Joseph Lewis's Blog, page 4

Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) is Available and a Snippet!

I have excellent news! Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) is available for preorder NOW and ONLY at https://www.blackrosewriting.com/mystery/blackyeii If you purchase Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) prior to the publication date of January 2, 2025, use the promo code: PREORDER2024 to receive a 15% discount.

This book, my tenth book, has been a labor of love for me, and the early reviews have been outstanding! I couldn’t be happier. It combines three related, but separate story lines, a Navajo belief in the spirit world, and a coming-of-age thread all wrapped up in a tight thriller-crime-mystery.

About the title … Yéʼii are spiritual deities of the Dine’, or Navajo people. There is one they seldom, if ever, speak of: Black Yéʼii. They consider Black Yéʼii, to be The Evil One. The Dine’ believe that by just speaking the name, they are inviting it into their lives. Black Yéʼii uses the five senses to trick an individual into seeking pleasure in areas of life, but, by doing so, they bring harm to themselves or others. Black Yéʼii interferes with living in the light of inner life and harmony, or Hozho, and Black Yéʼii violates Hozho by creating darkness and evil among people.

Before I give you a snippet of the book, I want to share with you some of the reviews so far:

“On one side, unconditional familial love supported by the camaraderie
of law enforcement. On the other? Guns, drugs, and hatred. Black Yé’ii
stages an epic battle between good and evil.” Cam Torrens, award-winning author of the Tyler Zahn thriller series.

“Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) is a gripping crime thriller that kept me
turning pages even when I needed to get up and do something else. Lewis
created an intricate plot, complex characters, protagonists I could root for,
and an enjoyable, high-octane read. This is the second novel I’ve read by
Lewis. Going back to find more. He has me hooked.” Karen E. Osborne,
award-winning author of True Grace and coming in March, Justice for Emerson.

“Weaving family and friendship with gangs and murder, Lewis has a flair for packing high-octane action into his world of high school boys, brothers, and small-town Wisconsin. With a personal vendetta and more lives on the line, the suspense jumps from the page as a fabricated truth takes center stage. Never one to shy away from action, death, and despair, this latest read brings with it new, yet familiar pulse pounding villains as author Joseph Lewis stuns once again, in this his tenth book.” Jill Rey, Reviewer: For The Love Of The Page Blog.

“Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) is a psychological thriller based in a small town in Wisconsin, featuring a group of young men recovering from traumatic events a year ago. Unfortunately, the past is coming back to haunt them, and hunt them down. This thriller features complex characters and relationships that evolve throughout the story, leading to a stunning conclusion. Lewis delivers in this story of police trying to protect the innocents from the evil that is hunting them.” Gary Gerlacher, MD, MBA, author of Last Patient of the Night, Faulty Bloodline and Sin City Treachery.

“The Bottom Line: A must-read small town crime thriller that will please new and old fans.” Bella Wright, Reviewer/Editor BestThrillers.com.

“I believe this is my favorite so far! In his latest crime thriller, Black Yéʼii (The Evil One), author Joseph Lewis gets readers’ attention with a shocker of a start — a brutal double murder. He keeps that going as law enforcement works to identify the person who orchestrated this and other violence, especially since it is apparent innocent people, including an acclaimed author and a family of adopted brothers, are in danger. Here is the next, and hopefully, not the last, riveting adventure for the intriguing characters Lewis has created for his books.” Joan Livingston, author of the Isabel Long Mystery Series.

A little intro to set the stage for the snippet. Detective Pat O’Connor received an alarming text from a seventeen-year-old boy. All it said was, Someone must have said something. They know. You know who. Cursing himself, O’Connor didn’t read the text right away and is worried he might be too late.

Chapter Four

Waukesha, Wisconsin

O’Connor parked on the side street behind Angel’s car. At first, he didn’t recognize it as being Angel’s. When he did, the hair on the back of his neck stood at attention. He took extra time studying the street and the alley that ran perpendicular. The alley was much darker than the street.

Unbeknownst to him, he repeated what Angel had done. O’Connor sat in his car and considered his options. He never pulled out his cell, but he thought about it. Rather, he pulled out his Beretta M9, checked the load and flicked off the safety. Quietly, he unfolded himself from behind the steering wheel and pressed the door shut rather than slam it.

He ended up taking the same route Angel did to the house, even pausing here and there like Angel did. The only difference was that no dogs were outside, so there wasn’t any barking.

O’Connor stopped behind the house, noticing how dark it was. Something was off, and he knew it wasn’t good.

With his finger on the trigger, he slid open the back gate and searched the yard. He crept to the backdoor, but cleared the near side of the house first. Only then did he open the screen door. O’Connor turned the knob, expecting it to be locked. It wasn’t. Worse, if anyone waited in the kitchen for someone like him, they would now know he was at the backdoor and about to enter.

He tried to remember what the kitchen had looked like, but had trouble remembering it. The last time he had been at the house was so long ago. What overtook any memory he had of the kitchen or anywhere else in the house was the amount of blood spilled that night, along with the number of bodies strewn on the floor.

O’Connor shut his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

—

Sorry, that’s all I can share of that chapter because of spoilers. You’ll just have to check out Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) for yourself.

Don’t forget, Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) is now available for preorder NOW and ONLY at https://www.blackrosewriting.com/mystery/blackyeii If you purchase Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) prior to the publication date of January 2, 2025, use the promo code: PREORDER2024 to receive a 15% discount.

For those of you in Virginia, Maryland or DC, I will be at a craft fair at the Fredericksburg (Virginia) Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 21 from 11:00 to 4:00 PM located at 2400 Airport Avenue, Fredericksburg, VA, and I will have copies of Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) for sale and signing.

I’d like to know what you think, so please use the comment section below. Thank you for following along on my writing journey. So until next time …

Combining a Coming-of-Age Thread in a Thriller-Crime-Fiction Story

from the author’s blog of Joseph Lewis

Those of you who have read the posts on my author’s blog know that while I write thriller-crime-mystery, I have a strong coming-of-age thread throughout the book. In some of my books like Fan Mail, the thread is a dominant feature, while in the others like Blaze In, Blaze Out, the thread rides along in the background. Depending on the story and the book, the thread varies.

My book Spiral Into Darkness is about a mission-oriented serial killer who is organized to a fault. The mission-oriented serial killer is one of four types of serial killers. This type of killer seeks to rid society of a particular group by murdering them. The detectives and FBI in Spiral Into Darkness suspect this is the reason behind the murders, but they aren’t sure. The reality of it surfaces much later in the story. Because of the story line of the serial killer, the coming-of-age thread rides just below the surface, but will catch the reader’s attention from time to page, from chapter to chapter.

The chapter I want to share with you sits about in the middle of the action. It involves Brett, one of the adopted sons of Jeremy Evans and his fiancé, Vicky McGovern, and Brett’s biological father, Thomas McGovern. I will leave it at that for now.

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

Waukesha, WI

His phone beeped. Jeremy clicked off the Internet, pushed the button to receive the call, and Kristi said, “Jeremy, you have a visitor.”

He ticked off a list of parents who might stop in. Most of them were pleasant, while a few, quite the opposite. He stood up and walked out the door and almost fell over.

Sitting in the outer office was Brett’s and Bobby’s father and the ex-spouse of his fiancée, Vicky. Dr. Thomas McGovern, an English professor at Butler University. Indianapolis was quite a distance away from Waukesha, and Jeremy wondered when he had arrived.

It had been almost two years since he’d seen him and even longer since he had spoken to him. He had longish, light brown hair and blue eyes. His fair features were soft, like Bobby’s, though both Brett and Bobby had a dark complexion and looked more like their mother and her side of the family. He stood six foot, maybe six-one, and looked trim and fit. Not like a weight lifter, but more like a runner or someone who practiced yoga. Whatever brought him to Waukesha and to North high school was beyond Jeremy’s grasp.

“Thomas?” Jeremy asked tentatively.

“Hi, Jeremy,” Thomas said as he stood up and walked confidently toward him, hand outstretched, offering a handshake.

Jeremy didn’t know why, but he took a step back as a precaution, recovered, and shook his hand.

“May I speak to you? Privately?”

“Sure,” Jeremy answered as he stepped aside and showed him into his office.

At first, Thomas stood there with his hands in the pockets of his overcoat. Under it was a brown tweed sport coat. Jeremy was pretty sure there would be leather on the elbows. He wore a white button-down shirt and jeans with Hedgehog Fastpack Gore-Tex shoes.

“Please, have a seat,” Jeremy said.

Thomas shed his overcoat, folded it over his arm, and sat down.

The silence was awkward, but having worked with teenagers for so many years, Jeremy went with it. Finally, he said, “How have you been?”

Thomas hemmed and hawed and said, “Fine. I guess. I miss my sons.”

Jeremy nodded. He wasn’t about to tell him they didn’t miss him.

“What brings you to Wisconsin?”

Thomas smiled and said once again, “I miss my sons.”

“Do they know you’re in town?”

He said, “I thought I’d surprise them. I’d like to speak with Brett, if I could.”

Jeremy recognized the edge in his voice that harbored anger living just below the surface, threatening to raise its ugly head. He also recognized the smugness, the arrogance, and the cock-sureness of the man that wasn’t hidden at all.

He knew his boys’ schedules by heart, but to make a show of it, Jeremy hit a couple of keys on the computer, pulling up the student management system. He typed in Brett’s name, and his schedule popped up. Honors Biology. He filled out a call slip, summoning Brett to the guidance office, and then he stood up.

“I’ll send for him,” Jeremy said as he opened the door and walked the pass out to one of the student aides, who took off out the door and down the hall.

Jeremy had misgivings. Yes, Thomas had joint custody with Vicky, but until now, Thomas had never spoken to Brett and never indicated that he had been interested in him. Jeremy didn’t know what Thomas’s motives were, and as a consequence, was suspicious.

Jeremy walked back to his office and said, “If you like, I can show you to the conference room where you and Brett can talk privately.”

“That would be best, I think.”

Thomas stood up, and Jeremy led the way around the corner to the conference room. He opened the door, turned on the lights, and said, “Brett should be here in a minute or two. Can I get you water or something?”

“No, I’m fine.”

Jeremy left and went back to wait in front of his office, just as Brett walked into the outer area.

“Hi, Kristi!”

“Hey, Brett. Did you have a nice weekend?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Brett saw Jeremy, smiled and said, “Hey, Dad, what’s up?” He embraced him and kissed his cheek. Jeremy hugged him and kissed the top of his head.

“You have a visitor.”

Brett craned his neck into Jeremy’s office and saw that it was empty. He looked up at Jeremy, puzzled.

“He’s waiting in the conference room.”

Jeremy placed an arm around Brett’s shoulders, and automatically, Brett slipped his arm around Jeremy’s waist as they walked around the corner. They reached the doorway, and Brett stood frozen, refusing to enter.

