Q&A Interview Style About Fertile Ground

So, I thought I'd do a little Q&A today about Fertile Ground, you know, since it's on sale and its one year anniversary is fast approaching...

What is Fertile Ground, anyway?

It's a suspense novel written in the same general world as Dying Embers.

What's that mean?

Well, it means that FG is a book with the main character working for the Serial Crime Investigation Unit of Homeland Security - just like in DE.

So, no Jace?

Nope, no Jace.  Although she is mentioned briefly.  This book is all about Teri Buchanan. 

What made you write this book instead of another book about Jace?

When I finished DE, I felt like I was done with Jace.  But I didn't feel like I was done with the SCIU.  There are a lot of serial criminals out there.

Serial criminals?  Don't you mean serial killers?

Well, there are those - like Emma in DE - but there are other heinous assholes in the world who commit crimes in a serial fashion.  Like Adam in Fertile Ground.  He's a serial rapist. 

What made you think of something like that?

Frankly, I was thinking about what to do next with the SCIU, and I wanted something different.  A different criminal who committed serial crimes.  Serial rapist came to mind and Adam Wyte popped into my head.  And since I created Jace as someone terrified of fire set against a pyromaniac, I had to create a hero who would be face something she truly feared.  Thus, Teri Buchanan, a rape survivor heads up the manhunt for a serial rapist.

Rape survivor?

She doesn't like to think of herself as a victim.  I didn't want this to be a victim book.  Like always, I wanted to write about justice and power over fear. 

But, if you use the parallel of Jace's pyrophobia in DE, doesn't that mean Teri is afraid of rapists?

I wouldn't say that.  She's pissed.  She never saw justice in her own case.  Given that, she's more than a little afraid of what she'll do when she's confronted with a rapist.  She's afraid her experience will make her likely to take the law into her own hands, and SCIU agents are law-enforcers, not judge and jury.  She has to face her fear and do the right thing.  Unfortunately for her, other people have other agendas.

Like who?  What?

You'll have to read the book and see.

What do you have to say to anyone concerned about the subject matter of Fertile Ground?  Rape is an incredibly touchy subject.


All I can say is that I do not actively describe any rape scenes in this book.  I'm not into that crap.  Creepy stalker scenes?  Yep.  Murder scenes?  Of course.  It's what I do.  And if you come along for the ride, I promise there is a very satisfying ending.  Naturally.  This is me we're talking about.  The good guys always win.  The bad guys always lose and they always get what's coming to them in the end.

I hope you'll pick up a copy of Fertile Ground - on sale now worldwide - and see for yourselves.

Any other questions?  I'll answer what I can as long as it doesn't give any spoilers.  I hate spoilers.