Book Title: Mayhem, Murder and the PTA by Dave Cravens
Category: Adult Fiction, 434 pages
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Publisher: Amazon
Release date: May 20, 2019

Synopsis

Parker Monroe is a tough-talking investigative reporter used to writing headlines, not being the subject of them. When a key source vanishes on a politically toxic story, this single mother of three finds herself at the center of a media storm and out of a job. Ready to reset, Parker moves her family back to the rural town where she grew up. But a gossip-filled PTA, a tyrannical school principal and a gruesome murder make adjusting to the “simple life” anything but. Parker Monroe is about to chase the story of her lifetime…

Interview

Today I’m excited to have Dave Cravens on StoreyBook Reviews answering a few questions about his book and writing process.

How did you do research for your book?

Dropping my kids off at school every morning. I’d often park up the hill from the school so I could walk my kids a good length and observe the people around me. Every family has a story behind them. Every child has a world they call their own. There was a ton of inspiration to draw from. But the most helpful research was listening to my wife and her friends describe situations and challenges during their time at the PTA. Schools are inherently full of drama just due to the sheer number of people coming together to educate, protect and raise their most prized possessions – their children. It’s a powder keg of emotion, and I’m not talking about the kids.

Which was the hardest character to write?

The villain. I don’t want to give anything away, but the villain has to be perfectly played so no one sees him or her coming. On early outlines, I usually try to try to write everything from the villain’s perspective to keep it all clear. What is the villain really after? What mistakes did he or she make? When did he or she have to wing it when Parker got too close? That kind of stuff. Reveals are so tricky. You want the reader to feel clever and be surprised at the same time. You have to give enough clues so they feel like they had a chance to sort it all out, yet a part of them wants to be outsmarted. You can’t fool everyone, so as long as a high percentage of my test readers are surprised in the end, I feel pretty good about it.

What was the easiest character to write?

Valerie, Parker’s mother, came pretty easy to write. I had a clear vision of her early on. She’s the anti-Parker in a lot of ways, or at least her daughter believes that to be the case. So, whatever Parker struggled with, would come naturally to her mother, which would always drive Parker crazy.

Mysteries are extremely popular. What makes yours different?

The lead character, Parker Monroe. Her voice is a combination of my own and several women I’ve known for years. Parker is an outsider looking in. A fish out of water trying to make sense of this crazy system of public education other mothers have years of experience dealing with. I think the fact that I’m a man writing her perspective actually helps the awkward aspect of the story. Often when you tackle something outside of your wheelhouse, you bring something different or new to it that others don’t. Sometimes that’s good, sometimes that’s bad. But I think we’ve got a winner with Parker Monroe. You can’t help but to root for her throughout the entire book, despite her glaring personality flaws.

About the Author

As a child, Dave Cravens planned to grow up to be a superhero, the first person to capture Bigfoot and Nessie on film, pilot experimental aircraft out of Area 51, develop cold fusion, and star and direct in his own blockbuster action movies so he could retire at the ripe age of twenty-five and raid tombs the rest of his life. Instead, he got a degree in journalism, which he hasn’t used at all other than to justify his incredibly insightful and valid complaints about the state of journalism. During his twenty-two years in the video game business, he’s written for award winning franchises, directed TV commercials and movies, sprained his ankles numerous times in ultimate frisbee games and published three original novels.

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Giveaway

Prizes:

First Prize: $20 Amazon GC (10 winners);

Second Prize: $10 Amazon GC (10 winners);

Third Prize: Paperback copy of MAYHEM, MURDER & THE PTA (10 winners);

Fourth Prize: Kindle copy of MAYHEM, MURDER & THE PTA (10 winners)

Ends Sept 20, 2019

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