The Big Fall (Nick Seven Book 7)
by Tim Smith (Author)
Just when you think life
can’t get much better, a crashing wave wipes out your sandcastle. Former spies
Nick Seven and Felicia Hagens are taking a break from Key Largo to visit a
casino owned by Nick’s friend, Rock Bianco. An unexpected, nasty encounter with
one of Nick’s former lovers turns disastrous when she’s killed shortly
afterward. The police and the girl’s wealthy father are convinced that Nick did
it, despite the lack of hard evidence. The billionaire industrialist wages an
online smear campaign to make Nick look guilty, including sordid details from
his past career in the CIA. The stakes become more personal when the fallout
impacts Felicia, testing their relationship. Nick fights back, but why is the
man determined to hold him responsible for his daughter’s murder? Who really
killed her, and why is their identity being shielded? Can Nick and Felicia resolve
this crisis and reclaim their idyllic life in paradise?
Product details
·
Paperback: 201 pages
·
ISBN-10: 1487430779
·
ISBN-13: 978-1487430771
·
Item
Weight: 9.8 ounces
·
Publisher: eXtasy
Books Inc (September 21, 2020)
·
Product
Dimensions : 6 x 0.46 x 9 inches
·
Language: English
Tell us your latest news?
In addition to my new novel “The Big Fall,” this month
my publisher is releasing an e-book bundle containing the first three books in
the Nick Seven series—“Memories Die Last,” “Never Look Back,” and “Warning
Shot.” I also have a Christmas romance, “One Lonely Christmas Eve,” slated for
release on December 18.
When did you first consider yourself a
writer?
After my first book was released in 2002, and it began
getting good reviews. I think what really drove it home was after I wrote two
more in the series, and did a book signing tour in the Florida Keys, where they
take place. I walked into one of the bookstores, and when I saw my books on the
shelf alongside Florida authors whose work I admired, I thought, “Smith, you
have arrived!”
What inspired you to write The Big Fall?
I wanted to put my hero into a difficult situation
that disrupts his peaceful life, to see how he’d handle it. I also wanted to
show how it affects the relationship he has with his girlfriend, and what he’s
willing to do to preserve that. I was inspired by current events, as readers
will see when they get into the story. This may be a sign that I’ve been
writing this series too long, if I drop my most popular character into predicaments
that Houdini couldn’t wriggle out of.
Do you have a specific writing
style?
My style is a cross between Raymond Chandler and
Donald E. Westlake, with a dash of Mickey Spillane. I’ve always been a fan of
the pulp fiction crime capers from the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s, and those
influenced me. I try to write atmospheric settings with brevity while drawing
the reader in, and I write dialogue that’s snappy and to the point. I also
manage to infuse some humor into even the most dramatic situations, because it
lightens the mood.
How did you come up with the title?
That was probably the biggest challenge. At one point,
I had ten possible titles, and I just couldn’t decide which one to use. Each
one had some relationship to the plot. I finally chose “The Big Fall” because
it reflects what eventually happens to the villain and what the other
characters go through during the story. I like old-style pulp fiction crime
novels, and I had wanted to use “The Big…” something or other in a title for a
long time.
Is there a message in your novel that you
want readers to grasp?
I typically don’t go in for messages in my books, but
if there is one in “The Big Fall,” it’s how social media can be manipulated to negatively
impact people’s lives. My hero encounters this when his nemesis starts an
online smear campaign, posting things that may or may not be factual to apply
psychological pressure. An editor once gave me some great advice about this:
“If you want to tell a story, write it. If you want to send a message, use
email.”
What book are you reading now?
I’m currently reading a new mystery, “Nine Tenths of
the Law,” by Claudia H. Long. I’m also catching up on a few books by one of my
favorite writers, James W. Hall. I recently finished Michael Cohen’s memoir
“Disloyal,” and thought it was a fascinating work of fiction.
Do you recall how your interest in writing
originated?
My interest in writing the kinds of stories I do was
inspired by watching classic movies when I was a kid. I liked film noir crime
capers from the ‘40s and ‘50s, and if one of them was based on a book, I’d get
it from the library. If it was good, I’d seek out more titles by the same
author. It came a point where I thought I’d like to write one of my own, just
to see if I could do it. My mother was an avid reader and could usually suggest
writers I might enjoy.
Is there anything you find particularly
challenging in your writing?
It’s always a challenge to develop a unique plot
because everything has already been done. The trick is to put a new slant on it
to make it interesting. There are times when I find it difficult to write about
the relationship aspect to make it authentic and believable. When you’re a male
author who includes romance as an integral part of the story, it’s challenging
to capture both sides accurately.
What was the hardest part of writing your
book?
This story has a lot of moving parts, which presented a
challenge in maintaining the fast pace I like to use. There are colorful supporting
characters, and it was hard to decide how much attention to give them. Some
legal aspects required extra research. I really had a tough time keeping it
non-political because Nick’s adversary is reminiscent of a well-known public
figure. And no, I won’t say who.
Do you have any advice for other
writers?
If you have a story in your soul that you have a
burning desire to tell, just do it. Along with that goes a word of caution:
don’t expect that the world is eagerly awaiting your book as the next big thing
to hit literature because you’ll be disappointed. Just have fun with it.
Do you have anything specific that you
want to say to your readers?
I hope you enjoy “The Big Fall” and have as much fun reading
it as I had writing it. If you like this one, there are six others in the
series, along with a lot of other books on my backlist.
