Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: The Burial Place
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.larry-enmon.com/
CITY: Tarrant County
STATE: TX
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
Retired Secret Service Agent.
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in Shelby County, TX; married; children: two.
EDUCATION:Sam Houston State University, graduated, 1975.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and former Secret Service agent. Houston Police Department, TX, policeman, 1975-81; U.S. Secret Service, Washington, DC, agent, 1981-2012.
AVOCATIONS:Spending time at his ranch, shooting, four-wheeling, diving, karate.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Larry Enmon is a Texas native, whose career as a U.S. Secret Service agent took him to locations around the world. After retiring in 2012, he settled in his home state once again. Enmon is a graduate of Sam Houston State University and a former member of the Houston Police Department. In an article he wrote on the Writing.ie website, Enmon explained how he came to be a novelist. He stated: “During my career I traveled around the world on protective missions. I was gone a lot. During my travels I did have a constant companion—a good book. Whether on a trans-Atlantic flight or in a lonely hotel room in the Middle East, I always had my old pal for entertainment. It was about this time I began to seriously consider becoming a writer.”
In 2018, Enmon released The Burial Place. The volume was released with a different ending in the UK under the title Wormwood. It focuses on two members of the Dallas Police Department, Franklin Pierce and Roberto Soliz. Frank and Rob are partners in the police force and are assigned to a particularly sensitive case. The teenage daughter of Dallas’s mayor, named Katrina, has been abducted, and they must get her back alive. Their initial investigation of Katrina’s car turns up a the highlighted word “wormwood” in a Bible. Frank and Rob believe the word must be a clue and begin searching for connections. They find that multiple people have the word tattooed on their bodies. Meanwhile, Katrina narrates sections of the book and explains that she was taken by a group of dangerous religious zealots, led by a man followers call Brother John.
In an interview with a writer on the Claire O’Sullivan website, Enmon explained that a gift from his daughter inspired him to write in the mystery genre. He stated: “Several years ago she gave me the DVD, True Detective, season one. I had been writing international suspense thrillers for ten years and no agent would give me asecond look. After watching True Detective, I said: ‘Hey, I could write something like that,’ and so I did.” In the same interview, Enmon highlighted key differences between his two protagonists. He stated: “Frank is a man whose has lost his faith. He wants to believe in a higher power, but with his life tragedies and logical mind, he finds it difficult to believe in what he can’t see. Rob is very religious but not exactly a Bible scholar. He attends church and follows the teachings of the church like his parents and wife.” In an interview with Sandra Murphy, writer on the Kings River Life website, Enmon discussed the book’s setting, stating: “I live in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, so writing about places I knew made sense. Being from rural Eastern Texas, I chose to set the story both in the city and country. By shifting the action from Dallas to rural East Texas, I took my city detectives out of their comfort zone into a very different world with different rules.” Enmon added: “My main character is a combination of several police guys I’ve known over the years. I worked both municipal and federal law enforcement. Six years with the Houston Police Department and over 30 years as a federal agent. There were officers/agents in both the Houston Police Department and U.S. Secret Service who made an impression on me.” Enmon also stated: “My protagonist was a professional chef in New York who changed professions and became a Dallas cop. A personal tragedy caused his departure and he hides a secret he’s shared with no one. He’s a Sherlock Holmes type. Very intelligent and quiet—always thinking.”
Reviews of The Burial Place were mixed. A Kirkus Reviews critic suggested: “The premise of religious zealots victimizing innocent women is more overheated than original, and Enmon doesn’t develop his characters … enough to thicken the plot.” However, the same critic noted that the book would appeal to “readers looking to kill a few hours.” A contributor to Publishers Weekly described the volume as an “uneven debut” and commented: “Enmon … would do better next time to portray police work in a more realistic fashion.” In a more favorable assessment, Murphy, the writer on the Kings River Life website, remarked: “For readers who love a good thriller, Frank and Rob will keep you turning the pages as fast as you can. Both are good characters, dedicated but with interesting quirks and reluctantly changing. This has the potential to be a long-running series.” Joe Hartlaub, reviewer on the 20 Something Reads website, asserted: “The Burial Place is primarily a character-driven novel, with Rob and Frank at the wheel. Both men, individually and together, are extremely entertaining. Enmon’s on-the-mark pacing and rough but good-natured repartee between the two protagonists make it a non-stop read that hopefully will herald the beginning of a long-running series.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, February 15, 2018, review of The Burial Place.
