Author Bradley Pay (a writing duo) is here today to chat with me about their new psychological thriller, The Killings Begin, the first in the Spectrum Series.
Bio(s):
Bradley Pay is the pen name for Robin Bradley and Jody Leber-Pay. We bonded over our love of storytelling, spinning elaborate contemporary fiction that doesn’t fit easily into one genre and is meant to keep readers wondering what will come next.
Robin…I come from a large-ish family of writers and poets and even a newspaper reporter, a family who read voraciously, played word games and punned constantly. My mother was a poet and an English teacher who instilled in all of us a thorough appreciation of grammar and precise use of language. Language, well used, is poetry.
I’ve written for as long as I can remember – but I’ve never kept a journal and, until Jody and I embarked on our adventures with the Spectrum Series, I’d never published anything. I live in a world filled with snippets of language – a phrase jotted on the back of an envelope, a running list of descriptions of people and places in my phone, and screen captures and photos of particularly evocative sentences and paragraphs. Besides family and friends, language is my true love.
I have a small herb garden on my kitchen terrace and a wonderful collection of cookbooks. When I’m not writing, I often rummage through them for something new to experiment with, sometimes quite successfully, sometimes less. One of my favorite things to do is to cook with friends and then sit over a long dinner with plenty of good wine and laughter, sharing memories and telling stories, the more outrageous the better.
Jody… I love writing because I get to follow my passion for problem-solving and leaving my comfort zone. As an indie author, I’m always learning something new about writing and marketing contemporary fiction, and I find the collaborative process of going from an idea to a finished book fascinating.
I published a technical book and wrote many documents related to computer-technology over the course of my thirty-eight-year career in government and corporate America. I worked long hours and didn’t have much of a personal life. It was when I was recovering from my acoustic neuroma brain surgery that I decided I wanted to spend more time with the people I loved. So, I invited them to join me on a river boat cruise from Budapest, Hungary, to Nuremberg, Germany. It was on that trip when I met Robin. Nowadays, I’m a full-time novelist and my life is finally balanced. Outside of working on the Spectrum Series I enjoy hiking, golfing, and hanging out with family and friends.
Stay connected with us by following our blog at https://BradleyPay.com/.
Please tell us about your current release.
The Killings Begin is the debut to the Spectrum Series. It weaves together a complex romance and a suspenseful story of a serial killer.
When Gia escapes her arranged marriage, she enters into a contract with three complicated men in Madrid. She’ll pretend to be their “no strings” wife, whether they want to display her in public or lead her to the bedroom. They are bound to secrecy, and no one is allowed to fall in love.
Tracey is destined to tear Gia’s life to shreds. As he tries to cope with his abandonment trauma, he loses control. Now a serial killer, he flees to Europe, hoping a change of venue will quell his murderous desires. Can he heal his past, or will his anger and pain enslave him forever?
The Killings Begin is an unpredictable world of secrets, murder and psychological thrills.
This book was previously published as “Murder in Zaporozhye” and if you have a copy of that book, you now have a collector’s item!
What inspired you to write this book?
We initially met on a Danube River cruise in August of 2016, part of a group cruising with a mutual friend. One rainy day, six of us found ourselves sitting in the bar of the boat as we traversed a set of locks. It began when Jody made a quip about a man slouched over on the prow of the boat next to them in the lock and then the stories began. They were all just silliness and wild romantic adventures, and as we repeated this afternoon amusement over several days during the cruise, we put together quite a set of stories. Intrigued by the idea of translating the stories into something more substantial, something we could actually publish, we began our long-distance writing partnership.
Excerpt from The Killings Begin:
In this excerpt, Tracey, our serial killer, finds out that an investigative reporter, Edgar, has written an article linking his four murders in Raleigh, North Carolina…
“Did you see the Raleigh Weekly News article about the Parking Lot Strangler,” Cal asked his three friends as they sat smoking in the Cigar Bar at their golf club. Cal took a deep puff of his cigar.
