with G. R. Case
We are delighted to welcome back crime novelist G. R. Case to Omnimystery News today.
Last week G. R. provided us with an excerpt from his debut thriller is 30 Days (Cool Blue Books; April 2014 trade paperback and ebook formats) and we wanted to follow up and talk to him about his new book.
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Omnimystery News: 30 Days is basically centered on two men. What it is about these characters that appeals to you as a writer?
Photo provided courtesy of
G. R. Case
G. R. Case: First, I would like to focus on Marcus Freling, the protagonist, because he is an average guy just trying to make an honest living as a mail carrier. He's never had any run-ins with the law. One day, due to an act of violence, his path intersects with Troy Edwards, the antagonist. Troy started off as a good guy, but due to losing a mentor that had a positive influence on him he began selling illegal drugs. I like the fact that both characters were flawed and neither one can be viewed as the "hero" as they guide the reader through this chilling story. Sometimes it is best to finish a book with a question remaining because it will be a book one will always remember.
OMN: Did you consider having one or more of the characters in 30 Days recur in a sequel?
GRC: I do not have any control over whether or not a character will be recurring or not. First and foremost the stories find me. Therefore, story itself will dictate if a series will develop out of any novel I write.
OMN: Into which genre would you place 30 Days? Do you see any advantage or disadvantage of categorizing it?
GRC: I would categorize my novel as a crime suspense novel. The disadvantage is that 30 Days also falls within the category of a thriller. So, sometimes using only one label may not be fair to capture the true essence of the work.
OMN: If you have 20 seconds to tell someone about the book, what would you say?
GRC: 30 Days is about Marcus Freling becoming a vigilante over a two-year period after his only niece is murdered. He kidnaps Troy, the killer, close to the two-year anniversary of his niece's murder. Marcus tortures him in a farmhouse for thirty days in the Catskill Mountains.
OMN: Are any of the characters or situations based on real people or events?
GRC: The answer is a resounding, no. As a novelist, it is my job to have the reader become completely engaged in the story. At the end of the book, if the reader questions whether or not the characters or events depicted are real, I've done my job as a novelist.
OMN: Describe your writing process for us.
GRC: Once the story finds me, meaning when I'm doing mundane activities such as grocery shopping, walking down a hallway is when vivid, quick images of a story appears. I normally write what I see on paper as soon as I can. I may not re-visit the story for a few weeks or a few months. It depends on when more images appear to continue filling in what will become an outline. I am always working on other stories, so I'm not sitting around waiting on the full outline of one story to completely materialize. In regards to actively writing a chapter in a novel, additional characters naturally appear as needed to further the story.
OMN: What was one of the more challenging elements of the story to write?
GRC: I've only visited the Manhattan area in New York once many years ago just for one day. It was an early morning flight in and a late flight out back to Chicago. Therefore, the challenge for me in writing 30 Days was to ensure the streets written in the novel were actual streets. I used Google Maps to accomplish this task.
OMN: If you could travel anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, to research the setting for a book, where would it be?
GRC: My next crime novel, Pernicious Intent, is already complete and is set in Miami so I guess that's out of the question. I am actively working on a crime novel set in my hometown of Chicago, so I don't have to travel far for this one. However, I must say it will be kind of cool to speak with people from the Chicago FBI office once I'm further along in the story. Unlike 30 Days, this book will be the first in a series.
OMN: Tell us more about the book's cover.
GRC: Sure. The finished book cover went through several previous drafts. One draft involved a wooden table with a knife and rope on top. Another draft involved a shadowy figure walking through a doorway. As a writer, I discarded both of those drafts because neither one provided a snapshot of the story. Finally, several days after sketching the first two, the vision for the blood-stained calendar appeared and the rest is history.
OMN: What kind of feedback have you received from readers?
GRC: The feedback has been great because the book has been reviewed by multiple sources and received rave reviews.
OMN: What are some of your outside interests?
GRC: Man, I am an avid tennis player. I have always loved the game since I was a boy watching some of the greats play with wooden tennis racquets on television. Game … set … match. I love it.
OMN: What kinds of films do you enjoy watching?
GRC: I have always enjoyed watching suspenseful dramatic types of films.
OMN: Give us a list of your favorite films.
GRC: Crimson Tide, Heat, Gone In 60 Seconds, The Negotiator, and Training Day.
OMN: What's next for you?
GRC: I'm looking forward to more book reviews about the novel. Also, I am excited about continuing to spread the word about this book through additional interviews.
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G. R. Case resides just outside of the Chicago area with his family. His passion is crafting every story by taking the reader on a journey into the minds of vast characters. In addition to storytelling, he enjoys following his favorite Chicago sports teams. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and a Masters of Arts in Sociology.
For more information about the author, please visit his website at GRCase.com or find him on Facebook and Twitter.
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30 Days
G. R. Case
A Crime Thriller
Vengeance is due …
