Book One of the Maison de Danse Quartet
Suspense
Date Published: 01-01-2022
Publisher: Épouvantail Books
The hunt is on. Pierce Danser is desperately searching for his grandson, Kazu, a twelve year old who's carving a murderous trail as he tries to escape his past. Labeled by the Mexican federales as Jappy the Assassin, the boy has fought his way to the states, being chased by his double-crossed employer and the law. When Pierce picks up his trail, he starts his desperate journey from a simple life in Michigan to the Midwest, using all of his wits and contacts to rescue the boy before the Mexican hitmen and the authorities get their claws into him.
As the trail leads Pierce to Florida, he is also targeted and attacked. Battered and frightened, he refuses to give up, doing all he can to get to Kazu before the boy is caught and disappeared and worse. Because of his trickery and escape, nothin less than Kazu's head on a spike will do.
Pierce is in the fight of his life.
The clock is ticking.
Can he save the boy from his deadly pursuers?
Is There a
Message in Your Novel That You Want Readers to Grasp?
Stay
young, no matter your age. And avoid adults and their antics like the plague
(laughter).
Is there
anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Seeing the
first set of red-marked revisions from my private editor. This is always a
good and humbling experience. During the write of “Where’s Kazu?” and the other
Danser novels, I play fast and loose with punctuation, treating it like a drum
kit. By working with my editor before my publisher gets the book, together we
enhance the story and the reader’s experience.
How many
books have you written and which is your favorite?
If my math is right, and
it’s usually suspect, thirty-one Danser novels have been finished. “Where’s
Kazu?” is the fourteenth title published, with the others in queue. The main
reason my publisher is launching four titles this year and another four in 2023
is to get more of the collection in reader’s hands. Each book is very much like a daughter to me
and I wouldn’t dare name a favorite without risking death at the hands of the
others.
If You had
the chance to cast your main character from Hollywood today, who would you pick and why?
I have a
love and appreciation of film, but am dreadful with actor’s names. From my
time on movie sets, I’ve developed a deep respect for the hard work and
artistry and craft of the acting profession. Given a chance to have a say on
casting, I would focus more on an actor’s creativity and skills than their
name, looking for those rare and fine creators who delight in surprises and
twists as well as their ability to full immerse themselves in their role.
When did
you begin writing?
Not
long after I bought a stack of index cards and a stash of number two pencils. I
spent months writing details and sketches without concern for the book’s theme,
genre or structure. I pretty much work the same way today. Back then, I didn’t
go and buy a pawnshop typewriter until the Ingredients, as I still call them,
were screaming at me to get off my ass.
How long
did it take to complete your first book?
I want to say I probably
did ten or eleven drafts, so it would have been two years or more. Thankfully,
I’m now writing with more confidence and don’t have to struggle with the kinds
of issues I had way back then. Writing seven days a week, it seems I average
about seven hundred words each morning. I’ve also learned how to write more
direct and concise so fewer revisions are needed.
Did you
have an author who inspired you to become a writer?
Yes, quite a few (and they
are the same inspirations today). Here they are:
John Cheever
J.D. Salinger
Peter S. Beagle
Truman Capote
Somerset Maugham
Elmore Leonard
Neil Young song lyrics
Elmore Leonard
What is
your favorite part of the writing process?
After the first half hour
or so of each morning, spent reviewing and revising the past day’s write, the
immersion begins and the real world around me takes flight. I love entering the
story and the lives of my cast and the challenges they face. I always stay
among them for four to six hours, by which time the sun is up and the surf is
calling to me. I believe in spending some time in the real world
(laughter) so I’ll head to Ponce Inlet for a few waves. Throughout the day, I
weave in and out of the book, scribbling notes no matter where I am or what I’m
doing.
Describe
your latest book in 4 words.
The hunt
is on
Can you
share a little bit about your current work or what is in the future for your
writing?
I’m
halfway through the write of “Audience
of the Dead” (w.t.), which is the fourth
Chas
Danser novel. All of the Chas Danser books have the filming of a movie as their
centerpiece, which lets me tell a second story for the reader, often in
different voice, structure and color. These “films” are also a great
opportunity to tell a secondary story in a cinematic style, meaning brevity of
pace and voice. It is a hell of a challenge and also a lot of fun.
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