Sharkbait Writes

Welcome to Chumming with Sharky™, my blog series where viewers from every corner of the deep blue sea are treated to a small taste of talented authors from a myriad of genres. Today, it is my pleasure to welcome fellow Texan author Kenneth Hoss, author of the Kelli Storm series, to chat it up talk show style. Now, on with the show . . .

Kenneth Hoss

Welcome to the shark infested waters of Chumming with Sharky, Kenneth. I apologize for the slow service at the bar, but my bartender Anchor the Hammerhead is downtown getting interrogated by police about a missing clown fish. So, Ariel is having to pick up the slack. Anyway, what’s your poison?

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Connemara whiskey, neat please.

While Ariel gets our drinks, we’ll take a short break for a message from our sponsor . . . which just so happens to be Kenneth Hoss, so clicking on the video is kind of mandatory. Dim the lights please.

Ariel raises an “Applaud” sign and winks at the audience

I know fans of the Kelli Storm series are anxious to get their hands on this book. We have business to attend to first. We were expecting an exclusive interview with Detective Kelli Storm, but she got pulled away for another high profile case, so Kenneth Hoss will take her place.

Audience: Aw!

I know, I know. Let’s not forget that Kenneth Hoss is the reason Detective Storm has a job with the New York City Police Department in the first place, so cut him some slack.

Ariel raises a “Cheer and Whistle” sign

Now that’s more like it. So, Kenneth, since Detective Kelli Storm is unable to speak for herself today, could you tell us a little bit about her on both a personal and professional level?

I’ll try. I just hope she doesn’t read this; she hates it when I talk about her personal life. For those of you that have read the first three books, you are aware of the mess that is Kelli’s life. However, things seem to be settling down on that front in the form of a certain tall, blonde DEA Agent. Yes, she’s falling fast. She’s also rediscovered her faith and has been attending Mass on a regular basis. As for her life on the professional front, things are going good despite the fact that she still has a death threat hanging over her head. Not to throw out any spoilers, but she may be making a career move in the near future.

Kelli Storm has been through quite a bit over the years, and you can soon read about the latest high-octane conflict in the fourth installment of the Kelli Storm series Eye of the Storm. Tell us a little bit about what fans of the series can expect in this novel.

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More murders, more threats, and a lot more bad guys gunning for Kelli.

For those who have not read the previous three books, can they pick up Eye of the Storm and read it as a stand-alone novel or do you recommend starting with Storm Rising, the first book of the series?

Each book in the series can be read as a standalone. However, if you really want to know about Kelli and get to know her and her life, I suggest reading them in order.

As a fellow author, I know that we can build a close bond with our characters. They almost become a part of our families; my own characters are the reason I’m in therapy three times per week. Could you tell us about your personal connection with Detective Kelli Storm? What do you like most about her? What makes you want to pull your hair out sometimes?

What do I like most? Her tenacity. She is like a bulldog when it comes to a case, never letting go until the end. What makes me pull my hair out? Her obstinacy. (Yes, it’s the same reason as what I like most about her.) Sometimes she doesn’t know when to quit, even when she’s injured and lying in a hospital bed.

I always like to end Chumming with Sharky with a hypothetical scenario just for fun. Here is yours: It is your first day on the job as a homicide detective and your captain has given you the opportunity to pick your partner. This can be any detective, real or fictional, but it cannot be anyone from the Kelli Storm series. Who would you pick and why?

That’s easy, Detective Lennie Brisco. Why? His sense of humor as well as his years of experience on the job.

I want to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to sit down for a chat. I also wish you much success with the release of Eye of the Storm. I encourage everyone to check it out below.

Thank you for having me, Sharky, it’s been a pleasure. I hope that Anchor get’s his, uh, misunderstanding cleared up. Oh, and thanks for the drink, I needed the eye opener.

Get your copy of Eye of the Storm today:

The body of a Russian prostitute is dumped in a Washington Heights park and Detectives Kelli Storm and Eric Ryder are called to the scene. A note found on the woman’s body containing her name and that of a former Russian mobster leads Kelli to an old nemesis.

When they confront a Russian Diplomat and the Russian Brotherhood with little success, they seek the help of an FBI contact who aids them in finding a connection between the Diplomat and a corrupt FSB Agent, and uncover a criminal conspiracy between a dangerous Mexican cartel and a notorious New York crime family.

As Kelli peels away the layers of death and corruption, she soon finds herself targeted by these organizations, all wanting to eliminate the threat to themselves and their livelihoods.

Get the Kelli Storm series on paperback and Kindle here:

About Kenneth Hoss

Kenneth Hoss was born at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas in 1957 to Albert and Mary Hoss. He served a combined total of fourteen years on active duty from 1974 to 1987 in both the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. His tour in the Army took him to Frankfurt, Germany where he had the opportunity to travel Europe. While in the Navy, Kenneth spent most of his time stationed in San Diego and Long Beach. His Navy travels took him to Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Okinawa, Thailand, Pakistan, and the Middle East. He has lived in several States, including New York, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Washington and California.

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Chumming with Sharky™ is a spotlight series brought to you by Robert “Sharky” Pruneda, author of Victory Lane: The Chronicles and Devil’s Nightmare. If you would like to be a guest on Chumming with Sharky™ or you know someone who you think would like to be featured, please send an email to: SharkbaitWrites (at) gmail (dot) com or contact me via Twitter @SharkbaitWrites.