An Interview with John Long

John W. Long is a retired Federal agent with more than thirty-six years of law enforcement experience. He has been a homicide detective, a military intelligence officer and was the Special Agent-In-Charge (SAC) for the Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General’s Atlanta Region for many years. He attended the University of Georgia and Nova Southeastern University and has a BA in Criminal Justice, an MA in Criminal Justice and an MBA.

John began his writing career in 2019 after retirement. His first novel, Red Blood on White Cotton, was published in 2019 and he was nominated for Author of the Year in the Mystery/Thriller category by the Georgia Independent Author’s Association. John enjoys golf, college football, and reading two to three novels a week.

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

I had a general idea of the title. The serial killer in my book is a religious zealot who enjoys telling his victims he is punishing them for their crimes. He always marks them with a cross and tells them they must die in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Thus, In the Name of the Father.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

It was exciting. I had worked on and off on my first novel for almost ten years, so it was exciting to see it finally come to fruition.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

In high school and college, I enjoyed writing. I wrote a lot of stories and essays and toyed around with writing as a career. I thought I wanted to be a sports writer. But then life pulled me in a different direction and I never had the time to write until I retired.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

When I was in college and about to starve (because I had to pay my own way), I worked two full-time jobs. I was a bread maker at a huge bakery on the midnight shift, then would go to class from 8 to 12, then report to a retail store and work afternoons and Saturdays. My readers wouldn’t know that I am a collector of old books. I love books from the 1800s and early 1900s and have a collection of several hundred.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

I think the most rewarding part of publishing my book was to finally see a story I wanted to tell be put into print. When I worked as a homicide detective, I was always fascinated by serial killers. I was amazed at how they could commit heinous crimes and then be able to talk about them with no emotion. I have always wanted to write about them. So, I incorporated some of these crimes into my book.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

Probably some jazz. Maybe Leonard Cohen.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

I hope my readers think it is a good story, enjoy it, and think it is a worthwhile read. I think my perfect reader is older, reads a lot of mysteries, and enjoys police dramas with a lot of twists and turns in the plot and surprise endings.

What new writing projects are you currently working on? Or, other projects that are not writing?

I am working on a Christian novel and another mystery/thriller.

How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?

The staff at Atmosphere Press was great to work with. From the time I submitted my manuscript, they made me feel they were on board with me and were there to help guide me through the process. They were always available, offered great editorial suggestions, and were a pleasure to work with.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.