“Your Turn” is a gritty crime thriller that follows a former detective on a relentless pursuit of truth and justice, unearthing shocking secrets within his old department after a surprising release from imprisonment. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Great question. For starters, I want to say I wrote this book for Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) in 2022. I liked the pressure of having a deadline to meet. So, I needed to write a story I knew would keep me interested.

Then, I knew I wanted the book to be enticing with a few short sentences. I pitched the original blurb to family, friends, and co-workers. I got a lot of “oohs” and “ahhs.” I work for a library, and those reactions aren’t typical, even with famous authors. Whenever I wrote it, I knew people would be interested in reading it.

With that in mind, I wanted to use Tennessee as a stage for the book. I was born and raised in Nashville. I knew local readers would appreciate the locations I chose in the book.

To the nuts and bolts of it, I am a Veteran of the United States Army, where I served as a Military Police Officer. I also have two degrees in Criminal Justice and am an avid watcher of fictional crime shows. I knew it would be easy to write about a genre I am familiar with. The book includes concepts I have seen or read about that I knew I could expand on. Like any good book or tv show, I wanted readers to want more once they finished the book. I believe I accomplished that.

Seven House is an intriguing character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

Intriguing is a great way to describe House. Often, I find when we are too good at doing something we don’t believe we need any help. However, we rush to the aid of other people. In the book, we learned House did this a few times. Realizing some people are victims of circumstance and aren’t doing wrong just for the sake of doing wrong.

The circumstances around House’s conviction caused him to lose faith in the individuals he considered his friends. I want to show people what true friendship is and how some people never forget what you have done for them. While at times, he could be viewed as cold and heartless. However, we learned what his true nature is.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

I showed what true friendship is. Also, how real friends never forget you or what you have done for them. I did not originally plan for this, but I am glad it happened.

From speaking to readers, different characters pulled them in. I wanted this to happen. Compassion is a human emotion that can cause you to look past the wrong someone may have caused you or the world around you. I’ve been asked “What’s next?” about some of the characters who I feel shouldn’t be receiving a positive reaction. Some of the characters can be thought-provoking. In your personal life, you may reconsider if wrong is really wrong.

What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?

I am working on a few projects. The first is a short story covering House’s early time in prison. It will be free for subscribers to my newsletter.

Second, the next book is Faded. House is approached by someone from his past, uncovering something he didn’t know about himself. I’m still working on some of the details. I expect this book will be released Fall of 2024/ early 2025.

Third, I will be writing for Nanowrimo again. Once it gets closer to November, I will think about the subject and title.

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