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Excitement, Danger, And Romance
Unfriendly Fire follows two firefighters in a small town who find romance while trying to catch an arsonist. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I like the metaphor of fire to show the passion between two people. I wanted to examine how that passion can motivate people to do good or bad deeds and how far someone will go to protect the ones they love. I chose the firefighting profession for its excitement, danger, and romance.
What was your approach to writing the interactions between characters?
I wanted to have a near 50-50 split with the main characters’ POVs to illustrate how and why they reacted to the events in the story. I tried to get inside the minds of Wyatt and Kasey to fully explore their desires, fears, and aspirations.
What was the hardest part about writing a mystery story, where you constantly have to give just enough to keep the mystery alive until the big reveal?
Providing just enough clues to the reader without giving too much away is a tricky tightrope for any writer. Pacing is important as you want to dish out important details at a proper rate. The other big challenge is keeping everything consistant throughout the story. Adding surprising twists and turns to a story is the most exciting challenge of writing a mystery.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I am working on a novel about JFK’s assassination that I plan to self-publish later in 2023. This coincides with the 60th anniversary of the event.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook
Unfriendly Fire
In Unfriendly Fire by Steven Donahue, readers will be taken on a journey of emotional turmoil, guilt, lust, and redemption. Wyatt, a firefighter from Ohio, struggles with the guilt of leaving his friend and colleague behind during a tragic house fire. To add to his troubles, he also receives the news of his mother’s death, making him feel guilty about not being there for two important people in his life. Finally, Wyatt comes together with Kasey Carpenter as they try to find the person starting these fires.
The reader is immediately thrust into the action and drama as the first chapter opens with Wyatt trying to extinguish a fire and save those trapped inside. The creative use of flashbacks and nightmares provides an in-depth look at what Wyatt experienced and the guilt he carries. The dialogue sets the scene and creates a vivid picture making the town and people seem more real. The flirtatious banter between Wyatt and Kasey was a pleasant surprise, and I hoped they would end up together. Lance’s character was overbearing at times, and the author expertly set his character up to be both liked and disliked. The story progresses at a steady pace, and while some parts may feel slow, the in-depth details provided about each character make it easy to follow their journey. The mystery continues to build throughout the story making this a book that is hard to put down.
Unfriendly Fire is a quick read that I recommend to those who enjoy a captivating mystery with romance sprinkled throughout. This is a wholesome story about a family reconnecting after a significant loss and a man who finds himself lost in life, discovering he has a place.
Pages: 173 | ASIN : B0BR8TPJ1F
LITERARY TITAN 