He gawked at Thomas and then turned and faced Jeremy, not understanding. The shock gave way to anger.

“What’s he doing here?”

“Your father would like to see you.”

“You’re my father. That’s just some guy, and I don’t want anything to do with him.”

Jeremy sighed and gave Brett’s shoulders a squeeze. Jeremy kissed the top of Brett’s head and said, “Give him a chance. Go on in. I’ll be around the corner.”

“Only because you asked me to,” Brett answered defiantly.

He walked in, but rather than sit down, he stood against the wall near the door with his hands behind his back. When Jeremy went to close the door, Brett said, “You can leave it open.” His eyes never left Thomas.

“I’ll shut it part way, okay?”

Brett nodded.

As Jeremy walked away, he heard Brett say, “What do you want?”

—

I’m sure you caught the strained relationship between Brett and his biological father, in contrast to the relationship Brett had with his soon-to-be adoptive father. The reason is explained within this book, Spiral Into Darkness, and, more fully, in Fan Mail.

When I go to sales and signing events, I usually sell out of Spiral Into Darkness. Everyone seems to like a story about a serial killer, which is why the TV show Criminal Minds and, to an extent, FBI in each of its iterations have high viewership. What my first-time readers don’t expect, and what my long-time readers do expect, is the coming-of-age thread running through it.

For your convenience, I’ve included the description of Spiral Into Darkness below along with a purchase link. It is available in three formats: Kindle, Paperback, and Audio. You can also find it along with each of my books and my two blogs on my author website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com

I’d love to hear your thoughts, so please use the comment section below. Thank you for following along on my writing journey, and until next time …

Review Quotes:

“Spiral into Darkness literally begins with a bang, actually two, because a serial killer is on the loose in Milwaukee. But fortunately, author Joseph Lewis assembles a talented group of investigators we know well from his previous books to tackle this case. Look for strong writing and a great deal of suspense in this well-crafted thriller.”

       Joan Livingston, author of the Isabel Long mystery series

“Powerful! The best to date. Masterful use of imagery and the ability to manipulate the reader’s emotion! An outstanding read!”

       Theresa Storke, Reviewer

“Another excellent read – this author doesn’t disappoint. Fast-paced intrigue and unexpected twists. Characters build from earlier books, but the story is so well written that this book can stand alone. Definitely a must read. Loved the book!”

       Sharon King, Reviewer

Book Blurb:

He blends in. He is successful, intelligent, and methodical. He has a list and has murdered eight on it so far. There is no discernable pattern, no clues, and no leads. The only thing the FBI and local police have to go on is the method of death: two bullets to the face- gruesome and meant to send a message. But it’s difficult to understand any message coming from a dark and damaged mind. Two adopted boys, struggling in their own world, do not know they are the next targets. Neither does their family. And neither does local law enforcement.

https://tinyurl.com/2s462ktv

A Snippet from Black Yéʼii (The Evil One)

As with any book I’ve written, and certainly any book written by any author, character and character development are first and foremost in importance. A book will be unreadable if the characters aren’t fleshed out. The reader wants to identify with one or more, hear them talking, see them act and react, and see how the other characters interrelate to and with them. In many cases, the reader needs to be able to identify with them. They need to root for the protagonist and jeer the antagonist. It’s a given, and if the characters are well-constructed and developed, you’ve lost the reader.

No matter what situation or circumstance the author gives his or her characters, and no matter what the writer does to his characters or what situations he/she puts them in, the action and dialog has to feel real to the reader. Even in fantasy or dystopian novels, the characters have to speak, act and react realistically.

A second element in writing, certainly in my writing and in my genre of thriller-crime-mystery, is atmosphere. It is different from world-building in fantasy or science fiction, and different from setting. Setting is the place and time of the action. Atmosphere is the “feeling” the reader gets either through dialog, action, or setting.

In the snippet I’m presenting to you from my soon to be available book, Black Yéʼii (The Evil One), a seventeen-year-old boy receives an ominous text message, presumably from his mother. The boy knows better, because his mother is a limited English speaker, and she doesn’t ever text. The boy knows something is wrong, but deep in his heart, he has hope. It’s just the two of them now, because his older brother and the mother’s eldest son died about two years previous (in my book, Caught in a Web).

The boy fears for his mother and what might have happened to her. Secondary in his mind is what fate awaits him in his darkened home.

Chapter Two

Waukesha, Wisconsin

Angel cut his lights and then parked on a side street a block away from his home. He would not make the mistake of pulling into the driveway, or even parking in front of the house. He’d rather try to get to his house, and in it, undetected.

Angel wanted to believe he was over-reacting. He had thought about possibilities on the drive to his neighborhood.

Maybe the text was from his mom. Maybe she was sick, or maybe she fell and hurt herself. But as soon as he thought about it, he shook his head. He dismissed each possibility because he knew the truth. Yet, he hoped.

Angel reread the message.

            I need you to come home right away. It’s urgent.

He knew his mother did not write that text, because she never texted him. Never. Those weren’t her words, because when she spoke or wrote anything, she mixed Spanish with English. That was just her way, and both she and he would laugh about it. And her fingers hurt too much from arthritis, so she found it easier to call him. Even at that, she never called unless she needed him to pick up something from the store.

No, his mother did not send the text. Someone else did.

He hadn’t had a good night’s sleep since that night. How could he? Watching his brother die. Watching the piece of shit Ricardo Fuentes die- the only good thing that happened that night, along with watching the others die with him.

Then the promise was made, the bargain that was supposed to keep them all safe. Angel, his mother, George, and his brother, Bobby. But no one was safe. Not really. All it took was someone talking to the wrong person. It didn’t have to be much. Just a hint of what had taken place. Even though the cops, especially O’Connor, had reassured him, he still looked over his shoulder, and his eyes fearful, watched everyone around him.

Angel sighed and shook his head. The promise was too good to be true. His life and the life of his mother would forever be in jeopardy, and maybe now it was time to pay up.

He suspected whoever sent it had done something to his mother, because she would never have willingly allowed someone, other than a family member, to use her phone. He hoped she was okay, but deep down, he knew she wasn’t. She was probably dead or dying. Angel only hoped it was not painful.

Angel also knew if he went home, as soon as he walked in the door, something would happen to him, too. At the end of whatever was expected of him, at the end of whatever it was they wanted from him, he would die. He knew this, and still here he was, planning his next step. Checking on his mother, all the while knowing she was probably dead.

He pulled out his wallet. Tucked behind a pocket, behind a couple of ones, and a five and a ten, was a well-worn card from at least a year ago, maybe more. He got it from the long-haired detective, O’Connor. The cop texted or called him every so often, at least once a month, just to check in and make sure things were okay with him and his mom.

Angel held the card between his thumb and forefinger and nipped it two or three times with his other hand. He considered calling the cop to let him know something wasn’t right.

He leaned his head against the window and shut his eyes as he considered his options. His cell was on his thigh and the card was in his hand.

A thought occurred to him. If they were onto him, would they be onto George and his brother?

 Angel sat up straight. He licked his lips and reconsidered his options.

Maybe send a text to George and to O’Connor. That way, both would know, especially if something would happen to him this night. His contacts with George were sporadic. Even though the two boys were going into their junior year at North High School, Angel didn’t interact with him much. Different circles, different friends.

Angel didn’t want to alarm either the cop or George needlessly. After all, he could be wrong. Maybe, maybe not. More than likely not. But again, he was hopeful.

He composed a text for both of them, but would not send it right away. He’d wait.

What to say?

Angel thought about it and decided on: Someone must have said something. They know. You know who.

Short and somewhat ambiguous. Yet, both the cop and George would understand the meaning because of who it came from.

He checked his cell and saw it was on 5G and had four bars. Good enough.

He placed O’Connor’s card on the dashboard, though he didn’t know why he did that. He carried his cell in his left hand. That allowed him the use of his good hand.

No matter how much he thought he was ready, he wasn’t.

Angel took a deep breath and stepped out of his car, and as quietly as he could, shut the door. He hit the key fob, and it locked it with a barely audible chirp.

He looked both ways and, as unobtrusively as possible with his head down, quick-walked to the alley that would take him to his backyard. Staying in the shadows, it didn’t take long before he reached the back of his house.

Two different dogs in two different yards sounded an alarm. A yippie, high-pitched dustmop, and a deep-throated bark of a larger dog. He had hoped both would be indoors by now, but that was not the case.

Angel crouched down and surveyed his yard. It was small and dark. The backdoor light was off, which was another sign that something wasn’t right. The window above the sink was dark because the light wasn’t on. His mom would turn it on at dusk and keep it on all night, only turning it off at sun up.

If someone waited for him in the dark corners of the yard, he couldn’t tell. There was no movement on either side of the yard, and no movement on either side of the house. All was quiet. Too quiet, he thought.

Angel looked down at his phone and hit the send button for the text. He didn’t want to take any chances. Perhaps someone would arrive in time to save both his mom and him. If his mom was alive.

Unfortunately, the face of the cell lit up, shining briefly on his face. He shielded it by pressing it to his chest, waited for several minutes, and then, as quietly as he could, opened the back gate and stepped into his yard.

Holding his breath, eyes darting left and right, he crouched down and crept to the backdoor. He tested the knob and found it unlocked.

Now or never.

Angel hesitated. He could turn back and wait for O’Connor to show up or call 9-1-1 and wait for cops to show. But before he could do either, two rough hands grabbed him from behind and slammed his head against the wall of the house, once, then twice. He dropped his phone and didn’t know where it landed.

—

What did you feel when you read the portion of Chapter Two of Black Yéʼii (The Evil One)? Afraid for the boy? Did you feel sorry for the boy and did you plead silently for him to change his decision? On a visceral level, did you hear the two dogs barking, maybe a cricket or two chirping? Were you enveloped in the dark, late at night scene in the snippet?

Those questions allude to atmosphere, as well as setting. Atmosphere is the feeling you get, while setting is the place and time the action is located. Both are central to writing, as much as character and character development are.

I hope you enjoyed the snippet from Black Yéʼii (The Evil One), and I hope you check it out when it becomes available for preorder. I will also have author copies for sale and signing, and I’ll keep you posted.

Below is the synopsis of the book, along with the explanation of the title. And just for fun, I also give you the three quotes I use at the front of the book to set the story up in the reader’s mind.

Black Yéʼii

(The Evil One)

“I and the public know
What all schoolchildren learn,
Those to whom evil is done
Do evil in return.”

W. H. Auden, Collected Poems

“When your dream turns into a nightmare, rise to the challenge and slaughter the dragons.”

Bangambiki Habyarimana

“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.”

