New York Minute and the reason for writing

Finally! A fixed publication date for New York Minute, 24 June, and the pre-order is live on all eBook platforms. Print will be live prior to pub date and the audio is being done this week and will be also be ready before pub date.

I’m more excited about this title than anything in years. I
wrote and rewrote this book from the heart. The characters are real to me—and that’s
what this book is about: character.

I was thinking about what I wanted to write in terms of
thriller over a year ago as I’m going back to that genre after years in science
fiction. I thought about a Jack Reacher type of character and story; especially
given the parallels in Reacher’s fictional life and my real one: Reacher was West
Point ’82, I was ’81. Reacher was in Lebanon during the bombing while my unit,
10th Special Forces was running the MTT there when that tragedy
occurred. Reacher’s mother is French from Strasbourg; my wife’s mother is
French from Strasbourg.

I love Lee Child’s books, but as he says in the new opening
to Killing
Floor (a must read), Jack Reacher is a mythical character. A modern
knight. I realized I couldn’t write such a character, perhaps because of my own
flaws. I wanted to write someone like the special ops people I’ve known, warts
and all, but with a deep moral code, who is forced, against his will, into
making a decision that he swore never to make. I wanted to surround him with a
cast of re-occurring characters, each with their own flaws, strengths and
backstory, and, most importantly, secrets. There are characters in this book
that will grow much deeper as the series goes on.

I’ve rewritten this book more than any book I’ve ever
written. And, by delaying publication, I was able to write most of the next
book, Lawyers, Guns and Money and it will be published just 90 days later.
By doing that, I was able to deepen the characters and go back to New
York Minute and make adjustments. I already see the third book, Walk on
the Wild Side as I know the exact image at the end of Lawyers that will
propel Will Kane, the protagonist, into that story.

I’m thrilled to move Will Kane forward in time from 1977. Not
just in New York City, but as he gets involved in events such as the founding
of Delta Force and Desert One.

Honestly, another one of my goals is to break this book &
series out long term as an indie author. I’ve successfully been publishing
without the backing of a Big 5 publisher or Amazon for a number of years. In
this day and age, the entrepreneur can make their own way as I have been doing
for a long time. As such, I’m thankful to my readers for their continued
support.

Nothing but good times ahead!