Publishers Weekly, February 12, 2018, review of The Burial Place, p. 60.
ONLINE
20 Something Reads, https://www.20somethingreads.com/ (April 13, 2018), Joe Hartlaub, review of The Burial Place.
Claire O’Sullivan website, https://cindy212.wordpress.com/ (May 9, 2018), author interview.
Kings River Life Online, http://kingsriverlife.com/ (March 31, 2018), Sandra Murphy, author interview and review of The Burial Place.
Larry Enmon website, http://www.larry-enmon.com/ (June 11, 2018).
Writing.ie, https://www.writing.ie/ (February 1, 2018), article by author.
Larry Enmon was born in Shelby County, Texas. He attended Sam Houston State University and received a Law Enforcement & Police Science Degree in 1975. That same year he joined the Houston Police Department where he worked for six years in both the patrol & vice divisions.
In 1981 he accepted a job with the U.S. Secret Service and traveled the world on protective missions. His last assignment was as the Secret Service liaison agent to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Dallas, TX. He attended numerous FBI and CIA training courses in weapons of mass destruction, and was considered the resident expert in agro terrorism as well as biological terrorism—he retired in 2012.
For relaxation, and to get away from the city, he likes to spend time at his 200+ acre ranch in rural Eastern Texas. It’s the perfect getaway, with a private shooting range, a 2 ½ acre pond, and miles of woodland trails to explore on four-wheelers and RTV’s.
He holds a Divemaster rating with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors and has a black belt in Tang Soo Do karate. He is married, has two children, and lives in Tarrant County, TX.
At Writing Desk
First Police Job
Last President I Protected
QUOTED: "Several years ago she gave me the DVD True Detective, season one. I had been writing international suspense thrillers for ten years and no agent would give me asecond look. After watching True Detective, I said: 'Hey, I could write something like that,' and so I did."
"Frank is a man whose has lost his faith. He wants to believe in a higher power, but with his life tragedies and logical mind, he finds it difficult to believe in what he can’t see. Rob is very religious but not exactly a Bible scholar. He attends church and follows the teachings of the church like his parents and wife."
May 9, 2018
The burial place
I had the privilege of a brief interview with Larry Enmon, author of The Burial Place.
Hi, Larry. Wow, I just finished The Burial Place. Really outstanding work, and I found areas terrifying for the victim, and others quite humorous, especially with your two detectives, Frank and Ron. Both complete opposites. I gave up two nights’ sleep to read. Also, you have an impressive background in law enforcement, as well as the Secret Service. This gives you an insider’s perspective to police procedure. Of course, you drew on those experiences. Was or were there any particular case or cases came that came to mind for the novel when you were with the Houston PD?
Larry: I worked for the Houston Police Department for six years. I had no case in mind when I wrote the manuscript. I was looking for a good engaging story and this felt right.
L Enmon pic
Claire: And I would agree that is engaging. The Burial Place is a fantastic crime thriller, non-stop. In your dedication, you mentioned that your daughter gave you inspiration for this novel. Can you tell me a bit about how this idea came about?
Larry: Several years ago she gave me the DVD True Detective, season one. I had been writing international suspense thrillers for ten years and no agent would give me asecond look. After watching True Detective, I said, “Hey, I could write something like that,” and so I did.
Claire: That’s fantastic, and you make it sound so easy. It’s always the unexpected things that get that creative motor started. The timing was perfect. The Burial Place your debut novel, though you’ve mentioned to me that you’ve written international suspense thrillers, yet to catch an agent’s line. Have you any plans to return to these at a later date? Of course, you’ve been busy with signings, I suspect, so those might be on a back burner.
Larry: I received training from the CIA on weapons of mass destruction during my time working in the Joint Terrorism Task.
Claire:
wide eye
Larry: I used this inside knowledge to craft four international suspense thrillers about attacks on the U.S. using these types of weapons. I’m doing revisions on my first one now. Perhaps we’ll see it in a couple of years.
Claire: As a writer, I always enjoy hearing about someone’s process of putting the story into its first draft and working from there. Do you have a man-cave you hide in to write or can you tune everything out?
Larry: My man cave is my writing desk in our guest bedroom. I shut the door and tell my wife not to disturb me unless someone is killed or the house catches fire.
Claire: Too funny. My husband posted a note on my ‘cave woman’ door for acceptable hours to work, and please eat some food. As a writer in The Burial Place, did you write with a message in mind for your readers?
