On takeoff from Denver during a winter blizzard, an airliner piloted by veteran Captain Marty Mitchell overruns a commuter plane from behind. Bizarrely, the fuselage of the smaller aircraft is tenuously wedged onto the huge right wing of his Boeing 757, leading Mitchell to an impossible life-or-death choice. Mitchell's decision will land the former military pilot in the cross-hairs of a viciously ambitious district attorney determined to send him … [Read more...]
William Florence Adds to the Hit Max Blake Mystery Series with EMERALD RIDGE
How do you go about fixing a problem that doesn't want to be fixed? Private detective Max Blake and his intrepid fiancée, Caeli Brown, battle this conundrum in a new addition to the series of mysteries by author William Florence. Caeli's Uncle Jack, the Archbishop of Armagh in Northern Ireland, sent her a postcard, a prearranged signal that something has gone terribly wrong in his normally stoic world. Unable to contact her uncle, Caeli leaves … [Read more...]
Author William Florence
William Florence is the author of the Max Blake Mysteries series, which currently features five titles: Raptor’s Ridge, Misery Ridge, Faraway Ridge, Snowfall Ridge, and Emerald Ridge. A former reporter, editor, and college professor, he worked at newspapers in Michigan, Washington, D.C., South Dakota, Indiana, and Oregon for 25 years and for 22 years as a journalism and writing instructor at a community college. He has won various writing … [Read more...]
Author Janice Boekhoff: Do NOT Fear
Often I write about fear. I think it’s one of the most universal human emotions. Fear helps us to learn vital lessons like don’t touch the stove when it’s hot or don’t run a red light because you’ll probably cause an accident. But fear can easily consume us. In my recent novel, Created, Paleontologist Travis Perego is tortured by fear. Fear of losing his job. Fear that beautiful Lenaia is hiding things from him. And fear of finding out the … [Read more...]
Author Janice Boekhoff: When Dealing with Writers …
Do you think us writers are just a little bit weird? You wouldn’t be the first. We spend hours behind a keyboard figuring out how best to torture dozens of people who don’t actually exist. It’s no wonder that many writers turn to alcohol to cope with the horrors they’ve put on the page. But don’t worry about me, alcohol is not my problem. Like many sober authors, I’m addicted to story. And there’s no denying that God made me this way. So … [Read more...]
Setting Spotlight: Costa Rica
One of the biggest perks an author gets is visiting the location where a novel is set. For Book Two in the Earth Hunters series, Created, I had to hunt for the perfect location. The plot required several special conditions for the setting: Plenty of room for a mysterious dinosaur-like creature to run around and cause trouble, yet stay hidden. A volcano and jungle close to each other so I could bring together my main characters, … [Read more...]
Is it Wrong to Manipulate Human DNA Like It’s Computer Code?
What makes us human beings? My 3rd grader could give the correct scientific answer—DNA. It gives all of our cells instructions and makes each of us individuals. Based on my heritage, I have blue eyes, brown hair that started going gray in my twenties, skin that tans easily, and a second toe that is slightly longer than my big toe (My sister and I used to tell our friends it was a sign of royalty. I think they might have even believed … [Read more...]
Janice Boekhoff: One Writer’s FAQ
When people find out I’m an author, I get two reactions. One: “Wow, that’s great!” Followed by many questions of what and how I write. Two: “Oh.” Followed by a subtle eye roll and somewhat condescending questions about how easy it must be to use my writing to get rich without doing much work. Thankfully, the first reaction is much more common, so I thought I would write up the answers to the questions I’m most often asked. That way the … [Read more...]
Behind The Scenes Of BORDERLAND
The U.S.-Mexico border is land of lore and legends buried deep in the American psyche. This rugged and arid region has proved to be fertile ground for memorable literature by writers such as Cormac McCarthy and his border trilogy, among others. I was first introduced to the border as a young college student traveling from Ohio to Mexico City for a semester of immersion into Central and South American language, culture, and history. We changed … [Read more...]
Les Abend On His Characters For PAPER WINGS
The old adage of, “Write about what you know,” is certainly applicable to “Paper Wings.” But beyond the story itself, the adage is also applicable to the characters. As is true for most, life experience dictates our perception of people and their personalities. In that regard, many of the characters are a composite of the personalities I have been fortunate... and unfortunate... enough to encounter. Novels that I enjoy reading include a … [Read more...]