Kahlil Gibran

Yéʼii are spiritual deities of the Dine’, or Navajo people. There is one they seldom, if ever, speak of: Black Yéʼii. They consider Black Yéʼii, to be The Evil One. The Dine’ believe that by just speaking the name, they are inviting it into their lives. Black Yéʼii uses the five senses to trick an individual into seeking pleasure in areas of life, but, by doing so, they bring harm to themselves or others. Black Yéʼii interferes with living in the light of inner life and harmony, or Hozho, and Black Yéʼii violates Hozho by creating darkness and evil among people.

The Synopsis of Black Yéʼii (The Evil One):

The secret of how four members of MS-13 died was supposed to keep them safe. That is, if no one spoke of it. But someone did, and now people are dying.

The police fabricated a story about the night four members of MS-13 died in a tiny home on a quiet city street almost two years previous. George Tokay and his friends were not supposed to share the secret about what really happened that night. No one was to know the truth. But someone talked, and now MS-13, ruthless and wanting revenge, is back in town, and people are dying.

Can Detectives Graff, O’Connor, and Eiselmann find the killers and put a stop to the killing before anyone else dies?

I would love to know what your thoughts, so please use the comment section below. Of course, you can find all my books and my two blogs on my website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com I hope you check it out. As always, thank you for following along on my writing. So until next time …

Two Pieces of Exciting News!

Hi Everyone:

I wanted to touch base with you because I have two pieces of exciting news!

First, my book, Fan Mail, will be free tomorrow, 8/11 and on Monday, 8/12. Yes, Free! Below are some recognition Fan Mail received, along with some reviews, the synopsis, and the purchase link.

FREE 8/11 and 8/12
Fan Mail by Joseph Lewis

2023 Maxy Award Finalist
2023 Author Shout Reader Ready Awards – Recommended Read
2023 Literary Titan Silver Book Award Winner

“An intense emotional rollercoaster ride, written with immense detail to feelings and dialogue, with a constant thread of mystery that holds you to the end to find out what happens. Excellent writing.” -International Writers Inspiring Change

“Lewis takes after authors such as C.J. Box, James Patterson, and David Baldacci, as he immerses readers in his characters by having them in reoccurring roles and appearing throughout each of his books.” -TheAuthorSpot.com

“The writing is top-notch, with vivid descriptions and snappy dialogue that bring the story to life. It’s clear that the author put a lot of thought and care into crafting this tale, and their efforts have paid off.” -MD White, Bestselling author of The Influence of Military Strategies to Business

“Fan Mail masterfully explores brotherhood and healing while delivering a compelling crime thriller in this latest from Joseph Lewis.” -Sublime Book Review

“An emotionally explosive and life-affirming coming of age story wrapped within a simmering crime thriller.” -BestThrillers.com

“Tough. Gritty. Lewis cuts deep as he tackles teen sexuality questions as well as dangerous stalkers. The story explodes with tension and strength, reflective of the personalities involved. Highly recommend it!” -Sharon Middleton, author of the McCarron’s Corner series

“Fan Mail is a thrilling and suspenseful family mystery novel…a page-turning mystery touching different parts of your heart at each turn.” -Literary Titan

“Starts with a bang and does not stop its relentless shrapnel barrage until you are crying with the characters. Fabulous job by the author. You want to read this one.” -Tina O’Hailey, author of Dark Drink

“Fan Mail is like a mirror held up to contemporary society, brilliantly reflecting and portraying our lives, struggles, troubles, delicate relationships, and so much more.” -Readers’ Favorite

“An interesting coming-of-age novel with a dark twist. Looking forward to the next one.” -Joan Livingston, author of the Isabel Long Mystery Series

A barrage of threatening letters from an unknown stalker, a car bomb, and a heart attack rip apart what was once a close-knit family of adopted brothers.

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, and the fan becomes an obsessed stalker. 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?

You can find Fan Mail here: https://tinyurl.com/yejm2ze8

The second piece of good news is that my newest book, Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) is coming closer and closer to the preorder stage, even though the actual publication date is January 2, 2025. That also means I will have my hands on author copies for sale and signing.

Here is the cover of the book, not only the front cover, but the back cover, too.

To explain the meaning of the title, I’ve long been a fan of, and in awe of, the Navajo Nation Culture. In writing my books, dating back to my first book, Taking Lives, Prequel to the Lives Trilogy, and in each of my successive books, I’ve leaned heavily on experts both in and of the Navajo Nation culture. If you read the author notes in each of my books, you will find who they are and how they contributed.

Yéʼii are spiritual deities of the Dine’, or Navajo people. There is one they seldom, if ever, speak of: Black Yéʼii. They consider Black Yéʼii, to be The Evil One. The Dine’ believe that by just speaking the name, they are inviting it into their lives. Black Yéʼii uses the five senses to trick an individual into seeking pleasure in areas of life, but, by doing so, they bring harm to themselves or others. Black Yéʼii interferes with living in the light of inner life and harmony, or Hozho, and Black Yéʼii violates Hozho by creating darkness and evil among people.

That tells you what Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) is about. This book is almost purely thriller-crime-mystery, much more so than Fan Mail, because it has less of the coming-of-age thread running through it like my other books.

I obtained some prerelease reviews from some talented authors, and they are below.

“Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) is a psychological thriller based in a small town in Wisconsin, featuring a group of young men recovering from traumatic events a year ago. Unfortunately, the past is coming back to haunt them, and hunt them down. This thriller features complex characters and relationships that evolve throughout the story, leading to a stunning conclusion. Lewis delivers in this story of police trying to protect the innocents from the evil that is hunting them.” –Gary Gerlacher, MD, MBA, author of Last Patient of the Night, Faulty Bloodline and Sin City Treachery

“I believe this is my favorite so far! In his latest crime thriller, Black Yéʼii (The Evil One), author Joseph Lewis gets readers’ attention with a shocker of a start — a brutal double murder. He keeps that going as law enforcement works to identify the person who orchestrated this and other violence, especially since it is apparent innocent people, including an acclaimed author and a family of adopted brothers, are in danger. Here is the next, and hopefully, not the last, riveting adventure for the intriguing characters Lewis has created for his books.” –Joan Livingston, author of the Isabel Long Mystery Series

“On one side, unconditional familial love supported by the camaraderie of law enforcement. On the other? Guns, drugs, and hatred. Black Yéʼii stages an epic battle between good and evil.”

 –Cam Torrens, award-winning author of the Tyler Zahn thriller series

I have three or four others forthcoming and as I receive them, I’ll let you know what others thought of the book.

That’s it for now. I’d love to hear your thoughts, so please use the comment section below. You can find all my work, including this and another blog, on my website at www.jrlewisauthor.com As always, thank you for following along on my writing journey. Until next time …

Chapter Development and Another Snippet from Fan Mail

A thriller-crime-fiction story by Joseph Lewis, Author

I’ve written before about how I craft my books. Each chapter needs to do one or two things, sometimes more, and if the chapter doesn’t propel the reader to the next chapter, it doesn’t work. If it doesn’t work, it needs to be rewritten.

A chapter might introduce you to a character or further develop a known character by delving into his or her thoughts and actions. Sometimes a chapter will describe, hopeful through conversation and action, a relationship that exists between one or more characters.

I’ve written before, and other authors echo these words (or perhaps I’m echoing their words), that a story is all about character. If the story, or in this case, a chapter, doesn’t have well-rounded, fleshed out characters, the story will be flat. I mean, you can only have so many car chases, bullets flying around, and bombs going off. Each of these elements need to be tied tightly to the whole, or you really don’t have a story. I’ve turned off many movies simply because I didn’t care about the characters, or maybe because I didn’t think the characters were realistic.

Fan Mail is my latest story about a stalker. This person is fixated on three teenage boys, two adopted brothers, Randy Evans and Bobby McGovern, and their best friend, Danny Limbach. These three boys, along with several other friends, are in a popular country rock band, Bits and Pieces named after the popular Dave Clark Five song. The fan mail starts innocent enough, but boys being boys, they ignore the letters.

The letters become aggressive, threatening, and at least one contains a foreign substance. There is a car bomb that may or may not be tied to the letters. There is so much stress in the Evans family, that the boys’ father, Jeremy, has a heart attack, and this event threatens to pull apart the close knit family. The boys point fingers at one another, and at least one, Brian, blames himself for his father’s heart event.

You and I know there is never just one thing that causes something like that, but teenagers often are far too critical of themselves and each other. They place the blame, warranted or not, on themselves. We might have seen that in ourselves, and those of us who work with kids for a living, see it all the time.

In this snippet from Fan Mail, Jeremy’s heart attack has already occurred. Brian drove three of his brothers, Billy, George, and Two to the hospital. A detective friend of the family, Pat O’Connor, led them there for safety’s sake. While he is close to each of the boys in the family, O’Connor and Brian are much closer, having a big-little brother relationship.

CHAPTER FOUR

It had been uncomfortably quiet on the ride to the hospital. Brian held onto Billy’s forearm for most of the trip, unless he turned or changed lanes. Billy stared out the side window, as did George and Michael.

There was little traffic, so Brian had no trouble following O’Connor. They arrived at the large hospital complex, and Brian pulled to the curb and dropped the three boys off, saying, “I’ll go park the truck.”

“Do you want us to wait for you?” George asked.

Brian shook his head and said, “No, go inside and find the others. I’ll catch up to you.”

George hesitated. He glanced at Billy and Two, who had crossed the road to the hospital emergency room, and then back at Brian.

“I’ll be okay, George,” Brian said. He tried to wear a smile, but it slipped off as quickly as it appeared.

George reached through the window, grasped Brian’s arm and said, “This is not your fault.”

Brian sighed and said, “You better catch up to Billy. I don’t want him by himself.”

Reluctantly, George turned and followed his two brothers. O’Connor stood outside the front door of the hospital, watching the scene at the truck.

George glanced back, watching Brian pull away and drive the short distance to the parking lot.

“Is he okay?”

George shook his head, but made no other comment. He entered the hospital, leaving O’Connor to wait for Brian.

Brian parked his truck in the visitor lot and sat quietly with his hands in his lap. There was no one else in the parking area, and that was okay with him.

His sat with his chin on his chest and his forehead on the steering wheel. As hard as he fought it, tears dribbled down his cheeks and along the side of his nose. He pushed his glasses up to wipe them away.

Despite what George had said, Brian knew he was at least partially to blame for his father’s heart attack, or whatever it was. A part of him wanted to leave. Just drive off and head anywhere.

There was a rap on the window. Brian didn’t look up because he knew who it was. He dried his eyes with his hands, and his hands on his jeans. He readjusted his glasses, took a deep breath, and opened the door. He got out and locked his truck by pushing the button on the key fob.

“Are you okay?”

Brian didn’t look at O’Connor. He nodded and tried to walk past him.

O’Connor took him by the shoulders and wrapped him in a hug. Brian broke down again and wept against O’Connor’s chest.

Pat let him for a minute and then took him by the shoulders so they could look at each other eye to eye.

“We don’t know anything yet.”

Brian nodded.

