Hi,
Mac McClellan! What is Deadly Dunes
about?
“Since you asked, here’s a one-liner:” ‘Mac McClellan
investigates the death of a young archaeologist whose recent discovery
threatens to kill a planned multi-million dollar Florida panhandle waterfront
resort.’
“And here’s the long version that ‘those in the know’
insisted upon:”
‘Hours after hiring Mac
McClellan to investigate the supposed suicide of her archaeologist brother,
single-mom Jessie dies in a car accident. Jessie had just showed Mac artifacts
and a copy of a map Jake found, items that indicate Hernando de Soto and his
explorers might have camped on Five Mile Island during the winter of 1539-1540.
Studying the map, Mac determines the site
lies in the middle of a planned resort, The Dunes. Declaring the area an
historic site could shut the project down. Suspicions aroused, he forges ahead,
even though he no longer has a paying client.
Everywhere Mac turns, greed abounds, and
no one he interviews seems innocent, even Jessie's closest friends, the
Deckers, who have adopted her teenage daughter. Ron Decker's construction company
is building The Dunes, and he is heavily invested in its success. Then there is
the oily son and ex-stripper wife of an old curmudgeon who won t sell the one
lot the project still needs to acquire. Jake's estranged wife Laurel had plenty
to gain from his death, and as Mac continues to dig, he begins to wonder if
Jessie herself had more at stake than he was led to believe.
No one is happy about Mac s persistence,
and someone is unhappy enough to crash his truck and frame him for yet another
murder. But Mac isn't giving up, no matter what the cost.’
Book Links:
1. Who would play you in a movie?
“Matt Damon would be a good choice. We’re both what I’d
call ‘ruggedly handsome’ (or so I’ve been told, in my case heavy on the rugged)
and in good shape for early 40s. Give him sandy hair showing a little frost
around the edges, and a trimmed auburn beard, and I’m pretty much looking in
the mirror."
2. What is your job?
“I’d hoped to be retired for a while after a twenty-four
year career in the Marine Corps. I came to the Florida panhandle looking for
fun and relaxation, but hooking a dead body one morning while fishing took care
of that. Now, I’m a private investigator, by hook and by crook.”
3. What do you do for fun?
“I love to fish, although fishing altered my career choice.
But I still enjoy wetting a line whenever I get the chance.”
4. What is your biggest pet peeve?
“Dishonesty and disloyalty. A
man or woman should be a person of their word. If you say you’re going to do
something, then you better do your damnedest to do it. Semper Fidelis is
my watchword.”
5. How did you meet Kate Bell?
“Ah, Kate, the love of my life
and my very own ‘Girl Friday.’ Kate works at the local marina. When I first
arrived in St. George she sold me the tackle I’d need for going after speckled
trout. Later, when finding that body put the heat on me, she was a big help in
clearing my name and bringing the real perps to justice.”
6. What was your first impression of Kate?
“Well, I am a guy. Kate’s
shoulder-length auburn hair, those cute freckles, and that body grabbed my
attention the moment I walked through the marina’s front door. Then she
impressed me with her knowledge of fishing, and I quickly learned she didn’t take
any crap from anybody. I could tell she was trustworthy. That sold me.”
7. What kind of trouble do the two of you get
into?
“Like I said before, I stepped
into deep crapola when I snagged that corpse. When the local law tried to
implicate me for murder and a related drug charge, Kate stood by my side and
was instrumental in clearing my name. Since then, we’ve been an item. For
whatever reason, I seem to me a trouble-magnet. And Kate continues to help me
on my cases, despite my objections. I don’t want her getting hurt, but she’s
one strong-willed lady with a mind of her own. Who can argue with that?”
8. What moment of Deadly Dunes was your
favorite?
“Wrapping up the case. It was
a complicated one with enough intertwined suspects for a handful of cases. It
was a ‘don’t turn your back on anybody or you risked getting stabbed’-type
situation. When it finally unfolded I think I knew how Atlas felt carrying the
world on his shoulders.”
9. What moment caused you the most fear?
“Fear?” Me? This big, bad
Marine doesn’t fear anything. Okay, I jest. It was probably when I was tied up
in the perps’ house and about to become worm bait in the next few minutes.
Having my big .357 Magnum staring me in the face held by a shaky-handed woman
didn’t help matters either. If I hadn’t managed to work that rope loose, we
might not be having this conversation. Yeah, that was scary.”
10. Is there anything you did in Deadly Dunes
that you would change if you could?
“Yeah. I should’ve walked away
and not taken the case. By my forcing the issue, a couple of people died who
would probably still be alive. Justice was served, but the price was high.”
Hyper Round:
*If you don’t know something about your character, that’s
fine. Leave it blank and I’ll only use the ones you answer.
Food: “The
seafood platter they serve at the Green Parrot, St. George’s favorite beachside
hangout. Fried. Kate doesn’t approve. She’s on a health kick.”
Drink:
“Scotch, single malt. ‘The Dalmore,’ in particular.”
Movie: “I’m
an old movie buff. Anything hardboiled or noir. Black and white only or it
ruins the mood.”
Band:
“Early Beatles. They were brilliant. Not so much their later stuff.”
Book:
“Anything and everything by Ross Macdonald. Let’s go with The Galton Case.
Layered beautifully.”
Animal:
“Bacon. Okay, I’ll go with dogs. Loyal and trustworthy. More so than most
people I’ve known.”
Color: “Sage
green. There’s just something about it.”
Parting
Shot: “Thanks for having me on Write with Fey!, Chrys. It was a real pleasure
being had!” :)
BIO:
I was born in Georgia way back in the last
century but grew up and lived most of my life in Panama City, Florida. In 2004
my wife and I moved to the Upstate region of South Carolina in the shadows of
the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, a land of stunning vistas and numerous
waterfalls.
I’ve been traditionally published since 1990
when my Vietnam War memoir, The
Proud Bastards, was published. It’s about my tour of
duty as a combat U.S. Marine in 1967-68. It’s still in print after all these
years, currently with Simon & Schuster/Pocket. I’ve since written a few
novels in different genres. I’m currently writing the Mac McClellan Mystery series
which is set along the coast of the Florida Panhandle where I grew up.
Author
Links:
GIVEAWAY!
$25 Amazon gift certificate!
CLOSED!
The winner is...Sheena-kay Graham!
Thank you, Mac and Michael for entertaining us!
Please leave a comment for Mac and Michael. :)
