Waterborne received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author J. Luke Bennecke.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Waterborne was published by Black Rose Writing on April 22nd, 2021.
What’s the book’s first line?
“Mass murder can be complicated. But profitable.”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
What if terrorists put genetically modified viruses into our drinking water? When Californians start getting sick with flu-like symptoms, civil engineer Jake Bendel partners with the FBI to discover the cause. Even though terrorists are planning catastrophic genetic modifications, the engineer must overcome recent losses and battle illness to help save the lives of millions of innocent people.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
Waterborne and its predecessor, Gridlock, along with the subsequent (pending) story, Blackout, are all part of a three-book series of cautionary tales. As a thirty-year veteran of the civil engineering world, I believe that I see the world a little differently than most people, assessing potential risks to society that others might not be capable of. Not wanting anything bad to happen to humanity, this is my way of raising a red flag to readers, voters and leaders. We have some serious real-world issues here that, if not properly addressed in a timely manner, could lead to unnecessarily bad things. Let’s act now while we still can is the overarching theme of all three books.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
I’m humbled to have been referred to as the “Layman’s Tom Clancy” by a bunch of readers. Tom Clancy’s books are legendary, so if that’s any indication of the level of storytelling ability, it’s a huge compliment. Consistent feedback from readers is that this story is exceptionally fast-paced and tells the tale of an extraordinary series of events that happen to the citizens of California and the protagonist, Dr. Jake Bendel. Readers who enjoy excitement and thrilling tales that get their hearts pumping will (hopefully!) enjoy this book.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character?
Jake has a near photographic memory, easily gets motion sickness, and terribly misses his recently deceased wife. Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of? Jake is a conglomeration of several people I’ve worked with over the years in civil engineering and business, so not any single person in particular that I can think of.
When did you first decide to become an author?
Like many people, I’ve always wanted to write at least one book. But finding the time and investing such a huge chunk of your life can be daunting, especially if the story doesn’t feel right. The Gridlock story came to me while I was stuck in traffic on the I-210 freeway in Pasadena CA, as I was thinking how absolutely absurd it is that we’re all still tolerating traffic congestion in 2014. One thing led to another and before I knew it, I had the makings of an exciting plot, a story that had to be told.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
Waterborne is my second book, the first was Civil Terror: Gridlock. I’ve since written three other books. Echo From A Bayou is scheduled to release August 8, 2023, a suspense/thriller with supernatural underpinnings. Blackout is out with agents as of May 2023 for consideration, and the fifth novel I’m currently working on every day is in the editing process.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I’m a civil engineer in the heavy transportation field, so I plan, design, and construct bridges, roads, and interchanges in Southern California. I’m also a philanthropist and business owner, with several different irons in the fire to help keep me from getting bored.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
I get up at 4:30 each morning and average 1-2 hours a day, always first thing (after coffee, of course) and before all the various hassles and drama for the day hit and pull me in every direction imaginable.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
Having full control over the design and layout of the book is terrific, along with knowing exactly how many sales we’ve had so we can track the effectiveness of every marketing/advertising campaign. I wouldn’t really say there’s a “hard part”, though, it’s all fun to me because I enjoy not only the challenge of getting a book out there into the world, but the creative process itself. I view my writing time almost like therapy, which helps keep me grounded and sane in a world that can easily be anything but.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
Write and read every single day, don’t give up, and don’t be afraid to let other people read your work. And don’t take too long to get your book finished because our writing styles change a little bit from year to year, so you don’t want the first few chapters to sound different from the end. Also, do NOT skimp on the editing process, that’s where all the work is and the more effort you put into editing, the more satisfied you and your readers will ultimately be with your story. Finally, go to as many writer’s conferences as you can and take classes with other authors who are out on the front lines, figuring out new and innovative ways to get books into the hands of readers.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
Waterborne was published by a small press, so even though the waters are muddied right now between “traditional” and “indie”, it’s not an indie title. Civil Terror: Gridlock was published indie and so will the Echo book, so I believe I technically fall into the hybrid author category. That said, I am trying to get an agent for Blackout, with the goal of getting the book picked up by one of the Big 4 simply because of the potential for international sales, massive sales in bookstores, and the opportunity for going “BIG”. That said, however, I don’t feel I have any delusions of grandeur — I’m heading down my own personal author journey with no expectations other than trying to have fun telling stories to people who enjoy reading them. If that means staying hybrid/indie, so be it. I don’t have my heart set in any particular direction in that regard.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
As mentioned before, writing is fun for me. It’s a creative outlet and provides a therapeutic benefit to my soul. It is cool, though, to hear from readers that they enjoyed particular scenes or overall stories. I guess that’s a little bit therapeutic, too. It makes all the hard work worth it to know that I’ve brightened the day of one of my fellow travelers here on earth.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
J.D. Barker and Stephen King are two of my favorite authors.