network want to use, and the same with directors. I give notes. And then I wait for everything to blow up--which it seems to do sooner or later. Throughout the development of any film or TV project, it's wise to dress from head to foot in Kevlar.

MARK: Please bear with me on this question—it is long-winded. A couple months ago, you released, Odd Interlude, the continued pilgrimage of Brother Odd. I enjoyed this story and gathered more insight into your main character’s mindset. In the book, Odd tells the reader:

“…When triumph at last comes, our efforts alone could not have won the day without that grace which surpasses all understanding and which will, if we allow it, imbue our lives with meaning.”

Later in the book, through the thoughts of a young girl befriended by Brother Odd, you write:

“…But God is good—right?—and to be really good you’ve got to have humility, we all know that, so then if God is best of the best, then He’s also the humblest of the humble. Right?...God is too humble to sit around all day listening to us praise Him and beg Him, the funny thing is, I’m praying like crazy for Oddie. I guess I’m hopeless.”

Between these two characters, I find a theme that runs—not only through this novel, but through many of your other writings—that there are universal truths concerning our existence here on earth. That God intends deeper purposes—peace, grace, humble adoration— for all people, even more than the need to survive, to exist. Above, you used the phrase “surpasses all understanding” which reminded me of the verse from Philippians 4:7 where the Apostle Paul writes, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding…” Brother Odd faces a dark and foreboding world, walking between the living and the dead, with brief moments of humor and tranquility. But yet he pushes on, waiting for that time when he will be re-united with his girlfriend, Stormy Llewellyn, in the next life. What spiritual truths does Brother Odd grasp as he journeys through these strange encounters between good and evil? What enables him to carry on and persevere?

DEAN: Odd carries on and perseveres for the same reasons that I do: He sees everywhere deep mystery in the world, and a sense of the unseen in all things seen. He has that card given to him and Stormy by the Gypsy Mummy fortunetelling machine at the carnival--YOU ARE  DESTINED TO BE TOGETHER FOREVER--and that promise will be kept in SAINT ODD, though in a way that I doubt any reader will anticipate.

I've been a lifelong enthusiastic reader of science--in particular quantum mechanics, molecular biology, genetics--and I've lived long enough to see that the more we discover about any subject, the more complex it proves to be. A hundred fifty years ago, human cells were thought to be blobs of "carbonized albumin." We now know that the human cell contains thousands of incredibly long protein chains without any one of which it can't function. A cell is more complex than a 747 and a cruise ship combined! The more you study these things, the more you see that the easy answers to the problems of life and the world--ideologies, scientism--are inadequate.
     
MARK: It is inspiring to read about your successful writing career. I particularly enjoyed reading the story about how your wife, Gerda, suggested that you follow your writing dream for five years. She offered to support you during that time, and that if it did not pan out it would be clear that you were not going to make it. Before the five years was up, she had to quit her job to run your writing business. Did you ever consider what would have happened if it took longer? Would you have continued writing or just given up?

DEAN: We had no books in our house when I was a kid, and yet I was writing stories and illustrating them by the age of eight. I think it would be easier to give up breathing than to give up writing. In fact, one inevitable day, it will be easy to give up breathing, but I'll probably still be trying desperately to finish writing a scene as I leave the world.

MARK: What would be your advice to unknown writers just starting out based upon the changing face of publishing?

DEAN: Write what you're passionate about, not what's currently hot. Tastes change, these days more rapidly than ever, but what does not change is the intelligent reader's recognition of the passion that a writer brings to his or her work. In this rotten economy--which has affected sales far more profoundly than has the rise of the ebook--the reader needs to sense your commitment to your work and feel that you would have written it even with no hope of publication.

MARK: What does the future hold for you, Dean? What stories and projects are you working on?

DEAN: I've written a novel titled INNOCENCE, which is very different and which I was not sure would be understood and welcomed. But my publishers worldwide have reacted to it at least as strongly--and generally with more enthusiasm--than anything I've done. It hits stores on January 8, 2014. Recently I signed a new six-book contract, and I'm now writing the first in a trilogy with a strange mythology that makes me grin just to think about it, and the lead character of those three books is Ivy Elgin, who was just a supporting character in VELOCITY. After I finish book one of the trilogy, I'll write SAINT ODD. That's about as far forward as it's ever wise to plan.

MARK: What is your greatest joy about writing? What inspires you?

