Interview with mystery author Stephen Zimmerman

Today’s special guest author is Stephen Zimmerman and we’re chatting about his new crime thriller, The Missing.

Bio:
Stephen Zimmerman is a disabled US Air Force veteran, pastor, author, poet, and true crime blogger currently residing in Arizona.

Stephen is married with four children and is currently assembling his very own “zoo” with two dogs, two birds, two guinea pigs, two frogs, six fish tanks, and a Chinese water dragon. When not working, Stephen enjoys documentaries, studying psychology, and motorcycle riding.

Welcome, Stephen. Please tell us about your current release.
The Missing is about a big-city detective, Sam Cross, who chases a case to a rural town in western Oklahoma. But instead of finding small-town charm and friendliness, Cross finds himself held hostage along with the rest of the town. Cross must partner with the town sheriff’s daughter to solve the mystery of The Missing if he hopes to escape alive and return home to his family. 

What inspired you to write this book?
It was actually a dream – which is unusual for me because I very rarely remember my dreams when I wake up. But this one stuck with me, and when I told it to my wife, she encouraged me to turn it into a book. “The rest is history,” as they say.

Excerpt from The Missing:
Detective Cross stood there stunned. His mind raced in a million directions. Was Sheriff Gunn for real? Was he a hostage? Should he be reaching for his gun? Should he make a run for it? What was going on with this town?

Time seemed to stand still, though probably only a couple seconds passed. Blood pounded in his ears as his adrenaline surged. Cross wasn’t buff, but he was in good shape. He quickly sized up Gunny in case he had to fight his way out. Unfortunately, Gunny was bigger and looked like he’d been through a scrape or two and would probably whoop him in a fight.

Gunny must’ve noticed Cross’s reaction to the news that he couldn’t leave because the sheriff quickly added, “I ain’t got nothing against you, Detective. We’re on the same side. But that’s just the way it is here in Hamlin. Our city was chosen, I suppose, because of its out-of-the-way location. We ain’t got no choice. Been this way for half a century now, I guess. I’ll take you over and get you a room at the hotel and help you get settled in, now that you’re here.”

“Wait, what? I have zero intentions of staying here!” exclaimed Cross. How could the sheriff be so calm about everything? Get him a room and help him settle in?

What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m actively working on two, though I have the groundwork laid for three additional novels. The first is a follow-up book to The Missing called The Holiday Killer. And the second book is called The Boy with the Blue Light, which is a stand-alone unrelated novel that will likely fall in the Young Adult Science Fiction genre.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’ve been writing poetry since I was a teenager, mostly for former girlfriends. Thankfully none of it still exists! My day job of pastoring is actually very writing-intensive. But as far as being a novelist, I only began writing books since 2019.

Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I do not write full-time. As I mentioned above, I’m a pastor first, which is a very consuming but rewarding calling. I write mostly in the evenings after the kids have gone to bed.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
My stories are fast paced. The action usually begins on page 1 and maintains a unputdownable pace until the book is over. I don’t waste a lot of time on details that don’t drive the story or help you connect with a character.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I teetered back and forth between wanting to be a professional pianist and a cop. I ended up being neither, though I do play the piano frequently for church and joining the military at least along the lines of law enforcement.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Thanks for taking the time to get to know me!

Links:
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords

Thanks for being here today, Stephen.