“I know you’re worried about your father, but there is something else bouncing around your head, isn’t there?”

Brian said nothing.

O’Connor said, “You’ve held it together this long. You’ll need to hold it together a little longer. You’ve got to be tough for your brothers and your mom.”

Brian nodded again.

“Can you do that?”

Brian nodded.

Then O’Connor smiled and said, “You’re a tough young man, Bri.”

“I don’t feel tough.” O’Connor hugged him and said, “Tough guys never feel tough. They just are.”

—

Fan Mail won a Maxy Finalist Award, a Literary Titan Silver Book Award, and a Reader’s Favorite Five Star Award. It was also an Eric Hoffer Award Nominee. Below are some reviews and a purchase link for your convenience.

I would love to hear your thoughts, so please use the comment section below. As always, thank you for following along on my writing journey. Until next time …

“It (Fan Mail) raises questions on whether integrity deters one from breaking rules, if a leader must have followers, and whether speaking truth and integrity makes one strong.” -Okoko Ayezu Tamarapreye, Influencer & Reviewer

“An intense emotional rollercoaster ride, written with immense detail to feelings and dialogue, with a constant thread of mystery that holds you to the end to find out what happens. Excellent writing.” -International Writers Inspiring Change

“Lewis takes after authors such as C.J. Box, James Patterson, and David Baldacci, as he immerses readers in his characters by having them in reoccurring roles and appearing throughout each of his books.” -TheAuthorSpot.com

“The writing is top-notch, with vivid descriptions and snappy dialogue that bring the story to life. It’s clear that the author put a lot of thought and care into crafting this tale, and their efforts have paid off.” -MD White, Bestselling author of The Influence of Military Strategies to Business

“Fan Mail masterfully explores brotherhood and healing while delivering a compelling crime thriller in this latest from Joseph Lewis.” -Sublime Book Review

“An emotionally explosive and life-affirming coming of age story wrapped within a simmering crime thriller.” -BestThrillers.com

“Tough. Gritty. Lewis cuts deep as he tackles teen sexuality questions as well as dangerous stalkers. The story explodes with tension and strength reflective of the personalities involved. Highly recommend it!” -Sharon Middleton, author of the McCarron’s Corner series

“Fan Mail is a thrilling and suspenseful family mystery novel…a page-turning mystery touching different parts of your heart at each turn.” -Literary Titan

“Starts with a bang and does not stop its relentless shrapnel barrage until you are crying with the characters. Fabulous job by the author. You want to read this one.” -Tina O’Hailey, author of Dark Drink

“Fan Mail is like a mirror held up to contemporary society, brilliantly reflecting and portraying our lives, struggles, troubles, delicate relationships, and so much more.” -Readers’ Favorite

“An interesting coming-of-age novel with a dark twist. Looking forward to the next one.” -Joan Livingston, author of the Isabel Long Mystery Series

“Short chapters, fast-paced, and terrific attention to telling details combined with a strong plot and great characters added up to a satisfying read. Thanks for another excellent story!” -Karen E. Osborne, author of Reckonings and Tangled Lies

Barnes & Noble Link: https://bit.ly/3CRNHya

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3eNgSdS

Meet Lena Gibson – An Author!

If you’ve read this blog before, you noticed I try to give you a glimpse into writing from an author’s vantage point. I’ve introduced you to many authors so far, and several write in different genres, unlike me, for instance, who writes only in the thriller-crime-mystery genre.

Lena Gibson is unique from the other authors I’ve interviewed, except for perhaps Sharon Middleton. She is another author who does something like this, and you can find her interview on my website.

Most others write in one genre at a time, Lena does what is called, genre splicing. This means that within a story or book, there can be more than one genre happening at the same time. I might be viewed as being close to her in this aspect, because in each of my books, there is a strong coming-of-age thread running throughout the story.

I think you’ll enjoy this interview with Lena. It gives great insight into her work, and the way she goes about crafting and creating a story.

What was it that made you decide you had a story to tell and to become an author?

As long as I can remember, I’ve been an avid reader. While I read a little of many types, my favorite books were historical fiction and fantasy for close to forty years. In the summer of 1998, I ran out of things to read from my favorite authors, so I tried writing. At first, it was a hobby that I dabbled in during my school breaks. I didn’t know much about writing and noticed that when I worked on it more often. The ideas came more easily. In the early years of writing that first book, I had a full-time teaching job and small children, leaving little time for myself, so progress was slow.

Fast forward ten years later, to when I got a divorce and because of shared custody, I had time. I don’t recommend following that path, but it jump-started my writing again. I dusted off the book I’d always wanted to finish and reacquainted myself with the story. I wrote another 100k. When I didn’t know how to finish it, I got stuck and let it go. But the characters and the story never entirely left my mind, and I planned to finish it one day.

In 2017, I ran into a friend I hadn’t seen in seven years, and she asked about my writing. I didn’t like saying I’d stopped, so I went home and got back to work. I could have started something new, but that original story was the one I needed to finish. I kept at it, writing a 235k portal fantasy. I used this practice book (that became two volumes) to learn how to edit, revise, query, write a synopsis, and many other skills that accompany writing. My first book took 20 years to write. Since then, the draft of a book takes 4-6 months and I write every day.

As an author or writer, what sets you apart from others?

I hope my genre splicing makes me somewhat unique. Perhaps also my productivity.

I am not alone as a neurodivergent author, but I believe authors with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) are still underrepresented. I haven’t always known about my ASD, but learning about it has made a major difference in how I approach the world.

It allows me to not be so hard on myself to try to fit in. I’m not like everyone else and shouldn’t try to be. Neurodiversity isn’t my weakness, it is my strength. Many of the characters in my books are also on the spectrum and share experiences similar to my own in relating to people.

How do ideas for your stories present themselves? How do you know what story lines to follow and which to ignore?

I get flashes of story ideas or phrases I like. I write these snippets on Post-it notes to hang on my bulletin board, or if I’m out, I text them to myself to add later. Sometimes I realize that several of the Post-its fit together and seem like they could be the same story. That’s when map out ideas and create characters.

I have several ideas waiting to find their story.

I can’t plot an entire story, but I’ve learned to plot a chapter guide, then see what works as I write. I revise and add as I go along. The farther in a story I get, the more I have to write backward as well to incorporate insights about the characters. My sense of what a story needs goes back to reading so much.

What genre do you write, and why?

I can’t stick to a single genre because my favorite stories have always had aspects of more than one. I combine genres, often having aspects of magic, romance, action-adventure, or thrillers, within dystopian or women’s fiction stories.

Within my published books, there are three overlapping types of stories: apocalypse romance, women’s fiction with speculative elements, and dystopian train hopping adventures. So far unpublished and on the shelf, I have a dystopian women’s fiction, a dark fairytale, and a portal fantasy. The next project I will pitch is women’s fiction centered on motorcycle racing and my work in progress is romantic women’s fiction with a time slip.

Besides writing and telling a good story, do you have any other talents?

I think my biggest talent is persistence and hyper-focus, so that’s helped me with whatever interests I have in my life.

An example of this: I have a black belt in karate. I started karate in 2016, close to the same time as returning to writing.

I have a great memory and long ago, I used to it to learn all the NHL hockey players and their stats. In the last fifteen years, I’ve turned this interest and talent to MotoGP motorcycle racing. I love following racers as they move through the levels to the premier league at the top.

I’m also a fast cross-stitcher, as I use both hands. My left hand does the needlework where I can see on top of the cloth and my right hand does it underneath where I do it by feel. My grandmother called me a cross-stitch sewing machine.

If you were to name one or two books that you deem unforgettable and that had a major impact on you, what would they be, and why?

I have so many different types of important books from different times in my life, but two of the most influential stories of my childhood were the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. They were the first stories I lost myself inside. I was turning eight when my second-grade teacher suggested I try them. The second childhood book was Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. I received it as a gift from my grandmother the summer my parents split up when I was eight. It had small print and was much harder than the Little House books, but it transported me to another time and place the same way. I have probably read these books fifty times each.

Later, the Dragon Riders of Pern series by Anne McCaffery, The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley, and Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay replaced them as my go to books to re-read.

Recently, the books I read the most often are The Hating Game by Sally Thorne, Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey, and Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia.

The books I most love to read aloud to my fifth graders are: Holes by Louis Sachar, The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I love being able to sweep my students along with these stories and show them something new.

Most of my favorites are read every year.

What authors do you read regularly? Why?

I read several local indie authors and Black Rose authors because I want to support other new writers. As far as favorite authors elsewhere, I read everything by Susanna Kearsley, Kate Morton, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Emily Henry, Ali Hazelwood, Alix Harrow, Justin Cronin, V.E. Schwab, and Guy Gavriel Kay. They never disappoint.

If you were to have dinner with 5 individuals living or dead, who would they be and why?

Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters. I’d love to talk to him about synesthesia and music. Plus, he has the gift of storytelling and can hold a conversation with anyone.

Marc Marquez, my favorite MotoGP motorcycle racer. I’d love to talk to him about recovering from injury and racing.

Susanna Kearsley. I’ve met her several times at my favorite writing conference (SIWC) and done blue pencil sessions with her, but I’d love to sit and chat about books and movies.

Queen Elizabeth II. Strange as it sounds, I kind of miss her. Until recently, she was the Queen for my entire life and, as a Canadian, we have strong ties to Britain. I’d like to talk to her about all the changes in the world throughout her lifetime. Her perspective would probably be very similar to in some ways and very different from that of my 96-year-old grandmother who grew up on a ranch in Wyoming.

My husband Rob Gibson, because without him around, I probably wouldn’t have the courage to be myself and actually talk to these others.

What is your writing routine? When you write, do you plan or outline ahead or are you a “pantser”?

I make a rough plan, often using a calendar or a map to have a guide of when and where for my story. Then I make main characters, usually 2-5 of them. Of the ten books I’ve written, only one has a single point of view. Once I feel like I know them a little, I start writing. I try to do at least one writing related activity every day, which can include beta reading/critiquing, editing/revising, writing, a workshop or podcast, or promotional work. I keep track of the time spent on each activity with a check mark, marking time in one-hour increments with a different color of pen. I find a checklist like this helps me feel productive.

As mentioned above, despite my plan, a lot of my story is discovered as I write and learn about my characters.

When writing, how much do you read? Do you read in or out of your genre?

I read every day. Sometimes it’s only for forty minutes at night. Other times, I have to ration my reading time to ensure I have time for other things. For example, when I am not teaching, I often let myself read for the morning and write for the afternoon. Of course, I try to be aware that I also need to spend time with my family and allot time for going for walks and eating. I can even be forced to be social and enjoy playing mah-jong with friends.

