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Spiritual and Reverential
In Black Yéʼii (The Evil One), a young man and his family find themselves the target of a deadly revenge plot tied to a Navajo deity. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I wrote a book, Caught in a Web, that was published in 2018. At the end of the book, there was the secret- a made-up version of what took place in the house where 4 members of MS-13 were killed. The secret was the idea of three cops who, out of protection fabricated the story. As long as the secret was never mentioned or spoken of, everyone should have been safe. It was this final chapter in Web that was the springboard for Black Yéʼii. I felt it created a wonderful opportunity for me to develop another story, one with three converging storylines that mesh and join at the ending.
Did you plan the tone and direction of the novel before writing, or did it come out organically as you were writing?
It came organically. I’m a pantser, not a planner. I might have an idea of what I want to write when I sit down at the computer, but there are times when characters have a mind of their own and I follow their lead. The Navajo are spiritual and reverential towards the earth, and in particular, dreams, visions, and symbols. I knew about Yéʼii from my research. There are many, much like the Catholics have many saints. But the Navajo will never mention by name, or speak of Black Yéʼii because they feel if they do, they are inviting it into their lives. Black Yéʼii literally translates most closely to The Evil One, the subtitle of my book, and it is this evil that permeates MS-13 and other antagonists in the book that I draw on. In a scene from the book, George and Brian, two protagonists who are themselves spiritual, compare Black Yéʼii to Satan, and the evil he brings into the world.
I found the incorporation of Navajo mythology a compelling addition to this psychological thriller. What kind of research was required to put this book together?
Thank you! I appreciate your question. I worked with Navajo on words, Navajo phrases. I try in all my books to be as exact as I can be. Readers are quick to spot falsehoods. I worked with a wonderful woman, Brenda Hat from the Navajo Nation, and with the Navajo Nation Museum, along with various websites on the Navajo. I am a recipient of a podcast featuring a Navajo elder and his son as he explains Navajo culture. My interest in and love of the Navajo actually began when I started reading Tony Hillerman, who I believe was the first to incorporate Navajo beliefs and mysticism into his stories.
What is the next book you are working on, and when can fans expect to see it released?
My next book is tentatively titled Dead of Night, and because I’m still writing it, there is no release date as of yet. My publisher, Black Rose Writing, has been a wonderful home for my writing, and once I finish it, I will submit it to them, and they will determine the publication date. Dead of Night is another thriller-crime-mystery, and it takes place both in Milwaukee and in Waukesha, both in Wisconsin.
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Can Detectives Graff, O’Connor, and Eiselmann find the killers and put a stop to the killing before anyone else dies?
Black Yéʼii (The Evil One)
Black Yéʼii is a gripping psychological thriller that plunges readers into the duality of love and evil in a small Wisconsin town. The story weaves between past trauma and present terror as Angel Benevides, his mother, and his friends made up of adopted brothers become the targets of a deadly revenge plot tied to the enigmatic and fearsome Navajo deity, Black Yéʼii. The book begins with a chilling home invasion and murder, setting the tone for a narrative filled with complex characters, moral dilemmas, and shocking twists. Lewis masterfully interlaces Navajo spiritual elements with the gritty realism of crime, creating a world where loyalty, courage, and survival are tested at every turn.
Joseph Lewis writes with an unflinching eye for detail. The opening chapter hooked me immediately, its brutal depiction of the home invasion was both horrifying and mesmerizing. His vivid descriptions made Carmen Benevides’s fear palpable, and the attackers’ malice leaped off the page. Lewis’s knack for pacing is remarkable. Each scene flows naturally into the next, leaving no room for filler. The dialogue is sharp and often tinged with an authenticity that adds layers to each character, particularly the enigmatic George Tokay.
The incorporation of Navajo mythology into a modern crime thriller is both unique and compelling. The concept of Black Yéʼii as a metaphor for the darkness within human nature is thought-provoking. I particularly enjoyed the moments where George reflects on his cultural heritage, it brings a poignant depth to the narrative. I felt that the supernatural elements were sometimes underutilized. While they added intrigue, I wished the story explored more of Black Yéʼii’s mystical presence rather than keeping it primarily symbolic. The balance of cultural richness and crime drama is a fresh take that sets this book apart. Angel’s tragic arc is heart-wrenching, and his vulnerability contrasts sharply with the cruelty of his attackers. George Tokay, as a central figure, is fascinating. His connection to both the spiritual and physical battles in the story gives him a unique edge.
The camaraderie among the brothers is a highlight, especially their moments of quiet reflection at the lake. These softer scenes provide a necessary counterpoint to the violence and elevate the story from a simple thriller to something more emotionally resonant.
