Storytelling runs deep in Peter Berk’s DNA. The longtime IngramElliott Publishing collaborator and award-winning novelist and screenwriter grew up watching his father, Howard Berk, craft the pulse-pounding worlds behind television classics like Columbo, Mission: Impossible, and The Rockford Files—then carried that creative spark forward in his own action-packed work.
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Now Peter is turning up the heat with FireLine, IngramElliott’s dazzling new action/thriller and the first book in an electrifying new series. Blending razor-sharp wit, relentless momentum, and timely themes about the fragile planet we all share, FireLine promises a high-stakes ride for longtime fans—and the perfect entry point for readers discovering Peter Berk for the first time.

We caught up with the author ahead of the release of his new action/thriller, FireLine. 

What do you hope readers take away from your work, beyond the story itself?
I try to avoid being overtly preachy or message-oriented, but I of course hope readers are not only entertained by my novels but may be inspired to see how possible it can be for so-called "ordinary" people like the ones I tend to write about to find an inner strength within they perhaps didn't know they had and to heroically tackle obstacles they didn't know they could overcome.

Do you have any rituals or routines that help you get into a writing mindset?
The honest truth is that it takes very little effort for me to get into a writing mindset since I love the process so much - even when faced with the inevitable bouts of writer's block. No question that there are times working out a storyline or making a new character compelling enough to read about can be challenging, to say the least, but most days I can't wait to get to work because I'm as invested in what will happen to my characters as I hope my readers will be.

How do you approach editing and revisions—do you find it enjoyable or challenging?
Early in my writing career, I probably wasn't always a good sport when given a list of suggested edits and revisions, especially since many of them required substantial rewrites. But over the years, I finally realized that every time I made those changes, the piece in question was unquestionably better. Now, when the great team at IngramElliott sends me notes about a new work, I'm truly excited to read them since I know each revision will only improve the manuscript and ultimately guarantee a better reading experience.

Are you currently working on any new projects or ideas you’d like to share?
I'm especially excited about Merrilake Falls, my next novel with IngramElliott, since it's a bit of a departure for me in terms of character and storyline. Focusing on a single mother (the first time one of my novels has featured a female lead) who moves back to her picturesque hometown of Merrilake Falls in British Columbia, the story - combining romance, drama, science fiction and hopefully a bit of humor - follows the arrival of a mysterious galactic cloud that causes the town to be split into two side-by-side interacting time periods, the present and 1882, and leads our heroine to meet a man from the past who might just represent her future. The book is intended as the first in a new series and has also been written as a television pilot script currently being shopped to producers and production companies in the U.S. and Canada.

Guest blog post by K.C. Freeman

Deep in the Louisiana river bottoms, the fate of voodoo power in New Orleans lays in the hands of  the legendary “swamp witch” Mama Moo. She must decide who to share her juju with—the white light voodoo priestess she attempted to murder years ago or the black magic criminal mastermind she calls “son.”

Mama Moo leans in very closely and whispers into her ear. “When you want hoodoo as much as you wanted that air, come back to see me, child.”
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Will Mama Moo side with her son or the pupil who wouldn’t take “no” for an answer? Her seemingly obvious choice is complicated by long-buried secrets that will determine who lives or dies. 

“JuJu Justice spins a tale that is both intriguing and culturally rich… JuJu Justice enthralls viewers with a combination of magical intrigue and Southern Gothic drama.” ~ NYISA

“JuJu Justice creates a supernatural stage filled with spirits, ghosts, murder, and deception…with a skillful blend of supernatural elements with deeper themes of family and responsibility.” ~ Austin Film Festival
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The screenplay has won five script awards:

• Semifinalist Your Script Produced 4th Edition 2025
• Semifinalist Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards
• Official Finalist NYISA Best Feature Screenplay Award
• Second Rounder Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition
• Quarterfinalist Manchester Film Festival

 

