Ask the Author: Martin Roy Hill
Answered Questions (10)
Martin Roy Hill
Hi, Rory. Your timing is impeccable. The audiobook for The Last Refuge went on sale just this week. I can send you a download code for that one, or for Empty Places. They both feature Peter Brandt. I'll need your email to send you a code.
Martin Roy Hill
I don't wait for inspiration. No author should. Writing is about discipline, butt in chair, fingers on keyboard. If you wait for inspiration, you'll never write a word.
Martin Roy Hill
I heard her scream, saw the fear in her face, smelled the terror on her body, and wondered what kind of monster could cause such revulsion and horror. Then I saw our reflections in the mirror and realized the monster was me.
Martin Roy Hill
Good question. I just finished Richard Condon's The Manchurian Candidate. Great novel and very pertinent to the current politcal climate in the US. I'll post a review/commentary on it later.
I'm also reading Irwin Shaw's The Young Lions. That's my bedtime read, so I'm going through it slow.
Most of my reading is via audiobooks. Next up is Ian Fleming's Live and Let Die, the second James Bond book. I read all the Bond novels when I was a kid, but I decided to read them again in order. Always good to return to the masters of your genre.
I'm also reading Irwin Shaw's The Young Lions. That's my bedtime read, so I'm going through it slow.
Most of my reading is via audiobooks. Next up is Ian Fleming's Live and Let Die, the second James Bond book. I read all the Bond novels when I was a kid, but I decided to read them again in order. Always good to return to the masters of your genre.
Martin Roy Hill
Because of my background, I have been involved - however, tangentially - in many real life mysteries, including murder investigations. As a reserve sergeant with the local sheriff's search and rescue unit, I took part in many searches for evidence and bodies. That included the prominent case of a small girl who was kidnapped, abused, and murdered by a neighbor while her parents engaged in a sex party in another part of the house.
During my U.S. Coast Guard career, I took part in many maritime law enforcement operations, predominantly anti-smuggling ops along the U.S.-Mexico maritime border. At one point, a drug cartel placed a bounty on the heads of anyone involved in federal counter-drug operations. It was later rescinded, we were told, but I haven't been to Mexico since, even though I live in San Diego on the border.
When I was a journalist, there were several incidents when I was threatened and even spied on. At one point, when I was an investigative reporter, we had reason to believe my office and my home were bugged. The local police came in and did a sweep, but found nothing. They gave us the name of a local PI firm that specialized in detecting listening devices, and I spent several nights with them staking out my office to see if anyone was secretly entering the building. Nothing definitive was ever found, but it was definitely a learning experience.
All of this, of course, is grist for the mill when it comes to my writing. You can particularly see its influence in my Peter Brandt thrillers, Empty Places and The Last Refuge.
During my U.S. Coast Guard career, I took part in many maritime law enforcement operations, predominantly anti-smuggling ops along the U.S.-Mexico maritime border. At one point, a drug cartel placed a bounty on the heads of anyone involved in federal counter-drug operations. It was later rescinded, we were told, but I haven't been to Mexico since, even though I live in San Diego on the border.
When I was a journalist, there were several incidents when I was threatened and even spied on. At one point, when I was an investigative reporter, we had reason to believe my office and my home were bugged. The local police came in and did a sweep, but found nothing. They gave us the name of a local PI firm that specialized in detecting listening devices, and I spent several nights with them staking out my office to see if anyone was secretly entering the building. Nothing definitive was ever found, but it was definitely a learning experience.
All of this, of course, is grist for the mill when it comes to my writing. You can particularly see its influence in my Peter Brandt thrillers, Empty Places and The Last Refuge.
Martin Roy Hill
Hey, James. By exotic technologies, I assume you mean something like the Baghdad battery. Yes, I have certainly heard of those but they don't play a major role in Eden.
Eden was inspired by the Ancient Alien theories. I started thinking, "Well, if ancient astronauts did come here, why?" Eden was finally inspired by a news report about researchers who used satellite imagery to identify the remnants of two dead rivers that once merged with the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which they said pinpointed the location of the Biblical Eden. The Bible says Eden was located between the Tigris, Euphrates, and two other rivers. I started thinking, "What if American troops in Iraq stumbled onto the origins of Mankind -- that is, Eden?" That was the genesis (excuse the pun) of the story.
I do bring in a great deal of history, both Biblical and archaeological, and point out unanswered questions about the development of the human race: the sudden development of the Big Brain; the similarities of building construction across continents where there should be no contact of populations; finely honed stone structures that cannot be duplicated with today's technologies; and why so many civilizations chose to live in or worship in vast cities carved into mountainsides.
