Tuesday, December 12, 2017

20 Questions with Mystery Author Sean Keefer @thetrustnovel

While growing up in South Carolina, Sean didn't realize it, but he was absorbing the styles, mannerisms, idiosyncrasies, dialects and the culture of his home. Add to this the time he spent traveling the other Carolina for school and then North America for work, he collected a vast array of experiences and observations from which to draw upon and bring together in his writing.

After studying law in North Carolina, Sean settled in Charleston, South Carolina and instantly became enamored with the people as well as the city.

One day he started writing and the words, generally, kept flowing. A page became a chapter which ultimately became a book known as The Trust. After this the process started again and The Solicitor was the end result. Hopefully, if you are reading this you either have, or soon will have, your very own copy of one or both.

The experience of taking two novels from conceptualization to print has been one of frustration peppered with increasing amounts of reward. Each step from the first words hitting the page to ultimately holding a book in hand has been a personal reward.

When Sean is not writing he practices Family Law and works as a Domestic Mediator and lives with his Wife and an ever-expanding pack of rescue canines – the current count is 4. As well, Sean can frequently be found wandering the lowcountry of South Carolina with his camera, playing guitar in assorted venues around Charleston or exploring the underwater world of the southeast.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

1. Are you a morning writer or a night writer?

I can write at any time, but I need a large block of time to be productive.

2. Do you outline or are you a pantster?

I wrote my first book as a panster and I’ll never go back to that. It works for a lot of people, but for me I need a bit more structure. I do a hybrid of outlining that provides a framework and helps me see the big picture.

3. Which comes first – plot or character?

I have some reoccurring characters who are priority, but I formulate the plot and then the characters make their entry.

4. Noise or quiet when working on your manuscript?

I need music and/or background noise. I enjoy writing in public - places like a noisy hotel lobby or a café/coffee shop are always really effective for me. If I tried to write in a library or in a quiet room all I would accomplish would be a nap.

5. Favorite TV show?

I am more of a favorite television show de jur. At the moment, I am really enjoying The Deuce on HBO, but then again The Walking Dead just fired back up.

6. Favorite type of music?

I am a huge fan of guitar driven music. Whether it be singer/songwriter, jazz, classic or any variety of rock and roll, if it has a guitar centered sound, I’ll give it a listen.

7. Favorite craft besides writing?

Composing, recording and performing music.

8. Do you play a musical instrument?

I do. I’m a guitar player.

9. Single or married?

I’m married.

10. Children or no?
No children.

11. Pets?
Four dogs generally of the Australian shepherd variety.

12. Favorite place to write?
Somewhere in public with a good deal of background noise.

13. Favorite restaurant?
I’m from the South Carolina coast and we are stocked with great restaurants. As hard as I try it’s near impossible to narrow it to one. But I like creative modern menus with a nod to the classics that embrace fresh ingredients and that have a nice wine list.

14. Do you work outside the home?
I do. I’m an attorney.

15. What was the name of the last movie you saw?
Die Hard.

16. Favorite outdoor activity?
I like being outdoors and generally center activities around time with the dogs.

17. Pet peeve?
People who aren’t willing to move beyond their comfort zone.

18. Your goal in life?
To always have a reason to smile.

19. Your most exciting moment?
It’s hard to narrow it down to a single event without watering down others. For me, it’s always more of a “What will the next exciting moment bring?” This helps motivate me for the day to come.

20. The love of your life?
My family.

About the Book:

Title: THE SOLICITOR
Author: Sean Keefer
Publisher: Four Hounds Creative
Pages: 386
Genre: Mystery

BOOK BLURB:

When you make your living fighting for justice, the last place you expect to wake up is behind bars.

Attorney Noah Parks has spent his life keeping people out of jail. When he’s charged with the murder of a candidate for Charleston County Solicitor he finds himself on the wrong side of the law for a crime he says he didn’t commit.

No longer fighting for others and now relying on the help of the few people he does trust, Noah must fight to clear his name and find the real killer before it’s too late.

His search will lead him through a maze of deceptions, lies, family turmoil and treachery that spans generations.

The Solicitor is set in historic Charleston and the surrounding South Carolina Lowcountry where under the surface things are not always as genteel as they appear.