Creston Mapes and Free Books!

There are some bad seeds you never want to meet. A year from retirement and still reeling from daughter Leena’s kidnapping, Portland PD Detective Wayne Deetz is called upon to check on a domestic violence case, and that’s where he runs into the lawless toxic steamroller Blaine Milligan.

Before we talk with today's author, I want to announce that the winner of the free copy of the historical novel, The Moonlight School, by Suzanne Woods Fisher, is:

jacsmi75@...

Congratulations! We'll get your book right out to you. I encourage readers to keep commenting and/or subscribe at right (above my list of books) in order to learn about new releases! U.S. subscribers are entered in the drawings a second time when they comment.

And now let's revisit with novelist Creston Mapes, author of the Christian suspense thriller, I Pick You (Rooftop Press, December 2020).

Creston Mapes grew up in northeast Ohio, where he has fond memories of living with his family of five in the upstairs’ portion of his dad’s early American furniture store - The Weathervane Shop. Creston was not a good student, but the one natural talent he possessed was writing.

He set type by hand and cranked out his own neighborhood newspaper as a kid, then went on to graduate with a degree in journalism from Bowling Green State University. Creston was a newspaper reporter and photographer in Ohio and Florida, then moved to Atlanta, Georgia, for a job as a creative copywriter for a printing firm/ad agency.

Creston served for a stint as a creative director, but quickly learned he was not cut out for management. He went out on his own as a freelance writer in 1991 and has been doing it ever since—for Chick-fil-A, Coca-Cola, The Weather Channel, Oracle, ABC-TV, Johnson Controls, TNT Sports, colleges and universities, ad agencies, and more. He’s ghost-written more than ten non-fiction books.

Along the way, Creston has written nine contemporary thrillers, achieved Amazon Bestseller status, and had one of his novels (Nobody) optioned as a major motion picture. His hope is to continue writing fiction into the sunset.

Creston married his fourth grade sweetheart, Patty, and they have four amazing kids who range from about 20 to 30 years old. Creston loves his part-time job as an usher at local venues were he gets to see all the latest-greatest concerts and sporting events. He loves reading, fishing, time with his family, and dates with his wife.

That usher job is a great idea, Creston.

Please tell us one random thing we might not know about you.

About five years ago my son began freshwater fishing and got me hooked. Now it is my favorite hobby/pastime.

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of I Pick You.

There Are Some Bad Seeds You Never Want to Meet.

A year from retirement and still reeling from daughter Leena’s kidnapping, Portland PD Detective Wayne Deetz is called upon to check on a domestic violence case. From the moment Deetz and his friend Callie Freeland show up to help Sunny Carlisle, they are blindsided by a lawless toxic steamroller named Blaine Milligan.

At a breakneck clip, things go from bad to worse as Callie is eerily stalked and her fiancé Tyson is lured into Blaine’s web of evil and madness. While the city of Portland is being burned and dismantled by rioters, Deetz must race against the clock to protect Sunny, Callie and Tyson, and possibly even his own family.

What is it about Wayne Deetz that will make your readers care about him?

Detective Wayne Deetz is close to 60 and retirement. He’s a likeable family man who, over the past two books in the series (Signs of Life, Let My Daughter Go) has been through immense trauma and tragedy. He’s hanging on to get his pension, but his city of Portland is full of police-haters and rioters—plus he’s dealing with a domestic violence maniac who’s threatening his closest friends and his own family.

Imagine you’ve been contracted to write a novel about a real person. About whom would you want to write?

Clint Eastwood.

Oh, that would totally make my day.

What is the last novel you read that you would recommend?

I’ve been reading all of Patricia Highsmith’s novels. She’s not with us anymore, but her novels were filled with very real, quirky characters with a lot of tension/suspense. I’ve loved every one I’ve read thus far.

I need to read her work. The Talented Mr. Ripley was such an excellent film.

What are you working on now?

Charm Artist is book number four in the Signs of Life Series. It will come out in perhaps six months.

Where else can readers find you online?

This is my Amazon Author Page

And this is my website: www.crestonmapes.com

The book can be purchased online via the following button:



Readers, you can access a sample from the novel by going HERE and clicking on Look Inside.

Finally, Creston, what question would you like to ask my readers?

Why do you love Trish Perry novels so much?

Ha! How kind of you, Creston. Thank you for visiting and telling us about yourself and your book. Readers, Creston has offered to give away a free copy of his book. To enter, click on the word "comments" below to reach the comments page, and leave your answer and your email in answer to Creston's question above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. Remember that U.S. subscribers are entered an additional time in each drawing. The drawing is done by email, so leave your email address, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com. 

Only United States residents are eligible for the drawing, but anyone can subscribe to the blog posts via the GDPA-compliant Feedblitz box above my list of books, at right.

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Annoying legal disclaimer: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases; drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer, GDPA notice, and my Disclosure of Material Connection HERE