**Giveaway** David Putnam author interview- The Disposables

I'm happy to introduce to my readers today ex-lawman turned novelist David Putnum. His publisher Oceanview has graciously offered one autographed print copy of David's novel The Disposables as a prize.
Contest details are below
Enjoy the interview!

• ISBN-13: 9781608091188
• Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
• Publication date: 5/6/2014
• Pages: 256

 

Overview

Bruno Johnson, a tough street cop, member of the elite violent crime task force, feared by the bad guys, admired by the good, finds his life derailed when a personal tragedy forces him to break the law. Now he's an ex-con and his life on parole is not going well. He is hassled by the police at every opportunity and to make matters even more difficult, his former partner, Robby Wicks, now a high-ranking detective, bullies him into helping solve a high profile crime - unofficially, of course. Meantime, Bruno's girlfriend, Marie, brings out the good, the real Bruno, and even though they veer totally outside the law, he and Marie dedicate themselves to saving abused children, creating a type of underground railroad for neglected kids at risk, disposable kids. What they must do is perilous they step far outside the law, battling a warped justice system and Bruno's former partner, with his own evil agenda.

The contest is for one signed copy US ONLY
Of The Disposables
courtesy of Oceanview Publishing
please use the Rafflecopter form below to enter
Thanks Oceanview!
Good Luck!

David welcome to The Reading Frenzy

Tell my readers a little about The Disposables

The Disposables is a story about an underground railroad to rescue abused children from toxic homes, children the social welfare system have failed. The book is set in South Central Los Angeles where I worked for Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, on patrol and in Street Narcotics. The characters are real in my imagination and are taken from an amalgamation of real people I have met and worked with. I have tried to make the scenes as real as possible.

David being an ex-lawman you must have come across many like your Disposables.
Was there a specific character, event that led to your writing this novel?

When I worked in South Central there were cliques of deputies, more for inter-station competition than anything else. Each station had their own identifying tattoo; The Vikings, The Cavemen, the Grim Reapers that sort of thing. I am not revealing any great secret here. Los Angeles Times has done a number of exposes on these cliques and in my opinion, based on my personal experience, they over sensationalized their purpose. I took this idea and used it as a plotline in The Disposables. I also drew from my personal experiences while dealing with the children and the welfare system but that is a much larger topic that belongs in another forum.

David it seems that many novelists were once in law enforcement.
What about this profession do you think progresses so well to being a fiction author?

Fiction is about conflict and emotion, that’s why readers are investing their time to escape and live in another world. What better place to witness and experience the human condition where you see the lowest ebb of humanity, and how these people arrived at that place in time, what better place than working the streets as a police officer. Then you combine the fact that a police officer, as part of his job has to documents these events for civil and criminal reasons and you have a natural breeding ground for fiction writing.

David I love hearing authors “the book sold” stories.
Can you tell us yours?

This is rather a long story, a long road that I traveled. I started writing while working a surveillance of a meth lab out in Lucerne Valley. I always kept books in the backseat of my car and read during down time. I had one book left it was awful but I was stuck I had to read it. Afterward I thought I could do better and started right then writing my first novel on four legal pads. I did not realize at the time that great authors made it look easy. That was twenty-two years ago, 34 unsold manuscripts, and four agents later. And as luck would have it my wife was the one who actually sold the book. My wife’s friend met the publisher while skin diving in the South Pacific and told the publisher, “You have to read this book.”

You also mention that your wife Mary is a writer.
Is she a novelist too?
Do we know her?

My wife and I met in a novel writing workshop twenty years ago. She has been published in Newsweek, and other magazine publications. She also wrote the 90- minute teleplay for the fiftieth anniversary of statehood for Hawaii. She is currently at work ghost writing a book that will be finished in December. She is very creative and is the artist of the graffiti on the cover of The Disposables. The cover is a picture of the side of our house.

David what is your favorite book of all time?

I have been avid reader since I was nine years old. I could not single out anyone author without disrespecting many others but to name a few: Cormac McCarthy, Daniel Woodrell, Michael Connelly, T. Jefferson Parker and John D. MacDonald.

David now that you’ve experienced the whole writing/publishing experience.
What most surprised you about the entire process?

I have been immersed in the book business for twenty-two years attending major book and writing conferences every year and networking with other authors. In doing so I have heard any number of horror stories in regard to working with publishers in post-production. To be honest I had been expecting a rough ride in this regard. What I found was exactly opposite, the folks at Oceanview have been wonderful and have only made this great experience all the more greater.

You say in your bio that while on a stakeouts you penned your first four novels.
Will we be seeing another of those attempts hit the shelves or will your next adventure take us somewhere else entirely?

The next book is called The Replacements due out next February and is the sequel to The Disposables. I am currently at work on The Squandered. As for the thirty-five-plus novels in the drawer, that’s not up to me, but I would love to get those out as well.

David thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions.
Good luck with this and all your future endeavors.
Do you have author events/signings listed on your website?
Many events are listed, and more to come!

MEET THE AUTHOR:
During his career in law enforcement, David Putnam has done it all: working in narcotics, violent crime, criminal intelligence, hostage rescue, SWAT, and Internal Affairs, to name just a few. He is the recipient of many awards and commendations for his heroism. He lives in southern California with his wife, Mary.

Connect with David – Website – Facebook - Twitter

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