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 ​

The Benny Moon series by Salem Wolf Heart has been an IE fan favorite since the very first installment of this exciting middle grade story about racing, friendship, family, and the Native American Medicine Wheel. 

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.

​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!

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. ​

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.

Photo available via Adobe Stock

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