Eden was inspired by the Ancient Alien theories. I started thinking, "Well, if ancient astronauts did come here, why?" Eden was finally inspired by a news report about researchers who used satellite imagery to identify the remnants of two dead rivers that once merged with the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which they said pinpointed the location of the Biblical Eden. The Bible says Eden was located between the Tigris, Euphrates, and two other rivers. I started thinking, "What if American troops in Iraq stumbled onto the origins of Mankind -- that is, Eden?" That was the genesis (excuse the pun) of the story.
I do bring in a great deal of history, both Biblical and archaeological, and point out unanswered questions about the development of the human race: the sudden development of the Big Brain; the similarities of building construction across continents where there should be no contact of populations; finely honed stone structures that cannot be duplicated with today's technologies; and why so many civilizations chose to live in or worship in vast cities carved into mountainsides.
Martin Roy Hill
My most recent book, EDEN: A Sci-Fi Novella, will be published on November 15, 2014. It was inspired by both my interest in history and my interest in what I call "crypto-science" -- that is, anything that is bizarre and beyond the knowledge of current scientific knowledge.
Sometime ago, I read that archeaologists using satellite photos believed they had identified the purported location of the Biblical Garden of Eden in Iraq between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. I also knew that Iraq was the location of the Sumerian culture, the first evidence of human civilization. Having read Erich von Daniken's CHARIOTS OF THE GODS and watched the History Channel's show Ancient Aliens, I started thinking "What if American soldiers in Iraq stumbled into the Garden of Eden?" That was the genesis (excuse the pun) of my science fiction novella EDEN. You can read more about EDEN on my website at http://tiny.cc/EdenBlog2 .
Sometime ago, I read that archeaologists using satellite photos believed they had identified the purported location of the Biblical Garden of Eden in Iraq between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. I also knew that Iraq was the location of the Sumerian culture, the first evidence of human civilization. Having read Erich von Daniken's CHARIOTS OF THE GODS and watched the History Channel's show Ancient Aliens, I started thinking "What if American soldiers in Iraq stumbled into the Garden of Eden?" That was the genesis (excuse the pun) of my science fiction novella EDEN. You can read more about EDEN on my website at http://tiny.cc/EdenBlog2 .
Martin Roy Hill
Morris, I apologize for the delay in answering this.
I suspect that American History article on the Pea Island rescuers was the one I wrote for them many years ago?
The Coast Guard has a long history of providing opportunities to African Americans. The first US naval vessel commanded by an African American was the Revenue Cutter Bear (the Revenue Cutter Service joined with the US Lifesaving Service to form the Coast Guard in 1915). In the late 1800s, the Bear was commanded by CAPT Michael "Hell Roaring Mike" Healey, a mixed race African American who was a famed Arctic ship captain.
During WWII, when the services were still segregated, the Coast Guard had the first warship manned entirely by African Americans. (Yep, the Coast Guard fought in WWII and every American war from the Quasi-French War to OIF.)
If you are interested in the Coast Guard, you might be interested to know that Amazon has among its Kindle Shorts my short mystery story "Marque and Reprisal," which features a Coast Guard investigator. I am also in the plotting stages of a novel that will feature a special Coast Guard investigation team.
Obviously, I am a very proud veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard.
I suspect that American History article on the Pea Island rescuers was the one I wrote for them many years ago?
The Coast Guard has a long history of providing opportunities to African Americans. The first US naval vessel commanded by an African American was the Revenue Cutter Bear (the Revenue Cutter Service joined with the US Lifesaving Service to form the Coast Guard in 1915). In the late 1800s, the Bear was commanded by CAPT Michael "Hell Roaring Mike" Healey, a mixed race African American who was a famed Arctic ship captain.
During WWII, when the services were still segregated, the Coast Guard had the first warship manned entirely by African Americans. (Yep, the Coast Guard fought in WWII and every American war from the Quasi-French War to OIF.)
If you are interested in the Coast Guard, you might be interested to know that Amazon has among its Kindle Shorts my short mystery story "Marque and Reprisal," which features a Coast Guard investigator. I am also in the plotting stages of a novel that will feature a special Coast Guard investigation team.
Obviously, I am a very proud veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Martin Roy Hill
My latest book is called Eden. It's a different type of work from my normal mystery and suspense thrillers as it is a sci-fi novella about a group of U.S. soldiers in Iraq who stumble on an ancient secret about the orgins of mankind. Eden is currently in production and should be available in the fall. Look for it!
Martin Roy Hill
When I get stuck on a piece of work, I just leave it for a while and work on something else. I usually have two or three projects going at the same time. I let my subconscious mulled over why I'm blocked and sooner or later it clears up.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more
Aug 11, 2019 07:28PM · flag