We are on tour with Kinney’s Quarry A High-Octane Thriller with Unexpected Twists and Razor-Sharp Wit by Verlin Darrow with Author Q&A and Character Interview

 

“Dark Plots, Bright Humor”

Thrillers don’t always have to be grim—and Kinney’s Quarry is proof. This story hurtles Kinney and Reed into a world of covert ops and killer betrayals, but they survive by wisecracking as fiercely as they fight. With assassins, corrupt politicians, and a tech-savvy hacker in the mix, the action is as unpredictable as the punchlines.

Author Marketing Experts first drew my attention to Verlin Darrow, and his bio reads like fiction: from surviving natural disasters to winning lawsuits, teaching, and rescuing swimmers, Darrow is a storyteller forged by life’s chaos. His novels, including three contest runners-up, showcase a voice that’s both seasoned and singular. Learn more about Verlin and his work at verlindarrow.com.

Excerpt:

The knife wielder wore khaki slacks, a white polo shirt, and a black cap with a Nike logo on it—basically the uniform of any golfer besides Kinney and Reed. Kinney momentarily pictured him on the first tee at Seaview before remembering that distracting thoughts put him at risk

The African-American man on Kinney’s left towered over the other two and held a hand

inside a black windbreaker’s pocket. The jacket listed to the right with the weight of a gun. He

was a nine on a threat scale. This monolith looked like a defensive lineman. Kinney imagined

him in a 49ers uniform. Then he imagined him lying on the ground.

The third, more nondescript man was hard to figure. He could’ve been anywhere between

a four and a ten, depending on what he held behind his back.

Kinney walked toward the men. “Howdy, gents. What can I—”

He lashed out his foot and took out the big guy with a powerful roundhouse kick under

his chin. He went down hard onto the cement, the back of his head landing first.

The guy with the knife lunged at Kinney, who ducked to the side, grabbed the thug’s

forearm and pulled him forward and down, booting him in the ass en route. The man lay on the

ground and watched as the third man scuttled across a stretch of lawn to get behind Kinney.

Kinney tried to sweep this man’s legs out from under him. The attacker adroitly leapt over

Kinney’s maneuver and brandished a kid’s aluminum baseball bat.

The guy was an eight, Kinney decided. He wasn’t holding the bat correctly, but he was

quick. Few people saw Kinney’s leg sweep in time to evade it.

“Calm down,” the bat guy said. “We just want to talk.”

He didn’t look like a classic villain or thug. He looked like Kinney’s high school math

teacher—ordinary to a fault. Of course, Mr. Karch had been fired for slapping a disabled student,

so it wasn’t though he was actually ordinary.

“Most people use their mouths for talking,” Kinney replied.

The knife guy was back, scything sideways at Kinney’s hip. Upon closer examination, he

was quite ugly, with a squashed nose and bulbous lips on his bony, narrow face.  Kinney kicked

the knife out of the guy’s hand and punched him in the neck. He went down.

“Okay,” the bat guy said, stepping farther away. “I get it. You’re a badass. I never saw

anyone kick like that. They shoulda told us about this. Here’s the deal. We’re supposed to bring

you somewhere. All they said was that you might not want to go, so we should convince you.

Then you attacked us before we had a chance to talk to you.”

“You might rethink your plan to convince me.”

“Yeah, clearly. I mean, I could try to hit you with this bat, and maybe I could. But maybe

I couldn’t.”

Knife guy tried to get up. Kinney shook his finger at him and he lay down again. Kinney

was surprised the guy had managed to move. Kinney must’ve been a little off when he targeted

the nerve in the guy’s neck.

“Why don’t you go ahead and give it a try with your club,” Kinney said. “It’ll be fun.”

The man slowly shook his head and then spoke just as slowly. “I don’t think I’ll do that.”

“So you’re the one in charge? I thought it might be this loser on the ground who attacked

me first.”

“Nah, I just like to send him in to find out who we’re dealing with.” The man shook his

head again, faster this time, apparently disappointed in his colleague. “What are you—some kind

of kung-fu champion?”

Kinney shook his head. He wanted to be the one asking questions. “Who is the ‘they’ in

the ‘they sent me?”

“Now, it wouldn’t be very professional if I told you that.”

The man smiled as if he was proud of himself for his loyalty. He tossed the bat back and

forth between his hands, which struck Kinney as a very stupid thing to do. All Kinney would

need to do was kick him while the bat was in the air.

But he wasn’t ready to end the encounter yet—not while there was still more to find out.

“Would you be more inclined to tell me if I take that bat away from you and beat you with it?”

he asked.

“You know, I think I would,” The man conceded calmly. With his off hand, he pulled a

pistol out of what must’ve been a holster clipped to the back of his belt, and aimed it at Kinney.

“But it’s a moot point now, I think.”

Kinney lunged forward and kicked the gun out of his hand before the man knew he’d

moved. He followed that up by grabbing the bat, wrenching it sideways to free it, and then

slamming it into the man’s thigh. He didn’t want to break anything—the femur was like concrete

—but  the man crumpled to the ground, holding his temporarily useless leg.

