I’m excited to introduce you to my writing.
Hello, Word Lovers!
Thunderhead Rising
My gritty thriller novel, Thunderhead Rising, takes readers into dark, shady worlds and the labyrinths of the mind. It’s the first in a planned series, and I’ve begun work on the sequel. After revising it based on recommendations from beta readers, critiquers, an agent, and a developmental editor, I’m delighted to say that it’s back out on submission.
Here’s a brief summary
It’s almost Christmas, but divorced Portland oncologist PETER CALDER isn’t celebrating. He longs for the unconditional love he feels he had throughout his idyllic childhood. But his jealous ex wants him back, and she’s threatened his new girlfriend. Concerned she’s neglecting his teenage children, he turns for help to a friend, MELINDA PATRICK, his ex-wife’s stepsister, a burned-out, lonely schoolteacher who’s looking for excitement and camaraderie. But Melinda has secrets that embroil them both in a game of deception, danger and murder.
FERNANDO RIOS is the powerful, enigmatic boss of a Pacific Coast drug smuggling and human trafficking enterprise operating out of a stronghold hidden in the forests of Western Oregon. He wants to reunite with the family who expelled him many years earlier, but they won’t allow it. When the Rios and Calder families collide, Peter and Melinda must rescue a circle of young victims while grappling with both their own inner demons and a crime boss out for revenge before a sinister operation destroys them all.
How I Came to Write this Novel
I was inspired to write this timely, contemporary novel when I learned Portland is a major hub for drug smuggling and human trafficking. I worked for ten years as a research assistant at a private institute funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. We studied and made policy recommendations regarding street drug use and addiction during the rise of Mexican cartels and organized sex and labor trafficking. The insight I gained, coupled with my personal and professional experience with individuals suffering from behavioral health issues, formed the foundation of Thunderhead Rising.
For the story of my Thunderhead Rising journey, please see the News and Updates page.
My Writing: Blogs and More
Blogs
Please check out my BLOGS, Write Right! and Oregon Author, on the Blog page. I’ll be excited to have you with me as we imagine our world through words.
El Dorado
Although I’ve been a writer and editor throughout my working life, my work has been mostly academic and business oriented. I have published a few magazine and newspaper articles. But my foray into novel writing has been something new. I did publish a coming of age short story, “El Dorado,” in The Promethean, the literary arts journal of Concordia University, several years ago.
In this story, two children make some discoveries about what is truly precious. It was inspired by some of my recollections of the humor, pathos, drama, fear and wonder of childhood. It’s a reminder to me of how we writers may grow in craft knowledge, technique and sophistication over the years. But hopefully we will never lose the sheer joy telling a story gave us from our earliest efforts.
May the Words Be with You.
I’d like to extend a personal invitation to subscribe to my email list. Stay in the know! Get alerts for new articles, blogs, events, contests, lists and more, many for subscribers only. And you’ll be the first to know the latest on Thunderhead Rising!
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