Six months after a drug cartel infiltrated Charleston, Ronan McCullough continues to fight the drug war that plagues the city. His investigations are halted when the body of a mutual acquaintance, Sarah Gilmore, is found in the trunk of a burning car. In an investigation that takes him deep into the professional and personal life of the victim, McCullough discovers secrets lurking in her past, and a tangled web of personal and professional conflicts, suspicion, and betrayal. Was Sarah killed for those reasons or something larger? As Ronan seeks answers, his life and the lives of those closest to him are used as pawns in a deadly game that has no ending.
Hello book lovers! Today is a day where I will be writing another author spotlight for a well-accomplished author whose work I have loved. As you know book lovers I love learning about authors and the inspiration behind their work, it fascinates me and adds to the depth of the book because the reader will be able to better understand it. That is how the author spotlights were created because I soon discovered that you lovely readers ALSO love learning about author’s, so I am excited to tell you a little bit more about author Eliot Parker whose book A Knife’s Edge thrilled from beginning to end. I personally would recommend this book to all of those that love Eliot Parker but really the book can be read by anybody as it is flawlessly written and highly enjoyable. With today’s author spotlight for Eliot Parker, a biography of the author and an interview between us both will be shared, and I hope that you book lovers enjoy reading it! To kick this off here is an author bio about the wonderful Eliot Parker!
Eliot Parker is the author of four novels: Breakdown at Clear River, Fragile Brilliance, Code for Murder, and A Knife’s Edge. Fragile Brilliance was a 2016 Finalist for the Southern Book Prize in Thriller. He also received the Bronze Award from the National Literary Habitat organization for mystery/thriller writing. He also won the West Virginia Literary Merit Award.
He currently teaches writing and literature at Mountwest Community and Technical College in Huntington, West Virginia.
Now, how wonderful does Eliot Parker sound?! The author is a truly exceptional writer and I hope that you lovely readers have a read of the author’s work because you will not regret it! Please see below an interview between us both, I hope that you enjoy the author’s answers to my questions, they are incredible and provide some great advice too!
Thank you for joining us today at Red Headed Book Lover! Please tell us more about yourself.
I am from Charleston, West Virginia and I currently live in Chesapeake, Ohio. I graduated from Marshall University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, an MFA in Creative Writing from Eastern Kentucky University, and a Doctorate in English from Murray State University. I am the author of four thriller novels. I am a winner of the West Virginia Literary Merit Award and a finalist for the Southern Book Prize in Thriller Writing. When I am not writing, I enjoy traveling, movies, reading, and playing basketball. I am the proud “pet parent” of two spoiled cats, Buddy and Layla.
Could you please tell us readers about your book and what inspired you to write your book?
I was at a bookstore a few years ago and I picked up a copy of Time Magazine. On the front cover was a woman named Elizabeth Holmes, who the magazine had named as the most influential woman in the country. She founded a company called Theranos which created technology and equipment that could diagnose diseases, infections, illnesses, etc. in patients with just a drop of blood from the end of a finger. The idea was that hospitals and crime labs wouldn’t need all of this expensive equipment that has to be purchased and maintained. Instead, Theranos developed two machines that could do all the blood analysis work. Unfortunately, the company ended up being a fraud, but when I read the story, I started thinking “what would happen if that type of technology made it into the wrong hands?” That’s when I decided to include it in my plot for A Knife’s Edge.
What would your advice be for aspiring writers?
Read. Read everything you can in the genre that you are writing in and also read books in other genres as well. I would also encourage aspiring writers to join a writing group in your community. They can be invaluable resources of feedback and advice on your writing. Also, write every day. Even if you only have time to write for 15 minutes a day, take that time to write. The only way someone gets better at writing is to just write.
In your opinion, what is the most important thing about a book?
A great book is about one thing: great characters. Your readers need to feel connected to the characters in your story and they need to feel positive and negative emotions for them. A plot, dialogue, rising action, climaxes, etc. cannot happen without great characters. If your readers are not emotionally invested in your characters, they will not continue reading your book.
What is your writing process like?
I write early in the morning, five-days a week. I am not really a morning person, but I find that my brain works best in the morning. I wake up early before everyone else in my house is awake and I write for 45 minutes. I do not place myself on a word count or anything like that during that time, I just write. There will be plenty of time for revision and editing later.
What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
One of my favorite parts about writing is the research. I love learning new things. I’m fortunate in that there are two university libraries near my house, so I have plenty of resources available to me. I think no matter the subject or plot of a book, readers want a sense of authenticity to be present in the book. For example, if you are writing a book about a doctor, you (as the writer) need to research what a doctor does and what a day in the life of a doctor is like. I also am not afraid to speak to people that work in specific fields to find out details and information that can be used in my books.
Do you have a set schedule for writing, or do you only write when you feel inspired?
I write five-days a week, early in the morning for 45 minutes.
Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors?
I am constantly reading. I love to read and I feel like that is the main skill from childhood that impacts my life today as an adult. Some of my favorite authors are C.J. Box, John Steinbeck, Walter Mosley, David McCullough, Terry Pratchett, and others.
Lastly, when can we readers expect to read more wonderful books from you?
I just completed a collection of short stories. I am also currently working on a sequel to my fourth novel, Code for Murder, currently titled Curtain Call.
Its official book lovers, I am obsessed with Eliot Parker! If you have liked what you have read about the author and are interested in learning more about Eliot Parker, then please do have a browse of the links below and be sure to have a read of the preview too! You will not regret it.
Goodbye for now Book Lovers,
