Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?

I’ve been telling stories for as long as I can remember, and I’ve been a lifelong reader of great literature. Writers like Hemingway, Tolkien, and Tom Clancy shaped how I think about storytelling—the efficiency of Hemingway, the poetry of Tolkien, and the attention to detail and complexity of Tom Clancy.

As a counselor, I’ve spent a lifetime listening to people talk—not just what they’re saying, but how they say it, where they hesitate, and what’s happening underneath the words. That sensitivity to voice and subtext is where I think the real strength of my writing lies, particularly in characterization.

When I retired, I finally had the time to dedicate myself fully to writing. Bringing together those literary influences with years of close listening felt like a natural progression.

What inspired you to write Justice, or Something Like It?

It started with a single question: What could push a gentle, broken man who wouldn’t hurt a fly into cold-blooded murder? That tension between vulnerability and sudden violence felt like pure noir territory. I’ve always loved the classic hard-boiled tradition—the rain-soaked streets, the weary detective, the moral gray zones—and wanted to blend it with a touch of the supernatural while keeping the story grounded and human. The result became the darkest, most personal Jake Bishop case I’ve written so far.

Convince us why you feel your story is a must read.

Justice, or Something Like It is the most emotionally charged Jake Bishop book I’ve written. It delivers classic hard-boiled atmosphere, sharp dialogue, and a tightly wound mystery, but it hits harder and goes darker than anything else I’ve written. I hope readers will be invested in the characters and genuinely shocked by where the story lands. If you want a noir novel that stays with you long after the final page, this is it.