Kinney was feeling pretty positive about the encounter until he saw that the gun had

skittered across the sidewalk to the knife guy. Cradling it in both hands from a safe distance, he

told Kinney he liked shooting people.

“Then why’d you bring a knife?” Kinney asked as he raised his hands

Guest Post:

A Character Interview—Kinney From Kinney’s Quarry

-Tell us about yourself.

K-What do you want to know? What’s going on here, anyway? Am I outside the book somehow? That’s just weird.

-Bear with us, Kinney. This is merely more fiction.  You haven’t broken through some sort of barrier between books and reality. What I thought our readers might like to know is: what makes Kinney tick? What motivates you? What moves you? What’s the substrata of personal philosophy that you try to stay tethered to?

K-Say what? You think anyone’s interested in that crap? Here’s all anyone needs to know about me. I do what needs doing—what other people won’t or can’t do. And I do it well.

-Okay, fair enough. Tell us about your relationship with your partner Reed.

K-He’s a work partner. I want to make that clear. Calling it a relationship is very misleading. Anyway, we work together well. I think of myself as a loose cannon and he’s even looser, so we’re built along the same lines.

-I read that you call yourselves “benign sociopaths.” What do you mean by that?

K-Look it up. The thing is we use the way we’re different than Joe Average for good, not evil or personal gain. It’s not easy for people like us to do that.

-I see. What stands out for you in regards to what you went through in Kinney’s Quarry?

K-I learned you pretty much can’t trust anyone and you never know what the real story is behind things. Whenever I thought I had things figured, it would turn out to be something else.

-Are you pleased by the way the plot was resolved at the end?

K-Yeah, pretty much. But I wish there was an extra chapter or two about what happened next.

-What’s that?

K-I can’t tell you. Verlin pledged me to secrecy.

-What a jerk. Doesn’t he understand our readers want to know?

K-He doesn’t care. You should’ve seen all the shit he put us through in the book. Somebody besides me would’ve gone crazy or got killed. You’re lucky he’s only withholding something from you. Believe me, it could be a lot worse.

- I believe you. Thank you, Kinney.

Author Q&A:

On writing:

What is your favorite part of writing your books?

I like the way dialogue and plot flows during a first draft—when the story is still open-ended and anything goes. That is, I’m not beholden to a plan or what I previously wrote that I need to match up to. I never know any more than the reader does as the book progresses. Where will the story end up? How will it get there? (Picture me elaborately shrugging). To me, that’s fun. It’s like solving a puzzle via a creative process. Later, the drudgery appears, but by then I’ve created critical mass—lots of words—so it feels worth it to finish.

How did you do research for your book?

I’m very much a seat of the pants writer. I start with one idea, one character, and one setting. Then I see where it goes, inventing any details that come along. Afterwards, I check to see what I came up with that doesn’t match reality, and I change things.  

Who was the hardest character to write? The easiest?

I struggle with female characters and regret choices I made about them early in my writing career. I was happy with the ones in Kinney’s Quarry. This time, the hardest character to write was the head of the unnamed government agency that Kinney works for since even I wasn’t sure if he was a good guy or a bad guy until the end.

How did you decide on your book’s title?

I like two or three word titles—they stick in my head. I also like phrases that have intriguing sub-parts. One of my titles is Blood and Wisdom, another is Coattail Karma. So I started off trying to come up with something similar that reflected my latest book’s content. Is Kinney’s Quarry about an adversary or a literal rock quarry? The reader has to do something to find out more, which gives me an opportunity to entice them with more than the title and cover.

What philosophy can you share to help fellow writers ?

Don’t fight reality. It’s bigger than you are and it will win. Be realistic and work within the realm in which you have ownership. Let go of the rest—the outcomes that are beyond your illusion of control. Focus on a good faith process and find a way to cooperate with the way things need to be down the line. As Stephen Batchelor wrote: Anguish emerges from craving for life to be other than it is. I think this especially applies to writers, given the state of our industry.

In your book you make a reference to creating a new state. How did you come up with this idea? 

Years ago, I read about the quite real movement to create a new state from the northeastern region of California and parts of Oregon and Idaho. Once I tried to incorporate a similar notion in an abortive thriller about Texas (I was young. It was awful.) The new Western state, promoted since the 1800s, was to be called Jefferson—as I mention in my book.

How did you decide on the book’s cover art?

My publisher made the final call on my cover after I filled out a detailed form about the book. I selected a cover artist whose work I liked, and then sat back and let the pros get to work. In the past, I designed covers myself and talked the publisher into doing it my way. Almost every detailed review of my earlier novels commented that they loved the books and hated the covers. So much for my graphic skills.

Where do you get inspiration for your stories?

They seem to bubble up from my subconscious, actually. As a psychotherapist, and after years of my own therapy, I trust this part of me more than most people do. I might write a detail on page forty-two for no discernible reason, and then, lo and behold, it becomes an important plot point on page two hundred.

