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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Saving Krakow: A Novel?

Saving Krakow is a story based on a military news article I read about a 103-year-old Soviet KGB agent who was credited with saving the Polish city of Krakow from destruction by German forces as they fled from Eastern Europe. The KGB agent began the war as an air defense soldier and then was recruited by the NKVD (the parent agency of the KGB) and later served in the Carpathian Mountains with Ukrainian partisan fighters. The NKVD agent had a mission to gather intelligence and save the city in addition to another Soviet Cavalry. The character of Sergei Bravo is a composite of the backgrounds I researched on both Soviet officers.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Saving Krakow: A Novel, what would they be?

Days of Glory Soundtrack, "Song of the Guerillas", "Song of the Fatherland"

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Historical fiction, biographies of famous leaders and writers I admire. I write mostly historical fiction and short stories.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Save the Cat!: The last book on screenwriting you'll ever need by Blake Snyder. The July/August edition of Writer's Digest; A detailed guide to self-publishing with Amazon by Chris McMullen, and re-reading Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I had lots of fun writing the whole book but a few chapters and or scenes brought me a tremendous amount of satisfaction. In a few situations, everything came together, the dialogue, the setting, and the action to make for pretty good prose: especially for a new writer. However, I am proud of Chapter Seventeen, Trouble in Paradise (starting on page 272). This scene takes place after a raid of an NKVD covert communication center. The head of counterintelligence for Krakow, Oberst Lieutenant Christensen begins to interrogate Lisa Vologoskava, Callsign Mosquito, about her involvement with the NKVD operation. This was the first time during my writing of the novel that a scene flowed for me. I could visualize the interrogation room, the smells, and the tension. The words just poured out for me during this scene. It wasn’t like that for most of the book.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I, like the famous British statesman Winston Churchill, chew cigars while I write. It's a terrible disgusting habit but my wife begrudgingly allows me to do it, at least when I am in the middle of a big writing project. I also burn scented candles (current scent is sand & driftwood). When I get stuck and feel less creative, I play 80s alternative music and it gets me motivated. Not sure why but it works.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat." ~ Winston Churchill

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

This book was based on true events that took place during World War II. The events and details are based on the true timelines, locations, and end results. Just the dialogue and a few minor characters were added to help the story.

K.R. Kiehl is the author of the new book Saving Krakow: A Novel

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Third Man (Brad Parker and Karen Richmond Medical Thrillers Book 7)?

The Third Man, like my other novels, is a medical thriller drawn from my career as an academic scientist and cancer researcher. However, The Third Man differs from my previous work in having a historical background, which is based on my long-standing fascination with espionage as well as my interest in the history of DNA research and the political upheaval of the 1960s. The historical basis of the plot is the landing of two German spies on the coast of Maine in 1944, toward the end of World War II. They were quickly captured, but the premise of the book is that a third man was secretly included in the mission. His long-term goal, known only to a select few in the Nazi high command, was to learn the developing science of DNA research and eventually using genetic engineering to help launch a Fourth Reich. Amidst the turbulent events of post-World War II America, the third man learns the emerging science of DNA research and partners with a deep-cover Nazi geneticist, the Ku Klux Klan, and neo-Nazi collaborators to engineer sinister modifications of the human genome. Until years later, when science has advanced to the point where human genetic engineering is now feasible, an accidental discovery at the U-boat’s landing site provides a glimpse of the mission. Drawing Professor Brad Parker and Lieutenant Karen Richmond into a struggle to stop the creation of a new class of neo-Nazi warriors.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I most enjoy reading mysteries and thrillers, especially medical thrillers and historical spy novels.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I’m currently reading Embolus, a medical thriller by Gary Birken. Next up are Pitch Dark, a mystery by Paul Doiron (one of my favorite Maine authors), and The Housemaid Is Watching, a thriller by Freida McFadden.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I’d have to say my favorite was the scene in 1953 Los Alamos in which Catherine (the deep-cover Nazi geneticist) hunts down and kills a German physicist who has become a liability. This scene is one of the clearest depictions of her cold-hearted devotion to the cause which, however evil, justifies anything in her mind.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I’m good as long as my dog’s in the room to help me write.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Those who don’t learn history are doomed to repeat it, but with much worse tools than were available in the past.

Geoffrey M Cooper is the author of the new book The Third Man (Brad Parker and Karen Richmond Medical Thrillers Book 7)

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Maximum Pressure (Claudia Rose Book 9)?