For over thirty years, fantasy with a smattering of sci-fi accounted for ninety percent of my reading. Good books of any genre could always be worked in too. The last few years, I have been partial to reading romances and quick, predictable stories. This might be so they don’t compete with space in my brain for my own stories. It also might be because if I’m reading things that are wonderful, that’s all I want to do, day and night, which means less time for writing.

Is there something you set out to do, but somehow, it didn’t work out for you? (In writing, or something else you felt was important to you at the time?)

I tried very hard to get a literary agent. I queried my first four stories after my practice book for 3 years continuously, starting in 2020. I had some interest, but nobody offered representation. Some of the more interested agents told me they weren’t sure where they’d put my stories in the bookstore—a common problem with writing multi-genre books. One of my critique partners suggested I might want to try a small publisher that wouldn’t need an agented submission. I pivoted, submitting to Black Rose Writing, where I was soon offered a contract for what was my newest story, The Edge of Life: Love and Survival During the Apocalypse.

What tips would you give to new or even experienced writers?

What I’ve learned the most from is attending workshops, critiquing other writers, and continuing to read and write every day possible. The more you practice, the better you get. Keep working.

How did you “teach” yourself to write or did it just come naturally? What lessons would you pass on to others?

 Other than from writing itself, I learned the most about writing from reading. That

 includes the reading I’ve done my entire life, but also for the last six or seven years. I’ve changed how I read to pay attention to writers I like and what they do.

How do you handle a negative critique?

That depends on who you ask (laughing).

Honestly, it isn’t always the same. Sometimes I’ve gotten angry or upset initially. I do my best (after I’m done with the tears) to step back and look at why the person didn’t like what I wrote. Even when they’ve hurt my feelings or I think they’ve been too harsh, I can almost always improve my writing.

I don’t like everything I read, so why should everyone like what I wrote? We all have different tastes and different ideas, so I have to respect that. A friend (who was reading The Wish at the time) said that I’d done my job by writing the best story I could at the time and then I’d put it out into the world. Others would make of it what they would.

Is there a type of writing/genre that you find difficult to write? Why?

I find it hard to stick to one genre when I write because I just see story most of the time, not genre. I find reading literary fiction very difficult and don’t think I could write one. I also seldom enjoy short stories and can’t write them. I have too much to say to be contained by something as short as a few thousand words.

How important are the elements of character, setting, and atmosphere to a story, and why?

For me, characters are the most important part of a story. If I don’t like the characters of a story, or admire them, or think they are interesting in some way, I can’t be bothered with reading about them. In short, I have to care in order to read. Setting and how the characters interact with it is also important. I’m not sure I understand atmosphere, so I’d say I spend the list time worrying about it.

Do you see yourself in any of the characters you create? How/Why?

Many of my main characters have aspects of myself. None of them are me, but they are like bits of me. I also steal events from my life to give them stories and backstories. I mine my life deeply for these experiences.

Of all the characters I’ve written, probably Elizabeth in The Wish is the most like me. She’s the only character that is the lone point of view character in her book, and it’s the only book I’ve written in the first person. If people don’t like Elizabeth, they won’t like me either.

Is there an unforgettable or memorable character that will not leave your head, either of your own creation or from a book you’ve read?

The scene I’ve written that sticks with me the most and that I get the most comments about is from The Edge of Life: Love and Survival During the Apocalypse. My female main character is hiding in a drainage culvert. I had a lot of fun making it terrifying and horrible.

From other books, there are too many scenes that stand out. I smashed that slate on Gilbert Blythe’s head; Gollum ripped my finger off and slipped into Mount Doom; I volunteered as a tribute to save my sister; Old Dan and Little Ann jumped in front of a mountain lion to save me in the Ozarks; and I’ve had my heart broken a hundred times by a hundred different people.

Tell us about your most recent book. How did you come up with the concept? How did you come up with the title? From your book, who is your favorite character? Who is your least favorite character? Why?

My most recently published book is Switching Tracks: Out of the Trash.

My original ideas came from three primary sources that I combined. I didn’t consciously decide to do this, but that’s what my brain does. I make connections between things that might not otherwise be related. The first was a picture book I read to my class called Ada’s Violin about the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay. The members have instruments literally made from the giant landfill near their home. I also read an article online about Svalbard Global Seed Vault and the seed bunkers scattered throughout the US. The third source was my grandfather’s stories of riding the rails during the Great Depression, also known as train hopping. My story is a dystopian train-hopping adventure, the first in a trilogy.

The main character starts in 2195 Southern California, where she scavenges trash from the landfill to make a living. She finds a cannister containing maps and a key to the seed bunkers. The title comes from both the literal part of switching from one railroad track to another and the more abstract idea of changing the path of your life.

My favorite character in Switching Tracks is Elsa. She’s lived a sheltered life in Southern California in the generational work camp where she was born, but thanks to her granny, a feisty former rebel leader, she dreams of a better life.

My least favorite character is Jaxon, her brother-in-law, because despite being married to Elsa’s sister, he is one of the principal antagonists of the story. He knows the kind of life she wants to escape and is part of the corporation that enslaves people for profit.

I hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I did. As I wrote in my introduction, Lena gives insight into another way of crafting a story. And, if you enjoyed this interview, you can check out many other author interviews on my website located at www.jrlewisauthor.com under the author blog tab. You will also find writing tips and snippets of my work.

I’d love to know your thoughts, so please use the contact form below. As always, thank you for following along on my writing journey. Until next time …

Author Media Contact Information:

Website: https://lenagibsonauthor.wpcomstaging.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Buffy15

Email: lena.gibson15@gmail.com

Book links:

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/ywazkzfe

Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/yf6cpxbk

Two Snippets: Caught in a Web and Black Yéʼii (The Evil One)

I was on vacation with my family this past week for a much needed getaway. As a new grandpa, I spent time with my new grandson off and on babysitting. I love that little guy, and I am enjoying my new role as grandpa.

I want to give you an update on my new book, Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) and share with you the first chapter. This book delves into the spirituality of the Navajo culture- remember two of my characters are full-blooded Navajo, and Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) is more of the thriller-crime novel than most of my other books. Yes, it still has a coming-of-age thread embedded within, but not as strong as some others.

Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) is a police procedural novel in some ways, and it has its roots anchored snuggly with a former book of mine, Caught in a Web. In fact, you could consider Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) a sort of sequel to Caught in a Web, but I’ve written it in a way that it wouldn’t be necessary to read Web before you read Black Yéʼii (The Evil One).

Here is the tag line and synopsis of Black Yéʼii (The Evil One):

The secret of how four members of MS-13 died was supposed to keep them safe. That is, if no one spoke of it. But someone did, and now people are dying.

Synopsis

The police fabricated a story about the night four members of MS-13 died in a tiny home on a quiet street almost two years previous. George Tokay and his friends were not supposed to share the secret about what really happened that night. No one was supposed to know the truth. But someone talked, and now MS-13, ruthless and wanting revenge, is back in town, and people are dying.

Can Detectives Graff, O’Connor, and Eiselmann find the killers and put a stop to the killing before anyone else dies?

—

Caught in a Web came out in 2018 and is a PenCraft Literary Award Winner, and BestThrillers named it “… one of the best crime fiction novels of 2018.” It has gone on to be one of the best sellers in my published works. Here is a snippet from it:

CHAPTER 4

            Graff drove around to the back of the strip mall, spotted flashing blues mixed with flashing reds and a small huddle of cops with little clouds of breath coming out of their mouths as they spoke to one another. They stood around stamping their feet to keep them from freezing and turning into cement blocks.

            He rolled to a stop just outside the yellow tape and decided to leave his squad car running to keep it warm. He grabbed his traveler cup of hot coffee and got out, shutting the door behind him with a metallic clunk that didn’t echo in the dark night. It was that cold.

            He spotted the ME, turned up his collar with his free hand and hunched his shoulders as he walked in that direction.

            “Ike,” he said with a nod.

            Mike Eisenhower, whom everyone called, Ike, was in his sixties and bald except for a fringe of snow white hair that ran around the sides and back of his head like a misplaced halo. He was short and a little stooped, but his mind was clear and sharp.

            “I will never understand the attraction, Jamie. I don’t get it.”

            “What do we have?”

            The older man shook his head and said, “A middle school kid, maybe eleven or twelve. On his back, head to the side in a puddle of frozen puke with snot frozen to his face. That’s what we have. What the hell is the attraction of drugs when it ends like this?”

            “Cause of death?” Graff caught the old man’s frown and corrected himself. “Tentative cause of death?”

            “OD. Some sort. Not sure what, though.”

            “Time of death?”

            The old man shrugged and said, “The kid is frozen stiff. I’d say four or five hours ago at least, but because of this damn cold, I can’t pinpoint it for you until I get him back to the office.”

“Do you have a guess as to what drug it was?”

He shook his head and said, “I’ll do a tox screen and be able to tell you for sure.”

            Eisenhower’s office was in the basement of Waukesha Memorial Hospital, a five or ten minute drive away.

            Graff squatted down next to the boy. Blond. Skinny. Wearing only a red hooded sweatshirt. No hat, no gloves, no boots. A pair of Jordans on his feet. His upper lip and cheek coated in icy snot. The pavement under his head was frosted in yellowish or brownish puke, depending upon how the light hit it. The boy’s eyes and mouth were partially open. A lovely picture of another dead kid added to the collection of dead kid pictures Jamie had stored away in his head. Not that he had wanted to hold on to any of them. Ever. No fucking way!

“Thanks, Ike. You have my number,” Graff said as he strolled toward the huddle of cops.

            He recognized most of them and said, “Guys, anyone catch any radio chatter on missing kids? Kids who didn’t show up after dinner or who might have snuck out at night?”

            They stamped their feet and shook their heads and muttered, “No.”

            “Okay. I need all the dumpsters checked for anything that might fit the crime. Look for anything out of the ordinary, anything that doesn’t quite fit. I’ll need pictures of boot or shoe marks and any tire treads. Again, look on the ground for anything that might fit with the crime, anything out of the ordinary. Later this morning, I’ll need some of you to canvas the neighborhoods in a three or four block radius from here. Ike said the kid might be a middle school kid, eleven or twelve-years-old. I’m guessing unless this is a dump site, he’d live close by because he isn’t exactly dressed for a long hike. Not in this weather, anyway.”

            As he walked away, he said, “Whoever decides to canvas the neighborhood can go home. Start about eight in the morning. That will give you a couple of hours sleep.”

Jamie poured the coffee out of his traveler cup onto the frozen pavement, no longer thirsty and sure as hell not hungry.

—

Graff has been in all of my books, beginning with Stolen Lives, Book One of the Lives Trilogy. If you’ve read my books and the author notes within them, you know while Jamie Graff is a fictional character in my books, in real life, Jamie is a police chief in a small city in Wisconsin and a friend of mine who has helped with tactical and police procedure throughout my catalog.

As a treat for you, here is the opening chapter of Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) that will be published January 2, 2025. I will have author copies well before the Christmas holidays for anyone looking for a signed copy, either for yourself or for a loved one. Just let me know.

