ravossman

I’m an introvert. An off the charts, strong introvert. That means I need a frequent source for quiet and reflection. My kayak, and the chance to get out on the water, usually in the early morning hours, is my source for drawing internal energy and one of the places where I draw inspiration, creativity, and resolve story challenges. After leaving the military, not too long after returning from Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, I felt a story percolating in my head. It was time spent on...

When readers picture a thriller, they usually picture the same handful of cities. Washington, D.C., with its marble corridors and quiet conspiracies. New York, with its skyline and its noise. Los Angeles, with its sprawl and its secrets. These cities have become shorthand for high stakes, and for good reason — they’re familiar, they’re cinematic, and they carry built-in tension. But familiar isn’t always better. Sometimes it’s just ... familiar. And after a while, readers can feel the seams...

In A Brotherhood’s Promise, three infantry officers carry a phrase between them that means more than any medal or rank ever could: “Until Valhalla.” It isn’t just a farewell. It’s a vow. Where the Promise Comes From The phrase draws on the old Norse image of Valhalla, the hall where warriors are gathered after their final fight. For these three officers, it becomes shorthand for something more personal: a shared understanding that their bond didn’t end when the deployment did, and won’t end...