Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a retired journalist living in the Washington, D.C. area. I also did a stint as director of employee communications at the Transportation Security Administration in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (That is a mouthful, isn’t it?) The TSA experience was helpful in writing my two novels, both about domestic terrorism.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My new book is Killer Politics, a thriller about a white supremacist who hooks up with the nation’s most wanted terrorist to attack “soft” civilian targets. The supremacist is inspired by a Trump-like president, and Killer Politics is laced with satire aimed at a thinly veiled “President Tower.” It is the sequel to Blending In: A Tale of Homegrown Terrorism, which has just a touch of politics. Both books are told from an unusual perspective – that of the terrorists. No super cop saves the world in the eleventh hour!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Being retired and self-published, I don’t have deadlines. If I hit a mental roadblock, I wait until a solution presents itself. On the other hand, if ideas are overflowing, I may be writing until 2 a.m. and return a couple of hours later. Is that unusual?
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Hemingway’s taut style influenced me most. We lost an incredible storyteller when Pat Conroy died. I like authors with an off-the-wall streak – Vonnegut, Tom Robbins, Carl Hiassen (and I build comic relief into my humble offerings). The power of Maya Angelou can overwhelm. Sara Gruen and Erik Larson also are great storytellers, as is Walter Issacson, who must be really really smart.
What are you working on now?
Marketing Killer Politics, a challenge to say the least.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I haven’t found one that works repeatedly. I wish I had.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read and practice your craft as long as it’s fun.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Make each day count. Probably. Maybe.
What are you reading now?
The British Are Coming by Rick Atkinson and Neon Prey by John Sandford.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Check back in a few months.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Complete Works of Shakespeare, The Bible, and some history of the world.
Author Websites and Profiles
Norman Brewer Amazon Profile