Black Yéʼii is an intense and thought-provoking read that merges psychological tension with cultural depth. While its graphic content won’t be for everyone, those who appreciate dark, character-driven thrillers will find it hard to put down. I’d recommend it to readers looking for a story that lingers in the mind long after the last page.
Pages: 425 | ASIN : B0DH8P5TNV
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
When Loyalty Is Betrayed
Blaze In, Blaze Out follows two detectives that after putting away a crime lord are now in danger along with their families. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Up until Blaze, my books featured adolescent boys with cops as side characters. I wanted to change that up a bit and feature two/three cops that my readers enjoy. Pat O’Connor, Paul Eiselmann, and Jamie Graff. There is quite the back story on all three, and I wanted to explore that with the reader. I also wanted to give a shout out to law enforcement for their commitment, for sometimes putting the lives of others above their own. There were two spots in particular where that came out: Eiselmann’s inner dialogue about his family and the danger he and his family were in, and with O’Connor’s conversation late at night with Brian.
In previous books, there were mentions of hunting and fishing with the boys going on trips with those three cops. I used hunting and fishing as the backdrop for Blaze for several reasons, both subtle and not so subtle.
There were a lot of strong and dynamic characters in Blaze In, Blaze Out. What was your favorite character to write for and why?
Wow, great question! Trying to pick a favorite character is much like trying to determine who my favorite child is. Each is unique and special in their own way, much like my characters. However, if you had a gun to my head and asked that question, I would Brian because of the depth of the character. Having been a teacher, coach, counselor and administrator for 46 years and counting, I’ve come to know many, many kids struggling like Brian. Trying to find who they are and to be accepted for who they are. His strength, not so apparent to himself but to others, stands out.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I think the themes of loyalty, perseverance, family, love, and acceptance are important. They are themes all of us deal with daily. More importantly, to explore the reactions when loyalty is betrayed, when family and love are in conflict, and when acceptance is withheld. Those are themes near and dear to me, because I’ve witnessed these in my roles in education.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am in the middle of a book tentatively titled, Fan Mail about a fan who takes it to the extreme. It explores some of the same themes in my other books, but as with my other books, there is a crime/thriller/mystery in it. I hope to have it available sometime in 2022.
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The two detectives thought it was over.
Eiselmann planned for a quiet weekend with his family at home. O’Connor planned on attending a high school soccer game and then head to Northern Wisconsin for a fishing trip with another cop, Detective Jamie Graff and four teenage, adopted brothers: George Tokay, Brian Evans, Brett McGovern, and Michael Two Feathers.
But Andruko is ruthless and vindictive. From his prison cell, he hires two contract killers to kill both O’Connor and Eiselmann and anyone else in the way. The killers can be anyone. The killers could be anywhere, and the killers could strike at any time.
The quiet weekend and the short vacation turn into a deadly nightmare as O’Connor’s and Eiselmann’s lives and the lives of the four boys are in peril.
Blaze In, Blaze Out
Blaze in, Blaze out by Joseph Lewis is an action-filled mystery crime novel. Two members of a law enforcement task force are the lynchpins to putting away the crime boss Dmitry Andruko. In retaliation Dmitry puts out a hit out on the two officers with the instructions, kill anyone that gets in the way. Following the trial, Eiselmann spends the weekend with his family, and O’Connor heads out on a fishing trip with a friend and his four adopted teenage sons. What should have been a relaxing weekend for both men, turns into a nightmare and a fight for their lives and those they love. Detective O’Connor’s story and attempted murder interlaces itself with Brian and Bobby’s troubled relationship in a world filled with crimes, betrayal and homophobia.
Lewis’s comprehensive writing style makes sure the reader never gets lost in this complex and fast-moving plot. The point of view alternates with the chapters so readers can experience the story through the eyes of all the characters providing them with the full picture of what is occurring and sharing the characters insights and emotions. Care is taken by the author to provide descriptions of every place visited and every clothing item worn by the characters. Readers will become fully immersed into the world created by Lewis.
Besides being a crime thriller, this novel tackles the challenging subject of coming out. Brian struggles with his identity and his relationship with his adopted father due to his sexual orientation. The perspective of a teenage boy coming out to family adds a level of drama to this thriller novel.
Blaze in, Blaze out with its engaging plot and deep themes is a riveting novel and fast read that will keep readers in suspense and hooked till the last page. I recommend this action packed book to any teenager going through a difficult time with their parents and to any reader who loves suspenseful thrillers, and crime novel.
Pages: 321 | ASIN : B09B576BPJ
LITERARY TITAN 