Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I came into the world in Burlingame, CA sometime before the first man landed on the moon. My father, Lt.Col. William Richard Dwyer was long retired from the army and thirty years older than my mother. My parents met and married in Las Vegas and were in the Bay Area chasing the ponies when I was born. My birth certificate has a home address on Fremont Street in Vegas. My family left Vegas one night, temporarily moving to Missouri, to escape the threat of bodily harm due to gambling debts. From Missouri, the family moved to Miami and then to Tampa where I graduated from T. R. Robinson High School.
At 17, I enlisted in the Marines on the delayed enlistment program, and two weeks after graduation, at 17 1/2 years old, I found myself at the front gate of Parris Island, SC wondering what the hell had I gotten myself into. Ten years later I had moved up in the ranks and while attending the Field Artillery Officer Basic course in Ft. Sill, OK, I discovered I had a talent for writing after achieving a perfect score on a military book review assignment. However, military life as a combat arms officer with a family did not leave much time for writing. It would be several more years before I would return to school and complete my MFA in Creative Writing.
Leaving active duty after completing my three-year obligation as an officer, I later served in the Marine Corps Reserve as an infantry officer and in the Nevada Army National Guard as an armor officer. The funny thing is that after serving in three combat arms branches in two services, I never saw a shot fired in anger. On the plus side, I don’t suffer from PTSD and I still have all of my body parts.
The Demon Pool is my debut novel. I am currently working on my second novel, The Magicians of Egypt featuring my protagonist from The Demon Pool, Jim Demore. A third Jim Demore novel, Midnight in a Dark Kingdom, is planned for 2019.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Demon Pool is my debut novel. I was traveling through St. Augustine, Florida and saw a roadside sign advertising the legendary Fountain of Youth. My brain went into its creative mode and the “what if” idea came to me that what if the legend of the Fountain of Youth was not due to the magical properties of the water, but was because of a powerful demon who lived in the pool (when not possessing someone) and could extend their life to 150 years.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to write in public places, such as coffee shops. My current favorite writing place is in the food court of a local Austin mall.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Almost too many to mention. Stephen King, of course. Also Cormac McCarthy, Dean Koontz, David Baldacci, Lee Child, Greg Iles, to name a few.
What are you working on now?
I am writing The Magicians of Egypt, the second Jim Demore novel. The supernatural evil behind the magicians of Egypt, who were able to duplicate some of the miracles of Moses from the Bible, comes to idyllic Maui, Hawaii.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Right now it’s using websites such as Awesomegang.com. I have had some hits and misses with similar promotions. I am also looking at doing a promoting of the paperback version with a local Austin bookstore and possibly contacting Barnes and Nobel’s Small Press Department for inclusion in their stores.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read Story Trumps Structure by Steven James. Put some money aside for professional editing and if you decide to self-publish, pay a professional cover designer to do your book cover. Also, never, never stop learning the craft.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Real writers write. That was on a business card I received many years ago in Las Vegas.
What are you reading now?
Story Trumps Structure by Steven James (professional development) and for fun, Echos in Death by J.D Robb
What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish The Magicians of Egypt and get started on the third Jim Demore novel, Midnight in a Dark Kingdom. Also, I have a ticket to the Killer Nashville writing conference in August.
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 next Jack Reacher novel by Lee Child, David Baldacci’s next Amos Decker novel, and probably Greg Iles’ Mississippi Blood. Also The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Author Websites and Profiles
Richard B. Dwyer Website
Richard B. Dwyer Amazon Profile
Richard B. Dwyer’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account