The Fires of Rubicon follows a Police Lieutenant and his team who take on a complex case involving the disappearance of an employee at the Rubicon Steel Corporation. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Interestingly, I imagined this as a love story, or more aptly, a lost love story. I saw Anton, the missing worker, as the central figure. But during the first few days of writing, I realized that Seazy, Anton’s friend, was far more interesting because he, too, had lost the woman he desired and he had far more issues in his life than any other character I could have imagined. Then, although perhaps I’m the only one who sees the connection, Lt. Wesner, the police investigator, is almost an older image of Seazy with many of the same issues — lost family when young, lost love, sensitive soul. Since I spent a few summers during college working in the steel mills of Cleveland, the setting was a foregone conclusion.

What were some of the emotional and moral guidelines you followed when developing your characters?

Each of the characters has significant personality flaws. All of the major characters have lost the love of their life or their family, or they soon will. Each struggles with how to resolve their conflicted feelings. Rowden lashes out murderously. Benny tries to ensure his wife’s love with expensive gifts. Lt. Wesner hides his pain deep inside, masquerading as a church pastor, until it is revealed he is weighed down with a dark aura. Georgie wears a mask which she momentarily drops for Wesner causing her to flee what might come next.

How do you balance story development with shocking plot twists? Or can they be the same thing?

This story is broken down into a day-by-day view of the investigation and the antagonist’s reactions, almost like reading a diary. As such, we should expect a new revelation each day, and therefore an accompanying plot twist.

Do you have more mysteries planned for Police Lieutenant Alex Wesner, if so when can your fans expect the next story?

Originally, I saw this as a stand-alone story, with characters who lived only during the telling of the story. But there have been questions from readers which may require a response. Will Wesner and Georgie ever meet again? Can she help him in future Private Eye cases? Did Seazy really end his life? Did Anton and Jessica ever patch things up? Perhaps a few of those questions should be explored further.

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