I can’t believe Cal is so fascinated by all that gossip, Tracey thought.
“Do you actually read that rag?” asked Jim in a disparaging tone as he stretched his feet out toward the fireplace, grateful for the warmth after being out in the unusually raw, wet September afternoon.
“It was at the barbershop, and all the guys there were talking about it. I had to see what it was about.”
Tracey said scornfully, “That paper is full of garbage. In fact, that’s what Marie uses it for, to line the compost bucket.” He leaned back in his comfortable leather chair and reached over to pick up his scotch from the small table beside him. He took a long, satisfying swallow. “Mmmm.”
Cal continued, “What’s funnier than the article is what happened after I left there. I was driving along, on my way here, and I saw this young kid, fifteen years old or so, standing alongside the road with his thumb out. The rain was coming down in buckets. So, I picked him up and asked him where he was going.”
Jim asked, “Why would you pick up a total stranger?”
“He was just a kid, and he looked miserable. I felt sorry for him. He was scrawny, he just had a thin jacket, and he looked cold.” Cal took another puff. “Anyway, we’re driving along, and on the radio, the announcer is talking about this Parking Lot Strangler. And the kid looks at me and says, ‘Hey man, I’m really surprised you picked me up because I could be that serial killer.’
“I look at him and wait a moment, and then I say, ‘It’s highly unlikely there are two serial killers in this town.’ And the kid thinks about it for a minute, and then he puts his hand on the door handle like he’s real nervous, and he asks me to let him out at the next corner.”
Cal and Jim roared with laughter, and Jim said, “That’s classic.”
Sam looked across the coffee table and shook his head gently. “Why would you say that to the poor kid?”
Cal just shrugged his shoulders. “It was too good not to.” Jim and Cal did a fist bump and laughed again.
After a moment, Sam asked, “Now that you’ve piqued our interest, what was in that newspaper article.”
Tracey listened idly as he smoked his pipe and sipped his scotch. He glanced over at Sam and raised his eyebrows.
Cal went on, “The newspaper claims there’s some serial killer out there who strangles red-headed babes in parking lots and takes an earring. Supposedly he’s been doing this since 1998.”
Tracey choked on his scotch and began to cough.
Sam reached over and pounded him on the back. “You okay there?”
Tracey nodded. His face turned red, and his eyes watered as he continued to cough. He waved his hand for the bartender to bring him a glass of water. He took a deep breath and a sip of water, and then he choked and coughed again as Sam said, “Those poor women. I wonder if the police really think it’s the same killer?”
Tracey’s car skidded to a stop in the driveway beside the kitchen door. He leapt out and dashed up the steps. He’d hardly paid attention on his drive home from the golf club as he replayed Cal’s comments over and over again in his head. I need to see that paper. I have to know what they wrote.
His fingers shook so hard he could barely fit the key into the lock—but finally—he managed to get the door open, and he rushed inside.
His breath coming in short gasps, he stood at the counter and shuffled frantically through the stack of newspapers that Marie had placed there.
Where is the damn thing? Marie always gets a copy. It has to be here. It just arrived this morning. Did she take it home with her? She can’t have used it already. I wonder if she read the article. I wonder if there is anything that can identify me.
At last, paper in hand, Tracey sat down heavily on a stool in front of the large island and laid it flat in front of him. And immediately, his Siamese cat, Mrs. Whiskers, jumped up onto the paper and laid down, stretching languorously in the sunshine, begging for a belly rub. He picked her up and scratched her between her ears. “Not now, Mrs. Whiskers,” he said with rare impatience and put her down on the floor.
He walked over to the sink, turned on the water and splashed it on his face and wiped his face on the towel spread over the edge to dry.
Back at the island, Tracey sat down again on the bar stool and scanned the paper. His face whitened as he read the short article. It was just as Cal had told them—all the women’s names, where they died, the missing earrings.
Who is this Edgar Spring? Where did he get this information? How did he tie it all together? Why now? What happened? What am I going to do? I come from a good family. I’m a judge. I’m well-respected by my friends and colleagues. What made me do this?
