Route 666: Highway to Hell follows an aspiring author as his research takes him into battle with supernatural forces and an age-old war of good vs evil. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

The initial inspiration for the book was the existence of a real Route 666 which is on the outskirts of Culpeper, Virginia. For the nearly 30 years I have lived in Northern Virginia, I have passed by this road several times, wondering why state authorities would ever have a Route 666 given the evil connotations of this number. Coming back from a weekend getaway with my wife, I passed by the road again and the idea of a man wanting to write a book and getting more than he bargains for was born.

Is there anything about Jack that came from yourself or your life experiences?

One of the writing rules I developed for myself when I started was “write about what you know.” Honestly, much of what has happened to Jack and his family is true and based on my own experiences. Writing this book was very much my way of wrestling with my owner “personal demons” and hopefully brings an authenticity to the story. Finally, there also was a real Jack Aitken. My Grandfather passed away when I was far too young to get to know him well. Naming the main character for him is my way of honoring his memory.

How much research did you undertake for this book and how much time did it take to put it all together?

Writing the book from the beginning to the day it was first published took about eighteen months. The historical research in particular, helped to fulfill another of my writing rules which is to “blur the lines between fact and fiction.” I have had a number of readers who have commented that one of the things that made the story enjoyable for them was the realization that many of the historical references and places are true.

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

Sins of the Fathers is the next installment in the Highway to Hell series and was self-published last fall. It picks up where Route 666 ended and leads Jack and his family deeper into the dystopian nightmare that was set in motion in the first novel. I am currently working on the third installment in the series which is tentatively titled The Gathering Storm.

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