I Need a Hero follows a space captain and his crew who are sent on a secret mission to stop a deadly force while back home his wife’s life is in danger. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

When my children were young, I would sing them a bedtime story, then share with them a story based on what I envisioned while listening to the words and hearing the harmony, beat, tenor, and feeling of the song. With encouragement from my wife, I wrote one of these stories for our future grandchildren.

Thumbing through my son’s playlist, I found “Something Like This”, written by Drew Taggart, and performed by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay. I NEED A HERO is the story I heard after listening to the song. An interview Drew Taggart gave concerning depression inspired Jacob’s character in the book in part. 

Bonnie Tyler’s rendition of the song, Holding Out For a Hero inspired the conclusion of the book, co-written by Jim Steinman. An article I read on No Words, No Song about Holding Out For A Hero started by concluding that no woman has ever written about “holding out for a shy, slightly introverted, music-obsessed accountant”. I loved that quote. What Bonnie Tyler establishes are qualities which a hero should have: morality, strength, power, and compassion.

I NEED A HERO is the first of the series I have written. Each of the books continues the saga with a minor shift in emphasis. There are many underlying storylines in I NEED A HERO, but the major theme of the first book focuses on one primordial need. Most men have a desire to be the hero of their significant other. In a world of equality and independence, and gender neutrality, many men lose their sense of importance and purpose, their desire to be someone’s hero.

Did you plan the tone and direction of the novel before writing or did it come out organically as you were writing?

The music sets the tone for the book. Music is a universal language that transcends nationality. Most of the western world deems the metric system the most logical means to understand numbers and measurements and is the numerical system used by science. Music is still based on whole notes, quarters, eighths, and sixteenths. The imperial system matches the beat of our hearts and can convey emotions understood and recognized by all.

Besides supplying the storyline, the music also set the tone.

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

I have already mentioned the need many men have of wanting to be their significant other’s hero. Other themes which are developed over the series concern morality, strength, power, compassion, depression, jealousy, anger, and the tension which couples often must learn to deal with. 

Another theme which I play with is the concept of euhemerism, the belief that all mythology is based on historical events, and etiological theory uses these explanations for why something is the way it is today. While I NEED A HERO is not suggesting an alternate history for humanity, it is suggesting that much of the history of humanity is unknown.

Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out and what can your fans expect in the next story?

Yes, I am writing Book Five in the HERO series, THE PROTECTOR, and editing Book Two, FEEL THE THUNDER, which I hope to release early in 2024. While not wanting to offer any spoilers to the next book in the series, the adventure continues and is full of surprises.

As we follow our favorite characters, I also introduce new characters. Some characters we already know become more important as they come into their own. As the series progresses, we draw closer to learning who the real antagonist is.

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