The Aside: Conversations with authors just off the page - Episode 4 with Tim Chapman
Each episode features a focused conversation with an author about their work and the ideas that shape their stories, along with some potentially quirky questions you might not be expecting!
I’m an author (as you all know), but you might not know that I have a journalism degree . . . so here I get to channel my insatiable curiosity. (Some might call this nosiness!) I’m excited to ask authors about their work and the ideas that shape their writing—and it’ll be fun to ask some quirky questions, too.
If you love reading, writing, or simply learning more about some of your favorite authors, you’re in the right place.
Today’s interview features award-winning author Tim Chapman, creator of the Sean McKinney crime thrillers and the editor of the literary journal, Litbop, along with many other stories, including some new ones for the middle-grade audience. (Scroll down for full bio and descriptions of his books.)
Let’s step off the page and begin!
ABOUT ‘A TRACE OF GOLD’
Forensic scientist Sean McKinney hunts a serial killer who is targeting senior citizens associated with the 1930s era Barker-Karpis gang. But, getting justice for a wrongfully accused man means bucking the system and putting his life on the line. Will the trail of corpses left by the real killer include McKinney? Part crime story, part historical fiction, A Trace of Gold moves from modern day Chicago to the time of gangsters and gun molls, painting a picture of Chicago crime in two eras.
ABOUT ‘IN THE BLUE SILENCE’
In “The Blue Silence,” forensic scientist Sean McKinney faces one of his toughest challenges yet when he’s called upon to help find his daughter’s missing college roommate. Struggling to adjust to being an empty nester, McKinney travels to New Orleans to investigate, but when his own daughter is kidnapped, he’ll stop at nothing to bring her home safely.
The novel seamlessly transitions from modern-day Chicago to the Reconstruction Era in Louisiana, offering a glimpse into the state’s haunting past and the dark secrets that still lurk in its murky waters. In this gripping crime story, McKinney must venture into the treacherous Louisiana swamps to face a deranged killer in a heart-pounding finale that takes readers on a ride through the dangerous bayou, where the most deadly predators aren’t always the gators.
LITBOP MAGAZINE - ART & LITERATURE IN THE GROOVE
Litbop: Art and Literature in the Groove is an annual literary journal that publishes fiction, poetry, art, and photography. Every issue features work by a diverse group of creators from around the world. This, our fifth issue, is the first to include essays. Contributors for this issue include award-winning authors Mark Larson, Richard Engling, S.L. Wisenberg, and Peggy Shinner. It's graced with a beautiful cover by artist Haleigh Anderson.
Tim Chapman is a former forensic scientist for the Chicago Police Department and writing instructor at Malcolm X College. He holds a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Northwestern University. His fiction has been published in The Southeast Review, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, and the anthologies, The Rich and the Dead and Tales of the Fantastic. His short stories have been collected under the title Kiddieland and other misfortunes. He is the author of the Sean McKinney novels A Trace of Gold and The Blue Silence and two novels for middle-grade kids: The Outcasts and The Song of the Bees. When he’s not writing he’s editing the journal Litbop: Art and Literature in the Groove, teaching martial arts, or painting pretty pictures.
To learn more, visit him at:
Facebook FB.com/realTimChapman
Threads @realTimChapman
Instagram @realTimChapman
 | A guest post by
|
Two great authors. Great opportunity to get to know you both!