Larry: I write with no agenda. My only purpose is to entertain my readers. If I can tell you a story, that after you finished reading it, you recall it as an actual memory you experienced and not a story you’ve read, I’ve done my job.
Claire: The Burial Place is well crafted, and with such attention to detail and the characters leap off the page. So, I would say you have certainly done your job. Speaking as both writer and reader, what is your process of creating ‘the perfect characters?’
Larry: Most of the characters in the book, and some of the events were taken from people I actually worked with. Frank, Rob, Terry Edna, the old sheriff of Sabine County are all real people I know. Not hard to write about people you’ve known for twenty or thirty years. As for as the bad guys, well I’ve known so many bad guys in thirty-seven years of law enforcement that’s not difficult either.
Larry Enmons The Burial Place from amazon
Claire: I can picture Edna giving the universal ‘get over here’ signal with her forefinger… You’ve added layers to the story, secrets, the past, all of which come as a surprise. The characters also share their contrasting spiritual beliefs. Frank and Rob challenge one another in this way, and there are some very humorous exchanges between the detectives: the very logical to the religious (yet not-so religious).
Larry: Frank is a man whose has lost his faith. He wants to believe in a higher power, but with his life tragedies and logical mind, he finds it difficult to believe in what he can’t see. Rob is very religious but not exactly a Bible scholar. He attends church and follows the teachings of the church like his parents and wife. Rob is happy and satisfied with the Catholic Church. Frank will never be satisfied with any religion.
Claire: Frank’s questions reflected that in dialogue, and because of the nature of the crimes committed one can certainly add to that logic. And as a last question, with the very surprising ending, will there be a follow up? And when?
Larry: I signed a two book contract with my publisher for another Rob and Frank novel. I’ve completed it and I’m working on the last revisions now. Look for it sometimes around the spring of 2019.
Claire: I’m definitely looking forward to it—but 2019 is an absolute killer to wait. The good thing is that The Burial Place and the characters are so memorable, I won’t have any trouble getting back into reading your work.
Thank you, Larry for taking time from your busy signing schedule—it is appreciated. Larry? Larry? Oh, he’s off to another signing…
If you haven’t read The Burial Place yet, and you are looking for an nail-biting book with engaging, realistic characters, plus a great plot, I recommend picking up The Burial Place.
You can read Larry’s biography on Amazon or here:
‘Larry Enmon retired from the U.S. Secret Service and started writing. During his career he acted as liaison between the USSS and FBI, working in the Joint Terrorism Task Force. He received special training from the FBI and CIA in weapons of mass destruction. For relaxation, and to get away from the city, he likes spending time at his ranch in rural Eastern Texas. With 200+ acres, private shooting range, a 2 ½ acre pond, and miles of woodland trails to explore on four-wheelers and RTV’s, it’s the perfect getaway. He swims four miles a week, holds a Divemaster rating with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors and has a black belt in Tang Soo Do karate. He is married with two children and lives in Tarrant County, TX.’
Contact information:
larry@larry-enmon.com (email)
Twitter@LarryEnmon
Instagram@Larry Enmon
QUOTED: "The premise of religious zealots victimizing innocent women is more overheated than original, and Enmon doesn't develop his characters ... enough to thicken the plot."
"readers looking to kill a few hours."
Enmon, Larry: THE BURIAL PLACE
Kirkus Reviews.
(Feb. 15, 2018): From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Enmon, Larry THE BURIAL PLACE Crooked Lane (Adult Fiction) $26.99 4, 10 ISBN: 978-1-68331-553-7
Enmon, a veteran of the Houston PD and the Secret Service, debuts with a procedural about the kidnapping of a mayor's daughter--among others.
Katrina Wallace isn't close to her parents, and they might not have called the Dallas police at all when she went missing if her father hadn't been looking to use the mayor's office as a launch pad for Congress and didn't want any distractions. Whatever their motives, the Wallaces make the right choice in doing an end run around Missing Persons and going to the Criminal Intelligence Unit. Sgt. Terry Andrews assigns his two best detectives, Franklin Pierce and Roberto Soliz, to the case, and they go at it hammer and tongs, noting the surprising appearance of a Bible among the vociferously atheist Katrina's personal effects and following the trail of "Wormwood," a single word highlighted in the book, to a group of men with identical tattoos who've gotten them at the behest of the prophet Brother John. Katrina, meanwhile, hasn't been twiddling her thumbs. Bundled into a vehicle and driven through the night, she ends up drugged and disoriented at a compound where all the men are called Brother, most of the women are called Sister, and those who aren't are raped and impregnated with the offspring Brother John and his followers are convinced will save the world. Katrina doesn't intend to take this kind of treatment lying down. The premise of religious zealots victimizing innocent women is more overheated than original, and Enmon doesn't develop his characters--cops, victims, or villains--enough to thicken the pot. But readers looking to kill a few hours wondering whether Frank and Rob will find Katrina before she's consigned to the burial place of the cult's earlier victims will find Enmon a foursquare conductor.
