Whether it's working at his cousin's funeral home or tossing around the local riff raff at his favorite bar, Nathan Waymaker is a man who knows how to handle the bodies. A former Marine and Sheriff's deputy, Nathan has built a reputation in his small Southern town as a man who can help when all other avenues have been exhausted. When a local minister with grandiose ambitions is found dead, Nathan is approached by his parishioners who feel the local police are dragging their feet with the investigation. What starts out as an easy payday soon descends into a maze of mayhem filled with wannabe gangsters, vicious crime lords, porn stars, crooked police officers and a particularly treacherous preacher and his mysterious wife. Nathan must use all his varied skills and some of his wit to navigate the murky waters of small town corruption even as dark secrets of his own threaten to come to the surface.
Excerpt
The Cove had once been a small biker bar with a clientele that ranged from convicted felons to soon to be convicted felons. Two years ago, the owner, Ricky Callipher, and his girlfriend had disappeared. The last time anyone ever saw them was after the bar closed one hot and sticky Friday night in June. They had been observed at the gas station at the corner of Rt.198 and Rt.14. Most people thought they had run out of town ahead of debts. Both legal and otherwise. Word on the street was they had run afoul of some boys who went by the regionally influenced sobriquet of the “Dixie Mafia.” The local grapevine postulated they would show up one day after the heat had died down. I didn’t think so. A week before Ricky and his lady had gone missing I ran into my friend Skunk in town. I knew Skunk sometimes did some freelance work for the Dixie boys. If they had sent Skunk after Ricky, you could probably cancel Ricky’s newspaper subscription.
Interview
Tell us about your book what inspired it?
In the summer of 2015 I had published several short stories in different anthologies and magazines. I felt the next step in my writing career was to challenge myself by taking on a novel. At the time my day job was working at family owned funeral home. I felt a funeral home was a ripe setting for a mystery novel and i didn't think it had been done to death. I finished MY DARKEST PRAYER in June of 2016.
What was the hardest part to write in this book?
I think the hardest part to write in the book were the scenes where the main character Nathan Waymaker discusses the death of his parents. Those sections were difficult to envision and even more difficult to write because of the incredibly painful place i had to go to mentally to find the words to make the scenes seem realistic.
What are you working on next.
Right now I am in the midst of edits for a southern heist novel tentatively titled BLACKTOP WASTELAND and I also working on a new revenge thriller that will hopefully be completed by the end of March.
What do you think makes a good story?
I think a compelling story is one that not only makes you think but also makes you feel. Those two things are not always sympatico. Strong characters who challenge your sense of complacency. Those are the stories that stay with you long after you have close the book.
Do you have any unusual writing rituals?
I don't know about unusual but I can't write without listening to music. Different songs help me write different scenes. Hard rock or hard rap help me write fight scenes. Soft jazz or instrumental music helps me write more staid or calm scenes. I used to have a lucky hat but i lost it in St. Petersburg FL.
What do you do when you are not writing?
I love to read any and all types of books. Fiction ,nonfiction, historical novels ,crime and mystery stories. I like to work out and lift weights. Working out sometimes helps me clear up plot issues that come up in my writing . I'm also a poor chess player and somewhat competent cook. I'm also an avid hiker.
Any last words?
I hope that readers will enjoy MY DARKEST PRAYER. If they have half as much fun reading as i did writing it they will really enjoy themselves.
Thanks...
S.A. Cosby is a writer whose work has been published in numerous magazine and anthologies. His story "Slant-Six" received an honorable mention in Best Mystery Stories of 2016. His life experiences include being a retail manager, a bouncer, a forklift driver, a landscaper, a roadie, a construction worker, a mortuary attendant, and he once wore a cow suit when he worked for Chik Fil-A. He majored in English at Christopher Newport University and now lives in Gloucester, Virginia.
Twitter: @blacklionking73
Giveaway
S. A. Cosby will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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ReplyDeleteI am enjoying these tours and finding all the terrific books my family is enjoying reading. Thanks for bringing them to us and keep up the good work.
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