A Chat with Ken Hoss, Author of Suspense and Crime

Ken Hoss joins us this week via New York City location setting of his suspense series, featuring Kelli Storm. Ken is an avid reader, a computer nut and also loves to promote his fellow authors as much as we do. He is currently writing the third installment.

A bit about Ken before we start the interview.

Kenneth Hoss was born at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas in 1957 to Albert and Mary Hoss. He served a combined total of fourteen years on active duty from 1974 to 1987 in both the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. His tour in the Army took him to Frankfurt, Germany where he had the opportunity to travel Europe. While in the Navy, Kenneth spent most of his time stationed in San Diego and Long Beach. His Navy travels took him to Hawaii, Guam, The Philippines, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Okinawa, the Middle East and Pakistan. He has lived in several States, including South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Washington and California.

Storm Rising - A Kelli Storm Novel is a Police Procedural and is the first book in a three book series. Storm Warning, the next book, has a planned release of Fall 2012.

Kenneth is currently single and lives in Irving, Texas.

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Louise: Ken, welcome to our blog! We’re so excited you could join us for a chat. When did you first decide to submit your work to be published? Tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step.

Ken: Well, it’s really a long story, but it was actually an old High School girlfriend that convinced me that I should start writing again. I wrote a lot of Sci/Fi and fantasy back them and she loved my stories. We reconnected on Facebook and she asked if I was still writing and when I said no, she asked why. Honestly, I hadn’t written in years and really didn’t feel the spark. She ended up sending me a few primer lines and I took those and ran. Of course, it was utter garbage and will most likely never see the light of day, but it got the juices flowing.

Louise: Please tell us a little about your new release.

Ken: My newest release is the second book in the Kelli Storm series, titled Storm Warning. It picks up a few months after the end of the first book, Storm Rising. It follows my main character, Detective Kelli Storm and her new partner as they attempt to shut down a major Colombian drug cartel’s operations in New York City.

Louise: Do you plan all your characters out before you start a story or do they develop as you write? 

Ken: Actually, my characters come to me and ask me to write their story. In the case of Kelli, she approached me shortly after I had written the first story, the one my old girlfriend got me started on, and ask if I would write her story. I told her I didn’t think I had it in me, but she had faith that I could do it. And the rest, as they say, is history. Over the past couple of years, Kelli and I have developed a special relationship.

Louise: How much research do you do for your books? Have you found any cool tidbits to share?

Ken: I do a ton of research, especially since my books are based on the NYPD. There are so many small details, which if left out, would make my books read like some Hollywood script. If you omit the minutia, then anyone reading it will have a hard time believing it. I had to know things like what firearms NYPD Officers were allowed to carry on and off duty. Another small, but very significant detail is the fact that the NYPD does not call their cruisers Squad cars. No, they are called RMP’s, or Radio Motor Patrols. For this book, and I don’t want to give away anything, I had to research anything to do with the Mexican drug cartels.

Louise: What is your writing process? Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants (Pantser) or a combination of both?

Ken: With Storm Rising I did a complete outline, as well as character bios. I found out that after a few chapters that the story line was taking a complete ninety-degree turn from the outline. After that, I just let Kelli tell me what was going to happen next. With Storm Warning I did a skeletal outline, based off what Kelli told me, and the rest I let her run. So, I guess you could say that I’m a punster.

Louise: Do you write full time? What did you do before you became a writer or still do?

Ken: I wish I could write full time. Unfortunately, I’m not at that level yet. That is the goal of course. In the interim, I work as a Lotus Notes Administrator for a multi-national company.

Louise: Do you have a ritual when it comes to writing? Example….get coffee, blanket, paper, pen, laptop and a comfy place.

Ken: I put my ear buds in, tune to a good Classic Rock station, usually Q104 in New York, and I go from there. Kelli is a BIG Classic Rock fan and it helps both of us communicate.

Louise: Describe a typical writing day for you.

Ken: Typical? There really is nothing typical about my writing day. I write when the mood hits me, or when Kelli keeps bugging me to get to my laptop because she has something to say.

Louise: Please give us a sneak peek at your future books. What’s on the horizon?

Ken: The next planned book is the third one in the series. I can’t say what is going to happen yet, because Kelli is currently taking a well deserved vacation, and she deserves it. After all the hell she went through in this last book, I can’t blame her.

Louise: What is your favorite genre to read and who is your favorite author?

Ken: I really don’t have a favorite, but if I did, it would have to be thrillers. I also love Stephen King novels, some Sci/Fi and occasionally horror.

Louise: Is there anything else you would like to tell the readers we have not touched on?

Ken: Just that if they do pick up Storm Warning, they will not be lost. It does fill in Kelli’s history throughout the book. However, I would also add, that they should pick up book one, if only to see where it all began.

Louise: Where can the readers learn more about you and find your books on the web?

Ken: They can go to my blog, my Independent Authors Network page, and of course my Amazon Authors page. Storm Rising is available in all eReader formats on Smashwords, and is on Amazon, Barnes and Noble; Nook & paperback, and iTunes. Storm Warning will only be available on Amazon for Kindle and in paperback. They are also available on Amazon UK. And of course on Twitter.

I'd also like to giveaway an eBook copy of Storm Rising to one lucky commenter. Let me know you've stop by or ask a question we did not address above, and leave your email address so we can easily contact the winner.

Louise: Ken, thank you for visiting with us this week.