What exciting story are you working on next?
Beyond The Killings Begin, the Spectrum Series will have three more novels. The second book in the series, Death in a Dark Alley, will be released on August 29, 2022, when you’ll be reacquainted with familiar faces from the first book and introduced to more unforgettable characters…
For Frank Tomas, life’s too short for hard work and monogamy, it’s all about instant gratification, even if that means breaking a few rules here and there.
Isabelle Ronaldo thinks otherwise and has worked hard all her life to achieve success.
But despite their differences, the pair are the best of friends.
That is, until they learn of each other’s secrets.
As they navigate through their own complex lives, Frank and Isabelle are unwittingly drawn closer to a deadly threat. The Parking Lot Strangler, Tracey Lauch, is still on the loose, despite the efforts of ex-cop, Emily Bissett, and has decided to take another European trip on the Spectrum River Cruise Line.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Robin…I suppose I’ve always thought of myself as a writer – when I was quite young and first began to jot down poetry, and then, as a young adult, when I worked as a newsletter editor. I’ve always written, though never journals nor novels. But I certainly only thought of myself as an author when Jody and I finally pressed the publish button on the first book of the Spectrum Series.
Jody…I considered myself a writer when I published a technical book in 1998, and I first held the book in my hands. At that time, I was asked if I would write another, and I replied, “If I published again, I want to write fiction and collaborate with someone.” Little did I know that would come true.
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?
We write together approximately three days a week. Our workday varies depending on where we are in developing a novel. With the early drafts of the manuscript, we outline the story using bullets because this allows us to capture our thoughts without worrying about punctuation or grammar, and the bullets are easy to move around as the story evolves. Once the story is captured, together we transition bullets to paragraphs and add more details about the food, drink, locations, characters, emotions, etc. Once we have a solid draft, Robin goes through the manuscript, multiple times, editing and re-editing the manuscript to give it a smooth, unified voice. After Robin is finished, we finalize the manuscript together before the beta reader review, the copy editing, and the publication.
Robin…When I’m not writing? Right now I’m president of my condo association’s Board of Directors. That can be a full-time job sometimes, although I try not to let it. I read newspapers and magazines, and lots and lots of books. I watch a little TV, spend time with my daughter, and because I’m a night owl, I enjoy the fact that I’m retired and don’t always have to get up early. Jody and I treat our writing like a job and actually schedule time to write together. It is a job of sorts, albeit a tremendously fun job, but sometimes still I want to escape. Treating writing these books like a job means I take it seriously, make the time for it, and don’t (too often) let it drift to the bottom of my list.
Jody…Outside of the writing sessions Robin mentioned, I focus on the non-writing part of being indie authors, for example the website, blog, social media, videos, etc. This sounds like a lot, and it was in the beginning, but now it’s not too time consuming. Outside of the Spectrum Series, my husband and I have built a quiet life in southern Arizona where we spend our time eating healthy, exercising regularly, and enjoying the simple things.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Robin…I don’t sit for a long stretch and just write at first. A lot of what I finally put on paper, I’ve been mulling over for a long time; it bounces around as random thoughts, words and phrases. When I finally do sit down, I’m writing and refining my thoughts. People think it just flows from my fingertips, but there’s a lot that has happened first.
Jody…I’m amused by the fact that I love writing, but I can’t spell very well. I would much rather be given a really tough problem to solve than a difficult word to spell. Thank goodness for spell checker!
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Robin…I wanted to be a spy or an actor. Funny, when you think about it, both careers involve playing roles and making people believe a story you are telling.
Jody…I knew when I was a child that I wanted to work in an office with no idea of the specific job I would eventually have. While my younger sisters played with dolls and dressed up, I spent hours at my little desk completing workbooks.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Robin…I hope you all enjoy reading these stories as much as we enjoyed creating them!
Jody…Our readers are fantastic. Thank you for your support and feedback!!
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Thanks for being here today!