Guest post by IE Author Angela Glennon Title: Hungry (available in print and ebook from IE)
A conversation with my character, Cam How did you and your best friend, Sulie, meet? We must have been babies! I don’t remember a time when I didn’t know her. We grew up down the street from one another. I think our parents had us playing together before we could even walk. Sulie’s more than a friend; she’s family. So you’ve known each other forever. Have you always been close? Yes. Nobody knows me better. We’ve been through it all together—first days of school and dealing with bullies and this one terrible summer camp that quite literally almost killed me! [Laughs] Sulie loves trying to embarrass me with that story, but I actually think it’s hysterical. And I could tell you some really funny Sulie stories too! Oh! Go on, then. Nah. [Chuckles.] It’s tempting, but no. It must have been hard on both of you to lose her Grandma Nell. Of course. Grandma Nell was like a grandmother to me too. But my grief was nothing compared to Sulie’s. It’s the hardest thing in the world to watch someone you care about unravel and feel like you can’t do anything to help. But you did help Sulie, though, right? Maybe. I hope I did, anyway. Grieving with Sulie and carrying out some of Grandma Nell’s last wishes with her actually helped me too. And you had your own problems at the time, didn’t you? Well, I was graduating high school and trying to prepare for my career. I’m a dancer; I had a big audition to prepare for and some big performances to wrap up. Life doesn’t stop for grief. I tried to balance it all; I think Sulie understood. That’s a good point. We all have to keep on keeping on. Do you have any advice for young people who experience a loss? Well, I’m no expert, but something I’ve learned from all this is that it’s OK to not be OK for a little while. Lean on your people, ask for help if you need it, do whatever you have to do to just keep going because you really can move on after something bad happens. There’s always something good ahead. Always
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Guest post by IE Author T.E. Lane Title: JuJu Justice (coming this fall from IE)
A conversation with my character, Mama Moo You live on a raft in the swamp. You mess around with voodoo and magic. People are scared of you. But my question is - what are YOU scared of? That someday I'll have to make a choice that will kill me. Wow, that sounds ominous. Can you elaborate and tell us more? {Mama Moo spits tobacco]. Why don't you mind your own business. How did you learn about voodoo? From the dirt. From the wind. From the fire. From the water. From my ancestors. I've heard that your son, Mister, sells potions at the market. What are they used for? [Mama Moo spits tobacco juice in the dirt again and shrugs.] Cheating husbands, hungry gamblers, violent lovers, lonely widows. But mostly, folks want to cure a fix. A fix? What's that? A fix. A curse. Somebody whose put the juju on you. Were you ever in love? [Mama Moo stares at me for a very, very long minute.] Were you? What's important to you? You mean beside the dirt, the wind, the fire, and the water? Maintaining my power. Without personal power, you might as well be dead. Want a sneak peek of JuJu Justice? Read the award-winning short story by T.E. Lane!
![]() Congratulations to award-winning IE author, T.E. Lane, author of the upcoming novel, JuJu Justice. Lane was a Finalist in the Suspense/Thriller category of the 2025 Next Generation Short Story Awards (NGSSA) for JuJu Justice: The Preacher's Son - a short story and prequel to the upcoming novel. Sponsored by the Next Generation Indie Book Awards (the largest book awards program in the world for independent publishers) and Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group), The Next Generation Short Story Awards' mission is to recognize and honor the best short stories in the world and celebrate and award the creative minds behind the words. JuJu Justice: The Preacher's Son is a prequel to the highly anticipated upcoming novel, JuJu Justice. The novel is based on an award-winning screenplay and will be available in print and e-book from IngramElliott Publishing later this year. The short story provides greater insight and depth into the early years of the story's main characters. It sets the stage for the action, mystery, and intrique to come.
