J.M. NORTHUP's BLOG

Monday, May 18, 2020

FOUR - MJ Preston's Crime Thriller

WIPs and New Releases

1)  Tell us about your book…
Ø  Is this a WIP or a new release?
·     FOUR is a new release
Ø  Is it a standalone or an installment to a series or collection?
·     It is the second novel and conclusion to the first tale in a series.
·     HIGHWAYMAN and FOUR are companion books.
Ø  What is the story about?
·     In book one, HIGHWAYMAN, we follow a young man determined to be the most prolific killer of all time. From his first fledgling kill, Lance Belanger, aka the Highwayman, procures victims and dismembers them ritualistically, then disposes of them at multi-state dumping grounds. Hunted by the FBI, Highwayman leaves little evidence and no DNA.
·     In book two, FOUR, investigators get the break they are looking for and begin to tighten the net around the illusive Highwayman. But he has other plans which will include abduction, betrayal, and mass murder.
2)  What inspired this tale?
Ø  How did you come up with the plot?
·     I didn’t come up with any specific formula or outline. I just started the story and let it lead me down the road.
Ø  Did you have to research for this novel – if so, what and why?
·     I did plenty of research into investigative techniques, FBI, state and local police procedures equipment, weaponry, along with plenty of crime scene investigation, stranger killing, and true crime.
Ø  If you did research, what surprised you most to learn, and why do you think that was?
·     I was often surprised by the savagery of the killers I researched. Rage and brutality are a common trait among many killers. Intelligence varied. Another interesting discovery is that police can lift a fingerprint off an item, even after submerged in water.
3)  Tell us about your character?
Ø  Who is the main character?
·     In the first book, HIGHWAYMAN, I’d have to say that the protagonist and the antagonist are the same: Lance Belanger, the ambitious serial killer. But that role changes as the story continues in FOUR, and investigator Dave Maxwell comes to the forefront.
Ø  Is your protagonist anything like you, personally?
o   If yes, then how?
§  I think every character I write, good or bad, gets a piece of connective tissue that links them back to me personally. But I am not going to divulge what I might have in common with the characters I write. Especially the Highwayman. Heck, I’ll have cops knocking on my door, wanting to know where the bodies are buried.
Ø  What made you write this character; what made them important to you or made you want to tell their story?
·     That’s a tough question, at least for me, because I don’t know what drives me to write the things I do. Not specifically. Unlike many other writers, I do not plot my stories. I just start with an idea and let it take me where it does. Often, that is into some dark places.
4)  Is there anything specific that you want readers to know about this piece of work?
I just want people to read the story and enjoy the ride. That’s why I write. I have no agenda or preconceived reason for writing the tales that I do other than to entertain.
5)  How do we get a copy?
o   Has the book already been published, or is it available for pre-order?
·   Yes, both HIGHWAYMAN and FOUR have been published and are available from WildBlue Press, in print, digital and audio format.

  
Paperback                                    Audiobook                                      eBook

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