T.E. Lane writes screenplays and fiction. A fan of action, thrillers, mystery, and literary fiction, the author enjoys blending aspects of many genres into a single work, creating a unique reading experience that will keep you turning the pages. Her award-winning debut novel, The Cornbread Letters, won three awards and the script was named a second rounder at the Austin Film Festival.
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Every T.E. Lane story begins with family at its core and spirals into mystery, action, with a touch of the supernatural. Her books are places where magic always feels possible, the coincidences may not be so coincidental, and the line between reality and something more is always worth crossing.
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You can connect with T.E. Lane on social media at:
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 

Guest blog post by KC Freeman

What does one retired college English professor have to do with post-World War II thriller suspense, intrigue, and epic romance? In this particular case…quite a lot. 

Arthur McMaster began his career as a foreign intelligence officer so he knows the spy business well enough to craft an engaging thriller set in post-World War II. However, it’s his lifelong pursuit of lyrical creativity that infuses his novels with such beauty the reader may wonder: Is this fact, fiction, romance, or pure poetry?
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We had the privilege of sitting down with Arthur to pick his poetic mind about what makes his writing so special and to give us some insight into his latest literary masterpiece, In the Orchards of Shadow and Light (previously In the Orchards of Our Mothers).  

Arthur wants his readers to see and accept that so much that matters to us happens by chance. We plan, yes, but when the right doorway opens, and anything is possible, we must allow ourselves to be open to walking through that door, as Claire and Jacques do, against all odds. They become more than they could ever be alone and apart.

Arthur started writing short fiction in high school, including poetry, even though he admits he had not yet realized that one must read poetry, get immersed in it, in order to begin to truly write well. He has published a lot of poetry and several short fiction pieces. He declares he owes his success to one professor in his undergraduate years who helped him to gain competency. The gateway for him was James Wright (volume, The Branch Will Not Break).
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Years later, having wrapped up his intelligence career, he trooped off to Florida for a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing. He also wrote a bunch of stage plays, about half of them have been produced.  And now, in his third career, he writes novels!

Arthur, as a guy who has been teaching creative writing for years, emphasizes that characters are more important to good storytelling than plot. So, when he gets an idea, he chooses the setting and gives the main character a challenge. He prefers inner-directed challenges rather than outer ones since both propel the journey. Details are crucial and he diligently researches as he writes to deepen and sharpen the work. Arthur wants the reader to travel with the protagonist toward an end that may not be clear until the Volta, an Italian word for the Turn. He is also keen on cliffhangers.

Arthur's novel, In the Orchards of Shadow and Light, will be available anywhere you buy books in print and e-book from IngramElliott Publishing in 2026. 

Also by Arthur McMaster:

• In the Orchards of Our Mothers (previously published)
• The Whole Picture Show, (poems)
• Musical Muse, Wives & Lovers of the Great Composers
• Birdies Never Die
• The Spy Who Came Down with a Cold (poems)
• Need to Know, a Memoir ​

Columbo Writer Howard Berk Was a Prolific Author. Now, His Son and Grandson Are Continuing the Family Legacy (Exclusive)

​Peter Berk, whose latest book was published this month, and his son, Jordan, are both novelists published by IE.

We're excited to share that the Berk family of writers - Howard, Peter, and Jordan - are featured in an exclusive interview in People magazine's Books section. Carly Tagen-Dye is the Books editorial assistant at PEOPLE, where she writes for both print and digital platforms. She wrote an amazing article highlighting the talent and history of the Berk family in television, films, and IE Published books. Howard and Peter Berk's Award-Winning Trilogy - the TimeLock series - was covered along with Jordan Berk's time-travel thriller, The Timestream Verdict. 

“It's just an incredible experience to get to explore a creative side that I didn't really know I had, despite the genetics,” Jordan says. “Maybe I should have known it was there the whole time.”
But looking back on their author journeys, both Peter and Jordan recognize Howard as a large influence. Peter says that working with his dad was "one of the highlights of my life."