Read an exerpt of T.E. Lane's award-winning short story - JuJu Justice: The Preacher's SonJune bolts down the path to the river. A crow follows her overhead. She rounds the bend and sees the smoke from Mama Moo’s campfire. As she tries to run to the fire, June falls to her knees and wails in distress. Her face is flushed. Her eyes roll up into her head so far that only the whites are showing. The nearby crow flies toward the fire and lands on Mama Moo’s feet. Mama Moo eyes the path as the squawking crow leads her along the riverbank to June. The teenager is barely breathing and has collapsed in the mud. Effortlessly, Mama Moo gathers June into her arms and, in the evening mist, seems to float back to the campsite. Mama Moo places June so close to the fire that the girl begins to sweat profusely. June’s eyes are wide open, but she is in a trance. June’s eyes dart in all directions. Her arms and fingers twitch uncontrollably. Mama Moo grabs her drum and begins to feverishly play and chant around the fire. She calls to her ancestors in an earnest prayer. “All my relatives, please find this child of spirit,” Mama Moo wails to the sky. “And send her back to me.” The old woman feeds the flame with dry logs and stokes it until the fire dwarfs the entire camp. June begins to calm. Mama Moo whispers, “Now that’s good, child, all the elements of this earth are needed to lure you back to me.” She anoints June’s head with river water, throws dirt onto her feet, and fans her head with air. After some time passes with Mama Moo’s repeated feverish pleas, June slowly returns to herself. She becomes focused and gazes directly into Mama Moo’s eyes. Mama Moo whispers to June, “This was a voodoo attack. I don’t know what kind of enemy you could have created to experience this, but may they be gone forever.” June is weak. “Tell me about the elements of the earth.” Mama Moo chuckles. “You just got back, my lovely little pigeon.” Mama Moo mops June’s brow with an old rag. “Time to learn later. Rest, child, rest.” From a high branch, the crow screeches loudly and flies to the north. A cacophony of harsh animal sounds captures Mama Moo’s attention. Without warning, Mister trapezes down a nearby tree and hangs from his legs. He holds a slimy snake in his teeth. With tigerlike maneuvers, Mister spits the snake out and the frightened creature slithers away. Mister removes a cigarette from his pocket and lights it with an impressive one-handed maneuver. He tosses the matchbook into the fire, which causes a firework effect, popping and spitting sparks into the air. Mama Moo’s bottom lip protrudes with a wad of chewing tobacco, which she spits into the flaming fire. Mister says, “Whoopee, white pigeon, still comin’ after magic. I guess Billy didn’t catch himself a witch after all.” June persists. “I don’t care how much you try to fix me, I’m gonna’ keep coming until I learn all this stuff, Mister!” Mama Moo looks suspiciously at Mister for a moment. A realization crosses her face, but she says nothing. Mister jumps to his feet and stares at his mother. “I warned you about coddling this cripple with your secrets.” Mama jumps high in the air, seeming to pause in midair. June and Mister are mesmerized by her behavior. She slowly returns to the ground and sits by the fire. Instantly, the blaze is reduced to nothing but smoldering black ashes. Mama Moo speaks in a strong voice. “I have my reservations about sharing anything with either of you.” Out of nowhere, she throws a heavy stick to each of them. “You will intuit a message in the ashes of the fire. You will thank the fire first, and wait for spirits to answer. Pick a spot and write out the message in the ashes.” Mister puts out his cigarette and takes a seat next to the fire. Each word is punctuated with disdain. “Thank. You. Fire.” A dark shadow leaps from the ashes and forces its way into Mister’s body. Overtaken, Mister covers his stick with ash and begins to write in the dirt: Shame on you. A moment later, the shadow exits his body and returns to the ashes. Mister awakens from his trance and sees the damning words. He tries to scratch it out, but nothing happens. The words remain. June watches this with trepidation. The stick in her hand trembles with fear. June only manages to touch the tip of the stick to the pile of ash. A spark ignites and a word appears spontaneously over the ashes, written in flame: Run. June doesn’t waste any time. She throws away the stick, adjusts her leg brace, and scurries through the underbrush without looking back. Mama Moo laughs uproariously as she watches June flee. Mister tries to get to his feet, but can’t move. It is as if he has invisible chains holding him down. Mama’s gaze follows June as she disappears into the night. She turns to Mister, who is still trying to get up. His one arm won’t function—he can’t seem to lift his own weight. “What did you do to her?” Mama says. Mister knows better than to remain silent. “Teaching her she doesn’t belong with us.” Mama Moo looks at her son. “That’s not up to you, boy. I choose who to share my magic with.” Mister and Mama Moo lock eyes. There is an unspoken battle being waged, but neither utters a word. Eventually, Mister backs down and his eyes find the dirt. “She ain’t comin’ back. You’ll see.” Mama Moo spits tobacco juice into the ashes. “She’ll be back. And soon.” ![]() T.E. Lane enjoys writing commercial fiction with a mystical twist. Hailing from the Southeast United States, the author enjoys weaving in locales, characters, and situations that feel familiar with just a touch of magic or otherworldly influence. Connect with the author on Instagram @telane_author Follow T.E. Lane on BookBub @telane_author Follow the author on Goodreads @telane_author Connect with T.E. Lane on Facebook
A Decade of Stories. Countless Adventures.![]()
Has ten years really passed us by? It seems like yesterday when we made the decision to kickstart a new vision in traditional publishing with IngramElliott Publishing. We are an award-winning, women-owned independent publishing company. We work hard for our clients and are happiest when their labors of love succeed. We have experienced ups and downs just like everyone else. Most importantly, we are proud of what we have accomplished in that time.
