Sci-Fi, Mystery
Date Published: September 1, 2020
Publisher: Crazy 8 Press
Angela Hardwicke isn’t just any private eye. She’s a PI from
Eternity, the cosmic realm responsible for the design, creation, and
maintenance of the Universe.
When accountant Gil Haberseau hires her to find an intern with stolen
corporate files, Hardwicke soon finds herself embroiled in a deadly case of
lies, intrigue, and murder, clashing with vengeful gangsters, MinderNot
rallies, and a madman who’s come a long way to get what he
wants.
In Russ Colchamiro’s thrilling Sci-Fi mystery Crackle and Fire,
Angela Hardwicke learns once and for all that when it comes to being an
intergalactic private eye, there’s no telling what threats she may
face on-realm and off… including the demons that lurk deep within her
soul.
Bonus story included! The AI-themed Angela Hardwicke murder mystery,
“The Case of Jarlo’s Buried Treasure”
Interview with Russ Colchamiro
For those interested
in exploring the subject or theme of your book, where should they
start?
Russ:
Hardwicke is an intergalactic private eye — a cross between Doctor
Who, Blade Runner, and Philip Marlowe — who has appeared in several
of my books already, but this is the first time she’s gotten her
own novel. My intent with Crackle
and Fire was to establish an
ongoing series for Hardwicke, so I needed to showcase the world in
which she lives, compelling characters, the struggles she faces, and
an engaging mystery, and her competence dealing with cases that are
literally out of this world. I’m extremely happy with the way
Crackle and Fire turned out.
How did you become
involved with the subject or theme of your book?
Russ:
Angela Hardwicke first appeared—briefly—in my novel Genius
de Milo. But as soon as she
came into my world I knew I was onto something special, so I gave her
a bigger role in Astropalooza,
and then wrote several short stories with her in the lead. But
Crackle and Fire
is the Hardwicke novel, with many more to come.
Anything you would
like to say to your readers and fans?
Russ:
As one of my fans said about Crackle
and Fire, it’s not pure
scifi, it’s not straight up noir. It’s a unique mixture of both.
So if you want a character—and a world—that feels both familiar
and utterly unique, I think you’re in for a real treat.
What did you enjoy
most about writing this book?
Russ:
I write all Angela Hardwicke mysteries in the first person, which
allows me to write about Hardwicke — and the cases she takes on
—from a more personal point of view, which I love. It helps me
crawl inside the narrative, bringing out a greater sense of nuance —
and urgency about the world’s she’s in and the mysteries that
challenge, threaten, and push her to places she never thought she’d
go.
Can you tell us a
little bit about your next books or what you have planned for the
future?
Russ:
I’m currently writing the second Hardwicke mystery, with the
intention of releasing one new Hardwicke novel a year for the next
3-5 years. If I’m still loving Hardwicke as much as I am now and
the readers feel the same, I’ll keep going. I’m having a blast.
How long have you
been writing?
Russ:
I’ve been writing since I was a little kid, so it’s always been a
part of my life. Early in my professional career I was an English
Teacher, although I switched gears early on. I was a journalist for
about 10 years, and since then I’ve been working as a media
consultant for real estate companies — including what most people
know as The Freedom Tower in Lower Manhattan — so I write daily in
that venue (in fact, I was in that iconic building on the 90th
floor during construction when it had no walls!). In terms of
fiction, between novels, novellas and short stories my work – a
combination of science fiction, fantasy, and mystery — has appeared
in more than 20 books over the last decade, with another half dozen
set to publish within the next year.
Can you tell us a
little bit about the characters in Crackle and Fire?
Angela
Hardwicke is an intergalactic private eye who takes on cases both at
street level and those that are more cosmic in nature, and sometimes
a bit of both. Hardwicke — who is in her early 30s when we meet her
— has also taken on a young assistant, Whistler, who is eager and
competent but has a lot to learn. And Hardwicke has a son, Owen,
who’s about five. But for reasons I won’t explain here, he hasn’t
been under her care for quite a spell, and part of Hardwicke’s
journey is reconciling her place as a mother and a private eye, and
whether she can excel at — or even handle — both.
About the Author
Russ Colchamiro is also the author of the rollicking sci-fi adventure,
Crossline, the zany sci-fi/fantasy backpacking series Finders Keepers,
Genius de Milo, and Astropalooza, editor of the sci-fi-themed mystery
anthology Love, Murder & Mayhem, and co-author and co-editor of Murder
in Montague Falls, a noir-inspired collection of novellas.
Russ is also the creator and host of Russ’s Rockin’
Rollercoaster podcast, where he has interviewed several NY Times and USA
Today best-selling sci-fi, fantasy, and mystery authors. Russ has also
contributed short stories to more than a dozen sci-fi and fantasy
anthologies.
He lives in New Jersey with his wife and two children.
For more on Russ and Russ’s Rockin’ Rollercoaster, visit
www.russcolchamiro.com, follow him on Twitter and Instagram @AuthorDudeRuss,
‘like’ his Facebook author page
www.facebook.com/RussColchamiroAuthor, and watch his podcast on YouTube at
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUb7MDUNQxyVRBDOTVEqOaw
Contact Links
Twitter: @authorduderuss
Instagram: @authorduderuss
Purchase Link
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