I was raised in a religious cult. That meant I wasn’t allowed to mix with my classmates outside of school, or participate in extracurricular activities. I got kicked out of the cult on my 35th birthday (yay me!). Eventually, I joined the Anaheim High permanent reunion committee for my class, and as the person who sends out the notices, I started getting to know my classmates. By now, they know I’m a mystery writer and some of them are my readers. Two years ago at our last reunion I kept hearing people say, “You should write a murder at a high school reunion.” So, I did. Maximum Pressure is the result. No spoilers. What I can tell you is, one of the teachers is the book is based on one of mine.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Maximum Pressure (Claudia Rose Book 9), what would they be?

"Last Kiss" by Pearl Jam. "Yesterday" by The Beatles. "Be True to Your School" by The Beach Boys. "Another Brick in the Wall" by Pink Floyd.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Mystery/Suspense. Yep

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Dark Angel by John Sandford, His Other Self by Rylie Dark, Blowback by Peter May, Independent Sources, Melissa Miller, And a big stack of others!

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The big reveal—which I am not going to reveal to you right now! No spoiler alerts.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I only wish my cat would sit on my lap! She's not that friendly. Is it quirky that I can only write right here at my desk on my desktop computer? That's not entirely true. When I start a new book, I handwrite my outline and notes. But otherwise, you can find me at my keyboard day and night (not the laptop! ugh)

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

"With great power comes great responsibility." Said first by Voltaire, and later, Peter Parker's (Spiderman) Uncle Ben.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Unlike the old “sticks and stones may break your bones” idiom, words and attitudes can be deadly weapons that change lives. Always be kind.

Sheila Lowe is the author of the new book Maximum Pressure (Claudia Rose Book 9)

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Justice For All (Daniel Pike Legal Thriller Series Book 8)?

This is the eighth book in the Daniel Pike legal thriller series, and Dan is brought into a billion-dollar lawsuit against Kenzi Rivera, the protagonist from my Spiltsville series. I thought a cage match between titans would be a fun premise for the book.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Justice For All (Daniel Pike Legal Thriller Series Book 8), what would they be?

Dan: "Born to Run"; Kenzi: "Wild Thing"

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Nonfiction, but I have always loved comic books, and you'll see that throughout this book.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

The Demon of Unrest; Y: The Last Man on Earth.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The scenes involving the comic books, especially the covers we had designed especially for this book.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

It's a happy day when Bustopher decides to sit in my lap, but I always have a blanket. Unless I don't. I've learned to write wherever I am.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

You cannot fail if you refuse to quit.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Artists deserve to be rewarded for the creative work that makes our lives so much richer.

William Bernhardt is the author of the new book Justice For All (Daniel Pike Legal Thriller Series Book 8)

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Beneath This Hallowed Ground?

Okay… This is weird, but a musical composition entitled “Mother and Child” by the great composer William Grant Still inspired the main character, Quinn, whose mother had passed away. I then began to flesh out that character, a bullied teenager who can see and converse with the earth bound dead. Quinn was very close to his mother and longed to see her once more, but Quinn’s mother had never come to visit him after she died, which indicated to him she was at peace. He accepted that easily, but still missed her. What does that have to do with Still’s “Mother and Child”? One has to listen to it to feel the grief of separation and the longing for reunion. I put a link to that music on my author website for those interested in how it connects with Quinn. Now, for weird fact #2: The third day after I moved into my current home, my dog and I observed a fully defined shadow figure walk from my kitchen into my laundry room where it disappeared. My dog followed it cautiously until it vanished. The shadow figure seemed oblivious to our presence, and I assumed it was the spirit of the previous owner because I knew the man and the physical build of the figure matched. Since then, many shadow people have used my house as a shortcut to wherever they are going. Neighbors have reported seeing the same thing in their homes. Apparently, our subdivision sits upon some kind of portal. No problem. We are all used to these visits and view them as harmless as well as fascinating. So that is how I came up with Quinn’s storyline regarding his visits from the dead, some of whom are benign and some, like the antagonist Jake, are extremely troubled and volatile.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Beneath This Hallowed Ground, what would they be?

For Quinn: "Mother and Child". For Jake: "A Storm is Coming".

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I read multiple genres; Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Biographies, History, Dystopian, Horror, The Bible, among others. I enjoy writing Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Supernatural Suspense.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I have finished that pile. Will soon be looking for new reads.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The final scene.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I tend to get tunnel focus when I’m writing. I become so completely absorbed in my work that I block out all sounds and distractions save for the ringing of my phone. Hours fly by. Early afternoon becomes dawn, and the only thing that makes me aware of this is the pain in my back from sitting in front of my desktop too long. I once lost thirty pounds in one month because I was too involved with the narrative streaming on to my screen through my fingers that I lost my appetite for food. I have since learned to pull myself out of this tunnel focus thing to take better care of myself.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Let go of what I can't control.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Love is the strongest force in the world.

