#Authorpalooza2010 featuring John Locke @DonovanCreed

Want to give a warm welcome to one of twosome wonderful authors today, John Locke!!

 

I want to first thank John Locke for granting me this interview.

It’s my pleasure!

Hello John. I hope you are doing well. Now, lets begin the fun part.

When were you first inspired to become a writer?

I’ve been an avid reader all my life. When I was in the seventh grade I decided I wanted to write a novel. Unfortunately, I put that dream on layaway for almost 50 years!

Did you always want to become a writer or was it a spur of a moment impulse to try something new?

I always wanted to be an author, but what got me started was the free time I had one week, when there were no computers or TVs around.

From your background page, I see you’ve done all of other things besides being an amazing writer. Of all the jobs/careers you have had, what has been the most enjoyable one you’ve had before becoming an author?

I used to teach a marketing class for new insurance agents. I loved meeting people who had never sold anything in their lives and teaching them how to make a fortune selling insurance door-to-door.

What’s one day in the life of John Locke?

With the help of only one employee I manage eleven shopping centers, two marketing companies, and one holding company. I do all the accounting, negotiate and write all the leases, and study possible future acquisitions. I am a very involved dad to my kids, pick up one or the other from school every day, help with homework every night, and share driving time to all their many events. Oh, and when I get a minute or two here and there I try to stay in touch with my Twitter friends and do a little book writing!

What else do you do right now besides being an author? Or are you a fulltime writer?

Asked and answered above!

What’s one thing you love about being a writer? The least?

The thing I love most about being a writer are the friends I’ve met by doing this. The thing I love the least is that I have so little time available to devote to writing.

I just noticed you have a new book trailer for “Saving Rachel.” I definitely enjoyed watching it. Are you planning to have more book trailers done for your Lethal People and Lethal Experiment as well?

I already have a trailer for Lethal People. I haven’t decided about Lethal Experiment yet. I will definitely do book trailers for all future books. Claudia Jackson, of Telemachus Press, created the trailer you enjoyed. She is now my book trailer person!

Can you tell us how you came up with your Donovan Creed series?

After writing Lethal People, it was logical to continue the adventure and also fill in Creed and Callie’s back stories. So the sequel was obvious. Once that was written, I decided to use Creed sparingly, in unique ways, in order to fully develop his character. For example, he is a secondary character in Saving Rachel, a supporting character in Now & Then, and the narrator of Wish List.

Was it hard to get published when you first completed Lethal People?

I never tried to get published in a traditional manner. I decided early on that I would rather write novels than query letters. I figured if I was any good, and could develop a substantial following, the right agent or publisher would find me. By then, I might have five or six novels to sell instead of just one.

Can you tell us more about Now and Then?

Now & Then picks up the story of Donovan Creed and Rachel (yes, THAT Rachel!) shortly after the conclusion of their adventures in Saving Rachel. The story is in two parts. Part One centers around Creed and Rachel on vacation in the Florida beach town of St. Alban’s, where Creed attempts to solve a mystery involving a missing girl. Part Two is a pirate adventure, 300 years in the past, that sets the historical backdrop for the action in Part One. It sounds convoluted, but it’s a light, breezy romp that—according to those who have read it—reads faster than anything I’ve previously written.

And just how many books do you have planned for your Donovan Creed series?

I plan to write many more books, and expect Creed to be involved in one way or another in all of them, except, possibly, Mr. Wonderful.

And finally, do you have any plans for any other novels and/or new series?

I’ve just started writing Wish List, and expect to follow that up with Peer Pressure and Mr. Wonderful.

You can find out more about John here:

Website:

www.savingrachel.com
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/DonovanCreed

Here are some blurbs from the titles in the Donovan Creed Series:

Lethal People
A Donovan Creed Series Book #1

While pursuing a budding romance with the beautiful Kathleen Gray, Creed stumbles upon a plucky—but horribly burned—little girl named Addie Dawes. Creed's suspicion

about the fire that killed Addie's family puts him on a collision course with crime boss Joe DeMeo, in what soon becomes an issue of kill or be killed.

DeMeo, a relentless killer who will stop at nothing to protect his empire—targets Creed and his loved ones for death. But Creed has plans of his own. Employing a bizarre cast of characters including a giant, a rival crime lord, an angry midget bent on world conquest—and a team of circus clowns—Creed goes on the attack, with hilarious results.

Lethal People—despite the title—is a breezy, fun read with excellent pacing, snappy dialogue and quirky characters that will keep you chuckling late into the night.

Lethal Experiment

A Donovan Creed Series Book #2

Donovan Creed, former CIA assassin, is a smart-aleck tough guy who can't resist a noble cause. Despite a ton of baggage and a penchant for call girls, he always finds a way to beat the bad guys.

In this sequel to Lethal People, Creed is forced to choose between his thriving contract-killer business and his desire to live a normal life with the beautiful Kathleen Gray and her newly-adopted daughter, Addie. Before that can happen, he has to take care of some lethal business involving a former lover. Lethal Experiment is a breezy, fun page-turner, featuring grisly humor, outrageous characters and sexy dialogue.

Saving Rachel

A Donovan Creed Series Book #3

What if the best morning of your life suddenly turned into your worst nightmare? Sam Case is about to find out.

Saving Rachel is the story of what happens when killers force a man to choose between his wife and his mistress...and the one he rejects must die.

But wait--all is not as it appears to be. In fact, nothing is what it appears to be!

Saving Rachel is a scary, funny, roller coaster ride through hell, with twists, and turns that will slap your face and suck you in!

To enter for your chance to win one of John's books you must:

Tweet with #Authorpalooza2010 hashtag and include link to this post.

Follow John on twitter here @DonovanCreed Don't forget to say hi and please say V sent you!

And of course you can be a blog minion here if you don't have twitter, facebook or myspace account. Everyone is eligible to enter including those living outside the U.S.