"Don't have much of a personality, if you ask me," a sheriff from another Texas town says of the
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http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
criminal mastermind. Amen all around.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Enmon, Larry: THE BURIAL PLACE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2018. Book Review Index
Plus, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A527248286/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS& xid=06b0fed0. Accessed 3 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A527248286
QUOTED: "uneven debut."
"Enmon ... would do better next time to portray police work in a more realistic fashion."
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The Burial Place: A Rob Soliz and Frank Pierce Mystery
Publishers Weekly.
265.7 (Feb. 12, 2018): p60. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
The Burial Place: A Rob Soliz and Frank Pierce Mystery Larry Enmon. Crooked Lane, $26.99 (288p)
ISBN 978-1-68331-553-7
In Enmon's uneven debut, Franklin Pierce and Roberto Soliz, Dallas PD partners, must find kidnapped Katrina Wallace, the mayor's 19-year-old daughter. They have one important clue: a Bible left in Katrina's car with the word Wormwood highlighted. A computer search that turns up a small-time criminal with Wormwood tattooed on his back provides a possible lead. Departmental pressure mounts as first the Texas Rangers and then the FBI join the case. Meanwhile, chapters from Katrina's viewpoint reveal that she's the captive of some sort of cult. Enmon tries too hard to make Rob and Frank stand out. Frank is rich, dates only high-end call girls, and is a cop because he likes the "mental exercise of investigations." Rob, a stolid family man, is a good foil for Frank, but in the end they act more like vigilantes than police officers. Enmon, a veteran of the Houston PD and the Secret Service, would do better next time to portray police work in a more realistic fashion. Agent: David Haviland, Andrew Lownie Literary Agency. (Apr.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"The Burial Place: A Rob Soliz and Frank Pierce Mystery." Publishers Weekly, 12 Feb. 2018, p.
60. Book Review Index Plus, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A528615492 /GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS&xid=68c2d610. Accessed 3 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A528615492
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QUOTED: "During my career I traveled around the world on protective missions. I was gone a lot. During my travels I did have a constant companion—a good book. Whether on a trans-Atlantic flight or in a lonely hotel room in the Middle East, I always had my old pal for entertainment. It was about this time I began to seriously consider becoming a writer."
My Writer’s Journey: Wormwood by Larry Enmon
w-ie-small
Larry Enmon © 1 February 2018.
Posted in the Magazine ( · Crime · Interviews ).
In 2002, I retired from the Secret Service. No, no, not Her Majesty’s Secret Service—the United States Secret Service. Unlike our namesake in Britain, the U.S. Secret Service is a federal law enforcement agency charged with protecting the president, vice-president, and various others, as well as investigating certain financial crimes, the most prominent being the counterfeiting of U.S. currency.
During my career I traveled around the world on protective missions. I was gone a lot. During my travels I did have a constant companion—a good book. Whether on a trans-Atlantic flight or in a lonely hotel room in the Middle East, I always had my old pal for entertainment. It was about this time I began to seriously consider becoming a writer.
I knew I could tell a good story, but I had no idea how to do it in an entertaining way on paper. I admit my first attempts were dismal. I stumbled around, using too many passive verbs, doing more telling than showing, and my dialogue needed major work. In other words, I stunk.
I found a writer’s workshop in my area and began to learn the craft. It was fascinating! For years I’d been taught how to drive fast, shoot sub-machine guns, and conduct interviews and interrogations. I thought that was a blast, but writing beat it by a mile. I took writing lessons, attended conferences, and read everything I could get on the craft. A whole new world had opened up, and I was excited.
In ten years, I wrote a half dozen 70,000 to 75,000 word books. I sometimes queried a few agents to see if there was anyone interested in my work—there wasn’t. But I never lamented over not being published. I figured like losing your virginity, it would happen in time. Besides, I was having too much fun just writing and learning how to become a better writer.
