Guest Post with Tim Shoemaker

Photo Content from Tim Shoemaker

THE QUICK BIO

Happily married for more than thirty years to Cheryl, the love of my life.

Dad to three grown sons and two daughter-in-laws

Elder Chairman in my church and high school small group leader

Full time speaker and author since 2004

Living in the greater Chicago area

Grateful for God’s incredible grace and mercy to me in countless ways

MY PASSIONS

To be a man of integrity, who loves God and others with all my heart.

To be an extraordinary husband to Cheryl, the wife of my youth.

To love my sons, daughters-in-law, grandkids and extended family with everything in me.

To impact kids and youth in ways that cause them to become true men and women of God.

To help parents teach their kids about God and the principles He’s given us to live by.

To help couples experience the richness that comes from a marriage guided by God.

To help men see what a Christian man should be in all the various facets of life.

      

WRITING BEHIND THE SCENES BY TIM SHOEMAKER

FAVORITE PLACES TO WRITE...
If I’m having a good time while I write, I believe it shows on the page—and the readers will enjoy the writing that much more. How do I keep the writing process enjoyable? One way is by working in a great atmosphere—a place I really like to be.

My Office—I’ve got a great home office—full of quirky fun things. A huge alligator skull. A full-size replica skeleton. Scuba gear and “treasures” I’ve found diving. Books that I loved reading when I was growing up. I even have a gigantic moose head over my desk. I keep Christmas lights strung on the antlers all year around. When I’m working on a novel—the lights go on!

Fast Food Restaurants—I love working at fast food places. There is energy there! I buy a soft drink and keep filling it up as I work. Caffeine. Sugar. Yeah, that’s fun.

Outdoors—A good chunk of the year I can write outdoors. I love that! I have an old ’53 Ford pickup truck that I drive when I’m going out to write. When I’m driving the pickup, I’m already having fun—which sets me up perfectly for a great time writing.

RESEARCH PROCESS...
If I want the story to feel real, I need to go to the location where the story is set. So when I worked on the Code of Silence series I was all over the town of Rolling Meadows. And up in the town of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, too. I wanted to find a place in town where Cooper, Gordy, and Hiro could get shakes—so I sampled the shakes of every place in town that sold them. Tough job, right?

Sometimes going to a location IS tough. I’m working on a novel now that’s set in the Florida Everglades. So I took a trip there … and can tell you it’s a really creepy place. It was a place of predator and prey—and I was the prey! I wanted to see the alligators—up close. I also wanted to go in at night to see how their eyes glowed. I wanted to feel a bit of that fear so that my writing would be more real. I got way more than I bargained for … which is really going to make the story powerful! Thankfully I came back with both hands—which will make it a whole lot easier to type the story.

INSPIRATION...

I can’t tell you how many times I look for inspiration when I’m writing. I want the story to be bigger, more powerful, and more creative than my ability. So I pray. Yeah, I ask the Creator (who is pretty creative, I’ve noticed) to give me the creativity to write well. He always does. Even though I don’t write about the supernatural, I get supernatural help on my stories!

WHY I WRITE...
I love writing … but that isn’t the only reason I work so hard on stories. I love people—especially kids. I want to be there for that kid who doesn’t have friends—and introduce him to some friends that he can enjoy every time he opens my book. I want to give kids a healthy escape from the rough situation they’re in. I want to encourage kids to take the high road … to become young men and women of character. I want to warn them of traps that can hurt them or cripple them for life. I’ve worked with youth as a volunteer for well over twenty years … and I’ve seen so many who are scarred or hurting or broken. In my own small way, I believe I can help by giving them great stories that inspire.

Telling the Truth Could Get Them Killed. Remaining Silent Could Be Worse.When Cooper, Hiro, and Gordy witness a robbery that leaves a man in a coma, they find themselves tangled in a web of mystery and deceit that threatens their lives. After being seen by the criminals---who may also be cops---Cooper makes everyone promise never to reveal what they have seen. Telling the truth could kill them. But remaining silent means an innocent man takes the fall and a friend never receives justice. Is there ever a time to lie? And what happens when the truth is dangerous? The three friends, trapped in a code of silence, must face the consequences of choosing right or wrong when both options have their price.

