A writer's journey...

Do you hear voices?   In this case I’m not referring to the creative urging that propel writers to sit at their computers churning out thousands of words, I am referring to the actual condition that many experience. It’s actually more common than most would think.  There is a lot of controversy about this condition. Psychiatry still considers it a symptom of schizophrenic disorders, manic depression and psychosis, but it’s usually a consequence of abuse or a traumatic life situation. In fact, 70% of people who hear voices first detect them after physical or sexual abuse, an accident, or the loss of a loved one. In actuality only one out of three “voice hearers” requires psychiatric help. However, it is often treated with major tranquilizers, but it’s not the solution and in many cases make things worse. These drugs can silent any good voices and increase the intensity of the bad ones--the ones that encourage harmful or illegal behavior. “Anti-psychotic drug...

WARNING: Don’t read this post if you are squeamish. It contains graphic information. (I have eliminated photos.) In real life: Yes, there is such a thing as ‘wax mummies.’ When a body is discomposing it needs oxygen and moisture, but when these levels fall of balance, it can result in the process of saponification resulting in adipocere. Ideally, for this to happen the environment is deprived of oxygen yet contains a high level of moisture. This process begins within a month and can carry on for centuries. Women, infants, and overweight persons are more likely to be affected. What is adipocere exactly? I’ll let Wikipedia explain.  “Adipocere, also known as corpse, grave or mortuary wax, is a wax-like organic substance formed by the anaerobic bacterial hydrolysis of fat in tissue, such as body fat in corpses. In its formation, putrefaction is replaced by a permanent firm cast of fatty tissues, ...

Thirty missing women in the period of six years. Now another has been abducted. One officer was right all along. Prince William County, Virginia has a serial killer preying on women. With the recent abduction, the FBI is called in and Brandon Fisher's team gets the assignment. There is more to it than just one missing woman—this dates back decades. They delve into the past cases, hoping it will shed light on the investigation, but with the discovery of a body and the report of another missing woman, their efforts are further intensified. They begin narrowing in on the cases from the last six years. What they find are heinous acts that rival what they witnessed in Salt Lick, Kentucky. They must stop a killer who plays out his twisted game of rape and torture—and they need to do so fast if there's going to be anyone left to save. NOW AVAILABLE! Amazon (Print and for Kindle) Apple Barnes & Noble Kobo Excerpt: Chapter 10 The room around her ke...

  I’ve written about strangulation ( Ties that Bind ), slit necks ( Justified ), drown victims ( Sacrifice ), men being eaten by dogs ( Assassination of a Dignitary ), torture and mutilation ( Eleven ), and now rape in Silent Graves . I’m even certain I’m missing some. Why do I write such dark subject matter? In simple response, these things scare me. If I write about what I fear then this is going to come across on the page. This built-in emotional connection will pass onto my readers and elicit a visceral response. Let’s face it if you’re a fan of the crime genre, you want to be taken to the edge. Not only do you want to have the intrigue of trying to figure out ‘who done it’, you want to experience something while you’re reading. Just as fans of romance want to feel the emotion of the characters’ love, of the trials they have to overcome to be together, crime fans want to be thrilled. I love finding justice for the victims, but I also have a need to understand why ...

I'm thrilled to announce the upcoming release of Silent Graves, the second in the Brandon Fisher FBI Series, as February 12th. This book follows Eleven published in 2011.  Here is some more information on the book itself, and how you can get an advanced reading copy just by agreeing to review it honestly when it's released. Thirty missing women in the period of six years. Now another has been abducted. One officer was right all along. Prince William County, Virginia has a serial killer preying on women. With the recent abduction, the FBI is called in and Brandon Fisher's team gets the assignment. There is more to it than just one missing woman—this dates back decades. They delve into the past cases, hoping it will shed light on the investigation, but with the discovery of a body and the report of another missing woman, their efforts are further intensified. They begin narrowing in on the cases from the last six years. What they find are heinous acts th...