ℚ♫ Dark Ice: Dan Reno [4] - Dave Stanton

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Dave Stanton to talk about Dark Ice (10 April 2015, LaSalle Davis Books, 306 pages) a Hard Boiled Crime Noir Mystery book four of the Dan Reno series.

Dave Stanton is the author of five novels in the Dan Reno private eye series. They do not have to be read chronologically to be enjoyed, but for those who want to know, the order is: Stateline, Dying for the Highlife, Speed Metal Blues, Dark Ice, & Hard Prejudice.

Synopsis | Teaser | The Series | Author Q&A | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops

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Hello Dave, welcome to BooksChatter.

To start... here at BooksChatter we love music ... Do you have a music playlist that you used whilst writing Dark Ice?

"Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers by  ZZ Top and Bad to the Bone by George Thorogood."

What was the inspiration for Dark Ice?

"Dark Ice is the 4th novel in the Dan Reno series.  I wanted to plot Dark Ice as a traditional style murder mystery, meaning, the novels begins with the discovery of a dead body, and the investigation progresses from there.  My inspiration for this was not from any novel in particular, but from many I’ve read over the years.  It’s somewhat of a formulaic approach, allowing the story to move forward in a linear manner.

But, I write in an organic fashion; I never know what will happen more than a scene or two in advance, until I’m fairly deep into the novel.  Dark Ice ended up becoming a much different story than I originally intended."

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"Well, if I compare myself to the Dan Reno, the protagonist, we’re both guys trying to be disciplined and committed to what we do.  We push ourselves pretty hard, and sometimes this creates problems, not only for us, but for those close to us."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover.  Can you tell us about your cover for Dark Ice - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"My artist is an old friend of mine named Steve Whan.  I provided Steve with a short marketing blurb for Dark Ice, and told him, “See if you can show a dead woman’s body floating under a sheet of ice, as if she’d fallen into a lake and drown and froze.”  Steve began work from there, without further input from me.  He has uncanny artistic instincts."

Why should we read Dark Ice and what sets it apart from the rest?  What makes your book unique?

"I often read bestselling private detective/crime fiction, in an effort to learn what makes these books commercially successful.  These books, to varying degrees, have all the requisite elements working: plot, setting, dialogue, pacing, characterization, etc.

One thing I’ve noticed is many (but not all) bestsellers seem to be carefully edited to avoid language or content that may offend certain readers.  I suppose appealing to the largest possible audience is a good marketing decision.

Unfortunately for me, I’m not that savvy.  The Dan Reno novels don’t have much filter in place; they’re pretty colorful in language, as well as content.  If I’m painting a character who would likely use profanity or crudity, I don’t hesitate to include it in the dialogue.  Some readers have told me they enjoy this, why a minority have said otherwise.

One thing readers universally enjoy about my books, based on feedback, is the loyal relationship between Dan Reno and his irreverent, troublesome partner, Cody Gibbons."

Can you tell us something quirky about Dark Ice, its story and characters?

"Most of the characters (and many of the scenes) I write are based on real people and situations I’ve witnessed.  For instance, early in Dark Ice, Cody Gibbon’s girlfriend creates an embarrassing scene in a fancy restaurant.  Years ago I witnessed something similar, and it sat waiting patiently in my head for the right opportunity to be included in a book.  As for the girlfriend, she was also based very directly on a person I once knew."

Who would you recommend Dark Ice to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"The Dan Reno novels are in the hard-boiled detective/crime genre.  Readers who enjoy books by authors such as Robert Crais, James Lee Burke, Carl Hiaasen, and the late Elmore Leonard typically like my stuff.

My novels do contain profanity and some violence.  I don’t think either is excessive, but for readers with low tolerance for the above, please be forewarned. "

If you could / wished to turn Dark Ice and the Dan Reno series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"A few readers have suggested my books would make good Quentin Tarantino movies."

What do you like to write and read about?  Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?

"All five of my novels have been hard-boiled detective books featuring Dan Reno and Cody Gibbons.  I love writing in this genre, and plan to stay with these characters indefinitely."

What is your writing process?

"I never have a formal outline.  I’ll start with an idea and write a scene.  The novel evolves from there.  I enjoy the creative process that occurs once I begin writing; it’s always worked for me.  The great thing is, when writing on a PC, it’s easy to go back and adjust things to make all the story elements fit together, should they become disjointed.  Writers from previous generations didn’t have this advantage, so I imagine they had to plan their books very carefully."

What is in store next?

"I anticipate completing a sixth Dan Reno novel by late 2016.  Dan Reno and Cody Gibbons will be hard at work solving a case, in their particular ways."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

"Attached is a picture of me with my beloved Roland drum set and my adopted feral cat, Osborne."

Fantastic, and Osborne posed for the picture as well ;-) Dave, many thanks again for being with us today!

Dark Ice - available NOW!

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