For years, one problem continued to plague me. My writing sounded like a report. Big surprise—I wrote reports for thirty-seven years. Not a lot of creative writing goes into government reports, especially law enforce reports. Try as I may, my old report writing style always seeped in, spoiling what could have a good story. I needed a new direction.
So I changed genres. I’d been writing horror and suspense/thrillers for over a decade, and I decided to go back to what I knew best—crime and mystery. For Christmas a few years ago, my daughter happened to give me the DVD of True Detective, season one. When I watched it, I was inspired. I said to myself, “Self. I could write something like that.” So I did. The result was Wormwood.
As I said before, I was never too keen on taking up good writing time to query agents, editors, and publishers. But this work felt different. After changing genres I suddenly began to write more realistic, entertaining narratives. I found a new voice. I really can’t explain it—some kind of magic. Anyway, I believed this thing was good enough to be published. Confidence is a sweet thing in a writer. I began querying agents in the crime/mystery genre. It took a while, but an agent agreed to represent me. And get this, it was an English agent. David Haviland, with the Andrew Lownie Literary Agency in London, who saw enough promise in the work to sign me.
I did some suggested revisions for David, and he shopped the market. He signed me with both an English publisher and an American publisher. The American publisher wanted a two book deal and paid me a nice advance.
Wormwood was published last month by Bloodhound Books, Cambridge, UK. It’s holding at a solid 4.8 out of 5 stars in reviews on amazon.co.uk. My U.S. publisher intends to publish the same book, but with a different title, in April, 2018. Keep your eye out for The Burial Place from Crooked Lane Books, New York.
So there you have it. How to get published in less than fifteen years. But have I learned anything worth passing on to others? I think so. Here are my suggestions to unpublished writers:
It’s a numbers game. Everyone in the publishing industry is busy. They don’t have the time or inclination to offer representation but to the very best. If they believe you can make them money, they want you. My agency picks twenty out of twenty thousand queries to offer representation each year. If you’re a good writer, with a good story, for God’s sake query more than I did. Like I said, I got more enjoyment from writing than I did from querying, so I tended to query less. That was probably a mistake.
If something isn’t working for you as a writer, it might be time to tap the reset button. I did, and it refreshed my writing 100 percent. Try a different genre, write from a different point of view, or try a short story instead of a full length novel. Your choice.
Take the time to learn your craft and your genre. That was an unexpected consequence of my not being published for so long. From my time in the wilderness, I acquired the experience and education needed to be a good writer. I read and learned the genre. Understood what readers expected.
Looking back, it really wasn’t all that difficult. Any retired Secret Service Agent could probably do it in less than fifteen years. Good luck with your writing, and never stop reading!
(c) Larry Enmon
About Wormwood:
In Dallas, Texas, Katrina Wallace goes missing. As the mayor’s daughter, her kidnapping triggers mounting political pressure and forces the Chief of Police to put two senior detectives on the case. Rob Soliz and Frank Pierce have done the impossible in the past, but their methods are unconventional.
The only evidence at the scene is a Bible found in the girl’s car and soon Frank and Rob find themselves involved in a disturbing investigation shrouded by Bible prophecy, doomsday cults, and murder.
Is Katrina still alive? And what exactly is Wormwood?
As the trail leads them into the woods of rural East Texas, Frank must deal with his lingering religious doubts and solve the case. His worst fears will be realised when he must discover the ugly truth about Wormwood. But he and Rob will have to get out alive to tell the story…
Order your copy online here.
QUOTED: "For readers who love a good thriller, Frank and Rob will keep you turning the pages as fast as you can. Both are good characters, dedicated but with interesting quirks and reluctantly changing. This has the potential to be a long running series."
"I live in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, so writing about places I knew made sense. Being from rural Eastern Texas, I chose to set the story both in the city and country. By shifting the action from Dallas to rural East Texas, I took my city detectives out of their comfort zone into a very different world with different rules."
"My main character is a combination of several police guys I’ve known over the years. I worked both municipal and federal law enforcement. Six years with the Houston Police Department and over 30 years as a federal agent. There were officers/agents in both the Houston Police Department and U.S. Secret Service who made an impression on me."
"My protagonist was a professional chef in New York who changed professions and became a Dallas cop. A personal tragedy caused his departure and he hides a secret he’s shared with no one. He’s a Sherlock Holmes type. Very intelligent and quiet—always thinking."
he Burial Place By Larry Enmon: Review/Giveaway/Interview
IN THE March 31 ISSUE
FROM THE 2018 Articles,
andMysteryrat's Maze,
andSandra Murphy SECTIONS
by Sandra Murphy
This week we have a review of The Burial Place by Larry Enmon, along with an interesting interview with Larry who has not only worked for Houston Police Department, but was also a federal agent for over 30 years. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of The Burial Place, and a link to purchase it from Amazon, and an indie bookstore where a portion of the sale goes to help support KRL.
