Interview with Ken Cruickshank, Author of The Emerald Cross (Jamie Morales Book 1)

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Emerald Cross (Jamie Morales Book 1)?

Psychotic drug lord Marco Delgado torments retired Green Beret Jamie Morales and his family in Mexico and California. After American authorities fail three times to bring the cartel madman to justice, the grieving warrior attempts the impossible with his ex-Army comrade, Sylvia Sokolov. The storyline rested in my consciousness for years. I’ve always been intrigued by the tension pitting a hero soldier against an all-powerful and wicked drug lord. Both of their worlds are filled with aggression, and each believes the end justifies the means. But what happens when the lines separating lethal resolve and moral validations get blurred?

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of The Emerald Cross (Jamie Morales Book 1), what would they be?

“Impossible Odds” by Really Slow Motion.

What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I have always been intrigued by Follett, DeMille, Baldacci, and other thriller authors and am motivated to write the genre distinctly, aiming to leave readers astounded and satisfied. I am stirred by multiple genres but lean toward suspenseful thrillers and historical fiction. My Jamie Morales and McCloud series will be expanded to at least five books each.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

A Calamity of Souls, by David Baldacci.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

After the Black Hawk crash, Jamie and Sylvia get trapped in a firefight with the cartel and realize they and the people they are protecting likely won’t survive.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I often glance at the five letters taped to my monitor. They remind me what’s important.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Fight the good fight.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

They were often surprised and couldn’t guess the ending.