You can purchase Code of Silence at the following Retailers:

    

Praise for the CODE OF SILENCE Series

Some will find Shoemaker’s covering of every angle too exhaustive, but it is just this meticulousness that makes this novel stand apart. Rarely are kids in thrillers portrayed this realistically: sick with worry, horrified by injury, and smart but not preternaturally so. Mentions of multiple characters’ Christianity feel shoehorned in, but that doesn’t take away from this deliberate, plausible, and gritty whodunit.' ―Daniel Kraus, Booklist Review 
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Tim Shoemaker Author Interview

Photo Content from Tim Shoemaker

THE QUICK BIO

Happily married for more than thirty years to Cheryl, the love of my life.

Dad to three grown sons and two daughter-in-laws

Elder Chairman in my church and high school small group leader

Full time speaker and author since 2004

Living in the greater Chicago area

Grateful for God’s incredible grace and mercy to me in countless ways

MY PASSIONS

To be a man of integrity, who loves God and others with all my heart.

To be an extraordinary husband to Cheryl, the wife of my youth.

To love my sons, daughters-in-law, grandkids and extended family with everything in me.

To impact kids and youth in ways that cause them to become true men and women of God.

To help parents teach their kids about God and the principles He’s given us to live by.

To help couples experience the richness that comes from a marriage guided by God.

To help men see what a Christian man should be in all the various facets of life.

      

Was there a defining moment during your youth when you realized you wanted to be a writer?
No, the realization came after I had kids of my own. I enjoyed reading to them—and telling stories. I loved how they responded to them. How totally wrapped up and absorbed in the stories they got. After hearing “you should write these stories down” enough times, I finally listened. I had no idea what I was really getting into, but a love for writing grew to the point where I knew that I could never stop.

Why is storytelling so important for all of us?
Stories are powerful. They can teach, encourage, convey truth, and move readers or listeners in ways that few other things can. Stories are effective. They can warn of danger or inspire someone to take the “high road”. They can make people think about things in ways they never did before. Stories can help people be brave or conquer fear. If you have something important you need to convey to others—and you really want them to get it, put it in the form of a story!

What is the best piece of advice you ever received from another author?
Persevere. A lot of great writers will never be published because they give up too easy. The writers who get published are generally the ones who don’t quit.

In your new book, Code of Silence can you tell my Book Nerd community a little about it and why they should read your novel?

In Code of Silence, Cooper, Hiro, and Gordy witness a robbery that leaves a man in a coma. After being seen by the criminals—who may be cops—Cooper makes every promise not to tell anyone what they’ve seen. Telling the truth could get them killed—but remaining quiet comes with a high price tag—one Cooper can’t live with. Is there ever a time to lie? What happens when telling the truth is dangerous? The three friends, trapped in a code of silence, must face the consequences of choosing right or wrong when both options have their price.

Code of Silence is a contemporary suspense. No fantasy or sci-fi here, just three ordinary friends who get in way over their heads. This makes a great read—or a great read aloud to kids!

What part of Cooper did you enjoy writing the most?
I enjoy writing the parts where he is having conflict with Hiro. She drives him nuts at times, and at one point their relationship gets distanced, but she is never far from his mind. And I like writing the parts where he is seeing himself as he really is. Where he realizes the mistakes he’s been making—the high price of his dishonesty—and the risks he needs to make things right.

For those who are unfamiliar with Gordy, how would you introduce him?
Gordy is Cooper’s cousin and loyal best friend. He wants everybody to get along, and works to be a peacemaker in the group. He has a high level of energy, and an appetite to match. He eats and snacks the way I wish I could.

What are some of your current and future projects that you can share with us?
I have contracts for three books in the next year, and a couple of ideas beyond that.

Back Before Dark is the second book in the Code of Silence series. I just sent the manuscript to the editor, and it is scheduled to release next spring. In Back Before Dark an innocent stop at the park is shattered when Gordy is abducted. Cooper, Hiro, and Lunk witness the whole thing but aren’t able to help Gordy in time. Despite the best of police efforts, the hours tick by without a clue or a ransom call, leaving everyone to fear the worst. Gordy is gone… as if swallowed by the darkness itself. Cooper, Hiro, and Lunk are totally out of the official police investigation loop, but they find their own ways to search for Gordy. Sometimes rescuing a friend from darkness means going in after them.

