Georgia Reign Blog Blitz

Hi folks! Welcome to another fabulous Friday.  We've got power and heat and internet - so I'm a happy camper. 

I'm also very pleased to introduce my main character from Georgia Reign.  Special Agent Steve Williams is here today to talk about his latest case and the challenges he now faces. 

JET: Thank you for talking with us today Agent Williams...

SW: -Please call me Steve.

JET:  Thank you for joining us today Steve.  Can you tell us a little about your current case?

SW: Yes and perhaps someone in the listening audience will have some information that will help us track down this unsub.  He's a tricky bastard, luring kids away from their parents with a dog of all things.  I can't imagine anything more heinous than what he is doing to those children.   The more I dwell on it the angrier I get and whether I like to admit it or not, that sometimes clouds my perception - and in the past it's driven me to do things I'm not particularly proud of to solve a case.

JET:  I gather you're talking about the Kyle Winslow case.

SW:  Yes.

JET:  Can you elaborate a little on some of those situations?

SW: Early on in my career, I was an undercover operative in several key cases.  The most notable was a joint FBI/DEA case to bring down New York's most prominent cocaine lord. There were several situations where I had to compromise my integrity in order to keep the undercover ruse from unraveling and in the end, that case blew my undercover career. 

I also made some questionable decisions in the aftermath of the attack on my family but I was hell bent on catching Kyle Winslow.  


JET:  Have you had any close calls?

SW:  *laughs* You could say that. 

JET:  Can you expand a bit?

SW:  Let's just say I've seen the light a time or two, but never crossed over. 

JET:  I understand you're a pretty good shot.  What's your favorite firearm?

SW: Well, I'm pretty versed with the Glock 22 - which is standard issue in the Bureau but I have to say, the slickest gun, besides the Tommy-gun Charlie Wisnowski owned, was the one he gave me for Christmas.  It's now locked up with state's evidence and I'm not that high on getting it back considering Charlie killed a fellow officer with it.  But I have to admit it was sweet.  A Smith & Wesson 45 with a gold eagle inlay.  Very slick. *sigh*

JET:  So how do you see this latest case playing out?

SW:  I catch the bastard before he kills another kid. 

JET:  And after that?

SW:  Who knows.  Maybe I'll retire but more likely I'll just keep trying to stop the monsters.

JET:  Thanks for joining us today!  Folks you can find out more about Special Agent Steve Williams at the following places:

Dark Reckoning ,  Vengeance ,  Hunting Season , Georgia Reign 
 
Thanks for swinging in and if you have any questions for Agent Williams, he'll be on tap all day.

Sale Special - for Dark Reckoning is free HERE until the end of the year!

Next week, I've got Danielle Kazemi, John Blackmore and N.R. Wick on tap.

Until then,
Ciao
JET

Special Agent Steve Williams discusses his most recent case.

Hi all. It’s time to throw out convention and give my blog over to one of my characters for the day. I’m leaving you in the capable hands of my favorite G-man, Steve Williams.


Thanks Ms. Taylor.

Hi folks, I’m special agent Steve Williams and right now I’m working undercover on a pretty significant case in New York. I’ll put it this way, if I get caught, I’ll end up like the dozen or so prior undercover cops - dead in an alley way or at the bottom of the East River.

This guy is the biggest cocaine magistrate on the East Coast and I want to bring him down. The only problem – there’s a bigger fish the FBI wants to fry and I’ve got to get the goods before we bring Charlie Wisnowski in.

I know what you’re thinking.

Charlie Wisnowski?

What kind of “king-pin” name is that?

Not the usual name you’d associate with a cocaine lord – but Charlie is a ‘high-end’ distributor. He doesn’t sell his product on the street like a common thug. Nope, he’s much more inventive and selective, and much, much more dangerous.

He’s been doing this for fifteen years and thinks he’s above the law, untouchable.

My boss told me to watch my back because money could be a seductive bitch and he wasn’t kidding. The amount of money and blow Charlie throws around is insane.

Insane enough to make an honest man think twice.

Anyhow, on that note, I better get back to it.

Thanks for having me on your blog and let’s hope I’m around the next time you call on me.

SW.


If you have any questions for Steve, he'll be on and off all day.  
Next week, I have the pleasure of interviewing EJ Knapp, author of Stealing the Marbles. 
Until then,
Ciao.
JET

Fun Friday with CJ West!

Hi Folks,


I've got another fun Friday on tap for you. Author CJ West has graciously agreed to answer a few questions, highlighting his current release The End of Marking Time. He’s a very interesting man -- check it out, here's a quick bio before we jump into my interview:

CJ wrote his first book in 1979 while bored during school hours, but at that time writing was second to golf. CJ practiced hard daily and eventually entertained hopes of playing professionally. In 1985 he chose Southeastern Massachusetts University (now UMASS Dartmouth) over golf and studied Business Management which advanced his career in computer technology.



Twenty years after that first book, CJ plunged back into writing. After six years studying other authors and working at his craft, CJ released Sin and Vengeance in 2005. He currently lives in suburban Massachusetts with his wife and two children.

JET: Your book The End of Making Time was just released on June 10, 2010. Can you tell us a little about the book and what makes it a have to have on our book shelves?

CJ:From the moment you turn over The End of Marking Time, you’ll see it is different. The first sign is that the back cover text is landscape (sideways if you’re not a graphic artist). Then, Michael O’Connor introduces himself and begins talking to you as if you already know him. He does this because he believes you are a member of his jury. Michael is trapped between two sheets of plexiglas facing an opaque window. He believes you are behind the window and that you have two buttons, one red, one green. If you press the green button he goes free. Michael spends the entire book trying to convince you to press the green button.