The Burial Place: A Rob Soliz & Frank Pierce Mystery by Larry Enmon
Review by Sandra Murphy
Rob Soliz and Frank Pierce are partners at the Dallas Police Department. They don’t always play by the rules and dance between solving the case and getting in trouble for how they did it. When they get called to the boss’ office, their first thought is, “What did we do now?”
This time the answer is “nothing.” A nineteen-year-old woman has gone missing. It could be that she’s run off to spend time with a boyfriend her parents don’t like. She could be with a girlfriend to avoid going home. Worse case scenario, she could have been kidnapped for ransom. After all, she is the mayor’s daughter. book
It doesn’t take Frank long to decide she’s being held against her will and is still alive. He has no evidence of either, but Rob has learned to go along with Frank’s ideas. The bosses have too but not with as much assurance as Rob has.
Although the family says the girl wasn’t religious, there’s a Bible found on the front seat of her car. Frank, a rather obsessive type, reads the entire Bible, looking for clues. He finds only one—in Revelations, the name Wormwood is highlighted. No one but Frank is sure it’s even a clue, but he puts out a memo to other police departments in a three-hundred-mile radius. When responses show other similar cases, Frank’s off and running.
During the investigation, Rob learns more about Frank than he’s been able to find out before. That leads to a discussion about Frank quitting the force and working in the security sector. If that happens, what will Rob do? It’s Frank who makes their success rate so high. Frank tends to focus when on a case, but this girl’s disappearance seems to mean more to him than any other case ever did.
For readers who love a good thriller, Frank and Rob will keep you turning the pages as fast as you can. Both are good characters, dedicated but with interesting quirks and reluctantly changing. This has the potential to be a long running series. Although it’s early in the year to say so, I see this being on my Best of 2018 list next December.
Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the Arch in St. Louis Missouri. She writes about eco-friendly topics, pets and wildlife for magazines and reviews mysteries and thrillers for KRL. A collection of her short stories, published by Untreed Reads, From Hay to Eternity: Ten Tales of Crime and Deception can be found at all the usual outlets. Each one is a little weird and all have a twist you won’t see coming.
Interview with Larry Enmon:
KRL: How long have you been writing?
Larry: On and off for about 11 years. Finally got serious about it a couple of years ago. Always enjoyed writing a story more than submitting my work to agents for literary representation. Never concerned myself much about getting published. Figured it would happen sooner or later.
KRL: When did your first novel come out? What was it called? Can you tell us a little about it?
Larry: That’s a very strange story. I signed with the Andrew Lownie Literary Agency in London. My agent is David Haviland. He sold the manuscript to an English independent publisher, Bloodhound Books, and to a U.S. publisher, Crooked Lane Books. In November 2017 Bloodhound Books released it as Wormwood. The same story, with a slightly different ending, will be released by my U.S. publisher April 2018 under the name The Burial Place.
It’s the story of the missing Dallas mayor’s daughter, Katrina Wallace. Two senior DPD detectives assigned to the Criminal Intelligence Unit are instructed to locate her. The story of her disappearance is kept quiet for political reasons. No one really believes she’s missing at first. The parents think she’s angry at them and staying with a friend. As the investigation unfolds it becomes apparent she’s been taken. When no kidnapper demands are forthcoming, the tension rises. Is she still alive?
author
Larry Enmon
When the detectives uncover Bible prophecy, men with full back tattoos, and other missing girls who resemble Katrina, the clock starts ticking to save her.
KRL: Have you always written mysteries? If not what else have you written?
Larry: I only started writing mysteries recently. Most of my writing years were spent on international suspense/thrillers. I’ve written four of those. They’re tucked away, ready to spring into the literary world at the just right time.
KRL: What brought you to choose the setting and characters in your latest book/series? Please tell us a little about the setting and main character for your most recent book.
Larry: I live in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, so writing about places I knew made sense. Being from rural Eastern Texas, I chose to set the story both in the city and country. By shifting the action from Dallas to rural East Texas, I took my city detectives out of their comfort zone into a very different world with different rules.
