V. B. Tenery Interview

Q: How long have you been writing and what other careers or jobs have you had?

A: I’ve been writing about 15 years. I began to write seriously after I retired from thirty years as service director for a large optical retail/wholesale firm.

Q: Do you write in only one genre and if so which one and why? If not, which ones and why?

A: I write suspense exclusively, but I have written contemporary, speculative fiction, and my recent historical suspense DEATHWATCH. As a teenager, I was given the entire Agatha Christie collect and was hooked. My father also gave me his Zane Grey collection which I enjoyed but never felt the call to write westerns.

Q: How does your faith play into your writing?

A:  My main characters always reflect my faith. I try not to make my novels preachy as I don’t feel readers want a sermon, but I believe people need heroes to emulate. My all-time favorite character in fiction is Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird.  That’s the kind of characters I try to write—people who show their faith in their daily lives. I don’t much care for anti-heroes.

Q: How do you choose your settings for your books?

A: That’s a good question and honestly I don’t make a conscious decision on the setting. It just comes as the plot develops. However, it probably has to do with my current environment. When I lived in Wyoming the setting for one novel became a fictional town in Wyoming. After I moved back to Texas the setting for my series was a fictional town in Texas.

Q: Do you base your characters on people you know or are they totally made up?

A: Almost entirely made-up. However, I did use my deceased mother as a continuing character in the Matt Foley series. She was an amazing lady.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release DEATHWATCH?

A: This novel was a labor of love from the very beginning. The setting is London, England before America entered the war. I’ve always been fascinated by the heroism of that generation. This novel is dedicated in part to them. The dedication reads:

To the “Greatest Generation” whose

courage, wisdom, and unwavering resolve

kept the world from falling into the

hands of merciless tyrants.

Q: Where did you get your inspiration for this story?

A: The answer above pretty much sums up my inspiration.

Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?

A: The takeaway I hope is that despite the circumstances there are still heroes among us that live quite lives and uphold Christian values. That despite the evil in the world, even when we don’t see it, God is still in charge.

Q: Tell us what you like about the main characters of this book.

A: I like Grey’s courage, not only in battle but in his personal life. Despite the tragedies he’s faced, he bounces back and is man enough to admit when he’s wrong. I also loved my female character, a young idealistic genius who comes to England to help in the war effort.

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

A:  My current WIP is a collaboration with fellow author David Arp on a novel set in Benghazi, Libya. We hope to have it published by early 2017. Here’s the back of the book blurb:

It was the mother of all bad days.

The date, September 11, 2012. The place, Benghazi, Libya.

While a brave band of warrior’s fight for their lives in the consulate and CIA annex, outside, a Mossad Agent, a missionary, and a Mississippi giant fight a different battle.

Caught between terrorist and an enraged Russian arms dealer, they must complete the mission and manage to stay alive until they can escape or the cavalry arrives.

Never assume things can’t get worse.

Q: If money were no object what vacation would you like to take and why?

A: I’ve always wanted to visit Great Britain. My ancestors hale from there and England has so much history. I would also love to see Agatha Christie’s long running play, The Mouse Trap.

Q: What is the silliest thing you have ever done?

A: I entered a tango dance contest. Amazingly, we won the bronze metal. Thankfully, there are no pictures to commemorate that auspicious occasion.

Q: What is the hardest thing you have ever done?

A” Outside of writing, home schooling my three grandsons for one year. Enough said.

Q: Where can readers find you on the internet?

Website: www.vbtenery.com

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/teneryherrin

FB Author Page:  www.facebook.com/vbtenery

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

A: Only to thank you, Susan for inviting me to The Suspense Zone. It’s been fun. Great questions.