Next, I’m starting Below the Surface, the third book in the series. Cooper, Hiro, Gordy, and Lunk will face another adventure—this one during summer break. I’m enjoying doing the research on that now. Both Back Before Dark and Below the Surface are going to be really exciting additions to the Code of Silence series.

I’m also contracted with Harvest House to write a book for men—so it will be a busy year.

When asked, what’s the one question you always answer with a lie?
This is an interesting question. And the honest answer is—I’ve made a personal commitment to always tell the truth. Life is a lot easier that way. Now, when am I tempted to answer with a lie? That’s easy. When my wife asks, “Are you raiding the refrigerator again?”

What’s the best advice you can give writers to help them develop their own unique voice and style?
Write from your heart. When you write from your heart, you’re digging deep. You’re being honest. You’re expressing you. Your fears. Your joys. Your failures. Your passions. The hidden things. Of course, you’re imbedding these elements of you into your characters. And when you do, your characters will ring true. And your story will touch your readers in the deepest part of their heart as well.

Write what you love to write. When you’re writing the type of fiction that you really, really like, I believe your writing will have a passion to it that it may not have if you were writing on assignment.

Write for the audience you love. I picture the people I want to read my book—while I’m writing it. People I know and love. People I want to move in some way.

I believe when you write from your heart about the things you love to write about, and you write just as if you were writing to people you love, you are truly being you. And when you do that, your style and voice can’t help but come to the surface.

Who is the first person you call when you have a bad day?
My wife. She’s a great listener, and my best friend. And she’s the first person I want to tell about my good days, too!

What's the worst summer job you've ever had?
I never had a bad summer job. I worked for my Dad while I was growing up—and I had it good. The worst summer at work was the year I totaled my car. I was seventeen—and wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. I did a face plant into the windshield, so there were a number of nasty lacerations—and lots of stitches. One scar on my forehead had a Frankenstein quality to it. Anyway, my job was working with customers in a retail setting. Most people acted like they didn’t notice the scars, but their eyes told a different story. And sometimes little kids were terrified. After the accident, I wanted to hide in the stockroom.

When was the last time you cried?
While working on Back Before Dark. I get so wrapped up in the characters that I’m feeling what they’re feeling. Is that pitiful, or what? I get choked up reading my own work. I was sitting outside at a fast food place recently, typing on the laptop, sipping on sweet tea, and tears were rolling down my cheeks. Later I noticed my table was right by the drive-thru line—with people just watching me while they were waiting for their order. They must have thought I was writing my obituary.

What is the one, single food that you would never give up?
Spaghetti. Piled high with lots of sauce.

Telling the Truth Could Get Them Killed. Remaining Silent Could Be Worse.When Cooper, Hiro, and Gordy witness a robbery that leaves a man in a coma, they find themselves tangled in a web of mystery and deceit that threatens their lives. After being seen by the criminals---who may also be cops---Cooper makes everyone promise never to reveal what they have seen. Telling the truth could kill them. But remaining silent means an innocent man takes the fall and a friend never receives justice. Is there ever a time to lie? And what happens when the truth is dangerous? The three friends, trapped in a code of silence, must face the consequences of choosing right or wrong when both options have their price. 

Tim Shoemaker’s Code of Silence is a mystery thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seat. The book follows childhood friends Hiro, Gordy, and Cooper who witness a robbery at their favorite local spot that left the owner in a coma. The robbers were in police uniforms and fearing that their lives may be in danger, the three form a pact to keep the ordeal a secret. But they never knew how much of an impact living a lie would bring.

How will the three friends ever tell the truth without getting themselves in trouble? Tim delivers a brilliant story that is full of suspense and action. Just when it seems that the kids’ predicament couldn’t get anymore complicated, a fourth person is added to the equation and opens a completely new twist in the plot. However, even with all of these storms coming into one place, Tim’s writing skills unfolds a very unique story that is unlike anything ever encountered in a book.

Code of Silence will grab readers from the very beginning with a strong and bold grip. It is full of conflict and suspense with a powerful theme in friendship and loyalty. Teens and adults will enjoy the unpredictable yet exciting plot and parents will appreciate its important message of sincerity. One of my best reads of 2012.

You can purchase Code of Silence at the following Retailers:

    

And now, The Giveaways.

Thank you TIM SHOEMAKER for making this giveaway possible.

3 Winners will receive a Signed Copy of Code of Silence by Tim Shoemaker.

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