Chapter One

Waukesha, Wisconsin

The doorbell rang, and Carmen Benevides opened the door to three kids she didn’t recognize. She assumed they were friends of Angel. Actually, she knew they weren’t kids, but at her age, anyone younger than she was a kid. And when they stormed into the house and the two boys threw her on the couch, she realized they weren’t friends of her son, either.

       Shocked, bewildered, and frightened, Carmen cowered as far away from them as she could.

       The fat boy with ugly tattoos up and down his arms and around his neck hovered over her. He had the black, soulless eyes of a shark and a shaved, round, bullet head. His lips were pulled back in a sneer. The boy was Manny’s age, maybe a little older. He wore what looked like a sword on his hip, but in a scabbard. It wasn’t as long as a real sword, but it was longer than a knife.

       The other boy, the skinny, jittery one, had small, beady black eyes and a full head of thick black wavy hair. He didn’t have tattoos, at least none that she could see. She would have described him as a handsome young man, but he had a nasty scar on the left side of his face running along his jaw, like someone had cut it with something sharp. Despite that blemish, the boy was handsome, much like her Angel. However, Angel would never have treated anyone, much less an old lady, like he and the other boy did.

       “Where is that bendejo, Puta?” the ugly fat boy asked.

       Carmen’s glare was her answer, and the only answer he would get.

       He slapped her. Her ear rang, and from the coppery taste, she knew the inside of her mouth was bleeding.

       “Juan, that’s no way to treat this lady.”

       Content for the moment to watch and listen, these were the first words the girl had spoken.

       She was on the small, skinny side, with long black hair falling past her shoulders, and had large dark eyes, and a beautiful smile. Under any other circumstances, Carmen would have thought she was beautiful. The type of girl she had hoped Angel would come home with one day. But Carmen understood that while she looked beautiful, under all that beauty was the ugliness of sin and Satan.

       The girl sat down on the couch, but turned to gaze at Carmen.

       “I apologize for Juan. He can be rude when he wants something badly.”

       Her voice was light and musical.

       “About a year ago, a friend of ours was killed in your house. His name was Ricardo Fuentes. There were other boys killed too, including your son, Manny. We would like to speak to your son, Angel, about this.”

       Carmen blinked and turned ashen. No one was supposed to know this. The details. She shivered and hugged herself.

       The girl smiled sweetly, but Carmen wasn’t fooled.

       “Angel had nothing to do with that,” Carmen growled. “Manny killed those boys, and he got himself killed.”

       The fat boy, Juan, stepped forward and pulled his hand back for another slap, but the girl held out her hand and stopped him.

       “If you tell us where Angel is, we could speak to him and find out his side of the story, and then we’ll leave.”

       “There is no other side to the story,” Carmen said, her eyes darting from the mean boy to the girl.

       “There are always sides to a story, Mother. Sometimes there is the truth. Sometimes a lie.” The girl raised her eyebrows and smiled as Carmen turned her head from her. “Sometimes there are shades of truth.”

       That startled Carmen. First, she wondered who had broken their promise. Second, if it was like everything else in her long life, the promise made that ugly, awful night was only an illusion. No one was supposed to know what had happened. The three cops had assured her, Angel, and the two other boys that if no one spoke of it, all of them would be safe. It had been at least a year, perhaps more, and she had just begun to relax, believing in the lie’s safety.

       She shook her head sadly. Like any mother would do, she would do her best to keep Angel safe. The other two boys and the three cops were on their own.

       “Manny killed them and Manny got killed. That is all there is to know.”

       “Mother, we would like to know where Angel is so we can speak to him. We drove a long way from Chicago, and we would like to go back yet tonight. It is getting late.”

       “There is nothing more to say.”

       The girl stood up and walked back to the kitchen. There were clean dishes on one side of the sink, and the other side was filled with soapy water. The girl picked up a cell phone from the counter. The woman must have been doing dishes and set it aside so it wouldn’t get wet, but near enough if someone called.

       She walked back into the living room carrying the phone. There wasn’t a lock screen, and it wasn’t password protected. She flipped through contacts and popped Angel’s contact information up on the screen.

       The girl sat back down and handed the cell to the woman.

       “Please call Angel and tell him he has a visitor who would like to speak with him. He’ll want to know who, so just tell him it is an acquaintance from Chicago.”

       Carmen held the phone to her breast.

       “There is nothing more to tell you. I already told you Manny shot those boys and was killed that night.”

       “That may be true, but we want to hear that from Angel. Now. Please call him and tell him to come home.”

       Carmen said nothing, but she was scared. Not so much for herself, but for Angel.

       “Mother, I am losing my patience. We have a long drive ahead, and we need to speak with Angel. Call him and tell him to come home. Do it now!”

       “No.”

       The girl snatched the phone away from her, and then nodded to the fat boy with tattoos.

       Without taking his eyes off of Carmen, he dragged the short sword out of the scabbard slowly, and for show. He wanted the maximum effect.

       When the three of them entered her little house, it didn’t take long for Carmen to understand how it was going to end. She wasn’t sorry for herself, but wanted to spare Angel. He was a good boy and didn’t deserve what was going to happen.

       “Last chance. Will you call Angel and tell him to come home? Or will Juan have to hurt you with his cuchillo largo?”

       “There is nothing more to say. Besides, I’m going to die tonight, anyway.”

       The girl sighed dramatically, and said, “It didn’t have to be this way, Mother.”

       The girl nodded at Juan, who, with a sly, sick grin, plunged the long knife into Carmen’s stomach.

       Carmen grunted, eyes bulged, and she bent over slightly. Juan pulled his long knife out and grabbed Carmen by her hair, forcing her to stare up at him.

       He said, “I look forward to doing this to your bendejo son. Only more slowly and with more pain, Puta.” Then plunged it in again, this time higher, aiming for just below her breastbone.

       He pulled out his knife and wiped it clean on Carmen’s dress as she pitched to the side, dead.

—

I hope you enjoyed both the snippet from Caught in a Web and the snippet from Black Yéʼii (The Evil One). I’ve included the description and the purchase link to Caught in a Web below for your convenience in case any of you would like to read it before Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) comes out. Of course, you can find all my books, their descriptions and purchase links on my website at www.jrlewisauthor.com

“This important, nail-biting crime thriller about MS-13 sets the bar very high. One of the year’s best thrillers.” –Best Thrillers

The bodies of high school and middle school kids are found dead from an overdose of heroin and fentanyl. The drug trade along the I-94 and I-43 corridors and the Milwaukee Metro area is controlled by MS-13, a violent gang originating from El Salvador. Ricardo Fuentes is sent from Chicago to Waukesha to find out who is cutting in on their business, shut it down and teach them a lesson. But he has an ulterior motive: find and kill a fifteen-year-old boy, George Tokay, who had killed his cousin the previous summer.

Detectives Jamie Graff, Pat O’Connor and Paul Eiselmann race to find the source of the drugs, shut down the ring, and find Fuentes before he kills anyone else, especially George or members of his family.

https://amzn.to/2GrU51T

I would like to know your thoughts. Please use the comment section below. Always, thank you for following along on my writing journey. Until next time …

A Snippet from Fan Mail

Thriller-Crime-Fiction with a Coming-of-Age Thread by Joseph Lewis

Fan Mail is one of my favorite books. I know it might not be cosher to fall in love with one author’s works over another, but this one, Fan Mail, meant much to me as I wrote it, and even after a year, it still means much to me. I smiled, laughed, wept and in some spots, sobbed as I wrote it. From what my readers tell me, they did the same.

Thriller-Crime-Mystery is a huge genre with many authors tackling it successfully. Some like James Patterson, David Baldacci, and John Sandford (three of my go-to authors) have made a happy living writing in it. What sets me apart from them and most writers of the genre, I think, is that I blend a coming-of-age thread into each book. I believe it’s because of my years in education and counseling, but it could just be what I’m interested in exploring. In any case, it works for me.

It’s safe to say Fan Mail is, at its core, a coming-of-age story embedded in a tight thriller-crime-mystery. It’s more the former than the latter, but both the pure thriller reader and the coming-of-age reader will get their fix. At least, that’s what some of the reviewers hinted at. I’ll post some reviews after the snippet, along with the synopsis and the link for purchase.

This snippet comes midway through the end of Chapter 44. Jeremy, the boys’ adoptive father and husband to Vicky, has come home from the hospital. He suffered what he calls a “heart event” but what everyone else calls a “heart attack.” It was brought on by stress: a car bomb, ever threatening letters, and friction amongst his adopted boys. Those things and a fairly unhealthy lifestyle of high caloric food and not enough exercise pushed him into the hospital.

He sits at the kitchen table surrounded by his wife and his boys, and is intent on reassuring his family he’s okay, but as he states, he needs to make some adjustments to the way he has lived. Like many of us, I guess. Randy, his first adopted son tried to hijack the meeting, but Jeremy politely, and Brett not so politely, asked/told him to remain quiet.

Brian feels he is the focal point of the conversation, and he, like some of the other brothers, feel he is the reason for Jeremy’s heart attack. He has had enough. Enough of Randy. Enough of the unwanted attention and what he thinks are the silent, accusatory glances from Jeremy and some of his brothers. Pushed to the end of his rope, Brian interrupts Jeremy’s agenda with his own.

…

“You and I have never been the same since Bobby’s and my relationship began. That’s the only thing I can think of that caused it.”

He sighed. He didn’t know how what he said next might land, but he said, “Honestly, I don’t think you like me, and I don’t think you love me. I don’t know if it’s because I’m gay or because of Bobby’s and my relationship or what. But that’s how I feel.”

Jeremy leaned forward and objected when Brian said, “Please, let me finish. Please.”

Remembering Jeff’s caution to him, Jeremy nodded, his eyes downcast.

“My relationship with Bobby hurt this family. I never meant for that to happen, and neither did Bobby. As hard as it is, he and I needed to end it. Mostly me, I guess.”

Jeremy leaned forward again, but Brian held out his hand to stop him from speaking.

“I love this family. I love living here. Or at least I did. Honestly, I’m not so sure anymore.” He made eye contact with each of the boys, except for Randy, and said, “But you guys are my friends.”

His right hand shook even more, so he held onto it with his left. He took a deep breath.

“I gave a lot to this family. That guy in the woods. I kept thinking, ‘I can’t let him get to the house. I have to stop him.’ I kept thinking that. I didn’t want anyone hurt or killed. He had to be stopped.”

“We know, Brian,” Billy said.

“Please, let me finish,” Brian said.

Billy nodded. Vicky took a tissue and dabbed at her eyes. Randy stared at his folded hands on the table. George looked down at his lap. Two glanced around the table at everyone, mostly at Jeremy.

