Suspense
Date Published: November 2015
Too many infant boys of Palm Beach gentry are dying of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Only obstetrics nurse, Casey Jansson, is suspicious.
Al Warner, crack Miami Homicide detective, is inactive, languishing on medical leave after a deadly shootout with a serial killer, “The Angel of Death.” He’s in the best physical condition of his life, but is struggling to convince the Department’s shrink he is not suffering from PTSD.
Warner meets Casey at a local pub. They are attracted to each other, but misreading the other’s body language, remain reserved. Learning of the SIDS deaths from Casey, Warner concedes it sounds more than coincidental, but can find no obvious Motive or Opportunity. However, he agrees to help investigate, hoping romance develops later.
Casey’s obsession eventually tangles her in mortal danger. Only Warner can save her, if he can figure out where she went, and get there in time.
Interview
Maybe that I write “I can’t put it down” novels, usually with totally unexpected endings. And that writing a great novel takes more than just raw talent. I’ve spent years learning to polish my craft to where I’ve been likened to James Patterson, Dean Koontz and Stephen King. Great praises that I treasure
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Typos! I’m the King of typos, and I spend too much time fixing them
How many books have you written and which is your favorite?
Four novels, a book on fly-fishing for pike and musky (TOOTHY CRITTERS LOVE FLIES), and a fictionalized short story of real events that happened to me and my family while flyinf a small plane to Florida.
The novels are all suspense: TRAPPED, a parapsycological suspense that won “The next Great American Novel” contest and was an Amazon Top 100 novel; A 3 rd TIME TO DIE, a paranormal romantic suspense, dealing with murder during past lives; and the first two of my Detective Al Warner novels: DEATH’S ANGEL And BORN TO DIE.
I’m not sure I really have a favorite. I love all my characters, but if I had to pick, it would probably be TRAPPED. It was, after all, my first “love,” and I do get very emotionally involved with Jackee and Kevin. I still get a bit “choked” when I reread the ending, even after 25 years.
A 3 rd TIME TO DIE is also special to me, because I actually did Past Life regression as research for the book. I did it as research, but some of the 9 lives I “visited” had an amazing impact on my current life.
If You had the chance to cast your main character from Hollywood today, who would you pick and why?
Matt Damon as Warner, because he’s old enough and rugged enough, and it’s a Borne kind of role; and Charlize Theron as Casey, just because I love her and she really does fit the part.
When did you begin writing?
In 1990, when I was able to retire fairly young. My wife said, “You don’t like golf that much. You’ve always been a good storyteller, so why don’t you write a novel?” It only took 22 years with multiple major rewrites while attending classes, and probably 80 rejections by agents and editors before TRAPPED was a finalist in one contest and won “The Next Great American Novel Contest,” becoming an Amazon Top 100 Novel with dozens of rave reviews.
How long did it take to complete your first book?
6-months to write, 20 years to rewrite and edit. The others took under a year each to write, edit and improve. I’m getting faster
Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?
Dean Koontz, not so much to inspire me to write, but to inspire me to write BETTER. I regard him as one of the great wordsmiths in the business. And maybe James Patterson as to content style: short chapters and short paragraphs
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
Getting into the story so that the characters take over the action. I’m always somewhat amazed by how this happens, but as I write, the story often goes to place I never imagined at the start. The characters take on lives of their own, and I become one with them… even the bad guys!
Describe your latest book in 4 words.
Chilling chase for truth
Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the future for your writing?
I’m working on the 3 rd of my Detective al Warner novels, and I have part of the 4 th already “in the can.” The next Warner novel is tentatively titled, “The Prom Dress Killer.” Attractive young redheaded women are kidnapped and eventually killed and dressed in typical Senior Prom-type dresses. I try to immerse the reader into the mind of the psychotic killer, Detective Warner, and the next redheaded victim who tries to be clever enough to avoid death until Warner can find her.
George A. Bernstein is the retired President of a Chicago small appliance company, now living in south Florida. Born to Die is the 2nd in his Detective Al Warner Suspense series, following Death’s Angel, a 5-Star reviewed novel. Two more are already in the works. Bernstein’s first novel, Trapped, was a winner in a publisher’s “Next Great American Novel” contest, and has gained mostly 5-Star reviews at Amazon and Goodreads while becoming an Amazon Top 100 Novel. His 2nd novel, A 3rd Time to Die (A paranormal Romantic Suspense), also has almost all 5-Star Reviews, with one reader likening him to the best, less “spooky” works of Dean Koontz & Stephen King.
He’s also a “World-class” fly-fisherman, recently catching his 13th fly rod IGFA World Records, and has published Toothy Critters Love Flies (www.pikeflyguy.com), the complete book on fly-fishing for pike & musky.
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