DEAN: The beauty and suppleness of the English language. And the challenge of writing about meaning in a nihilistic age. I get a great deal of mail, and while I always enjoy hearing how much pleasure and entertainment a reader got from a book, I am most encouraged by those frequent letters from readers who tell me my books gave them hope and inspired them to struggle through hard times. And not having to wear a tie. How fabulous it is to have a job for which I can always wear jeans and Hawaiian shirts!

MARK: We look forward to many years of great stories coming from your creative mind, Dean. Thank you for joining us today.
*******
Dean Koontz's novels have been published in 38 languages and have sold over 450 million copies worldwide. He lives in southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden-retriever, Anna, and the enduring spirit of their golden, Trixie.

Interview: Bestselling novelist James Scott Bell

By Mark Young

Whether his character is a butt-kicking nun or zombie attorney, novelist James Scott Bell’s active imagination always manages to create vivid characters that come alive on the page. And when it comes to humor, Jim can make the grim reaper crack a smile.

You want examples? Try this—opening lines to Jim’s bestselling novel, Try Darkness:

The nun hit me in the mouth and said, “Get out of my house.”

Jaw throbbing, I said, “I can’t believe you just did that.”

“This is my house,” she said. “You want more? Come on back in.”

Sister Mary Veritas is a shade over five and half feet. She was playing in gray sweats, of course. Most of the time she wears the full habit. Her pixie face is usually a picture of innocence. She has short chestnut hair and blue eyes. I had just discovered those eyes hid an animal ruthlessness.

See what I mean? Can you picture Sister Veritas? If you have not experienced this author’s writing style, you’re in for a treat. Sometimes Jim writes funny stuff. Sometimes, he can explore the darkness, looking for the redeeming light.

James Scott Bell is a busy man—writer, lawyer, teacher, mentor, a man of many talents—and willing to take a risk. Legal thrillers. Historical suspense. Even writing zombie attorney legal thrillers under the pen name K. Bennett. Jim practices what he preaches, publishing with some of the top publishing houses in the business while also venturing out into the self-publishing venue himself. Most recently, he earned an Thriller Writers Award finalist spot for his self-published novella, One  More Lie. He is a regular contributor to Writer’s Digest Magazine, where he served as a fiction columnist. WD  has published a number of Jim’s books on writing. Walking with a foot planted in both publishing worlds, Jim is able to provide a unique perspective on this ever-changing game of publishing.

MARK: Welcome back to Hook’em & Book’em, Jim. First, give us a synopsis of your current writing life. What is happening in the fast-paced world of James Scott Bell?

JIM: He's yelling out the window of the runaway train, "Slow down!" The reason is that I've got more

projects on my writing board than I'll ever get to. But, honestly, I like it that way. With the current self-publishing boom, you just never run out of things to write. I'm having more fun than ever, which I think the writing life should be.

MARK: How are your teaching seminars going? Who do you co-teach with and what topic do your students seem most interested in?

JIM: I love teaching workshops around the country. When I have the chance to teach over two or three days, I like to include interactive exercises along with the tools and techniques. I want to get writers deeper into their own work, and come up with gold. In November of each year I get together with Donald Maass (Writing the Breakout Novel) and Christopher Vogler (The Writer's Journey) for a big, 3-day conference. We each take a whole day, and find that our approaches complement each other nicely.

MARK: What do you try to focus on in these seminars?

JIM: My focus is on techniques that work. I've never stopped studying the writing craft, even after I was making a living at it. It fascinates me, why things work, how writers can get better at what they do. When I teach I'm trying to give extremely practical advice any writer can use to improve their work.

MARK: I am an avid follower of THE KILL ZONE, a blog where you and your co-writers share information and advise about all aspects of writing and the publishing world. One particular article you wrote a few weeks ago, titled Field Report From the eBook Revolution #3: The New Equilibrium, brought attention to such controversial topics as digital only contracts from traditional publishers, the continuing decline of physical shelf space in books stores, and the disappearance of the midlist authors. Where do you see the publishing industry headed in the next few years?

JIM: We all know things are changing, but no one knows the rate or content of the changes to come. No one. It's all up in the air. Which makes it exciting for the fast movers—which include authors who like to write—and challenging for big publishers who are like huge zeppelins propelling through storm clouds. I find the landscape fascinating.

Surely more and more people will read on tablets and e-readers. Print will still be around, but limited. One interesting development is the survival and even the rise of independent bookstores. They are like flowers that have grown up through the asphalt. They are small but pretty, and people appreciate them. Tight communities of print book lovers will congregate here.

It's all good for writers, who have options and opportunities.

MARK: What are some of the obstacles that traditional publishers face?

