with Charles Prandy
We are delighted to welcome mystery author Charles Prandy to Omnimystery News today.
Charles's second mystery featuring Detective Jacob Hayden is Behind the Closed Door (Charles Prandy; September 2013 trade paperback and ebook formats).
We recently had the chance to talk to the author about his books and characters. And he is also hosting a giveaway for the books in this series; details below.
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Omnimystery News: Your first novel was a stand-alone, but your most recent ones have been series mysteries. Why did you choose to create a recurring character?
Photo provided courtesy of
Charles Prandy
Charles Prandy: As a reader I love to follow stories where I get to know the characters, and a series is a great opportunity for that. So I created, Detective Jacob Hayden, of the D.C. Metro Police Department. With Jacob I want him to be an ordinary guy who happens to be a detective, and put him in extraordinary situations. Jacob is flawed, like all of us, and makes mistakes. But to me that's the part that makes him real. So as the series grows, Jacob grows, adapts and matures just like everyone else in life.
OMN: Into which fiction genre should your books be placed?
CP: My books fall into the suspense/crime thriller genre. I don't necessarily know if there's an advantage or disadvantage, however I do know that the suspense/thriller genre is extremely large and popular.
OMN: Tell us something about your books that isn't mentioned in the publisher's synopsis.
CP: They're Gr-r-r-eat! (In my best Tony the Tiger voice from Frosted Flakes cereal.) Just kidding. If you're a fan of James Patterson's Alex Cross series, then you'd like the Detective Jacob Hayden series. I have a similar writing style to James Patterson, but Jacob and Alex are different characters in that respect.
OMN: How much of your own personal or professional experience have you included in your books?
CP: I've never been a police officer, so Jacob's character is pretty much all research. I have friends who are in law enforcement and from time to time I'll ask them about situations that Jacob might be in to find out if it could actually happen. None of the situations are based on real events per se, however, when coming up with storylines I think about things I may have heard in the news or read somewhere and if they fit I'll plug them into the story.
OMN: Describe your writing environment for us.
CP: I usually start with a two or three sentence synopsis of the story and store it away for a few days. When I come back to it, if it still makes sense, then I usually write the overall story in about two or three pages. I then store that away as well for a few days. When I come back to it again, if it still makes sense, then I go forward and develop the story even further.
In developing the story I try to focus on key things that I foresee happening. I say foresee because sometimes things I want to happen may change depending on how a particular scene plays out. I take the Stephen King approach in that I don't have everything about the story already figured out. I let the characters lead me through the story, which I have to admit, I have been surprised by how some scenes have turned out because of the circumstances.
OMN: You mentioned that your series is set in Washington D.C. How true are you to the setting?
CP: I'm from the area so I try to be true to its geography. And it's great writing about the city because there's so much history and culture, that as the series becomes more popular, people who aren't from D.C. will hopefully be able to learn a little something about the city. Jacob Hayden is from the D.C. area as well and takes pride in being a D.C. homicide detective, so the city is equally as important to him as well.
OMN: If you could travel anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, to research your next book, where would it be?
CP: Probably the Caribbean. For one, the Caribbean is absolutely beautiful. If all the expenses were paid, I'd plan on being down there from January through April when there's less humidity and perfect weather. I have family roots in the Dominican Republic and the way of life down there is so much more relaxed than it is in the States.
OMN: What is the best advice you've received as an author? And what advice might you give aspiring writers?
CP: That's an easy one: hire an editor. Readers will let you know if your book has grammatical errors. This is especially important when trying to build a brand. You don't want to lose readers because a manuscript has errors. However, this also comes with a double edged sword because editors are expensive and a lot of self-published authors may struggle with paying for one. But if you can somehow find the money, hiring a good editor will make a world of difference to a story.
The best advice I could give to an aspiring author is, if you truly believe in your heart, and you know you're good, don't let anyone stop you from writing your story.
OMN: What kinds of feedback have you received from your readers?
CP: The most enjoyable comments are when readers say they couldn't put the book down. As a storyteller, in my opinion, that's one of the best compliments a reader can say. If a person is that engrossed in my story that they can't put it down, then I've done my job.
OMN: Complete this sentence for us: "I am a mystery author and thus I am also …".
CP: I am also a husband, dad, servant, maid, chauffer, cleaning service, ATM, etc … If you have kids then you know what I mean.
OMN: What kinds of books to you read for pleasure?
CP: I love the suspense/thriller genre, so I tend to read those kinds of books more than others. As of right now, my favorite authors are Harlan Coben and Lee Child. They both have done a great job in creating memorable characters in Myron Bolitar and Jack Reacher.
OMN: Pick Myron Bolitar or Jack Reacher; what is it about this character that appeals to you as a reader?
CP: I've read nearly all of the books in the Jack Reacher series, with the exception of the last two. (I've been a little busy writing my own series!) I like Reacher because he's a tough guy who likes to be by himself, but at the same time has a warm heart and helps those who he believes justice has not served.
OMN: What kinds of films do you enjoy watching?
CP: I enjoy a variety of films and genres. I grew up in the martial arts, so naturally I love films that catch the art at its purest form. The Matrix trilogy closely accomplishes that.
OMN: What are some of your outside interests and/or hobbies? And have any of these found their way into your books?
CP: It used to be the martial arts, but now I enjoy mountain biking. Fitness and exercise has been a part of my life since I was a kid, so I try to stay active with weight training, biking and running.
I plan on writing a spin off series from the Jacob Hayden series in a couple of years, and the main character will know martial arts. This character's name is Rule, and he's going to be in the newest Jacob Hayden book that will be out in April of this year.
OMN: What's next for you?
CP: I'm currently working on the next book in the Detective Jacob Hayden series entitled The Game of Life or Death which, as I mentioned, will be coming out in April of 2014. Those who have read the first two books will find out, along with Jacob, who the man is that's been sending him the threatening letters.
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Charles Prandy grew up in Derwood, Maryland, a small city about twenty-five minutes outside of Washington, D.C. His neighborhood was typical of small town suburbia; he had great friends, played sports and got into mischief. He graduated from the University of Maryland University College with a degree in Legal Studies. He attended Wesley Theological Seminary for two years, and it was there that he got the idea to write his first novel, The Last of the Descendants. Shortly after it was published, Charles began working on his next novel, The Avenged, the first in the Detective Jacob Hayden series.
He’s currently working on the next books in the series and will continue to write until his brain goes numb.
For more information about the author and his work, please visit his website at CharlesPrandy.com or find him on Facebook and Twitter.
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Behind the Closed Door
Charles Prandy
A Jacob Hayden Mystery
When Jack Smith doesn't come home from a business trip, his wife, Erin Smith becomes concerned. Before she has a chance to call police, Detective Jacob Hayden and his new partner, Patricia Jennings, show up at the house and Erin immediately knows that something terrible has happened. Days later a body is found in the woods without its head or fingers and it's determined that the body is that of Jack Smith. Erin Smith becomes the primary suspect. After her arraignment Erin posts bail and without anyone knowing, flees the city.
A man named Max leads a group through a string of bank robberies. Each bank robbery leaves the branch manager and their families murdered. FBI Agent Jadyn Davis and Detective Hayden have to find out who's committing these robberies before more families are murdered. But what they don't realize is that the bank robberies are only a small part of a larger plot that Max has planned.
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