Today I am giving into the holiday season and decorating my tree as I watch NFL football. My beloved Saints have clenched the NFC Division Championship for the third time in a row. That has never been done in our division. Congratulations to all of the Saints players, coaches, and fans across the globe. Now we have to work hard to get homefield advantage in the Superdome. When I watch the Saints, and I have been a season ticket holder for twenty-five years or more, it is like watching or reading a psychological thriller. Wow! Can they give you a heart attack and a nail-biting experience. My adrenaline pumps, my heart races and I find myself sometimes covering my eyes. As I said, it is like watching a thriller.
Don't get me wrong. I love thriller movies and books. That is why today's author, Charles Royce, is special. His book NAIVE is a thriller by every account. It will have you on the edge of your seat and you won't want to put it down. So, if you liked my books, THE KEYSTROKE KILLER, NEVER STOP RUNNING, and A.D.A.M. THE BEGINNING OF LIFE, I think you are in for a real treat with Naïve. The launch date is set for December 3, 2019, but you can pre-order you copy today.
ABOUT THE BOOK
EARLY PRAISE FOR NAIVE
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| BUY NOW ON AMAZON |
“Is Micah a modern day Mr. Ripley, or is he not? What a ride trying to figure it out!”
—Celia S., Seattle
“I totally missed picking up my kid from school the day I finished this book.”
—Shara T., Nashville
In Charles Royce’s new mystery suspense thriller novel Naïve, Micah Breuer, an accomplished art director living in present day New York City, comes home to find his husband Lennox lying naked on their living room floor in a pool of blood. Lennox has been brutally stabbed over 30 times but is still alive. Struggling to keep his husband breathing, Micah’s efforts end up killing him, and he is arrested for the murder.
Mysterious items are found at the crime scene, some suggesting a connection to the company he works for, while others point to an elusive heroin dealer known as Ghost. With a trial looming, Micah’s lawyer hustles to defend him. Together, they are catapulted into multiple dark realities of corporate corruption, Manhattan’s drug underworld, a questionable and overzealous prosecution, and the betrayal of a close friend who may have masterminded a murderous scheme that could land Micah in prison for life.
As Micah wrestles with his naiveté, his friends and enemies begin to question their own.
WOULD YOU LIKE THIS BOOK?
Fans of Patricia Highsmith (Talented Mr. Ripley) and Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl) will hopefully relish in the intricate contemporary tale of manipulation and naiveté, propelled by a strong protagonist in a fight for survival. Similarly, fans of Paul Hawkins (The Girl on a Train) should enjoy a modern domestic murder with unexpected twists and turns. Mix in some Michael Connelly (Lincoln Lawyer) police procedural elements, some John Grisham (The Firm, The Last Juror) courtroom drama and some Richard Price (Lush Life) Manhattan lower east side nuance, and you have a delicious tale that should appease fans of all of these authors.
CHARLES ROYCE
Tell your readers a little
about yourself, where you grew up, where you live now, where you went to school
etc. Let them get to know the personal you.
Here's a little story
about me that answers a lot of these questions. It's very personal, but I hope
its relatable to many!
Those words. I can’t tell you what they did for me. I was at a crossroads, a place where monotony met discontentment, struggling with what was next for me. About that same time, a friend of mine Kelly Oechslin released her first book. I saw the light in her eyes, the pure unadulterated joy of presenting what she’d accomplished. Evidently, the universe was trying to guide me. It was like my childhood was whispering, “Hey, remember me?”
Then it
stopped. Life happened. I stopped writing. I listened to other people tell me
who I was, I moved from city to city following pursuits on whims. My mom passed
away. I drank. I did drugs. I did manage to start a novel in the midst of a
drug binge, but I didn’t finish it. You can imagine why.
I got sober. I
began coming back to myself. I moved back “home” to Nashville. That’s when it
happened. Pastor Pete. Kelly Oechslin. I dusted off the novel I began years ago
during the drug binge. The memories of where I was and who I was at the time
came flooding back. I wanted to give up immediately, but I noticed that the
story itself had legs. I shifted the narrative to another perspective and began
mapping out the new book. Character by character, chapter by chapter, the ideas
started flowing. Then I took a long trip to Italy to help celebrate my two best
friends and their milestone birthdays (photo on previous page was taken by
my friend Ruben during the trip). It was there that I finally typed the
first chapters of this novel. That was 2016. It has been a roller coaster of
pure unadulterated joy ever since.
