Author Interview with Traci Hunter Abramson

Victim #8 (A Luke Steele Novel)

Author: Traci Hunter Abramson

Blurb: Military aide Luke Steele and FBI Special Agent Amberlyn Reiner go undercover to unravel a string of murders that may be tied to a nuclear threat capable of igniting a war.

After a tragic loss during his last mission, Luke Steele grapples with self-doubt. But when a trusted American journalist is killed in Istanbul, Luke must push past his grief to prepare for a new assignment.

The Turkish police report the journalist as the 8th victim of a serial killer. But US intelligence considers the suspicious death a murder at the hands of an international threat and fear that the journalist could have had top-secret information that is now in the hands of an enemy of the United States. The president tasks Luke to join with FBI Special Agent Amberlyn Reiner to investigate.

As the two delve into the cause of the journalist’s death, they unravel a conspiracy that reveals a chilling plan for the assassination of the president and a potential nuclear strike on the United States. Going undercover as a couple, Luke and Amberlyn travel to Istanbul to connect with a Russian source who holds key information to the case—if they can find him in time.

In this crucible of danger, Luke must rediscover his confidence and trust the bond he has forged with Amberlyn as they fight to save the president of the United States and stop a perilous nuclear plot poised to kill millions.

 

Author Interview:

At what point did you decide to be an author, and what was your path to publication?

Writing novels was a childhood dream, one I can remember as early as third grade when I was reading Little House on the Prairie and Nancy Drew mysteries. But as much as I loved reading and dreamed of writing myself, the practical side of me believed that making a career as an author was something to be dreamed about but not something that could be achieved.

When I reached my senior year in college, I started writing fiction as a way to take a break from the rigors of my coursework. Over the next many years, I tried writing a book several times, but it wasn’t until I was leaving my job at the CIA that I finally wrote a novel from start to finish. But finally figuring out how to craft a compelling story was only the beginning of my journey. It took another six years of learning and honing my craft before I finally felt like I had a story ready for publication. It turns out, I wasn’t quite ready. The publisher I submitted to asked for me to revise my manuscript and resubmit. Determined to take advantage of this second chance, I took another year to polish my book yet again before submitting it. A month later, that first novel was accepted and I’ve been publishing novels ever since.

 

What do you do when a new idea jumps out at you while you’re still working on a book? Do you chase the squirrel (aka “UP syndrome”) or do you finish your current project first?

When a new idea takes root, I usually will take a few minutes to write out part of a scene or a summary of what has captivated my imagination. Once I have enough down that I feel like I can dive back in when time permits, I move back to my work in progress.

 

Describe your writing process. Do you outline, plot, and plan, or is your writing more organic?

For me, plot is a four-letter word that should never be used. Even when I’ve tried to outline, it never works. So I long ago accepted my fate. I’m a fingers on keyboard kind of girl. I start with a character and a setting or a loose premise, and then I just see where the story takes me.

 

What have you found to be most challenging about writing in suspense/thrillers?

After writing more than fifty works of fiction, most of which are suspense or thrillers, the biggest challenges are coming up with fresh ways to kill people on the page. Or even more than that, crafting intriguing motivations for the villains and crafting fresh action scenes. Thankfully, the characters usually drive those moments, but I’m ever mindful of trying to make sure no one feels like they’re reading something I’ve written before.

 

Have you been able to incorporate your previous experience in your jobs/education in your writing?

I spent six years working for the Central Intelligence Agency, two of which were spent in the agency’s liaison group. That experience has given me such a wonderful basis and understanding of how the intelligence world works, and it allows me to write with a level of authenticity that comes from interacting with so many people within the military and intelligence organizations.

I also have the advantage of living near Quantico Marine Base, which gives me even more insight through my associations with the many people who work there and at the Pentagon.

 

Describe the book or series in 10 words or less for people just learning about it.

Victim #8: A string of murders capable of igniting a war.

 

Do you have any odd (writing) habits?

The writing habit that most people find odd is that I do a lot of my drafting while walking on my treadmill. I don’t know what it is about being in motion that sparks my creativity, but if I’m struggling to get something written, that’s my go-to place. And if I can start my day on the treadmill, my writing production is always higher than if I simply try to sit at my desk.

 

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Travel is one of my favorite things to do when I’m not writing. Spending time in new places also helps spark my imagination and usually turns into research for a future novel.

 

This is the second Luke Steele novel. Had you originally envisioned this as a series? Can the books be read out of sequence or as stand-alones? 

I always knew these books would be a series, but as with all of my books, I try to write them so people can jump into a series at any given point. The information critical to a specific book is included so they can be read out of order or as stand-alones.

 

This novel includes an international element. What inspired you to take the intrigue from Washington, DC to Istanbul? 

Setting the beginning of the story in DC was a logical choice since one of the main characters (Luke Steele) is a military aide in the White House and the other (Amberlyn Reiner) works at FBI headquarters. Taking the story to Istanbul was born out of a trip I took there on my way home from Singapore during Chinese New Year. Although I only had a short time to spend in Istanbul, the city’s rich history and amazing historic sites captivated me and soon made their way into the pages of Victim #8 as well as onto the book cover.

 

About the Author

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