We're proud that we were founded and managed by writers and readers. We work side by side with our authors to discover their own unique voice and bring their stories to brilliant life. Our philosophy is one of partnership, in spirit and in our daily practice. Our mission continues to be to bring exceptional stories to light in print and on-screen with IE Snaps! and our IngramElliott (IE) imprint. We look forward to more exciting adventures for the next ten years and beyond as we bring great stories to life in film and television! ![]()
And IE is nothing without our authors and amazing partners and colloborators. We work with people from all walks of life and that live around the globe. We absolutely would not be here without you and we value our relationships above all. Thanks to all our writers, marketers, designers, editors, artists, and social media geniuses--you know who you are!
IE's Greatest Hits!
Here are some of our greatest hits over our first decade! Stay Tuned for what we will achieve in the next ten years!
Our first book baby is born! Pablo Prairie Dog and the WWCC Heroes by our very own P.E. Calvert, Charlotte Calvert Piel, and Kim Starkey Calvert (Illustrator) was published on November 30, 2015! Some friends are big and strong... Some are small, but the only thing that really matters in life, is being a good friend to all! In 2024, this very first title was transformed into WWCC Heroes: Pablo's Adventure, now a best-selling dual language book for kids ages 4-9. The epiphany for IE Snaps! In June 2016, we wrote about the re-emergence of the novella (books from 20,000 – 50,000 words). It was James Patterson and Harper Collins’ foray into novellas – they called them “Book Shots” who brought the novella and short fiction back into vogue. And gave us a brilliant idea! IE Snaps has brought us the TimeLock series in action/sci-fi, The Cornbread Letters in paranormal, The Timestream Verdict in sci-fi, the middle grade series Benny Moon, and the award-winning Western series, Clown William, just to name a few. These short novels read like a movie and have been a fan favorite for IE over the years. Dear IE is better than Dear Abby Authors needing advice? No fear. We are here! Over the years we have posted mountains of advice for authors. Everything from writing tips to the importance of editors to marketing resources. Check out our archives and pick a category. If we have not addressed your issue yet, wait. Or better yet, email your question to us. There is so much information available and so much confusion in the industry, allow us to be your roadmap. And the Winners are… Have we mentioned our authors are the best? Of course we have! We shout it from the rooftops every chance we get. From the prestigious Independent Publisher Book Awards (the IPPYs) to New York International Screenplay Awards (NYISA) to National Indie Excellence Awards (NIEA) and more, our authors rack in the accolades every year. Here are just a few examples of our utterly amazing, award-winning authors: JuJu Justice for the Win! The screenplay for JuJu Justice, by T.E. Lane placed in the top 20% at the Austin Film Festival (AFF) by being officially named as a Second Rounder in the AFF Script Competition. But that is not all, JuJu Justice was named a Finalist in the NYISA that same year (2024). And the hits keep on coming as JuJu Justice was named a Quarter Finalist in the 2025 Manchester Film Festival Screenplay Competition! This mystical action/drama set in the voodoo culture of New Orleans will be released in 2025. We knew we had a winner on our hands with T.E. Lane. The author's previous book, The Cornbread Letters, won its own slew of awards: Winner of the Paranormal Mystery/Thriller Category in the 2024 Independent Press Awards, Finalist in the 17th Annual NIEA for New Age Fiction, Semi-Finalist for the Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) CLUE 