Michael’s story has garnered terrific reviews and encouraged debate on issues related to rehabilitation of felons and the effectiveness of our penal system and capital punishment.

JET: Was writing thrillers a conscious choice or was it just a natural affinity? Why do you think that is?

CJ:I write stories that entertain me as well as my audience. I have an affinity for action, unusual characters, and intricate story lines, so that is what I write. I was talking to a reader last weekend who said she admired my ability to introduce something into a story and later turn the entire situation on its head and make it something completely different. Thrilling and surprising readers this way is what excites me as a writer.

JET: Have you ever seen a dead body? How has that influenced your writing?

CJ:Have you seen my Facebook page? What part-time assassin hasn’t? I wouldn’t be very good at my day job if I hadn’t.

JET: What’s been your most challenging hurdle on the road to publication?

CJ:My most challenging hurdle continues to be convincing new readers to try my work. I have five books in print that receive terrific reviews, but it is still difficult to convince readers to try a new author.

JET: What was your favorite moment in the journey?

CJ:I always enjoy meeting readers who rave about my work, but if there is one moment that stands out, it is a phone call I received this year regarding the budget of the Sin & Vengeance movie. The production company decided they wanted to go for a much larger budget because they were so excited about the project. Their excitement is contagious. There have been a series of these moments starting with the first contact from the screenwriter who wanted to adapt the story for film. I’m not positive Sin & Vengeance will make it to the big screen, but I have enjoyed every step of the journey so far.

JET: Which authors had the most influence over you growing up?

CJ:Growing up my world centered on golf. The writers of Golf Digest, particularly Tom Watson, had a huge influence on me. I didn’t find a love of fiction until much later.

JET: When did you know you wanted to take the plunge into the writing world?

CJ:I didn’t know I wanted to take the plunge until I was already swimming. I started writing as a hobby and enjoyed it so much that I wrote everyday for years. It wasn’t until Sin & Vengeance was optioned for film that I believed I might make a career of this.

JET: Any advice for the novices out there?

CJ:It is all about the writing. We all get wound up about promoting books and trying to reach readers, but all that effort is wasted if the book isn’t great. It’s not good enough to be almost as good as the commercial writers. You need to deliver something that wows readers. You need complete strangers to start calling their friends and talking about you. I really believe (short a half million advertising budget) that is the only way to make a living selling books today.

JET: I understand some of your recreational interests include race cars and firearms. . .What kinds of guns have you had the opportunity to shoot? Favorites?

CJ:I’ve been shooting since I was nine. I started with a .22 revolver that was my grandfather’s and fired rounds by the brick. I spent years learning to shoot a compound bow and really enjoyed 3d shooting, which is a competition set up like a golf course for 3 dimensional animal targets made of high-density foam. These days my favorite is my 12 gauge Browning Gold. My brother nicknamed me the assassin because creatures that venture close to me have little chance of escape when I am carrying my 12 gauge.

JET: What about race cars - what’s the fastest you’ve gone on the track? Off the track?

CJ:My coolest car experience was this year on my book tour. It’s actually captured on video at www.22wb.com. Anthony Ricci, instructor to body guards and professional drivers, takes me around an obstacle course backward at 40 mph in a retired police car. When we are done, he accelerates to 50 mph and spins the car so we are travelling forward again. That event was amazing and there are more videos of it on my Facebook page and Youtube channel.

JET: All right - now that I’ve hammered you with the big questions, let’s tackle my favorite (and geeky) quick ten. . . starting with Paper or Plastic?

CJ:Reusable bag.

JET: Steak or Tofu?

CJ:Steak. I won’t specify my favorite because it would probably gross your readers out.

JET: Beach or Mountains?

CJ:I can enjoy a read on the beach for a few days like any writer, but I prefer the mountains in the fall.

JET: Country or Rock-n-Roll?

CJ:Funny. Both. I grew up on Rock, but for the last two years I’ve been listening to modern country.

JET: Classics or Modern?

CJ:Modern. I enjoy finding new writers.

JET: Vamps or Wolves?

CJ:No thanks.

JET: Zombies or Demons?

CJ:I really enjoyed Zombieland! The great thing about Zombies is that they move slowly and no one gets too upset if you kill one. As long as you’re packing lots of ammunition, it sounds like a good time.

JET: Horror or Comedy?

CJ:Comedy. I’ve never been a horror fan. If it doesn’t have a plot that keeps me thinking, it better be funny.

JET: Salty or Sweet?

CJ:Chocolate.

JET: Coffee or Tea?

CJ:Iced Tea. I might be the only writer who doesn’t use caffeine on a regular basis.

JET: Thank you for indulging me. Before we wrap this up, can you tell us what you're working on now? What's next?

CJ:I’m working on a love story / thriller called Addicted to Love. To call it romantic suspense would be a misnomer. It is as suspenseful and plot focused as my other books, but it is about love. The first chapter is available at the end of The End of Marking Time.

JET: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat on my blog. Folks, you can find out more about CJ and his work at the following places:

CJ: Thanks for having me, J.E.

http://www.22wb.com

http://www.facebook.com/cjwestfans

http://www.youtube.com/22westbooks



Thanks for joining us for this interview! Next week I have the fabulous Lauren Baratz-Logsted on her one question blog tour!