Man, Dogs, and Evil: An Interview with thriller writer C.K. Raggio

1) Please tell us about Heron Park.

Heron Park is a crime thriller with a horror/psychological twist to it. A small town detective and an FBI agent team up to stop a sadist, who uses highly trained dogs to terrorize and torture his female victims. I tell the story from both sides. The cops searching for clues and chasing a monster, and the monster searching for prey while evading the cops. The dogs have a huge part in the story, and I think this is where Heron Park differs from other serial killer/cop novels.

2) Please tell us about your main characters.

Detective Cassie Logan is a woman who grew up on Long Island's Great South Bay. She's a fisherman's daughter, a tomboy who doesn't look the part. She's confident, hard working and loyal. But her toughness is tested time and again throughout the book. Sometimes she cracks, but she never breaks, and she only grows stronger as the story progresses.

FBI Agent Rick Sanders is a bit of a womanizer. He's good looking and he knows it, but he's also really good at his job. He studied to become a profiler but changed his mind once he realized that meant he wouldn't be leaving the office much. This training comes in huge with the case. Think along the lines of Criminal Minds. He also finds himself quite attracted to a certain Detective Logan.

Timmy. Timmy is a sadistic, twisted killer. You don't find out his real name until about half way through the book. His violence and corrupted imagination lead to some very disturbing scenes. I've been told from some unflappable readers that they were definitely reacting during his murders. Some nausea, some cringes, and a bunch of flinching. I won't say much more about him besides he was one hell of a character to write.

3) What inspired this story?

I'm a dog trainer, and I was working with a small terrier in a nearby park. It was a bit late, the sun almost going down so the park was empty. Or so I thought. As I came around a sharp corner there was a man in a hooded sweatshirt with a golden retriever who obviously didn't like small dogs. It ripped free from it's owner and charged us. I scooped my pup up just in time and yelled at the dog to stay (in my most masculine of voices). It slowed, but didn't stop. I was able to turn my body and stomp down on his leash as he continued to try and rip the small dog from my arms.

The owner finally got control of his dog. After some very disapproving words from me, which I can't say here, I strode in the opposite direction. This got me thinking. What if that dog had been too big for me to control? He could've killed the dog I was walking. Hmm, then - What if he'd been trained to attack, so that while I was focused on my dog being ripped apart the owner could grab me from behind? Jackpot!

And so Heron Park was born.

4) Why do you think so many readers have such interest in such terrible crimes?

That's a tough one. I'd guess that most of these people have a sort of curiosity to violence and death. Maybe a part of them likes to see, read and experience a controlled type of fear. It's the same reason that some people enjoy horror movies. It gets your adrenaline pumping. Turns on the fight or flight mode. Do you read it, or do you skip through to the next scene? Do you watch it, or do you cover your eyes? I think it all depends on a person's ability to separate themselves from the brutality. Kind of like a doctor working in an emergency room, or a detective working on a homicide case.

I don't like to hurt any living thing. I release spiders outside, save earthworms from drowning in puddles after rain storms. Yes, seriously. You'd probably never think that after reading my book. But anyway, I think it's more of a wonderment for me. Why and what made this, or these persons, act that way? I like to try and figure people out. I always have.

5) Does delving into the darkness as part of the writing process ever cause you any distress?

I love this question.

I've been reading horror and true crime stories since I was in high school. I began delving even deeper when I started writing Heron Park three years ago. To say that this research has made me cautious is an understatement.

I had no problem walking by myself at night in the woods a few years ago. Now I wouldn't even consider it. I've woken up in the middle of the night, okay so I wake up most every night to the smallest sound. And I'd be lying if I said I hadn't tiptoed around, bat in hand, looking for an intruder and double checking all the locks.

I'm a little worried I'm going to start sounding like a paranoid loon, but I'll tell you anyhow. I almost broke my husband's nose with an elbow when he snuck up behind me one day. Yeah, not good. He hasn't snuck up on me since though, so I guess that's a good thing.