The article follows the journey of Howard, as a reknown television and film writer, eventually collaborating with his son, Peter, on the TimeLock screenplay - which became the basis for the book trilogy. Peter's son, Jordan, carried on the family legacy with his sci-fi time travel novel, also published by IngramElliott. 

“It's really another way of honoring my dad, in a sense; keeping the tradition alive,” Peter says of his own writing career.

No one except Jordan’s wife knew that he was writing a novel, until he presented Peter with a 300-page manuscript as a Father's Day gift in 2022. IngramElliott went on to publish that novel, The Timestream Verdict, and added to the Berk family legacy. 

The Millennium Paradox, the third installment in authors' Peter Berk and Howard Berks award-winning TimeLock series may involve a 'paradox' but it's no mystery why this series is beloved by readers - non stop action, a fun sense of humor, and lots of heart. 

Three years after releasing the award-winning sci-fi/action novel TimeLock – considered a “deftly crafted…compulsive page turner” by Midwest Book Reviews – IngramElliott Publishing will debut the much-anticipated second sequel,TimeLock 3: The Millennium Paradox, on July 24.

​Like its two predecessors, TimeLock and TimeLock 2: The Kyoto Conspiracy, TimeLock 3: The Millennium Paradox was written by father and son Howard Berk and Peter Berk. An award-winning novelist and film and TV writer, Howard Berk’s credits include “Columbo,” “Mission: Impossible,” “The Rockford Files,” and the feature film, “Target,” starring Gene Hackman and Matt Dillon. ​

Setting The Stage: TimeLock & TimeLock 2: The Kyoto Conspiracy
The original TimeLock novel told the riveting story of 23 year-old Morgan Eberly, who’s not only wrongly convicted of murder but selected to be among the first to undergo the radical TimeLock process in which prisoners are instantly aged the number of years of their sentence. During a prison uprising, however, Morgan manages to escape halfway through his 40-year processing and joins forces with FBI agent Janine Price – and the two eventually team up both professionally and personally to bring down the deadly TimeLock program – a program pushed through by the future president of the United States, Myra Winters.
  
In TimeLock 2: The Kyoto Conspiracy, we learn that now-President Winters has authorized the clandestine development of a new version of TimeLock’s cellular alteration process to be used on the battlefield in order to compromise enemy combatants. In a desperate attempt to stop the unhinged president, Morgan and Janine embark on a terrifying adventure that takes them from the nation’s capital to Japan and into the heart of Siberia. 

From The Page To The Screen?
Like the original TimeLock novel, TimeLock 3: The Millennium Paradox is based on a screenplay written by the late Howard Berk and his son Peter. The TimeLock screenplays, as well as First Line of Defense, a political murder mystery novel published late last year by IngramElliott and also available as a screenplay, are being represented by the Corvisiero Literary Agency, which is currently in contact with a wide array of film studios, television and streaming networks and independent producers to explore possible movie or television adaptations.

We 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.

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. 

We 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.
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Connect with Peter on Facebook and Instagram @peterberk_author.

The 2024 Austin Film Festival celebrates the best films and screenplays the industry has to offer. The mission of the AFF is to further the art and craft of storytelling by inspiring and championing the work of writers, filmmakers, and artists who use written and visual language to tell a story. 

The screenplay for JuJu Justice - a forthcoming novel by award-winning author T.E. Lane - was just named an official Second Rounder in the AFF Script Competition. It's a thrilling win for the author and a notable achievement as only the top 20% of screenplays are awarded the honor. 

This is the second honor for the screenplay as it was named a Finalist in the New York International Screenplay Awards earlier this year. 

JuJu Justice is a mystical action/drama written by award-winning writer T.E. Lane. The author’s debut novel, The Cornbread Letters, was a finalist in the 2023 National Indie Excellence and Chanticleer International Book Awards and the Winner of the 2024 Independent Press Awards for Paranormal Thriller. JuJu Justice will be published in 2025 by IngramElliott Publishing. ​