In
part 1 I spoke of the women I’ve written about BC. – Before
Coming to The Wild Rose Press; my new publisher. But after is
where, my writing of strong women seems to have taken on its own
life-force
Thirty-Three
Days:
Jenny O’Brien is my most favourite character of all time, and is
the bravest person I could (and did) imagine. At sixty-eight years
old she is a lonely spinster who has devoted her life to her cat, and
study – she spent many years gaining three Master’s Degrees, and
then worked tirelessly lecturing, tutoring and mentoring students
about the environment. She is approached by Simon, who tells her he
is from the future, and has travelled back in time to meet her. She
alone has been selected by a committee far in the future and is to
take on a vital mission. She must take a drug which will send her
consciousness back in time to her thirty-five year old body. Once
there she will have thirty-three days to convince a young micro
biologist not to use genetic modification to alter a strain of wheat,
which, hides in its gene structure a blight. If she cannot stop him,
the blight will grow and mutate, and two hundred and thirty years
hence, will spread and destroy every living plant in the world, and
bring extinction to mankind. In the past, she falls in love for the
first time in her life, and it’s is the kind of love that comes
once in a lifetime – but she can only stay in the past for
thirty-three days. Can she find a way to save the world, and keep the
love she waited a lifetime to find?
The
Deadly Glimpses Trilogy: Book 1: Glimpse, Memoir of a Serial Killer:
Patricia Holmes is a criminal psychologist who is approached by the
police to assist in providing a profile after a series of horrific
murders. She meets Rick, the detective in charge of the task force
hunting the killer, PPP. They are instantly attracted to each other;
though they are both married. Together they trawl through old case
files, looking for the murderer’s ‘footprints in the sand’
which Pat is convinced they can find. When Rick’s own daughter is
abducted, Pat must face the killer alone to try to save her. But he
is a Narcissistic Sociopath, who can’t be reasoned with, pleaded
with or threatened, and she must use all her wits and guile to avoid
becoming a victim herself.
Book
2: Glimpse, The Beautiful Deaths, and Book 3: Glimpse, The Tender
Killer:
Pat is back after her ordeal, and with Rick as her protector, uses
her intellect, cunning, and intuition to find two more Serial
Murderers before PPP escapes, intent only on revenge, and wreaks
havoc on their lives.
I’m
not sure that any of my female protagonists are ‘Wild Women’ but
they are certainly strong, intelligent, and dynamic characters,
worthy of inclusion in such fine company as here.
Good
news! Pat decided to tag along today and we couldn’t be happier
about it.
Tell
us a bit about yourself. I’m
a criminal psychologist with a degree in psychiatry as well, working
with the Major Crime unit of the West Australian Police. When I
finished university I was fortunate enough to win an internship with
the Profiling Department of the FBI where I found my niche in trying
to understand the criminal mind. When I returned from the US I found
a position working with the criminally insane at Graylands Mental
Health hospital, and also a lecturing post with the university. I
also am used as a consultant to the courts on matters of mental
health.
Tell
us a bit about The Deadly Glimpses Trilogy. The
series tells the story of my being brought in as a consultant with
the police to help track down three separate serial killers, each of
which kill for different motives. Across the three stories it charts
my relationship with my partner, Detective Sargent Rick McCoy and the
impact on our respective marriages. Rick and I became very….close
due to mutual appreciation and attraction to each other, causing a
lot of problems.
What
made you choose police investigation for a profession? The
human mind is a fascinating subject. When it fractures it can cause a
person to become criminally insane. I am drawn to trying to
understand why. They say we only use 10% of our brain power
consciously, which begs the question, what does our subconscious do
with the other 90%. We are capable of great good, but also great
evil. Why are some drawn to become serial killers, and can we, by
understanding them, find a way to stop them.
Knowing
what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick
with being a police detective or do something different? I’m
right where I want to be, no there is nothing in the world I’d
rather do.
What
is your biggest fear? Getting
something wrong that causes someone else to die. The thing about
serial killers are you know they are going to do it again, it’s
just a question of when the right set of circumstances re-occur to
trip their switch.
Who
is your favorite fictional character and why? One
of the forensic guys asked me on meeting me if I was related to
Sherlock Holmes. I told him yes he was my great grandfather just to
tease him. I always admired his deductive reasoning.
What
is the best piece of advice you ever received? Rick
told me on our first meeting, that most killers are caught through
good, often boring, repetitive police work, so not to expect
miracles. He was right, and I think what he said is pretty true for
most things in life.
Thank
you, Pat. Stephen said you would be an interesting interview; you
proved him right. Now we'd like to spend a few moments with him.
Which
writer or character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have
had a major impact on your writing?
I
used to love a British TV drama series called Wire in the Blood. It
featured a Criminal Psychologist by the name of Tony Hill. I was so
interested I sought out the books, by Val McDermid and I bought from
her website, signed copies, which I treasure. I never aspired to
write about a psychologist, but I suppose in the back of my mind it
gnawed away like a dog with a bone. I really loved writing Pat’s
character, and letting her be the insightful person she is.
With
regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead
you down different paths, thereby changing the original concept?
Great
question. In Book 3, Glimpse,
The Tender Killer,
the murderer is a situational schizophrenic. And part way into the
book, my laptop died and I lost 15,000 words, In rewriting what was
lost, it turned right angles, and I began to wonder, what if his
imaginary alter ego wasn’t imaginary, he just chooses who can see
him. In the context of the story, that is a frightening concept and I
loved writing about him, as if he were real – which of course, to
the victim, he was.
What
are you reading right now? The
Faceless Killers
by Henning Mankell, Book 1 of the Wallander series, made famous by
the TV show with Kevin Branaugh. I love his writing, so rich and
descriptive. I wish I could write as well.
What's
next for you?
.Having only just finished Book 3 which concluded 300000 words of the
trilogy, I’m in no hurry to start another project just yet, but as
always I have various ideas simmering.
To
learn more about Stephen B King and the stories he creates go to:
www.stephen-b-king.com
Twitter:
@StephenBKing1
Facebook: @stephenbkingauthor
Facebook: @stephenbkingauthor
To
purchase Glimpse,
Memoir of a Serial Killer, go
to:
