Hero Haters follows a man who has his dream job recognizing civilian heroes until he becomes the suspect in their disappearances. He must now risk himself to solve the mystery of what is happening. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?

I’m intrigued by what makes a hero. There are soldiers and first responders, of course, but I mean everyday heroes. Someone who, without a second thought, risks their lives to rescue a stranger. There are a surprising number of such people, folks who didn’t know how they would respond in such energies until they come upon a fire, a robbery, a drowning. They act putting their lives at risk, the very definition of selfless courage. But for the purposes of my novel, I asked: What if not everyone loves a hero? Worse, what if they hate heroes?

Jake battles his past demons in this novel and has to face his fears to save those he admires, creating dramatic internal conflict. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

By most definitions, Jake would have the right to define himself as a hero, having rescued a boy from a housefire, badly burning his hands. But he’s haunted by the boy’s mother who he failed to save. Still the idea of courage intrigues him when he’s recruited to be an investigator for the prestigious Sedgewick Sacrifice Medallion. Quite simply, he’d rather find heroes, than be one, until circumstances force him to act.

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

Love, courage selflessness. And this unanswerable question. Everyone is a hero in their imagination, but how would I react in the moment?

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

Give me a break! I’ve just got Hero Haters out the door. Actually, I’m several chapters into my next Jake Ockham/Erik Demidov adventure. I prefer not to talk about a work in progress during this delicate embryonic stage. I haven’t even shared the idea with my wife, and she’s always my first reader. So, I offer my most Canadian of responses: sorry.

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