Dissonance Volume III: Renegade follows a group of renegades who uncover a plot by the president to unleash a nuclear attack on the world, and it is a race to stop it from happening. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

The seeds were there and they were planted in Dissonance Volume I: Reality.  Cameron Shipley already discovered that something very big was going on, but he didn’t know what, and there were clues that the President was behind all of it.  She is well past her prime and is now a four-term president, beyond the expected length of service by virtue of the gorgon occupation.  That has seen her desire to cling to power, has seen her corruption grow, and now has seen her seeking nefarious means to eliminate dissent to her power.  She has herself become a renegade world leader, and it is up to the group of renegades to take on this renegade.  In short, power corrupts.

I felt that the action scenes were expertly crafted. I find that this is an area that can be overdone in novels. How did you approach this subject to make sure it flowed evenly?

Thank you, and I so appreciate you observing that!  I took GREAT pains to ensure that, militarily, my novels would cut the mustard and stand up to scrutiny.  To that end, I consulted with several military personnel to ensure verisimilitude.  A former 35-year aircraft carrier captain.  Two senior airmen in the Air Force.  A Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force.  A retired Army Chopper pilot.  An infantryman.  They ensured that what I wrote was actually correct, and I so appreciated them!  I did a ton of research on my own for the cockpit scenes in an F-15, for inside an Abrams tank, for life aboard an aircraft carrier, etc..  I think it turned out pretty well and I achieved verisimilitude.  For that, I’m so very grateful!

What was one of the hardest parts of Dissonance Volume III: Renegade for you to write?

I think the trip timing out over the Atlantic was one of the hardest.  It really involved mathematical equations, which I’m not skilled at.  Really required lots of attention to time zones, ship speeds, knots per hour, timing the arrival at the funnel, etc..  I had to design out a bit of a graph for that. 😊  The other thing would be the battles.  The tactical nature of them requires attention to detail and precision, but also requires some ingenuity in fleshing out the narrative so it’s not just recycled from what people have already seen or read.  I had to get extra creative on those scenes.  I think you’ll notice those creative strokes rather quickly and appreciate them.

What is one thing that people point out after reading your book that surprises you?

Well, especially as it pertains to those in the military, I appreciate how they appreciate the veracity of the details that I worked so hard to include correctly.  They all turned out so great, and I really highly value when someone who has seen actual service comments that what I’ve written out is actually correct.  That is high praise and is so satisfying.  Overall, however, I wanted to write a thrilling and powerful climax to the saga, redemption for planet Earth, a massive final battle preceded by massive final mini-skirmishes, and I’m confident I accomplished that.  So satisfied with the grandeur of it, the epic scope of it, the scale, the magnitude of the conflict, and the resolution as well.  I couldn’t have asked for a better conclusion to the original trilogy.

Author Links: GoodReads | X | Facebook | Website | Book Review