We recently connected with Jeff Berney and have shared our conversation below.

Jeff, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Writing is risk taking. Especially writing fiction. You’re starting with a blank page (or screen these days). Then slowly, somehow, a whole new world pours from deep within your subconscious through your fingertips and onto the page. Entire people who didn’t exist before you typed them into being start doing amazing, crazy and sometimes awful things.

My stories tend to be dark and twisted. Inhabited by people who live in grey moral areas. They’re gritty. They’re challenging. And, man, are they so much fun to write. I don’t do traditional protagonists and antagonists. I don’t do characters who are easily defined as “good” or “bad.” I like to blur the lines. I like to make people think. And that can be risky.

I’ve had my share of reviews where readers didn’t like my work. Some who couldn’t finish it. But I’ve had way more positive reviews from readers who, like me, don’t want the typical happily ever after story.

Trusting my process, trusting my story, and finding my audience has taken time. Heck, I’m still at the beginning of that journey. But it’s starting to take shape. Like I said. Writing fiction is risk taking. You put your heart and soul into a story and then you put it out into the world and hope that people respond. Good or bad, at least they noticed. At least they read it. And that. Well that is the best feeling in the world.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I write thrillers. I like dark, twisted, twisty stories with gritty characters and thought-provoking action. To date, I’ve published two novels.

The first, “A Killer Secret,” is a psychological thriller about the secrets we all keep. Some are small and insignificant. Others are darker. We keep those hidden deeper. And some, well those are the secrets we’d kill to keep hidden. “A Killer Secret” is a slow burning read. I tried to make the action, and the intensity, build over time. And I built in several twists that I hope keep readers guessing.

“A Killer Secret” is a really intimate novel with a cast of just three main characters and one or two secondary characters. It is written from the rotating point of view of all three main players, so you get a good idea of what they’re thinking. Of course, you never know if you can trust their thoughts or what they say.

My latest novel, “The Fall of Faith” is a domestic thriller. It’s about faith — in ourselves, in our loved ones, in the world at large, in something bigger. Faith is one of those things that is so easy to lose and hard to get back once it’s gone. Unlike my first book, this one starts out fast and keeps the action going throughout. It has fewer twists, but I still don’t think you’ll anticipate how it ends.

“The Fall of Faith” has four main characters and a cast of several secondary characters. It’s set in the small, fictional town of Eden, Missouri. Yes, it’s named after that biblical garden, but it is not a place of harmony and godliness. The supporting characters are crazy and weird and all kinds of fun.

My goal is to never write the same story twice. I always want to challenge myself and my readers while still providing an entertaining escape.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I’m a part-time novelist. I can’t make a living and support my family just on my novels. That’s actually not that uncommon. When most people think of novelists, they think of Stephen King, John Grisham, Colleen Hoover or other best-selling writers. These lucky souls are the ones living the dream. They make their living making things up.

But, honestly, most authors have day jobs. Most of us hustle. We work our career jobs to support our families and pay for our passion projects. My novels are written on my lunch hour, in line at the grocery store, waiting in the school pick up line, at night when my wife and kids are asleep. So far, I’m averaging one novel every two years. That’s slow compared to most published writers, but it is what it is. It’s what I can do, and I’m good with that. It means I’ll never have a catalog as vast as authors like Stephen King, but I try not to compare myself to other novelists.

I don’t write books for the money. If I did, I’d have to consider myself a failure. I write them because there are stories in my head that need to come out. I write them because it is therapeutic. I write them because I love seeing how others respond. I write them because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t feel complete.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I’ve always been a creative. Sure, there was a time in college when I experimented with becoming a doctor. But that’s what college is for, right?

Ultimately, I graduated with degrees in advertising and marketing, and I’ve been an advertising writer and creative director for over 25 years. I love my day job. I really do. How could I not? I get to be creative and write all day.

And then, at night, I get to write some more. This time, not for a client. Not to sell something or promote something, but to tell a story that slowly unfolds and builds and draws you in. Writing is really just an extension of thinking. You’re simply putting your thoughts on paper to share with others. I’ve always been an introvert. I spend a lot of time in my own head, in my own thoughts. So having the opportunity to share those thoughts, as strange and dark as they may be, is the most rewarding part of being a novelist.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jeffberney.com
• Instagram: @jeffberneyauthor
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/jeffberney/