2023 Book Awards for suspense thrillers and placed as a Second Rounder (screenplay) at AFF. Reaching for the Stars The debut novel by M.M. Cochran, Between the Ocean and Stars was a Finalist in the 17th Annual NIEA for her young adult novel where high winds and passion collide. This book hit the Amazon Best Seller list in 2024. We are immensely proud of M.M. Cochran and her second book, The Button Collector, has topped our best-seller list since reaching #2 in Mystery and Detective fiction upon its release last fall. Even Our Series are Award-Winning Vince Bailey won multiple awards for his paranormal historical fiction series, Path of the Half Moon, Courses of the Cursed, Merging Paths, and the entire Curtis Jefferson series claimed the honor of being announced the Grand Prize Winner of the CIBA 2022 Series Award, a category winner in the Paranormal category, and Merging Paths, the final chapter in the Curtis Jefferson series, was proclaimed the Winner of the 17th Annual NIEA for Regional Fiction. Political Drama at its Finest Who says politics is dead? Don’t tell Peter Berk and Howard Berk, co-authors of the award-winning TimeLock series. The first book, TimeLock, was a 2023 CIBA Finalist for Science Fiction, Mystery, and Global Thrillers, as well as a Distinguished Favorite in the TechnoThriller category of the 2024 Independent Press Awards. To top it off, Peter Berk’s First Line of Defense, is a Semi-Finalist in the 2024 CLUE Awards for Suspense/Thrillers. Cowboys Take Silver and Bronze Robin Elno’s Clown William series came out guns a blazing with a total of six awards. Clown William (the first book in the series) was the Silver Winner 2018 IPPYs and Winner of Arizona Literary Award, Finalist in the 13th Annual NIEA for Western Fiction, and Finalist for the 2019 Next Generation (NextGen) Indie Book Awards. The second book in the series, Clown William and the Lincoln County War, won the 13th Annual NIEA for Western Fiction. While the entire series was proclaimed the Bronze Winner 2019 IPPYs Best Fiction Series and a Finalist in the 2022 CIBA Fiction Series Awards. One of the Highest Honors for Independent Publishers Since 1985 Jeffrey Meyer’s first novel, A Call to China, was a Silver Winner in the 30th Annual Benjamin Franklin Awards, now called the Independent Book Publishing Association (IBPA Book Award) and a Finalist in the 13th Annual NIEA and the 2019 NextGen Indie Book Awards. Moonbeam Magic IngramElliott authors are not just for adult readers! The middle grade magical adventure Ms. Mulligan and the Enchanted Ice Cream took several awards including: Silver Winner 2018 Moonbeam Awards Preteen Fiction-Mystery, Bronze Winner 2018 Moonbeam Awards Preteen Fiction e-Book, Finalist 13th Annual NIEA for Juvenile Fiction, and Finalist 2018 NextGen Indie Book Awards.
And we are just getting started!
Stay tuned for more exciting times ahead as we at IngramElliott Publishing along with our incredible team and authors continue to reach for the stars and bring you high-quality fiction in books, films, and television.
Image by nadeem abdullah from Pixabay
Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season. Thanks for all your support in 2024. We look forward to creating more great stories in 2025!Hearing a cry for help from someone unseen, blazing a trail to stop the fire, and dancing to bring forth rain, Benny Moon finds himself face to face with danger. . . and on a magical pathway to the true meaning of connection. This is the exciting premise of book 3 of the middle grade Benny Moon series. Benny Moon Saves the Standing People will resonate with any kid who loves racing and animals and who may face every day challenges in life. Benny Moon Saves the Standing People (book 3)
Interview with Salem Wolf HeartWe caught up with the author ahead of the release of Benny Moon Saves the Standing People on December 3.
