Today, I'm talking with Nellie Neeman, author of World Class Conspiracy Thrillers
Nellie grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, tapping away on her mother's typewriter. She attended the City University of New York where she earned a master's degree in speech pathology. In 2015, she left the Big Apple and her twenty-year career to pursue her writing passion full-time in the greener and wider pastures of the Midwest.
Nellie is an avid traveler [Her travels and experiences add an unusually deep texture to the locals in her books] and hiker who uses her own adventures as inspiration for her stories. She currently resides in Cincinnati and Jerusalem with her husband and Lexi, the wacky Labradoodle.
Good Morning Nellie,
Q: What prompted you to start writing?
A: I’ve always had an avid imagination and have been writing since I was a young girl. I began reading action thrillers in my teens and felt a strong pull to write in that genre.
Q: Describe the genre of your books.
A: I write international adventure thrillers. The themes revolve around what happens when technology and immorality collide.
Q: Most readers have an all-time favorite book and author. What are your all-time favorite book and author?
A: Hmm, I can’t possibly choose only one book and author. But I love books by Ken Follett (Eye of the Needle), John le Carré (The Little Drummer Girl), and Robert Ludlum (Bourne series), among many others.
What publishing awards and honors have you received that you’re most proud of?
A: I would have to say the two fantastic book blurbs I received:
"Neeman's debut thriller jumps off the pages and had me reading late into the night." -Jay Lefkowitz, former White House advisor and Wall Street Journal book reviewer (for Spree)
"A brilliant balancing act of science, espionage, and morality." - Dr. Jeffrey Gruenglas, Harvard-trained bioethicist (for Resurrection)
Q: What words of wisdom do you have for our readers?
A: Take a risk on new authors in the genres you love. You may hit gold, discovering your next favorite writer.
Q: Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you handle it?
A: Thankfully, it’s not something I frequently experience. That said, if I find myself challenged with what comes next in a story, I rely on my tried-and-true hacks such as a headphone-free walk, a long shower, or meditation to get me back on track. Otherwise, I will move on to another part of the story or even a different project until I find the inspiration I need.
Q: Every writer I know is also, an avid reader. I know I am. What new author have you discovered lately that you’re reading? Tell us about him or her.
A: William Kent Krueger has written over twenty novels. I recently read Lightening Strike, the prequel to the Cork O’Connor series and plan to read further. This Tender Land, his standalone novel, is one of my favorite books. I watched Krueger in an online interview and was fascinated by how he wove his knowledge of Minnesota’s Native American culture and history into his books.
Q: If readers can read only one book this month, why should it be yours?
A: Readers who enjoy relatable characters, suspenseful plots, and unexpected twists will love The Jon Steadman Thriller Series. Jon is the “every man” drawn into international conspiracies that not only test his mettle but force him to combat his personal demons.
Q: What are you working on for your next release?
A: I’m currently finishing the fourth installment of the Steadman series titled, Duplicity. Jon and geneticist Dr. Lavi will contend with nefarious characters in a range of exciting locales. Duplicity will be available in early 2022.
For more on Nellie Neeman, got to her Website, Blog, FaceBook , Instagram , Goodreads or her LinkedIn Blog.
'I love to correspond with my readers! The best way is to sign up to Nellie’s News for the latest releases, contests, and special sales.'
For more on Jeff Bailey, go to his Home Page, or follow him on Amazon, GoodReads or his LinkedIn Blog.
Today's book selection:
It is April 2003. American forces have taken Baghdad and are now charged with winning hearts and minds. But this vital tipping point is barely recognized for what it is, as a series of miscalculations and blunders fuels an already-smoldering insurgency intent on making Iraq the next graveyard of empires.
In dazzling and propulsive prose, Brian Van Reet explores the lives on both sides of the battle lines: Cassandra, a nineteen-year-old gunner on an American Humvee who is captured during a deadly firefight and awakens in a prison cell; Abu al-Hool, a lifelong mujahedeen beset by a simmering crisis of conscience as he struggles against enemies from without and within, including the next wave of far more radicalized jihadists; and Specialist Sleed, a tank crewman who goes along with a "victimless" crime, the consequences of which are more awful than any he could have imagined.
This was my kind of read, in the depths of war, Van Reet presents a story from several points of view and both sides of the conflict, clever. I found it insightful and more than a little compelling. SPOILS is not a light read. It deals with war, real and gritty. The story is extremely well crafted and flows well. However, it also builds and the pace accelerates as the story unfolds. I work to find new authors of this caliber and know that I have found one of the best. SPOILS is a superb debut novel of the highest quality. Jeff Bailey, veteran and Author of the conspiracy thriller, Not On My Watch.