Character Interview with Patrick Bowers | Plus a giveaway of Checkmate!

 Happy Book Release Day to Checkmate! Today is the final day of the Patrick Bowers' Week and what better way to end the week than with an interview with Patrick! There's also a giveaway of the just-released book, so be sure to enter. ;)

Now on to the character interview with Patrick Bowers!

Welcome to Christian Bookshelf Reviews, Patrick Bowers! What's an average day in your life like?  

My work at the Bureau doesn’t tend to be nine to five, so I’m not sure I have a good sense of what an average day is. Early mornings. Late nights. I enjoy my teaching at the Academy, but, honestly, I prefer being out in the field. I’d rather be tracking killers than grading exams any day. I like it when the game is afoot.

What's your biggest pet peeve? 

Profilers—which doesn’t work out that great, necessarily, since I’m married to one. But it always leads to interesting dinner conversation. People looking for motives is a close second: way overrated. Law enforcement should be about facts, logic, reason and not guessing games about what someone might or might not have been thinking. 

What are three non-essential things you wouldn't want to be without?  

My lock pick set, my Mini Maglite and apple cinnamon oatmeal. Actually, now that I think about it, those are all pretty essential. Maybe spatulas, cup holders in my Jeep, and yellow legal-sized notepads.

What's your favorite comfort food? 

Mac and cheese with the melty, gooey cheese. My teenage daughter, Tessa, got me hooked on it. We throw a little salsa on it. Stellar.

Do you have a favorite season? If so, which one and why is it your favorite?  

That would have to be autumn. It’s the best time to get out rock climbing here in the east where I live. When I was in Denver my favorite season was spring, just after the snow was melting and the peaks were calling to me.

Some this or that questions:

Call or Text? Call. You can catch the inflection, read the pauses, understand more of the subtext in a conversation. Tessa is all about texting, hardly even answers the phone anymore. Drives me crazy.

Coffee or Tea? Coffee all the way. Ideally, Sumatra: full-bodied and smooth. Low-toned with expansive acidity. Complex flavor. Slightly earthy, a hint of dried figs and a deep, velvety complexion. Not that I’m particular, but I prefer shade-grown in the Jagong region along the northern tip of the island.

Sunrise or Sunset? For workouts, sunrise. For romance, sunsets. 

Jeans or Shorts? The Bureau’s not excited about us wearing either of them while we’re on duty, but I usually do get away with jeans and running shoes. I’m not really the shorts and flip flops kind of guy.

Books or Movies? Nonfiction books—environmental criminology, geospatial investigation, work related texts, things like that. But when I want to relax I go for a movie. I’m really into stories with a good twist—endings that no one would ever guess. The bigger the twist the better.

Early bird or Night owl? As I mentioned earlier, I tend to work late and get up early, which doesn’t do much for my sleep cycles. Given the choice, I’d get up early and go for a run or a swim before work. 

Cats or Dogs? I can deal with cats. I’d have to say I don’t hate dogs as much as Tessa does, but pets in general aren’t my thing. Just more work, more expense, more distraction. Anything with fur just makes a mess. Maybe some fish would be alright. Or a turtle. I could deal with owning a reptile.

Chocolate or Vanilla? Both. Sort of. When you’re talking ice cream, go with vanilla bean and then add some Nutella to it and you’ve got a dessert worth writing about. 

Thanks so much for being here, Patrick! Is there anything else you'd like to share, maybe a life lesson you've learned?

Life is short, death is certain, and hope is a gift. Open it whenever you get the chance.

 ~

Author Bio:

Steven James is the bestselling author of nine novels that have received wide critical acclaim from Publishers Weekly, New York Journal of Books, RT Book Reviews, Booklist, Library Journal and many others. He has won three Christy Awards for best suspense and was a finalist for an International Thriller Award for best original paperback. His psychological thriller The Bishop was named Suspense Magazine’s book of the year. Publishers Weekly calls him "[A] master storyteller at the peak of his game."

Steven is an active member of International Thriller Writers, the Authors Guild, Mystery Writers of America, and International Association of Crime Writers. He is also a contributing editor for Writer's Digest. He has a master's degree in storytelling and has taught writing and creative communication around the world. When he's not writing or speaking, you'll find him trail running, rock climbing, or drinking a dark roast coffee near his home in eastern Tennessee.

Enter for a chance to win a copy of Checkmate by Steven James! Giveaway is open to the US and Canada. Ends 12/16

How to enter: Sign into the Giveaway Tools form below (it might take a moment to load) and submit each entry you complete. Commenting alone will not get you entered – you must click enter on the form. Happy entering!

Entry-Form

Open only to those who can legally enter. Winning entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Giveaway Tools and announced here as well as emailed and will have up to one week to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Giveaway Tools or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. I am not responsible for any packages lost or damaged in the mail. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.