BLAST, BLITZ, PROMOS, REVEALS, & TOURS . . . : SPOTLIGHT w/INTERVIEW - THRILLER - The Tybee Island H-Bomb by Michael Houtchen

Discover a new voice in the realms of thrillers and suspense on the Tybee Island H-Bomb Blog Tour featuring Michael Houtchen! Suspense, thrills, mystery great characters, and even some humor awaits you!

In addition to being Michael’s debut novel, Tybee Island H-Bomb is the first of an exciting new series of thrillers!

Follow the blog tour running from November 20-27 with a variety of activities, from reviews, to guest posts, to top ten lists, to interviews!

BLURB
The government lost a hydrogen bomb around Tybee Island, Georgia, in 1958, or is that an old wives’ tale?

If it is only a tale, then why are three young men trying to find it, in hopes of selling it to make a dirty bomb?

Before the week is out, six friends from Kentucky will get caught up in kidnapping, murder, and treason, while trying to save one of their own and perhaps the citizens of Tybee Island and Savannah, Georgia.

Links for Tybee Island H-Bomb

Kindle Version: https://www.amazon.com/Tybee-Island-H-Bomb-Michael-Houtchen-ebook/dp/B07V6T7BWC/

Amazon Print Version: https://www.amazon.com/Tybee-Island-H-Bomb-Michael-Houtchen/dp/1948042789/

Barnes and Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tybee-island-h-bomb-michael-houtchen/1132868604?ean=9781948042789

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Author Info

Kentucky has always been my home. I was born in Owensboro and raised in Daviess County. Life was simple back then. I grew up with outhouses, hand-pumps, and coal stoves. If you wanted hot water, you heated it on the stove. Both of my parents have passed on. I have a half-brother, Danny, but most of our younger lives he lived with his father, so we didn’t get to see each other often. Looking back, sadly, it was like being an only child. My closest friends were the cows, chickens, pigs, goats, sheep, turkeys, geese, ducks, and horses my dad kept on our small farm. I hope I didn’t leave anyone out. Farm animals can be so jealous. Our grocery store – mason jars of mom’s canned vegetables and the occasional trip into town to the IGA.

My dad was a woodsman. You could give him a shotgun, a box of shells and a book of matches, and he could disappear into the forest for weeks. I used to hunt with him, but I was never the woodsman. I can’t tell you how many deer, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons and ground hogs I’ve eaten.

My wife, Stephanie, and I have five kids (three boys and two girls) and eight grandchildren (five boys and three girls). All but one son live here in town. You should see Christmas day at our house.

I’ve had several jobs during my lifetime. When I was thirteen, I had a summer job. I was a soda-jerk at the Utica Junior High School playground. The school is now defunct. It is not my fault the school went defunct. As an adult, I started out as a janitor. Loved the work, but not the pay. Mapping came next. In other words, I was a draftsman who created maps from surveys. I did that for over twenty years. Mapping fulltime and going to Brescia College (It’s now a University) at night, I got a BS in Computer Science. Career change. I was a Computer Analyst for over twenty years.

There came a day when I realized I was the dinosaur of Computer Science. Technology had passed me by. So, I up and retired. That was in 2014, and I haven’t missed working a day. Truth be known, I do miss the people I worked with. Notice, I’ve said nothing about writing. I could tell you a pretty good story, but putting it on paper was another thing. Stephanie, my wife, asked, “And why not?” I had no answer.

I should keep this short, so, I will tease you with two important events that happened in my life; two events that I haven’t already discussed. When we meet each other, don’t hesitate to ask me about them.

Monday, September 6, 1965, was a Labor Day, and I was out of school. On that day, I came in contact with a high voltage powerline. Seven thousand two hundred volts entered my hand and exited my head and my feet.

That’s not a typo. It was seven thousand two hundred volts. I was given up for dead for three days. There is a “rest of the story” as Paul Harvey used to say. Ask me about it when we meet.

The second event: September 17, 2017, I was ordained a Permanent Deacon in the Catholic Church. It keeps me busy these days. If you’re not sure what a Permanent Deacon does, Goggle “Permanent Deacon of the Catholic Church.”

There you have it. My life story summed up in 1000 words or less. It sounds like a writing contest doesn’t it. There’s so much I left out. I could tell you about riding the rails, or the time I hung myself. But, those will have to wait until we meet.

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Interview with Michael Houtchen . . .

Q: How would you describe your style of writing to someone that has never read your work?

A: I try to keep things simple, making the story an easy read. I don’t bog the reader down with unnecessary details. I’m not going to give you a thousand words on how to bake a cake. I keep my storyline’s simple. It’s good versus evil. And yes, in my stories good will overcome evil, probably as a result of a lot of bloodshed. I’m not into big words. The reason – I don’t know a lot of big words. The truth is - I don’t consider myself a writer but a story teller.

Q: What mindset or routine do you feel the need to set when preparing to write (in general, whether you are working on a project or just free writing)?

A: I try to clear my mind and focus on the task ahead, and yes, sometimes, it is a task. To help, I’ll put earbuds in and listen to Pandora. My musical taste varies like my eating habits. I have an Eagles channel and an Oldie Goldie channel. I like the big-band music from the forties. I like Swing Music. Yes, I have several Cherry Poppin' Daddies CDs. Occasionally, I listen to Country Music but don’t tell my friends. Late at night when it’s quiet and still, I like to listen to Gregorian Chants.

Q: Do you take your character prep to heart? Do you nurture the growth of each character all the way through the page? Do you people watch to help with development? Or do you build upon your character during story creation?

A: I start with the basic idea of what a character’s mindset will be. Is he or she going to be a villain? Is he or she a victim? Is he or she only here as a filler to the storyline. Once, I had a character that was only going to be a filler, but as I wrote, she became a major character in the storytelling. It wasn’t planned. I don’t work from outlines, but I have an idea of where I’m going. Nothing is cut in stone. Chapters have been moved around, or even removed entirely. The sequel to Tybee Island H-Bomb started with me writing the first chapter (I knew where I wanted to start) and the last chapter (I knew who the killer was) with nothing in-between.

Q: Have you found yourself bonding with any particular character? If so, which one(s)?

A: In Tybee Island H-Bomb, I introduced Peter “Pete” Franklin. Pete was going to be a filler character, but as I wrote, it became clear he was much more. He starts out being a flunky, a follower of the main protagonist. As the story progresses, he becomes more outgoing, more strong willed, and more caring for their kidnapped victim. He will do whatever is necessary to keep her alive. He is torn between doing what is right and what he knows is wrong.

Q: Do you have a character that you have been working on that you can't wait to put to paper?

A: I’m working on a manuscript (20,000 words to date) where the main character is a person diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These people are born without emotions and feelings. They’re a bit like Spock from Star Trek ̶ analytical and logical. They care for no one. People with ASD make the best assassins. Getting into his mind is a challenge. Seeing his interactions with others is a hoot.

Author Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Michael-Houtchen-1425826841052699/