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Love Can Conquer Any Strain
Fan Mail follows a family of adopted brothers who are threatened and their father nearly dies, they must figure out a way to hold the family together and survive the threat. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
This was a logical step in the family dynamics, especially after the last book, Blaze In, Blaze Out. I wanted to show that love can conquer any strain and stress, if you are willing to trust in yourself and each other. These characters have appeared in each of my books. This story, a coming-of-age story embedded in a thriller tells the story about the makeup of the Evans Family. Their struggles, their joys, there love for each other, and their individual paths they walk on.
Did you create an outline for the characters in the story before you started writing or did the characters’ personalities grow organically as you were writing?
Because these characters are in my previous books, my readers and I know what to expect from them. I don’t outline. I had a vague idea how the book was to end, but as I wrote it, the ending appeared to me. As much as anything, besides the story of the Evans Family, this is Brian’s story, his struggles with past demons, his struggle with who he is and his seeking acceptance of it.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Love and relationships within the family. Each boy is adopted, but there are sibling groupings: George and Michael (Two) are step-brothers; Brett and Bobby are biological brothers- sons of Vicky (mom); Randy and Billy are twins, but were adopted separately. The only one without a true sibling is Brian. In many respects, this shows throughout this book and the others. His struggle with who he is and accepting who he is. That’s a struggle and an exploration all adolescents go through, and to some extent, adults.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am currently working on At Any Cost which is a true thriller in every sense of the word. Twin storylines converge. And of course, the backdrop is the cops trying to solve two cases that closely align with each other, and the Evans Family saga within it. It is almost a sequel to my book, Caught in a Web.
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Randy and Bobby, along with fellow band member and best friend, Danny, receive fan mail that turns menacing. They ignore it, but to their detriment. The sender turns up the heat. Violence upends their world. It rocks the relationship between the boys and ripples through their family, nearly killing their dad.
As these boys turn on each other, adopted brother Brian flashes back to that event in Arizona where he nearly lost his life saving his brothers. The scars on his face and arms healed, but not his heart. Would he once again have to put himself in harm’s way to save them? And, if faced with that choice, will he?
Fan Mail
The family of Jeremy, his wife, and his 7 sons is threatened to break apart when fan mail drops in the mailbox. Two of the brothers are a part of a band called ‘bits and pieces.’ They receive threats through fan mail asking them to leave the band. The web of secrets is unraveled when Jeremy discovers perilous truths about his 5 adopted sons. Brian, one of the adopted sons, revisits the time the boys experienced an explosion before, linking it to the crisis faced by the family now. Is someone on a quest to destroy the family, a family bonded not only by blood but also by love?
Fan Mail by Joseph Lewis is a story of modern-age love, revenge, and everything in between. The author takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions throughout the book. Though packed with details and subsequent events, the distinct, descriptive writing style kept me interested. The technical aspect of writing was well-researched and accurate. Short-length chapters and simple language helped in the readability of the novel. The suspense drama keeps building up while providing some space for comfort scenes. It made the storyline candid and meaningful.
The involvement of a wide age range of the main characters in a situation adds to the realism of the setting. Enumerable characters added diversity in characterization but also complicated the central thread of the plotline. The focus on multiple characters takes away the attention from the actual events on the timeline.
Fan Mail is a thrilling and suspenseful family mystery novel. The themes of sexuality, adoption, and parenthood are well-woven with the edgy nature of the narration. The author successfully manages to make fiction feel real. The ending will fill you with the sweet and sour taste of walking with an extraordinary family throughout their journey. It is a page-turning mystery touching different parts of your heart at each turn.
Pages: 391 | ASIN : B0BLNTBTMG
LITERARY TITAN 