My main character is a combination of several police guys I’ve known over the years. I worked both municipal and federal law enforcement. Six years with the Houston Police Department and over 30 years as a federal agent. There were officers/agents in both the Houston Police Department and U.S. Secret Service who made an impression on me.
My protagonist was a professional chef in New York who changed professions and became a Dallas cop. A personal tragedy caused his departure and he hides a secret he’s shared with no one. He’s a Sherlock Holmes type. Very intelligent and quiet—always thinking.
KRL: Do you write to entertain or is there something more you want the readers to take away from your work?
Larry: Pure, unadulterated entertainment only. If a reader recalls my story as a memory rather than just a good book, I’ve done my job properly.
KRL: Do you have a schedule for your writing or just write whenever you can?
Larry: I find I do my best creative writing in the mornings. My mind is fresh with new ideas and I’m enthusiastic about opening the laptop and getting to work. After lunch, I get in a workout and come back to what I’ve written. I spend as much time as necessary revising it, but I still understand it’s only a first draft. We all know what Hemmingway allegedly said about those.
KRL: Do you outline? If not, do you have some other interesting way that you keep track of what’s going on, or what needs to happen in your book when you are writing it?
Larry: I’m very much of a seat of your pants writer. I know how the story begins and how I think I want it to end. The rest is up for grabs. As many times as not, I don’t even know what the characters are going to do or say. I’ve learned to allow them to take control of the story and tell me what should happen next. I know good criminal investigative procedure. The only time I step in and throw the B.S. flag is when a character decides to go rogue and squirrel out. Hey, someone has to be the referee here!
The closest I come to outlining is to keep a stack of index cards tracking the story’s progression. I track the following: Scene POV, page number the scene starts and stops, location, and the action taking place in the scene. Under the action section, I write in colored inks. Red = super heated action, Blue = the regular story line, Green = back story, and Purple = reversal or twist. By doing this I never let the story drift. I can track it scene by scene. This keeps me honest. By the way, I borrowed those ideas from a couple of good writers.
KRL: If you had your ideal, what time of day would you prefer to write?
Larry: Always the mornings.
KRL: Did you find it difficult to get published in the beginning?
Larry: Ha, is that a trick question? As I said earlier, I spent most of my time writing rather than submitting to literary agents. That’s how I ended up writing half a dozen books before getting one published. My writing was poor in the beginning. Having written government reports for 37 years my story sounded like a report, and not an interesting one at that. The few queries I sent out over the years were met with a cool reception. When I changed genres to mysteries, a literary agent signed me and my first mystery novel was published.
KRL: Do you have a great rejection/critique or acceptance story you’d like to share?
Larry: It’s not all that great, but it’s special to me. Years ago, a friend at the DFW Writers’ Workshop, Dick Cassidy, critiqued a scene I’d read and sent me an email. He’d been writing on his own book for 10 years. He was retired and saw it as a challenging hobby to stay busy. Here is what he wrote: “I dabble and entertain myself, and it’s been wonderful. You, on the other hand, write. There’s a huge difference between what you’re doing and what I’m doing. Keep on keeping on, man.” Dick died last year, his novel unfinished. When I need a shot of inspiration I go back and reread that email.
KRL: Most interesting book signing story, in a bookstore or other venue?
Larry: None so far. I’ll have a few by this time next year.
KRL: Future writing goals?
Larry: Keep writing quality novels and expand into the international suspense/thriller genre.
KRL: Writing heroes?
Larry: Thomas Harris and Dennis Lehane for mysteries. Frederick Forsyth and Ian Fleming for international suspense/thrillers.
KRL: What kind of research do you do?
Larry: Depends on the story. For international suspense/thrillers, I draw on my Secret Service knowledge about the many places I’ve traveled. I like writing about locations I’ve spent time in. During my Joint Terrorism Task Force days, I attended about a half dozen CIA/FBI training courses in weapons of mass destruction. I learned a lot of technical aspects regarding WMD materials. This led me to write four novels about WMD attacks against the U.S. As far as mysteries, I draw on my criminal investigative knowledge from the Houston Police Department. Everything else can be Googled.
KRL: What do you read?
Larry: Mostly fiction, with a good non-fiction or biography thrown in a couple of times a year. I like international suspense/thrillers and mysteries that ring true. Having too much inside knowledge about subjects sometimes is a bad thing. Hard to find authors and books that satisfy me. I can spot a phony plot and characters a mile away.
KRL: Favorite TV or movies?
Larry: HBO’s True Detective – season one is hard to beat for a crime/mystery movie. Don’t watch a lot of TV shows except the news. Netflix is my go-to source.
