When a boat and its grisly cargo are found adrift off Fort Lauderdale ... ... the investigation leads to more than “just” murder. In fact, the evidence points to a connection of an in-flight emergency that resulted in passenger fatalities and forced a diversion of Patriot Airlines Flight 63 to Bermunda. As the accidents investigation chairman of the pilots’ union, Captain Hart Lindy will find himself reluctantly drawn into the National … [Read more...]
LOCKOUT’s John Nance: Where Have All The Pilots Gone?
For all my career as an airline pilot (Braniff International, 1975-May 12, 1982, 4:34 PM; and Alaska Airlines, 1985 2005) I’ve heard the breathless rumor that a pilot shortage was just around the corner–and it never was. Until now. Today, for various reasons (some of them complex, and some of them due to the gross misunderstanding of those we jokingly refer to as a Congress), we do in fact have a genuine shortage of professional pilots … [Read more...]
Another One Bites The Dust: LOCKOUT’s John Nance On Aircraft Accidents
Every now and then it seems like all you hear about are private aircraft accidents. To a certain extent, that’s due to a herd mentality among media–one crash begets heightened attention and quick reporting of the next one if close in time. But it’s also true that fate occasionally allows a cluster of accidents. In fact, the majority of general aviation accidents (small aircraft not flying for a charter customer or corporate owner) you never hear … [Read more...]
Pilot Les Abend Discusses Why He Wrote PAPER WINGS
Except for the grey clouds that I might fly through on any given flight, as an airline pilot I deal with a world that is mostly black and white. Checklists. Procedures. Protocols. The cockpit is not an environment for a philosophical discussion. If an engine chooses to catch on fire, pilots are not apt to have an open conversation about the merits of shutting it down. We follow strict guidelines for flying the airplane and strict guidelines for … [Read more...]
Aviation Thriller Author Les Abend
At the age of six, in my hometown of Syracuse, NY, I boarded an American Airlines Lockheed Electra with my spirited mom. After receiving the obligatory tour of the cockpit, I was handed a certificate, a pilot’s hat silhouetted in the background. The certificate, signed by the captain, promised me an interview with the airline’s chief pilot 20 years from the date. Thinking that the notion of becoming an airline pilot would fade over time, my … [Read more...]
Author John Nance On The “Writer’s Curse”
I have to laugh when someone looks at my list of books written over the past few decades and jumps to the conclusion that I am incredibly disciplined. Okay, as a pilot, I AM disciplined to a reasonable degree, but life around our household does not include watching me goosestep to my office each morning at precisely 5 am with coffee in hand only to emerge 8.5 hours later having produced exactly 10.2 pages. I wish I was capable of such … [Read more...]
LOCKOUT’s John J. Nance Discusses How He Comes Up With His Bestselling Book Plots
As an author whose stock in trade is telling exciting stories and, hopefully, keeping you up past midnight (the way a great thriller always keeps ME flipping pages till dawn), I love it when you guys are interested enough in the backstage machinery to ask how I come up with plots like LOCKOUT. I could be flippant and say it takes a lot of scotch and cigars sitting on the back deck, but in reality, it’s more of an orderly procedure. First, I … [Read more...]
3 Ways that Releasing My First Novel Was Like Walking Down the Street in my Underwear (Plus a Giveaway)
In August, my debut novel, Crevice, released and I couldn’t be happier, but once it was out there I had this moment of panic. What did I do? My book baby was now on display for anyone to see. It was like those dreams I sometimes have where I've forgotten my clothes. I’m guessing I’m not the only one to ever feel this way, although I do tend to have control issues, so I thought I'd tell you why I felt this way. Note: keep reading to the end for … [Read more...]
Now Is Your Chance to Get Ron Franscell’s Mystery Novel THE DEADLINE For FREE!
For a limited time, get Ron Franscell's hit crime fiction novel, THE DEADLINE, for free! But hurry, this offer only last from September 13th through September 17th. THE DEADLINE is the story of newspaperman Jefferson Morgan's struggle with his own conscience to tell a story no matter the consequences, dig deep into the town’s past, and unveil a killer who’s managed to remain hidden in plain sight for almost 50 years. From the book: “Jefferson … [Read more...]
Join our email list