The Swords of Blood and Gold follows a deep-sea diver that is the prime suspect in a series of murders committed by a supernatural killer, and he must find a way to stop it. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?

I wanted to write a story weaving reality, legend, and fiction, and I was waiting for an interesting character with an unusual livelihood.

Then I met Jon Sherman (in my mind) shortly after learning about the Merchant Royal, a 17-century English merchant ship lost at sea in 1641. The ship sank carrying 100,000 pounds of gold, 400 bars of Mexican silver, and nearly 500,000 pieces of eight and other coins. Nothing known to men has ever sunk carrying more wealth. I was hooked instantly, and everything flowed naturally from there.

Since Jon was a deep-sea treasure hunter, he needed to find something lost at sea, and I needed to give him a live-or-death reason for it. I was fascinated by the story, and the first draft just poured out of me.

What kind of research did you do for this novel to ensure you captured the essence of the stories theme?

I dived headfirst into deep-sea treasure hunting, and that was a lot of fun. I figured this subject would be new to some readers, and the challenge was to present this world in detail without making it didactic.

I also studied Chinese history and legends to intertwine reality and fiction. I did have an advantage here since my awesome wife is Taiwanese, and we’ve been married for twenty years.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

Good question. Some readers will notice that the book’s themes are centered around the villain, Jun Tao.

The story exposes love versus justice, the relationship between understanding and forgiving, and the yearning for redemption. Each reader will have a different experience with the book, and some will unearth more profound layers of meaning from its pages.

What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?

The Crystal Canvas. It follows Jon Sherman (the main character from The Swords of Blood and Gold) on a new adventure, racing against time, supernatural forces, and ancient relics. I’m hoping to release it in December 2022.

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