KRL: Any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?
Larry: Read as much as possible. Write as much as possible. Learn the craft by studying books on writing. Join a writers’ group. Attend writing conferences. Find a writing mentor. Have fun and don’t become discouraged.
A true writer writes for the joy of writing, even if they knew they might never get published. I did that for a decade. If you can’t, best to quit now and cut your losses.
KRL: Anything you would like to add?
Larry: Most people aren’t born good writers. It’s a special skill. An art form you’ll never fully master. Some will develop the skill faster and better than others. They’ll rise to the top and become the Stephen Kings and Tom Clancys of the literary world. Most won’t be able to make a decent living off writing alone. But everyone can have fun and enjoy writing in their own way—like my friend, Dick Cassidy.
KRL: What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
Larry: While in the Secret Service I stood shoulder to shoulder and was introduced to Queen Elizabeth of England. She politely smiled, but did not offer to shake hands.
KRL: Website? Twitter? Facebook?
Larry: Website: larry-enmon.com
Twitter: @LarryEnmon
Facebook: larryenmonbooks
To enter to win a copy of The Burial Place, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “burial,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen April 7, 2018. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address, and if via comment please include your email address.
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The Burial Place: A Rob Soliz and Frank Pierce Mystery
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QUOTED: "THE BURIAL PLACE is primarily a character-driven novel, with Rob and Frank at the wheel. Both men, individually and together, are extremely entertaining. Enmon’s on-the-mark pacing and rough but good-natured repartee between the two protagonists make it a non-stop read that hopefully will herald the beginning of a long-running series."
The Burial Place
by Larry Enmon
[Buy this book at IndieBound]
[Buy this book at Amazon]
[Buy this book at Barnes and Noble]
There are few joys in a mystery reader’s life that are greater than finding a new author, particularly one who has just penned a new police procedural series. So let us acknowledge and give thanks to Larry Enmon, author of THE BURIAL PLACE. Enmon’s bona fides are unquestionable, having worked for the Houston Police Department for several years before joining the Secret Service. Add his immense talent to the mix, and you get one of the more impressive mystery debuts of recent memory.
THE BURIAL PLACE introduces Rob Soliz and Frank Pierce, senior detectives in the Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Dallas Police Department. They are a bit of a Mutt and Jeff team --- Rob is short, stocky and married, while Frank is tall, thin and seemingly irrevocably committed to bachelorhood --- but they work well together. When Katrina Wallace, the spoiled 19-year-old daughter of the mayor of Dallas, goes missing, Rob and Frank are assigned to find her and bring her home. Frank, who has an uncanny sixth sense for such matters, initially believes that the young woman has been abducted. After surveillance videos indicate that he is correct, it is also Frank who is convinced that she is still alive. Once again he is on the money, though how long that will be true remains to be seen.
"Enmon’s on-the-mark pacing and rough but good-natured repartee between the two protagonists make it a non-stop read that hopefully will herald the beginning of a long-running series."
As the narrative moves back and forth between Katrina and the efforts of Rob and Frank to locate her, we learn that she has been abducted by a religious cult. Kept under lock and key and closely monitored by members of the cult in a compound-like property, Katrina only has her fiercely independent will to keep her going as the search for her continues. Given that the cult’s compound is isolated, readers many not think she will ever be found. Frank, who seems to be obsessed with the investigation for reasons that are gradually revealed, unearths a trail of missing persons cases where the victims in question share a number of physical characteristics. Utilizing a combination of modern technology, instinct and old-fashioned doggedness, Rob and Frank slowly but inexorably hone in on Katrina’s location.
Meanwhile, Katrina is in increasing danger. As the cult realizes that she is the subject of a statewide search, they decide that she is more of a liability than a blessing. Whether Rob and Frank become rescuers or undertakers is a question that is not answered until very close to the book’s conclusion, where almost no one emerges unscathed.
THE BURIAL PLACE is primarily a character-driven novel, with Rob and Frank at the wheel. Both men, individually and together, are extremely entertaining. Enmon’s on-the-mark pacing and rough but good-natured repartee between the two protagonists make it a non-stop read that hopefully will herald the beginning of a long-running series.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub on April 13, 2018
[Buy this book at IndieBound] [Buy this book at Amazon] [Buy this book at Barnes and Noble]
The Burial Place
by Larry Enmon
Publication Date: April 10, 2018
Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
ISBN-10: 1683315537
ISBN-13: 9781683315537