“When we were in Arizona, I had to protect Brett and George.” Brian turned to Vicky and said, “I know you blame yourself for what happened, but I would have done the same thing even if I didn’t make that promise to you. I love Brett and George.”

“He turned to Jeremy and said, “I know how important George is to you.” He turned to Vicky and said, “And I know how important Brett and Michael are to you.”

Brian paused as he chose his words carefully and deliberately. He finally said, “I know how important Randy, and Billy, and George are to dad, and I know how important Brett, and Bobby, and Michael are to you.” What he didn’t say, but felt, was that he didn’t know if he was important to either of them.

He felt a lump growing in his chest, and a tear dribbled down his cheek, followed by others.

“I did what I did in Arizona because I love this family. I didn’t want our family ruined. If something would have happened to either Brett or George or Michael, our family would have been a mess, and I think I would have been blamed.”

Both Vicky and Jeremy objected. “No, Brian, that’s not right.” “You did more than you should have. You put your life on the line.”

Brian heard it, but it didn’t matter. Brett reached out and tried to take hold of Brian’s shaking hand, but Brian snatched it away from him.

“I look at everything that has happened since then.” He held up his shaking hand and said, “This. My nightmares, even though I haven’t had them in a long time. The scars around my right eye.” He grabbed at the white hair on his head and said, “This shit.” He took off his glasses, and smashed them on the table and said, “I have to wear these stupid things.”

The boys blinked and sat back like a grenade had been tossed on the table. Vicky jumped in her seat. Jeremy felt like he needed to say something, anything. But Brian plowed on.

He chuckled without mirth, and said, “And you know what? I’d do it all again to make sure you guys were safe. All of you. Even you, Randy.”

He shook his head, wiped tears off his face with his hands and said, “I think about the night before you went to the hospital and all the stuff you said. I know you were upset about the letters, but I think there was more to it than that. Like I said, I don’t think you like me, and I don’t think you love me. I think you regret adopting me and you regret letting me move in.”

Brian sighed, stood up, and said, “Sorry if it upsets you, but that’s how I feel. No matter what I do or what I’ve done to help this family, it’s not good enough. I’ve screwed it up. For all of you.”

He pushed his chair in and said, “The one thing I regret the most is when we were in Arizona, when I walked up the hill above George’s ranch and I was alone. What I regret the most is that I didn’t pull the trigger.”

Brian walked out of the kitchen despite Jeremy urging him to stay. He left the broken glasses on the table and walked up the stairs to his bedroom. He shut and locked the door behind him. He didn’t even allow Papa or Jasper in the room with him.

—

That was a tough scene to write for me. I had to showcase Brian’s feelings in a way that was honest yet not disrespectful. It was one of many tough scenes in Fan Mail. Raw emotion drips from almost each page, and never really lets up, even after you close the book.

As promised, here are some reviews for Fan Mail, along with the synopsis and the purchase link. You can check out all my books on my website located at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com

Thanks for following along with me on my writing journey. I’d love to hear what you think, so please drop me a note using the comment section below. Until next time …

“Fan Mail is not just a thrilling suspense novel; it also delves into themes of loyalty, family, and the lengths to which individuals are willing to go to protect their loved ones. The story prompts readers to ponder what they might do in similar circumstances, highlighting the complexities of human nature.

In conclusion, Fan Mail is a compelling and suspenseful thriller that captivates readers with its intricate plot, well-developed characters, and thought-provoking themes. Joseph Lewis skillfully explores the consequences of obsession and violence on a close-knit family, making this book an engrossing and emotionally charged read. Fans of thrilling and suspenseful novels will find “Fan Mail” to be a gripping and satisfying addition to the genre.” – Ultimate World, Reviewer

“Fan Mail masterfully explores brotherhood and healing while delivering a compelling crime thriller in this latest from Joseph Lewis.” – Sublime Book Review

“An emotionally explosive and life-affirming coming of age story wrapped within a simmering crime thriller.” – BestThrillers.com

“Starts with a bang and does not stop its relentless shrapnel barrage until you are crying with the characters. Fabulous job by the author. You want to read this one.” – Tina O’Hailey, author of Dark Drink

“Fan Mail is like a mirror held up to contemporary society, brilliantly reflecting and portraying our lives, struggles, troubles, delicate relationships, and so much more.” – Readers’ Favorite

“An interesting coming-of-age novel with a dark twist. Looking forward to the next one.” – Joan Livingston, author of the Isabel Long Mystery Series

“Short chapters, fast-paced, and terrific attention to telling details combined with a strong plot and great characters added up to a satisfying read. Thanks for another excellent story!” – Karen E. Osborne, author of Reckonings and Tangled Lies

A barrage of threatening letters, a car bomb, and a heart attack rip apart what was once a close-knit family of adopted brothers.

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?

https://tinyurl.com/3bms74r5

A Snippet from Betrayed!

#1 on Amazon, a Thriller by Joseph Lewis

After I had written six books, I wanted to take the reader back to the Navajo Nation Reservation in Northeastern Arizona, home of George Tokay, one of the adopted brothers in the Evans family. It is also home to a character I introduce in Betrayed, Michael Two Feathers, who everyone calls Two. His importance is key to the action in Betrayed, and in subsequent books, Blaze In, Blaze Out and Fan Mail.

This chapter takes place in a hospital on the reservation. Detective Pat O’Connor is banged up and suffering from a severe concussion when his truck was run off the road. FBI Agent Ron Reyna was shot by an unknown assailant. He suffers from a significant shoulder wound. The only healthy cop on the case is Detective Jamie Graff.

The three cops received a panicked message from Brett McGovern, a fifteen-year-old who, who along with Brian Evans and Two are hunted by an unknown group on the reservation. The cops don’t know why, and neither do the three boys. More alarming is that the boys don’t know they are being hunted. But clearly, they are in danger, as the injuries to the two cops indicate.

CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR

Sutured and wearing a sling, Reyna waved away any of the pain meds the emergency doctor offered him with the explanation, “I need to think clearly.”

“I’m sure you’re in a great deal of pain, but if not, you will be. You will need these meds.”

Reyna slipped his arm out of the sling and buttoned up his bloody shirt using his one good hand. He fumbled badly and got buttons linked to the wrong holes. He tucked in the front half of his shirt, but the back hung out. Reyna slipped his arm back into his sling and tried to smile at Graff, but failed. His dimple didn’t show. He listed to the side and steadied himself on the hospital bed. He fought off a wave of nausea, but regained his balance.

A young nurse holding a clipboard and pen opened the curtain, stepped around it, and closed the curtain behind her.

“Because it was a gunshot, there are a few questions to ask.”

“I gave you everything you need.” He nodded at Graff and said, “My partner and I need to go. We don’t have time.”

“Sir,” the nurse said as she stood in front of him.

Graff cleared his throat and said, “Ron, answer the questions. I’ll go up and see Pat. When you’re done, meet me up there.”

Reyna sighed, and to the nurse said, “What do you need?”

Graff turned around and left. The emergency doc was waiting for him beyond the curtain and motioned him away towards the nurse’s station.

“Here are pain meds. I know neither you nor I can force feed him these, but you know him better than I do. If he needs something, here they are,” he said handing them a small plastic bottle with ten pills. “Whether or not he admits it, he’s in a great deal of pain.”

Graff smiled, took the bottle and shoved it into his front shirt pocket. “He’s a tad bullheaded, but I’ll see what I can do.”

Graff went off in search of his friend and sometime partner. The room wasn’t hard to find because two men, a chubby, stocky Navajo cop, and a young guy with a haircut that screamed ‘Fed!’ sat outside the door. Both stood as Graff approached.

“I’m Jamie Graff, a detective from Waukesha, Wisconsin. Pat O’Connor is my friend. He’s a sheriff detective from Waukesha County. We’ve worked together, and both of us came out here to help George Tokay and Rebecca Morning Star find Charles, Rebecca’s brother and George’s friend.”

Neither of them moved.

Graff tried again. “Could one of you check with Pat and let him know I’m here?”

“Jamie, come in,” O’Connor said loudly enough for the bookends to hear.

“Excuse me,” Graff said. Neither moved, so he slid between them.

He spied O’Connor and chuckled. “You look like shit.”

“I feel like shit.”

Graff sat down in an uncomfortable chair at the side of the bed, stared at his friend, and said, “Seriously, how do you feel?”

“I seriously feel like shit.”

“What’s hurting?”

O’Connor slid a finger under the sunglasses he wore, rubbed first one eye and then the other and said, “Easier to tell you what doesn’t. I hurt all over. I think my head was run over. My back is killing me. I don’t know what the hell happened to my arms or hand, but they hurt when I move them.”

“At least you have good-looking sunglasses,” Graff smirked.

“Yeah, well . . .”

“I think the military calls them B.C.Gs.”

“What’s that mean?”

Graff smiled and said, “Birth Control Glasses, because anyone who wears them won’t get anything from anyone.”

O’Connor glared at him and said, “Besides giving me a hard time, is there a reason you came up here?”

Graff looked down at the floor, then leaned forward and spoke quietly.

“Something’s bothering me, Pat. Something’s not right about any of this.”

O’Connor waited.

“I get that Goodnight would check George’s land to see if anyone was on it. Reyna mentioned that word travels fast around here, so he might have picked up that George and the boys were there.”

“And?”

“That might explain Goodnight. He wants to build a resort, so he scares ranchers by killing their sheep to intimidate them.”

“He’s stupid, but not really a criminal, if you know what I mean.”

Graff nodded, “Agreed!”

“So,” O’Connor prompted.

“We also know that Desert Security is on the reservation ostensibly to protect some mining company who wants to do some drilling.”

O’Connor almost nodded, but thought better of it and sat still.

“But there’s something bothering me about all of this. How did they know you were a cop? How did they know where you were staying? How did they know what road you were on?”

“I found a GPS tracker on my car, remember?”

Graff nodded and said, “Yeah, I remember. But how did they know to put it on your car? How did they know you were dangerous to them?”

O’Connor looked towards the door as Reyna strolled in.

“What the hell happened to you?” O’Connor asked.

“Someone shot at us. We left Goodnight and were headed to the pond to check on the boys,” Reyna said.

“What the fuck is going on?” O’Connor asked.

“That’s only part of what bothers me,” Graff said.

“What?” Reyna asked.

“Here’s the thing,” Graff said. “According to Brett’s email and the pictures he sent to you, three guys just happened to show up at the Trading Post. According to Brett, who is perceptive about this shit- way more than any fifteen-year-old should be- they came looking for them. One of them said something like, ‘I thought you’d be bigger!’ when Michael came through the backdoor.”

“He thought Michael was George?” O’Connor said.

Reyna sat down on the side of the bed. He said, “Why would they be after the boys?”

“That’s one question. The other would be, how did they know the boys would be at the trading post?” Graff said.

The three men sat quietly. Finally, Reyna said, “They knew the boys would be there.”

