Interview with Kerry Donovan, Author of #Adventure Story, On Lucky Shores

Today, I welcome Irish-born author and ex-triathlete, Kerry Donovan, on my Blog to answer questions about his books, his life and his latest release: ON LUCKY SHORES

ON LUCKY SHORES

In an action-packed tale of secrets and lies in small town America, Chet Walker is a man forced to make decisions that will affect his future and the life of the woman he loves.

Witness to a car crash and in receipt of a cryptic message from a dying man, traveling musician, Chet Walker, reaches the picturesque lakeside town of Lucky Shores. He faces hostility and suspicion from the locals and learns that the information he carries could unlock an eight-year-old mystery—it could also get him killed.
Josephine Dolan, owner of the Lucky Shores diner, wants to bury her past. When Walker arrives with a message from her father, she doesn't want to hear it. She cuts him cold.
When his life is threatened, Chet Walker learns the truth behind the saying, “no good deed goes unpunished.”

Buy Links:

US http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AKAWIW2

UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01AKAWIW2

Tell us about your latest release, including its genre. Does it cross over to other genres? If so, what are they? 

KJD: Okay where do I start?

Out today is my latest novel, ON LUCKY SHORES. It is an adventure story set in the Colorado Rockies in fictional lakeside town of Lucky Shores.

On some levels, the book could be called a modern-day western. It has a lone hero, Chet Walker, a musician with a troubled past, who stumbles upon a mystery that might just get him killed. He arrives in town in search of a gig, but some of the townspeople think he’s part of an eight-year old robbery. They and decide he might tell them where the missing money is if they ask him nicely. In this instance, ‘asking nicely’ includes trying to beat information out of him.

Chet doesn’t have a clue what’s really going on in town, but with the help of the owner of the local diner, the plucky and beautiful Joey Dolan, they investigate.

In the book, I introduce an ensemble cast of familiar and not-so-familiar characters: the grizzled sheriff and his young deputy, vicious thugs, colorful locals, a female mayor, and a helpful doctor. Hidden among them is at least one thief and killer.

If readers like ON LUCKY SHORES, I have plenty of material to turn it into a series.

As for crossover, ON LUCKY SHORES has action, adventure, mystery, and romance. How’s that?

Why did you write your book (or series)?

KJD: I love the stranger in a hostile town vibe. I grew up watching the old Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns, FISTFUL OF DOLLARS and FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE and wanted to see whether I could write something similar but with less overt violence and set in the modern day. In ON LUCKY SHORES, I think I’ve managed to strike the right balance—at least I hope so.

What do you find are the best and worst parts of being an indie author?

KJD: The worst part is having to do everything yourself: writing, cover designing, editing and proofreading (although I have hired help these days), and promoting.

Strangely, the best part is being able to do everything yourself. What I mean here is I’m a control freak and I love having total control over the product. The buck stops with me and I’m fine with that. On top of everything else, I keep a much great percentage of the royalties, too. Tee hee.  

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

KJD: I’m a sports nut. I used to be a triathlete, I was a competitive cyclist, and I have completed a number of marathons. Unfortunately, I’m getting too old to compete these days and have resorted jogging very slowly around my local area. I also make furniture and play guitar. After that, there’s very little time for anything apart from spending time video calling with my children and grandchildren. Sweet, aren’t I?

How much of your personality is in your main character?

KJD: Let me see. Chet Walker is tall, handsome, a musician, and heroic. I’m tall and play the guitar. Two out of four ain’t bad, right?

What interesting aspect of your life would surprise your readers?

KJD: Not sure this counts, but I used to be a furniture designer/maker and I completely restored our stone cottage here in Brittany. I did the lot, building, plumbing, electrical work, woodwork—I made most of the furniture in the house including the fitted kitchen.

Also, I’m a former research scientist and studied human anatomy and physiology and pride myself on getting the medical parts of my stories right. That’s why you’ll never read a line in my books like: “The blood pumped through his veins.”

Why?

Blood pumps through the arteries not the veins. The veins are passive, blood flows through them, but doesn’t pump. Sorry, but that’s the truth of it. J

Are your stories driven by plot or character?

KJD: Yes! Tee hee.

Seriously though, I write character-based thrillers and for me, the character is everything.

If I read a book with the greatest plot in the world, it means nothing if I don’t care about the characters. I don’t have to like them all, especially the villains, but I do have to care what happens to them. Without believable characters, I find it impossible to get lost in a book.

In my books, I try to make the characters come alive. Readers of ON LUCKY SHORES will tell me whether I’ve succeeded.

What do you enjoy most about writing?

KJD: I can lose myself in a world of my own imagination without running the risk of the men in white coats taking me away—again. J

What are your current projects and plans for the future?

KJD: I’m currently in the middle of writing the fourth in my DCI JONES CASEBOOK series of British crime thrillers. (Picture attached to the email).

DCI (that’s Detective Chief Inspector) David Jones is a particular favorite of mine and is based, in part, on my father. In the latest Casebook, CRYER’S VIEW, I tell the story from the perspective of David Jones’ protégé, Detective Sergeant Phil Cryer.

Phil has an eidetic memory and it’s a real blast writing about someone who can’t use the “sorry, I forgot,” excuse when he doesn’t do the washing up. In CRYER’S VIEW, Phil goes undercover to find a cop killer. I hope to publish it in early summer.

 

Author Bio

Kerry J Donovan was born in Dublin. He spent most of his life in the UK, and now lives in Brittany with his wife of thirty-eight years. He has three children and four grandchildren, all of whom live in England. He is an absentee granddad and praises the development of video calling.

Kerry has a PhD in Sport and Exercise Sciences, and as a former scientific advisor to The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Kerry helped UK emergency first-responders prepare for chemical attacks in the wake of 9/11.

Family apart, Kerry has three loves: making furniture, sport, and writing (but not necessarily in that order).

Contact him:

Website: http://kerryjdonovan.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KerryJDonovan

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KerryJDonovan