Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Walter Luce, a successful real estate developer in three states.  So, of course, his books cover three states and some of his books draw on that experience.  I think you’ll enjoy meeting Walter.

Jim:  Well, I’ve read all I can find on you and it leaves me with one question.  How did you happen to get into writing?

Walter:  My wife at the time taught college journalism and was a MENSA member.  In the ‘70s she forced me to go to one of their meetings. After three meetings I was determined to do what they were talking about doing…write a book.  Thirty years later I wrote my first novel for all the wrong reasons—not being an educated man I thought if I wrote a book people would think I was smart.  By the way none of them ever wrote that book they talked about and writing a book didn’t make me any smarter.

Jim:  Did your time in the service have any impact of your writing?

Walter:  Some, I was in the Army during the troubled ‘60s and Vietnam veterans weren’t celebrated like veterans are today. The Donatelli Series begins with Turk getting an ‘early out’ to attend college on the G.I. Bill and then getting involved in real estate development.

Jim:  In looking at your work, it seems that Eva Pennington, from your first novel, might be your favorite character.  True or false, and if so, why?  (If not, we’ll just skip to the next question.)

Walter:  This might seem odd, but though I’m a man, I would like to be Eva Pennington.  She’s a ballsy lady in the ‘60s who doesn’t take any crap from men.  I’ve lived the Donatelli character.

Jim:  Give us a brief look into Eva Pennington – Trouble In Georgia

Walter:  While expanding her banking empire into Georgia, Eva clashes with devious Atlanta good-old-boys who think her ambitions are unseemly for a woman. But they’re desperate for Eva’s investment in their banks to avert financial calamity – a calamity created by their own poor management. Convinced they can out-smart Eva, the bankers try to secure her cash infusion without sharing control.

As Eva and her team get to work on a  hostile takeover, she finds she must put her romance with Dutch on a back burner and focus on out-maneuvering the bankers and escaping the violent intentions of the Georgia boy’s pals in the Ku Klux Klan.

Jim:  Your second series features a young real estate tycoon, Turk Donatelli.  How closely does that character resemble Walter Luce?  Obviously, I’m not talking about his ties to the mob.  But otherwise.

Walter:  In the ‘70s after working on a construction site while attending Miami Dade Junior college, I formed my own construction company and became the third largest non-union contractor in Miami. I’ve been a real estate developer for forty years. As I said, I lived that character.

Jim:  Do you work on both the Pennington series and the Turk series at the same time?

Walter:  I do. While I’m writing one I edit the other.

Jim:  Any trouble keeping things straight?  You don’t have any mob characters entering the banking scene do you?

Walter:  No, I can pretty much take on the persona of Eva or Turk at will.  Eva doesn’t deal with the mob, but she does deal with an element as sinister, like the Ku Klux Klan and rich, powerful political southern family dynasties

Jim:  Will you continue with these two series, or do you have another series in mind?

Walter:  Atlanta Exit is being released this month which is the prequel to Vermont Bound and Miami Exit is being released this fall, the first in the Donatelli series.  Eva Pennington – Damsels of Diversion is ready to go to press too. The first in the series which is available only on Kindle will be available in print in the fall as well. I’m working on a Luke Holder – Private Eye series now. I’m sorry to be so long-winded but my readers and publisher Oak Tree Press are asking for more.  I’m lucky in that regard.

Jim:  How does your wife, a former journalism professor, get involved with your books?

Walter:  She doesn’t, though as I stated earlier, she exposed me to a group that wanted to write a book. My wife passed on years ago. She suffered with Progressive Multiple Sclerosis and was bedridden. I was a caregiver for many, many years.  My wife Bonnie is my rock. We’ve been together going on eighteen years.

Jim:  You still work in real estate.  When does writing push the real estate business out the door?

Walter:  Writing filled the void for me over the last four years. I laid-off over 80 workers. The real estate business is starting to come back. I’m involved in some senior living projects now. If those come to fruition writing will have to wait.

Jim:  Lastly, tell the readers how to find you books.

Walter:  The best way is www.amazon.com  or my website www.walterluce.com will let you preview my work. And of course my publisher www.ShopOTPbooks.com makes our work available.

Thanks for taking your time to interview me, Jim. The service you provide authors is really appreciated. By the way I’m reading one of your novels now, A Ton of Gold.  I’m anxious to see where Crystal Moore takes me. Can you share a little insight with me?

Jim:  This is your interview, so I won’t say much.  But I will say that Crystal makes amazing growth in the course of the book. And it answers the question, can an old Texas folktale affect people today?  Crystal would certainly give a resounding YES. She is a different person in the next novel, which will be out in 2014.  And thanks, Walter, for asking.

Please leave Walter a comment.  Even a short one would be good.  Thanks.