Who is the primary audience for the book? Although I have targeted the pre-teen and teen audience, the Benny Moon books can be enjoyed by all age groups. Do you have advice for other writers? Write for the fun of creating. Commit to writing just one sentence a day. Don't worry about being published, just do it for the joy it brings you. "Write for the fun of creating. Commit to writing just one sentence a day."Where do you find joy? Standing in front of a lake or ocean, watching the water, brings me great peace and pleasure. I also feel great joy when I hug a horse, dog, cat--just feeling their unconditional love makes me smile. What motivates you to write? I have been very fortunate when I write as I am gifted with the words that come from a higher source. The words just come to me through my thoughts like a magical power.
With books and merchandise from your favorite authors and titles, there's something for everyone on your holiday list. 2024 New Releases - Give the Gift of ReadingShop cool gifts like shirts, hats, bags, and more!Award-Winning Mystery and Action BooksSay Yes! to Young Adult FavoritesFantasy/Paranormal - Winner Best Fiction SeriesShop for series gearFor Kids - Reading Sparks ImaginationCool new dual-language adventure book - for kids ages 4-9 - read in both English and Spanish! Kids will love the wrestling, chess, action, and story of friendship. With fun gifts that kids will loveMiddle Grade Readers Love Benny MoonYellowstone Fan? Try IE's Award-Winning WesternSomething for Everyone...Happy Holidays from IngramElliott PublishingHere at IngramElliott Publishing we talk often about the importance of building an author platform. One of the key ways to do this is to leverage exciting new tools in the marketplace for social media, website development, and marketing materials for your author brand. Our friends at Adobe shared this great information with us and we'd like to pass it on! We'll be trying Adobe Express for ourselves and will be sure share back any tips and tricks! -IngramElliott Publishing Photo available via Adobe Stock From Pen to Pixel: How Authors Can Transform Their Book's Success with Adobe ExpressBook authors often face the dual challenge of producing compelling content and marketing it effectively. While writing is at the heart of their craft, today’s authors also need to master the art of promotion. Adobe Express offers a powerful set of tools that can help authors manage their creative and promotional needs with ease. Whether designing eye-catching book covers or creating engaging social media posts, Adobe Express can be a valuable resource. Here’s how authors can make the most of this tool.
Creating Stunning Book Covers The first impression a book makes is often through its cover. Adobe Express offers a wide variety of templates that can be customized to create stunning book covers. Authors can start by choosing a template that fits the tone and genre of their book, then personalize it with their own imagery, fonts, and colors. Adobe Express allows authors to upload their own photos or choose from Adobe’s stock photo library. This flexibility ensures that authors can create professional, high-quality book covers that captivate potential readers and stand out on the shelf or online. Designing Social Media Graphics for Book Promotion Promoting a book requires a strong presence on social media, and Adobe Express can help authors design eye-catching graphics that grab attention on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. With its simple drag-and-drop functionality, authors can create engaging posts that highlight key quotes from the book, announce launch dates, or share behind-the-scenes content about the writing process. Adobe Express even allows for the creation of animated posts and stories, making it easy to capture attention in a crowded social media landscape. Crafting Beautiful Marketing Materials Beyond social media, Adobe Express can also be used to create a wide range of marketing materials such as flyers, posters, and digital ads. Authors who are planning book signings, speaking engagements, or virtual events can use Adobe Express to design promotional materials that reflect their book’s aesthetic. With customizable templates, authors can produce consistent branding across all of their marketing efforts, ensuring a cohesive look that resonates with their audience. Developing Author Branding For authors, branding is just as important as writing a compelling book. Adobe Express allows authors to create logos, business cards, and other branding materials that reflect their unique style. By developing a consistent visual identity, authors can build their personal brand and make themselves more recognizable to readers. Whether they are self-publishing or working with a traditional publisher, having strong branding can help authors establish themselves in the market and foster a sense of professionalism. Making Engaging Book Trailers A book trailer is an effective way to pique the interest of potential readers, and Adobe Express makes it simple for authors to create short, engaging videos. With Adobe Express’s video editing features, authors can combine text, music, and visuals to create a cinematic teaser for