All in all, it has caused me distress, but I think in a good way. The world isn't all ice cream cake and unicorns. That feeling of being watched, when your hair stands up, and that chill crawls up your back like a giant hairy spider, is usually right. While before I would've ignored it, shook it off, now I take notice and let my instincts decide what I should do next.

6) Do you have any links to any particular excerpts you'd like to share?

My first chapter is available on TG Davis' website - http://tgdavis0.blogspot.com/p/heron-park-by-ck-raggio.html?m=1

7) Where can readers find out more about you?

Website - http://www.ckraggio.com/
Amazon Author Page - http://www.amazon.com/C.K.-Raggio/e/B00AIBN4LI/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/ckRaggio
Facebook Fan Page - http://www.facebook.com/ckRaggio1
Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16237045-heron-park
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/ckraggio/

Want the Book?

Amazon Kindle - http://amzn.to/W4k3Ig

Violence Against Women and the Ungolden Silence: An interview with Lydia E. Brew

Today I'm talking with Lydia E. Brew. Her book UNGOLDEN SILENCE tackles the topic of sexual violence against women.

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1) Tell us about your book.

UNGOLDEN SILENCE is a story that will entertain and provoke thought. Violence against women is something that is not talked about. It is something that is hard to prove in the workplace and at home. Beatrice James and Elaine Wilson, who is disabled, work for a marketing firm and travel on a business trip. A highly respected community leader is a part of the project. Beatrice and Elaine think they are safe, but are they? The story will break down stereotypes. The rapist in the story is not a man off the street. I hope that once people read the story, violence against women will be dealt with differently.

2) Why did you choose to write about such a disturbing topic as rape?

I like drama and a story about rape is dramatic. The fact that the media does not give the names of rape victims concerns me. The names of all victims of accidents, robberies, and everything else except sexual crimes are given. Yes, it is a disturbing topic, but it is important to talk about because not talking about it will not help anybody. I hope that the story will make society see the need to change the way that violence against women is handled. I hate to hear, “she asked to be raped by the way she dressed.” Like that has anything to do with the crime. So I wanted rape to be the issue in an engaging way.

3) How did you go about plotting out your book?

I did not sit down and plan the story. I allowed the story to take me places. I did not want a story where the crime happened, the criminal is caught, and the victims go on with their lives. UNGOLDEN SILENCE looks beyond the crimes and deals with how society can begin to talk about violence against women.

4) You’ve made a conscious choice to eschew “ random” or semi-random opportunistic attack narratives. Do you feel that media treatments of rape are too oriented in that direction?

Yes, not revealing the name of a rape victim is part of the problem and is not helpful to anyone. Society thinks that lovemaking and rape are the same thing, and they are not. A rape is a crime and the focus needs to be on finding the rapist and putting him in jail. Now if the victim is frightened that the rapist may return that is something different. However, not to give the name of a victim because they were sexually assaulted is not the answer. This is part of the problem – a rape is a crime, and it needs to be treated like any other crime.

5) What advantage does the novel format offer for exploring this issue versus a more straightforward nonfiction criminology book?

Many people like to read for pleasure more than for information. UNGOLDEN SILENCE allows the readers to do both. There is a good story that raises many questions. However, there are possible answers. When I was writing the story, I thought that making the rapist a highly respected community leader was far-fetched. After doing the story I did some research, and I realized that we do not know why people rape. Society can begin to put a dent in the sexual crime against women if it is known what to look for. There are signs that will indicate that a person will be a sexual offender. People need to study books on criminology if they are going to be doctors, lawyers, counselors, or social workers because these are the people that will need to be able to identify those who need professional help.

6) Can you briefly tell us about any other projects?

I am working on a family saga, and it will a century-long soap opera.

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Thanks, Lydia.

You can see more from Lydia at her website, http://www.ungoldensilence.com/.

UNGOLDEN SILENCE is available for sale at Xlibris and Amazon.