Now as I am
writing this letter to you, my book has been recently launched to the world. I
am nervous. Excited. Sometimes I struggle with getting caught up in the
whirlwind, in thoughts of success. But then I have these moments, like right
now talking with you. These are the moments I love… the ones of
centeredness, of gratitude, of peace, of KNOWING that I am doing what I’m
supposed to be doing. It’s all the success I need.
If you are struggling with passion, or perhaps wondering “what’s next,”
try listening to that childhood whisper. It might just be waiting for you to
give it a voice.
What inspired you to author this book?
I've worked in the entertainment and fashion
industries both in New York City and Los Angeles, and I'm a HUGE crime fan.
Serial killers, domestic murder, modern day suspense thrillers, all of it.
These characters began about 15 years ago, and I never lost track of them, even
though my life took a few strange turns.
Where did you get the inspiration for your
book’s cover?
I am a graphic designer by trade, have been
for almost 20 years. I wanted to capture the fashion and publishing industry
with a stylized font, and the two blood drops are important to the story.
You'll have to read to find out why :)
Who has been the most significant influence
on you personally and as a writer?
John Knowles (A Separate Peace)! I have read
that book at least a dozen times. It was the first book I ever read that
introduced the concept of duality (a theme that pervades my writing), and made
me feel like I was not alone. We all have a dark side, and that's okay as long
as we are aware of it and have integrated it into our lives
What were your struggles or obstacles you had
to overcome to get this book written?
Work! I am a busy man, but my passion has
always been writing. I make the time. Sometimes it's hard as heck, but I
make the time.
Tell your readers about your book.
Micah Breuer, an accomplished art director
living in present day New York City, comes home to find his husband Lennox
lying naked on their living room floor in a pool of blood. Lennox has been
brutally stabbed over 30 times but is still alive. Struggling to keep his
husband breathing, Micah’s efforts end up killing him, and he is arrested for
the murder.
Mysterious items are found at the crime scene, some suggesting a connection to the company he works for, while others point to an elusive heroin dealer known as Ghost. With a trial looming, Micah’s lawyer hustles to defend him. Together, they are catapulted into multiple dark realities of corporate corruption, Manhattan’s drug underworld, a questionable and overzealous prosecution, and the betrayal of a close friend who may have masterminded a murderous scheme that could land Micah in prison for life.
As Micah wrestles with his naiveté, his friends and enemies begin to question their own.
Mysterious items are found at the crime scene, some suggesting a connection to the company he works for, while others point to an elusive heroin dealer known as Ghost. With a trial looming, Micah’s lawyer hustles to defend him. Together, they are catapulted into multiple dark realities of corporate corruption, Manhattan’s drug underworld, a questionable and overzealous prosecution, and the betrayal of a close friend who may have masterminded a murderous scheme that could land Micah in prison for life.
As Micah wrestles with his naiveté, his friends and enemies begin to question their own.
Who is your target audience, and why?
Fans of Patricia Highsmith (Talented Mr.
Ripley) and Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl) will hopefully relish in the intricate
contemporary tale of manipulation and naiveté, propelled by a strong
protagonist in a fight for survival. Similarly, fans of Paul Hawkins (The Girl
on a Train) should enjoy a modern domestic murder with unexpected twists and
turns. Mix in some Michael Connelly (Lincoln Lawyer) police procedural
elements, some John Grisham (The Firm, The Last Juror) courtroom drama and some
Richard Price (Lush Life) Manhattan lower east side nuance, and you have a
delicious tale that should appease fans of all of these authors.
What do you consider your greatest success in
life?
My greatest success in life is my sobriety. I
wouldn't be where I am without it. In fact, the way things were going, I
probably would have been dead.
What one unique thing sets you apart from
other writers in your genre?
I think I write like a screenplay writer,
only in prose. Hopefully my readers can picture the scenes and chapter
transitions like a movie.