their book. These trailers can be shared on social media, added to the author’s website, or included in email newsletters. The drag-and-drop interface and pre-made templates make video creation accessible to authors, even those with no prior experience in video editing. Creating Email Newsletter Designs Email newsletters are a powerful tool for maintaining an author-reader connection. Adobe Express provides customizable templates that authors can use to design visually appealing newsletters. Authors can craft newsletters that include updates on their writing journey, exclusive content, and upcoming book releases, all while maintaining consistent branding. Adobe Express’s easy-to-use interface ensures that authors can create professional-looking newsletters without needing advanced design skills, helping them to stay in touch with their audience and build a loyal reader base. Collaborating with a Team or Publisher If an author is working with a team, whether it be a publicist, marketing agency, or publishing house, Adobe Express’s collaborative features make it easy to share and edit designs. Authors can invite collaborators to view, comment on, and edit their designs in real time. This feature allows for seamless collaboration, ensuring that all aspects of the promotional process are aligned and that the final product reflects the author’s vision. In today’s competitive publishing landscape, authors need more than just great writing to succeed—they need to market themselves and their work effectively. Adobe Express provides an intuitive platform that allows authors to create professional-quality designs, whether for book covers, marketing materials, or social media content. By utilizing Adobe Express, authors can take control of their branding and promotion, ensuring their books reach a wider audience and make a lasting impact. Ready to ramp up your author platform? Check out Adobe Express and their free trial to bring your creative vision to life! Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 through October 15 is a time to celebrate the diverse culture, rich history, and achievements of the Hispanic and Latin American community. At IngramElliott Publishing, we appreciate all the diverse voices helping to shape our future. In fiction, language unites us all in the telling of a great story. The more we understand each other, the brighter our outlook. IE's newest release, WWCC Heroes: Pablo's Adventure, was written to help young readers learn English or Spanish. This dual-language edition of our beloved children's picture book inspires all of us to embrace our differences and celebrate our individual value. Follow WWCC Heroes on Instagram and Facebook @wwcc_heroes to stay connected. WWCC Heroes: Pablo's AdventureThe WWCC Heroes: Pablo's Adventure—a dual-language, action-filled, colorful story of friendship with a wild cast of half-animal, half-human creatures. Young readers can enjoy both English and Spanish in this dual-language edition of The WWCC Heroes: Pablo's Adventure—an action-filled, colorful story of friendship with a wild cast of half-animal, half-human creatures. When the Worldwide Chess Championship comes to town, Pablo Prairie Dog finally meets his hero, Bodacious Buffalo. Disappointment follows when Pablo is cast aside because of his small size. Through his adventures with the WWCC All Star team, Pablo Prairie Dog finally discovers his own importance and learns... Some friends are big and strong...some are small, but the only thing that really matters in life, is being a good friend to all! Los lectores jóvenes pueden disfrutar tanto del Inglés como del Español en esta edición en dos idiomas de Los Héroes WWCC : La aventura de Pablo—Una colorida historia de amistad llena de acción, con un elenco salvaje de criaturas mitad animales y mitad humanas. Cuando los Campeones Mundiales de Ajedrez llegan al pueblo, Pablo el Perro de la Pradera finalmente conoce a su héroe, Búfalo Fabuloso. La decepción aparece cuando Pablo es rechazado por su tamaño pequeño. En sus aventuras con el equipo estelar de los CMA, Pablo el Perro de la Pradera finalmente descubre su propia importancia y aprende que...¡Algunos amigos son grandes y fuertes…otros son pequeños, pero lo único realmente importante en la vida, es ser un buen amigo con todos! Available wherever books are soldAuthor Peter Berk on feeling young again with his highly anticipated novel, First Line of Defense9/27/2024 Jackson Blaine, the President of the United States and a former defense lawyer, shocks his estranged son Brian and the entire world when he decides to personally go to court to help defend the young man after he’s arrested for murdering his best friend and college dormmate. This is the compellingly unique premise of First Line of Defense, a political/legal thriller and murder mystery coming out October 1 by one of IE's most awarded and prolific authors, Peter Berk. First Line of Defense marks award-winning author Peter Berk’s third novel with IngramElliott, following the recent publication of TimeLock and TimeLock 2: The Kyoto Conspiracy, the first two entries in an imaginative series of sci-fi and action novels co-authored by Peter’s father, Columbo and Mission: Impossible writer Howard Berk.