JIM: The same obstacles typewriter manufacturers faced when the PC caught on. There are still typewriter specialty shops that repair old machines. But these are boutiques for lovers of the old things. Some typewriter companies and shops saw what was coming, and moved into the computer age, and have managed to survive and, sometimes, thrive. But they did have to change.

Major publishing today faces a tsunami that few people saw coming back in late 2007. That was when the Kindle was introduced.  Can you believe it cost $399? Virtually no one anticipated the speed of change that happened next.

The rapidity of it all put pressure on every part of the industry. It's what led to Borders going into bankruptcy in 2011. The big publishers took that like a blow to the sola plexus, and they've been staggering around since. But in a

blog post I likened the industry to Jake LaMotta, the "Raging Bull." It refuses to go down.

But with physical shelf space disappearing, their main mode of operation and distribution is fading away. That was their main advantage. Now they've got to find ways to make themselves advantageous again.

MARK: What are some of the obstacles indie authors/publishers face?

JIM: There are two main obstacles: quality and discoverability. The former is about having the discipline and drive and work ethic to make yourself better and better, all the time, not giving up, producing the words. This is always job one for a writer. All the digital savvy in the world isn't going to help you if your writing is subpar.

The second aspect, discoverability, is an ongoing process. In one sense, taking care of the quality also takes care of the discovery. Word of mouth works. Great writing catches on. The depth and degree of discovery is always going to vary. But it will happen for the writer who is doing excellent work. Then come various tools one can use to try to get leg up. Like the Kindle Select program which you, Mark, have used very successfully. There are others. The self-publishing writer should set aside a certain amount of time each week, even if it's just an hour, to study what's possible in terms of marketing.

There's also social media, but writers can misuse it. I've seen it over and over. Variations on "buy my book" don't work. You have to engage and be real. But also, don't put so much time into it that you're taking away from your most important job—writing.

MARK: Your latest novel, Don’t Leave Me, released last January, seems to be doing quite well in the rankings. Tell us about this suspense novel.

JIM: It's the story of two brothers. The older, Chuck Samson, is a chaplain who served with a Marine unit in Afghanistan. He was captured, rescued, and came home with a rare form of PTSD. And he needs to take care of his autistic brother, Stan. In Chapter One, an unseen enemy, for some reason, takes aim at Chuck. And things just get worse from there. Chuck has to run for his life, and from the cops, who think he's a murderer. There's a secret buried deep in Chuck’s psyche that is the one thing that could save him and his brother. But can he ever get to it?

I wanted to write a thriller with a lot of twists and turns, but the crux of it is the love and loyalty of two brothers.

MARK: I know you’re hesitant to discuss future writing projects until they’re hatched. However, I noticed on your web site you shared that you are  “currently at work on two series: pulp style stories featuring Irish Jimmy Gallagher and the vigilante nun series Force of Habit”. What can you tell us about these writing projects? Trying to bring back pulp fiction?

JIM: I think pulp fiction is already back. It's a great time to be a productive

writer! Just like in those days, a writer who knows how to tell stories can carve out a decent wage. I love the fact that short form (stories, novelettes, novellas) have a place now.

I wanted to write boxing stories set in Los Angeles in the 1950s. So I did, and that series is up and running. So is Force of Habit, which started as a joke my son told me. He thought a nun who can do martial arts, and fights for justice, could have that title. Ha ha, right? But I liked it! I told him I was going to write it. I wrote it as a novelette and it caught on with a lot of readers. So I wrote a sequel,  Force of Habit 2: And Then There were Nuns. I keep getting emails wanting to know when the next one's coming. I'm working on it! It's called Force of Habit 3: Nun the Wiser.  

MARK: Where can writers go to learn about your teaching seminars? Where are these going to be held? What other events are you going to be involved with this year?

JIM: Simply go to my News and Appearances page.

MARK: Thank you for your time, Jim. Look forward to reading your next work.

JIM: Thanks, Mark. It was great to be Hooked and Booked today.

*******

JAMES SCOTT BELL is the author of the #1 bestseller for writers, Plot & Structure, and numerous thrillers, including Don't LeaveMe, Try Dying and Watch Your Back. His novella One More Lie was the first self-published work to be nominated for an International Thriller Writers Award. Under the pen name K. Bennett, he is also the author of the Mallory Caine zombie legal thriller series, which begins with Pay Me in Flesh. He served as the fiction columnist for Writer's Digest magazine and has written highly popular craft books for Writer’s Digest Books, including: Revision & Self-Editing for Publication, The Art of War for Writers and Conflict & Suspense