Mark Mynheir Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.

A. I was born and raised in Merritt Island, Florida, and I enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1983. While in the service, I honed my passions for martial arts and firearms training. I returned home after my discharge and made the natural transition into a law enforcement career.

During my police career, I’ve enjoyed a number of interesting assignments, such as working as an undercover agent in the narcotics unit and serving on our S.W.A.T. team, executing search warrants and responding to high-risk situations. I’m currently a detective in the Criminal Investigations Unit, where I primarily investigate violent crimes-armed robbery and murder.

My wife, Lori, and I have been married for nineteen years and have been blessed with three fantastic children. My spiritual journey began at the birth of our first child, Christopher, who was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. Through my son’s condition, God worked on my soul, forcing me to my knees to seek Him. During that long, painful process, the Lord miraculously healed my son-and me. I gave my life to Jesus Christ and have never looked back.

After my conversion, I soon felt God drawing me in a new direction for my life-writing. With my wonderful wife’s support, I began the process of putting pen to paper for my first novel, Rolling Thunder. I’ve since published From the Belly of the Dragon, The Void, and now The Night Watchman.

Q: As a police detective, you can bring a sense of realism to your suspense novels. Is there a perception about police officers by the public that you attempt to redefine in your books?

A. When I’m writing my stories, I’m trying to give the readers a real inside look into what the lives of police officers are really like, the personal and human aspects of them, not some cardboard cutout or clich?. In television as well as literature, most cops are portrayed as either supermen or complete morons. The truth lies somewhere in between. Cops are normal people trying to do an extraordinarily difficult job. And, to set the record straight, not all cops eat donuts.

Q: Some would say being a Christian and being a police officer don’t mix. How do you handle your faith on the job?

A. Being Christian in law enforcement presents a whole lot of challenges. It can be a violent and sometimes vile environment. I had been a police officer for about five years before I became a Christian. I almost walked away from the job because I wasn’t sure I could serve God and work in that kind of world. But God showed me that he wanted me right where I was.

We have a pretty strong contingent of Christians at our department, and we have a lot of opportunities to share the Gospel with our fellow cops, victims, and even sometimes the suspects. As Christian police officers, we can relate with other officers in a deep and personal way that outsiders could never do. There’s a great need for more Christians in police work.

Q: Could you give us the highlights of your professional writing career including how you got your first writing break?

A. When I was growing up, writing was the worst thing imaginable to me. I loathed putting words to paper. I’m Dyslexic and the very reason (I believe) that God invented spell check. But soon after I became a Christian, I felt the Lord leading me to write. It didn’t make much sense to me and seemed impossible. I shared what I thought God was telling me with my wife, and she encouraged me to go to school and learn the skills I needed to write.

So, it took about ten years of classes, writing, and more classes. I met my agent at a writer’s conference. He shopped my first novel, which got some good reviews but didn’t sell. I wrote the proposal for Rolling Thunder, my first published novel. He sent it out. I expected it to take six months or so before I heard anything. But about a week later, I got an e-mail from Multnomah, asking if I would be interested in writing a series. I had to wake my wife up to read the e-mail just to make sure I wasn’t losing my mind.

To say the least, I got kind of weepy when I held my first book. But don’t tell anyone.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release, The Night Watchman

A. In The Night Watchman, the protagonist, Ray Quinn, is an Orlando homicide detective who is severely wounded in an ambush and forced to medically retire from the force.

Ray battles the haunting guilt for his partner’s death. Numbing the pain with alcohol and attitude, he takes a job as a night watchman at a swanky Orlando condo.

But when a pastor and an exotic dancer are found dead in one of the condos in an apparent murder-suicide, Ray can no longer linger in the shadows. The pastor’s sister is convinced her brother was framed and begs Ray to take on an impossible case-to challenge the evidence and clear her brother’s name.

Crawling from the wreckage of his former life, Ray struggles to find healing and purpose again. But when the case of a lifetime is thrust upon him, Ray must decide whether he’ll succumb to his depression and pain or use the God-given gifts he still has inside him to catch a madman.

Q: Ray Quinn, in The Night Watchman, is such a believable and captivating character. He’s gritty, witty, sarcastic, and wizened, yet his vulnerability shows through. Do you know ex-police officers like this or is he totally a fictional character?

A. Ray’s his own guy. I used traits and the knowledge of what the stress of police work does to people to develop his character. I’m not sure where his sarcasm and wit come from.

Q: I would love to see a series featuring Ray Quinn. Is that a possibility in the future?

A. I’m working on that now. I have at least one sequel to The Night Watchman in the works. I hope there’s more than that, too. I think I could do a lot with Ray.

Q: Do you ever see yourself writing books that don’t feature police officers?

A. I hope to someday. I have several stories stacking up in my head that have nothing to do with cops, but I probably won’t get to them until I’m retired from police work and writing fulltime. I also have some non-fiction ideas bouncing around in my melon.

Q: What inspires you to write?

A. Deadlines. Sorry, I had to say that. Seriously, I’ve always been a daydreamer, working different stories through my head when I should have been paying attention to something else. Now I’ve found a healthy outlet that doesn’t get me yelled at.

Q: How has being a published novelist differed from your expectations of the profession?

A: At first I was a little disappointed to know that the New York Times wasn’t knocking down my door for an interview the second my book released. Then, as I talked with other authors, I started to have a serious reality check. The world really doesn’t change that much when you get published. You still have to work, write, and deliver a manuscript. You still have the same family and work responsibilities. Being a published author is a little less romantic than it sounds, but still well worth it.

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?

A. I’m working on the sequel to The Night Watchman. Ray Quinn’s getting into some more trouble. I can’t keep that guy on track.

Q: What is something your readers might be surprised to learn about you?

A. I sometimes cry at chic flicks. Also, I wear Hawaiian shirts all the time, and I have psychotic mini-pinscher named Coco. (It’s her real pic.)

Q: When you’re not writing what do you like to do?

A. I really enjoy martial arts training. I’ve been involved in one style of martial art or another since I was ten. My three kids and I all train together now. My wife’s not really into it, so she doesn’t go with us. But she is gracious enough to give me the time for my hobby. It helps to keep me sane and focused, too.

Q: Anything else you’d like to tell or share with us?

A. Thanks for the interview. I enjoyed it. If anyone has any more questions or comments, please feel free to visit me at my website: www.copwriter.com or on Facebook.