And now, Peter adds legal thriller to his distinguished list. Tinged with action, suspense, romance, humor and more than a few unexpected twists, the new novel takes its 21-year-old lead protagonist, Brian Blaine, on a life-altering adventure that will dramatically change his relationship with his father and alter the course of his entire personal and professional life forever. “To publish my first legal thriller and murder mystery is more rewarding than even the finest author in the world could ever properly express in words.”Available October 1 anywhere books are sold![]() Will the President risk it all to save his son? When college student Ben Porter is murdered in his apartment near the University of Maryland, all evidence points straight to his best friend and roommate, Brian Blaine—the son of Jackson Blaine, the President of the United States. Despite Brian’s estranged relationship with his father, Brian has no choice but to await trial in the house that was never a home—1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. These staggering events exacerbate the young man’s rocky relationship with his demanding father and might very well end his budding romance with a beautiful pre-med student. To the shock of the entire nation, President Jackson Blaine, a former defense lawyer, does the unthinkable—he decides to represent his son in court. Will Brian and his father discover the truth about Ben’s murder before it’s too late? Interview with Peter BerkWe caught up with the author ahead of the release of First Line of Defense on October 1.
Please tell us something about your book that is not in the summary. It can rightly be called a political legal thriller, but I mainly consider the book to be about a family - in this case, the First Family - and more specifically about a young man reconnecting with his estranged father. And because I had the opposite relationship with my late dad, Howard, Brian's turbulent rapport with the President through at least the first half of the book was the hardest part to write for me. What do you most hope will be the reaction of readers to your book? Like any author, I just hope people are compelled to keep reading, care about the characters, come across a surprise twist or two and enjoy the overall reading experience. Why did you pick this particular subject matter to write about? I hadn't written anything in the legal thriller genre and out of the blue had this wild notion of a President who's a former lawyer actually representing his own son in court. Not likely of course, but that's why it's called fiction! What is your favorite scene in your book? Why? Probably the meet cute scene when Brian first meets Emma; a later scene when the President catches a beet-red Brian and Emma after their first romantic encounter; the scene when father and son finally reconcile; and the "big reveal" at the end in the courthouse. Writing a novel can be personal. Did you ever question whether to include or exclude any of your personal experiences or feelings? Despite writing from a 21 year-old's perspective so long after I was in fact that age myself, I did include a lot of my own personal sensibilities throughout - being an only child like Brian, having a best friend who's like a brother (who is happily still very much in my life), possessing a self-deprecating sense of humor and more. Please tell us something about yourself and how you came to be a writer. What inspired you to write your first book? My writing inspiration has been and always will be my father - a far better writer than I'll ever be. "First Line of Defense" was actually my first novel, but not the first one published, since I was fortunate enough to connect with IngramElliott after novelizing the screenplay of "TimeLock" my dad and I wrote several years back. Do you have any advice for other writers? Only the corniest of advice - never stop writing! Unlike being a dancer or athlete where you have a limited number of years to perform on the stage or on the field, writers can write at any age. My dad was working on a new novel at 92 and look how long it took me to have a book published, so keep at it forever. Tell me a little about your book’s title and what it represents? Nothing too subtle here, I'll admit, but "First" as in First Family and "Defense" since that's what the entire story is about.
![]() About The Author Peter Berk has written six novels, three TV pilots and a dozen screenplays, including several with his father which became the basis for the TimeLock series of novels. The original TimeLock novel was named as a Distinguished Favorite in the TechnoThriller category of the 2024 Independent Press Award and was a Finalist in the 2023 Chanticleer International Book Awards for Science Fiction, Mystery, and Global Thrillers. TimeLock 2: The Kyoto Conspiracy was published in 2023 and the third book in the series, TimeLock 3: The Millennium Paradox, will be published in Spring 2025 by IngramElliott. Peter and his family live in Southern California. Connect with Peter on Facebook and Instagram @peterberk_author. |
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