Novelist Lee Lindauer joins me today to chat about his new modern gothic mystery thriller, The Salvation of Henry Maxwell.
Bio:
Lee Lindauer is an award-winning author of emotion-packed thrillers. He is known for crafting novels that delve deep into the human psyche and the complexities of fear and redemption. His degrees in Architectural and Civil Engineering, and a background as a principal in a structural engineering firm, gives his writing a firm structural foundation. Titles include Irrational Fears and The Sava Steps. His latest book is titled The Salvation of Henry Maxwell. In it, a former Hollywood horror movie star undergoes a transformational journey when he discovers that his long deceased wife actually did not die of a drug overdose but was murdered.
A member of the International Thriller Writers, Lindauer has participated in ThrillerFest panels and co-edited the “Big Thrill” magazine. He and his wife, Teri, find inspiration in the landscapes of Colorado and Nevada, where they divide their time.
Explore Lee Lindauer’s thrilling world of literature and his journey from engineering to authorship at leelindauer.com.
Welcome, Lee. Please tell us about your current release.
Now eighty-five-years old, former mega-horror film star Henry Maxwell is suffering from severe depression and thoughts of suicide. Unforeseen obstacles add to his mental torture while he contemplates the mysterious death of his beloved wife, Lillian, some forty-plus years earlier. Shadowed by attorney Jessica Barrow serving as court appointed conservator and Professor David Grovene, an expert on celluloid films from the B-movie era, Henry now believes Lillian is calling for him from the grave. Obsessed with her ghostly presence, he must replay the unfinished final scene from his last movie that was never released, believing it holds the key that will unite him and Lillian together in eternal bliss.
The Salvation of Henry Maxwell released September 18 in print and e-book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other fine outlets.
What inspired you to write this book?
The Saturday afternoon movies of the sixties that normally had double features. Some of these films featured Gothic horror actors such as Vincent Price, Boris Karloff and others. I remember clearly going to these as a kid and spending the afternoon with a candy bar and soda, loving the creepiness of it all. As I recalled that era, the idea of one of those actors years years removed from the sixties suddenly popped into my head telling me there could be a plot here that needs to be shaken free. Thus Henry Maxwell was born.
Excerpt from The Salvation of Henry Maxwell:
Chapter 4 where Jessica first comes to Henry’s mansion/castle.
Opening the heavy door, she stared inside. Nothing but a pitch-black void. With her stomach stuck in her throat, she crossed the threshold. Her senses at once caught a drift of the perverse as a noxious scent of fear swept over her. The breadth and height of the room overwhelmed, dark and shadowy, pointed archways at every corner, shadows hiding lightless nooks and crevices. Massive, faded tapestries sagged from walls, a coat of arms beyond. She could barely make out the ceiling, too high to distinguish any pattern. The floor’s gray tiles deepened her sense of foreboding. She had just stepped back into time, into an earlier era of cold stone and creepiness, far removed from the comfort of modern drywall and delightfully painted rooms.
What exciting project are you working on next?
A novel about a famous Las Vegas resident magician who falls from grace and his journey to climb back to the top but not without the obstacles of wondering about magic in general. Is it stage magic, real magic (parapsychology forces) or religious beliefs? Those swirling ideas complicate his journey with intrigue, mystery murder and romance clouding his search for the truth.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I decided it would be a fun thing to do other than my day job which I did for 36 years, and I am still learning.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
No. I try to pace myself but when I get in a groove, it takes on a life of its own. My workday varies, sometimes in the morning or evening. I have other interests that keep me busy so I don’t see it as a full-time job. There are things like playing pickleball, travelling and such that hinder it being a real job.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
If research is a quirk, then I excel at it. I love the time spent researching to get my novel as accurate as possible when dealing with settings and other issues.
Doing the research.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I didn’t really have an occupation in mind until the seventh grade when engineering suddenly gathered some steam.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Please go to my website www.leelindauer.com and take a look for more information on The Salvation of Henry Maxwell and the other novels. Also, please sign up for my newsletter to be kept in touch with my future endeavors.
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