Colleen A. Parkinson is the author of the new book Beneath This Hallowed Ground

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Lives and Deaths of Harry Blunt (Port Harker Book 1)?

The hereafter has always fascinated me. As someone who doesn't subscribe to any particular religion, I've always been curious about what people believe happens after we die. The idea of reincarnation and being able to come back and keep trying to get it right has always attracted me most. I like the idea that we're not here once. I like to imagine that we keep on coming back to try out different lives and live different experiences. The idea for this particular book was inspired by Dante's Inferno. While I read it, I couldn't help wondering what if Inferno wasn't an "accurate" account. What if Dante had been granted a tour of the underworld, had insulted the guide, got kicked out before the end of the tour, and his Inferno was a revenge piece? What if Hell wasn't what Dante described at all? What if it was quite different? Then I wondered what if the afterlife was an actual place. Which led to the place being a border town between Life and Death. That's when Port Harker came to be. The story itself came about when I saw a 26-year-old woman behave like a 16-year-old girl to manipulate her father into buying her a car. Which he did. She did nothing for herself. Which led me to ask questions like, "What would happen to such a person in Port Harker? What would their next life look like if they lived this one with so little purpose?" And that's how Harry and Rainey Blunt came about. The idea began to stew in 2014/15. It took a while to surface!

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of The Lives and Deaths of Harry Blunt (Port Harker Book 1), what would they be?

"Life Is a Highway" by Tom Cochrane / Rascal Flatts.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

This is tough. I love all things paranormal, supernatural, and fantasy. I read "Lord of the Rings" over and over as a teen. I love anything by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. I will read and re-read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and To Kill a Mockingbird. I really loved The Shining by Stephen King, and the whole Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell (but maybe that's just Sean Bean). I love a good story with strong, weird, stubborn, slightly odd characters. My latest favorite read is "Lessons in Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus. I also really enjoyed the whole Logan McRea series by Stuart Macbride, a police procedural set in Aberdeen, Scotland. I'm currently working through the Longmire audiobooks, such a great series full of excellent characters and a hint of supernatural.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

The Odd Thomas series because a friend recommended it. Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourey. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

This is very difficult to choose... But if I had to choose, then it's "The Will." The scene where Harry meets his kids for the first time after he died, and he's getting ready to read the will.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

My routine is to come downstairs first thing in the morning. I'm usually up between 4 and 5 a.m. My dining room table has pretty much been taken over with books and notes. I brew a mug of coffee, light two big candles, open the door into the back garden (sun, rain, or snow - love the fresh air), and write for a couple of hours. So, nothing too weird. About halfway through the session my dog ambles downstairs. Otherwise, it's a calm and peaceful moment in the day.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Doing a little bit of something every single day is better than doing a lot of something once in a while.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

No matter what happens in the next life, whether it's a pure thing of miracles, or if reincarnation is real and we get to come back over and over and over again, this one precious life you're living right here, right now, is still the most remarkable piece of magic to be lived to its fullest and most complete. Have fun. Learn. Make mistakes. Explore. You're here to learn how to be human. It takes courage to live life in all its full, messy, glory. Get your hands dirty!

Tina Konstant (writing as Obediah Keane) is the author of the new book The Lives and Deaths of Harry Blunt (Port Harker Book 1)

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Songs of Snow?

I’m of Scandinavian heritage (Swedish and Norwegian) and have always been interested in mythology from those regions. Songs of Snow was inspired by stories and creatures from Icelandic mythology. I’ve also always found snowy, wintery fantasy books to be the most magical, so I decided to write one myself!

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Songs of Snow, what would they be?

I don’t have specific songs for each character, but much of the book was written to Of Monsters and Men’s "My Head is an Animal" album. The song “Hoppípolla” by Sigur Rós really evoked the story for me as well!

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I read and enjoy most genres—mysteries and thrillers, historical fiction, romance, gothic horror, science fiction, fantasy, classics—but anything speculative is always my favorite! That’s probably why those are my favorite stories to write as well.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

There are hundreds! But a few near the top include Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier, The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi, and The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

No spoilers, but there’s a scene between Kata and the prince toward the end of the novel where they clear up a lot of misunderstandings between the two of them. That was my favorite one to write!

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I choose a scented candle for each book I write and light it while drafting and editing. It helps so much to get back into the world of the story! The candle for Songs of Snow was Bath & Body Works’ “Frozen Lake.”

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

I don’t know about live by, but I definitely write by a quote from Ray Bradbury: “You only fail if you quit writing.”

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Both Kata and Elín’s stories in Songs of Snow are about not clinging to your first assumptions and beliefs, but allowing yourself to reevaluate and change your mind as you learn more about the world. I hope readers will take that theme with them after reading.

L.J. Thomas is the author of the new book Songs of Snow

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