O’Connor sat up straighter. He said, “Who told them the boys would show up there and at that time?”

“Why would someone tell them?” Reyna asked. “What could they possibly want with the boys? For all they or anyone knows, they’re camping and hunting. Dozens of tourists do that.”

“None of this makes sense. In any crime, pieces fall into place,” O’Connor said. Then he added, “This is doing nothing for my headache.”

Graff stood up, looked out the window, and then stepped quietly to O’Connor’s bed. He leaned over and whispered, “I don’t know the answers to your questions. I don’t know how the boys fit into this. Maybe just collateral. You’re right, nothing fits. Two seemingly separate groups of bad guys both wanting something that seems to be unrelated. But I’m wondering.” He paused, sat back down in the chair and leaned forward. He had whispered before, but he spoke even more softly. “I wonder if the same guy who shot at Ron and me tipped off the three guys about the boys being at the trading post.”

He let that sit there like an unexploded grenade.

It was Reyna who first registered the magnitude of Graff’s suggestion. Though aching and suffering from a major concussion, O’Connor wasn’t far behind.

“That makes sense in a weird way. What would he hope to gain?” Reyna asked as he squinted at the window beyond Graff.

“And why?” Graff added.

“We need to warn the boys,” Pat said.

—

FBI Agent Reyna is a new character and appears only in Betrayed, so far. I might bring him back in a future book. Detectives Graff and O’Connor are two characters who consistently appear in each book from Stolen Lives, Book One of the Lives Trilogy through Fan Mail and my newest that drops at the end of the year, Black Yéʼii (The Evil One). Of course, the Evans boys appear in each and every book.

I’d like to know what your thoughts, so please use the comment section below. You can find information for each of my books on my Author Website at www.jrlewisauthor.com

For your convenience, I’ve given you some reviews on Betrayed, along with the description and the purchase link. Betrayed is available in three formats: Audio, Kindle and Paperback.

#1 Best Seller (Amazon) in Traditional Detective Mysteries

Barnes and Noble Bestseller

2021 Maxy Award Runner-Up – Mystery/Suspense

2021 PenCraft Book Awards 1st Place – Thriller

Integrity is protecting someone who betrayed you. Courage is keeping a promise even though it might mean death.

A late-night phone call turns what was to be a fun hunting trip into a deadly showdown. Fifteen-year-old brothers George Tokay, Brian Evans and Brett McGovern face death on top of a mesa on the Navajo Nation Reservation in Arizona. They have no idea why men are intent on killing them.

Betrayed is a contemporary psychological thriller and an exploration of the heart and of a blended family of adopted kids, their relationships to each other and their parents woven into a tight mystery-thriller.

https://t.co/qnsaDNm7Df

“…a larger mystery that quickly turns violent – even deadly.” -Books with Bircky

“An action-packed thriller that grabbed my attention from the start.” -Sharon Beyond the Books

“To call Betrayed a thriller alone would be to do a disservice.” –Midwest Book Review

“A stirring and unusual tale of teenage love, adventure and murder.” –Best Thrillers

“A layered story that explodes into a bullet-riddled climax.” –Rick Treon, award-winning author of Deep Background

“…a great psychological thriller…This book was entertaining and I loved learning about the different tribes.” -Hannah Loves to Read

Meet Brooke French – An Author!

I felt I needed to broaden my horizons a touch. Even though Brooke French is another Black Rose Writing author, she writes in a genre I seldom, if ever, read. After my interview with Brooke, I decided I need to check out her books.

Brooke French is an author, a recovering lawyer, and a boy mom. She got her undergraduate degree in English from Emory University, followed by a law degree, which, after many long and sometimes fulfilling years of practice, she mainly uses now as a coaster for the cup of coffee she puts down only to type.

She is someone I would characterize as a research hound, and you will see it for yourself as you read the interview. While I research topics related to what I’m writing, it is through her research that gives her the idea for a book. Here is my interview with Brooke French.

What was it that made you decide you had a story to tell and to become an author?

I’m happiest when I’m either reading or writing, and it’s been that way for as long as I can remember.

As an author or writer, what sets you apart from others?

Medical thrillers can get weighed down by the science. I try hard not to do that, while still respecting the science. A thriller should be fast, engaging, and impossible to put down. I write the kinds of things I want to read. Dark, fast-paced, escapist fun. My goal is to write something so immersive, you’ll burn your dinner reading it.

How do ideas for your stories present themselves? How do you know what story lines to follow and which to ignore?

Because my books are based in science, I almost always get my story ideas from falling down a research rabbit hole. I’ll see something and think — man, that’s amazing. And then I wind up ignoring my life and responsibilities while I scour the bookstore for relevant books, read scientific journals, and watch YouTube tutorials. Usually, when I come up for air, I’ve got the start of a good story tumbling around in my brain.

What genre do you write, and why?

I write thrillers and suspense. They are the genres I most like to read.

Besides writing and telling a good story, do you have any other talents?

I was, once upon a time, a litigator for a big Atlanta law firm. I was good at it, but it made me miserable. I’m also a good cook and baker. Post-children, my menus are less extravagant. But there are few non-book-related places I’d rather be than in the kitchen with my family (especially when my mom can be there), working on a bunch of fun recipes together.

If you were to name one or two books that you deem unforgettable and that had a major impact on you, what would they be, and why?

I read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein when I was in middle school, and it was the first time I really thought about the structure of writing. It’s a story, within a story, within a story. So many big themes and yet, it reads like a thriller. Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre also really captured me as a young reader. I could see myself in Jane (not that I was an abused orphan — my parents are lovely). But the character spoke to me in a way that solidified my love of reading and, later, writing.

What authors do you read regularly? Why?

My auto-buy authors are Riley Sager, Robert Galbraith, Lisa Jewell, Sarah J. Maas, Julia Heaberlin, and Candice Fox. They have all mastered the art of what they do. Some write outside my genres, but even so, they know how to build stories you can’t put down. And, ultimately, that’s what I want when I read. These authors deliver. Every single time. 

If you were to have dinner with 5 individuals living or dead, who would they be and why?

This list would be much longer if fictional characters could be included, but here goes: Henry Cavill, Ian Somerhalder, Jason Momoa, Idris Elba, and Ryan Gosling. Or my grandparents.

What is your writing routine? When you write, do you plan or outline ahead or are you a “pantser”?

I’m most productive in the mornings. I try to go out for a hike or a run after I drop the kids at school, then settle in at my computer to write until lunch. I also work in the afternoons and evenings, but I’m more interrupted then and more likely to get distracted, even without my family there to do it.

Summers and school breaks are a different story. I live in a tiny house, which means I have no designated writing space. So I’m usually working the dining table or the kitchen counter, in the middle of my family’s noise and madness. I’ve learned to mostly tune them out, but when I can’t, I escape to coffee shops to work. It’s heaven, i.e. unlimited caffeine, and no one asks me for snacks.

When writing, how much do you read? Do you read in or out of your genre?

I read a lot. And, while I favor the genres I write in, I read all sorts of things. The only genre I actively avoid is non-fiction. I only read it when a new writing craft book comes out or I’m doing research for a book.

Is there something you set out to do, but somehow, it didn’t work out for you? (In writing, or something else you felt was important to you at the time?)

I used to love playing tennis, but my body doesn’t anymore.

What tips would you give to new or even experienced writers?

Find yourself a good critique group. At a certain point, you can’t see your own mistakes. You need writing friends to help you get better.

How did you “teach” yourself to write or did it just come naturally? What lessons would you pass on to others?

When I started working on my first novel, I read all sorts of how-to books on writing. Some were wonderful, others not so much. But every one taught me something.

I learned most of what I know, though, from other writers. This touches back on my answer to the last question. You only get better at writing by doing it. A lot. And then, once you think it’s as good as you can get it, give it to a writing friend and let them show you ways to make it even better.

How do you handle a negative critique?

No one likes a negative critique. But they are how you get better. The harder part is learning when it’s okay to ignore them.

I struggled with this in my first book. I accepted every edit. And some were really off-base. It took time for me to tell the difference and, as a result, that book went through a lot more revision than the projects I’ve worked on since.

Is there a type of writing/genre that you find difficult to write? Why?

Romance was hard for me at first. It wasn’t a genre I’d read a lot of, and, when I started trying to write my first romantic sub-plot, I wasn’t sure how best to build the characters’ relationship on the page. I read a decent amount of it now, and I actually really enjoy writing it.

How important are the elements of character, setting, and atmosphere to a story, and why?

Vital. Without any of these elements, a story will feel flat and incomplete.

Do you see yourself in any of the characters you create? How/Why?

Absolutely. My characters aren’t me, but the cadence of my thinking often comes through in what they say or how they say it.

Is there an unforgettable or memorable character that will not leave your head, either of your own creation or from a book you’ve read?

I can think of two. Cormoran Strike from Robert Galbraith’s series by the same name and Claire Fraser from Diana Gabaldan’s Outlander series. Both characters read like fully formed, complete people. Flawed but likable. By the first chapter of the first book in both (very long) series, you can’t help but feel that you know them.

Tell us about your most recent book. How did you come up with the concept?

I came across an article about polar bears when I was researching a different book and read they are one of the only creatures on the planet who actually see humans as prey. Unlike other bears, they will stalk us. I loved the idea of a character lost in the wild, facing a predator like that.

The deeper I researched, the more terrifying I realized the bears are. And, of course, the more I wanted to write about them.

How did you come up with the title?

The book I’m writing now is the second in the Letty Duquesne series. In Letty’s world, the balance of nature has shifted. Animals have become dangerous, and humans are the most dangerous animals of all. Those themes are reflected in all the titles in the series.

From your book, who is your favorite character? Who is your least favorite character? Why?

Letty Duquesne is probably my favorite. She’s the protagonist in my next book (and in my first). She’s smart, fierce, and absolutely dedicated to her job. But she’s also impulsive enough to get herself into some seriously fun trouble.

As for least favorite… I loosely based one of the characters in Inhuman Acts on someone I know (and hate) in real life. In the interest of not finding a bag of flaming dog poop on my front stoop, I think I’ll keep mum as to the identity of both.

I hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I did, and I hope you check out her books. You might find a new favorite author!

I would love to hear your thoughts, so please use the comment section below. Thanks for following along on my writing journey, and until next time …

Social Media Links for Brooke French:

www.brookelfrench.com

https://www.instagram.com/brookelewisfrench/

https://www.facebook.com/brooke.l.french

Here are links to where you can find her books:

Currently in Preorder:

https://www.amazon.com/Unnatural-Intent…/dp/1685134971#brookelfrench#unnaturalintent#lettyduquesne#blackrosewriting

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-carolina-variant-brooke-l-french/1143126586?ean=9781685132187

Here are links to where you can find her first book:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/inhuman-acts-brooke-l-french/1141459948?ean=9781685130350