There are many books out there about....What makes yours different?

I think there are few writers who mix humor well with suspense and action. It’s a more common combination in films, manifesting in dialogue and plot. After five traditionally published mysteries and thrillers, I think I’ve got the hang of it.

What advice would you give budding writers?

Write. Primarily, just keep writing. Also, find a way to enjoy the process without focusing on the outcome, which is usually out of your control.

Your book is set in (name place). Have you ever been there?

Most of Kinney’s Quarry is set in the Silicon Valley area—about forty-five minutes south of San Francisco. I live just over a mountain from there, and worked in the valley for quite a while. I did have to research another part of California I’d never been to, relying on stock photos, for the most part.

If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?

I think I’d invent a new character since I neither kill people, conspire for corrupt purposes, nor try to foil those who do. Maybe I could be the wacky neighbor who pops in to provide relief from the non-stop action.

Do you have another profession besides writing?

Yes, I’m a psychotherapist. I’ve also been a professional volleyball player, a singer/songwriter, a newspaper columnist, a storeowner, a short order cook, a factory worker, a taxi driver, a university instructor, a tech recruiter, a carpenter, and an NCAA coach. The first half of my life was continuity-challenged.

How has your work as a psychotherapist influenced your writing and the books that you write?

In therapy, clients work toward change and I do my best to facilitate this process. I offer wisdom, practical suggestions, compassion, and humor. Some people need psychic glue to keep from falling apart. Some need solvent to loosen up concretized points of view. Others need to reframe the stories they've created about what's happened to them. Some need to release their feelings. It’s the same with characters in a book. If they don’t go through changes, I’m not engaged as a reader for long. I know how and why people change, and my work is infused with realistic portrayals of these, even as fantastic things happen to my characters.

Is there one particular job or career that stands out to you as the most rewarding or exciting?

Being a therapist has proven to be the most rewarding career/job I’ve ever had. Playing professional volleyball in Italy was certainly the most exciting. As a therapist, I utilize all my hard-earned life experience, insight, professional skills, emotional and spiritual development, and whatever else gets pulled out of me in sessions in service to others. As I’ve aged, a lot of things that used to be important to me have dropped away, leaving helping whoever I can as the remaining worthy activity. After all, we’re truly all in this together.

How long have you been writing?

I wrote my first (hideously bad) novel when I was nineteen because I was trapped by constant rain in a campground outside Naples, Italy. I’ve been writing ever since, for decades now, eventually learning enough the hard way to become published—and win awards (3).

Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?

I think there’s no such thing as writer’s block per se. If one lowers one’s standards and produces drivel in times of creative drought, the flow returns at some point. One could write “I can’t think of anything to write” over and over and I’m convinced that’s better than fighting the phenomenon. For me, I mostly accept a delay in my process since I don’t have to write on a deadline or make my living from it.

Why do you write?

If I don’t, I’m not as happy. Is that a blessing or a curse? Beats me.

What is your next project?

I’ve finished a mystery set in a spiritual community, narrated by the leader, who tries to help solve two murders. I concocted what I think is a catchy title, which may be vetoed up the line—Warning: Characters In This Mystery Are Closer Than They Appear. This one is idea-laden since I served a similar role years ago before graduating myself and everyone else out of the organization.

What genre do you write and why?

My strengths are plot and dialogue, so I lean toward mysteries and thrillers. I have an ear for language and my trusty subconscious supplies the plot. Also, my seat of the pants approach yields numerous plot twists since I write myself into a corner and then have to concoct something extraordinary to wriggle out of it. Wild plot twists don’t fit into other genres quite the same way.

Tell us about your protagonist.

Kinney is a Black Ops agent who has a near death experience and is no longer willing to kill anyone. He considers himself to be a benign sociopath, using his skill set in the interests of national security. When he is recruited by a shadowy organization to help them assassinate a foreign leader, he goes undercover, gets caught up in a conspiracy, and with his partner Reed, solves a series of mysteries to stay alive. Throughout the book, he finds a way to see the humor in what he encounters, even as he’s kicking butt.

What is the last great book you’ve read?

I love everything Donald E. Westlake has written. Recently, I reread several of his comic crime novels. I recommend the Dortmunder series for newbies.

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?

Here’s a quote from a professional review: "There is no other way to put it, Murder For Liar is an absolute masterpiece. I have never read such a tightly-written, thrill-packed book before in my life. Darrow manages to pack in so much comedy, intelligence, and story development into every paragraph that I found myself pulled in from the very first page.” Here’s another snippet: “I can honestly say I don't know when I've enjoyed a murder mystery more. Between the insightful sarcasm, inside jokes, flat out madcap hilarity and keenly wicked observations, there's literally something to laugh or chuckle about on every page. This is one of those books that you jump into feet first and just enjoy the ride.”

(I can’t expect anything more than this.)

How are you similar to or different from your lead character?

Kinney and I share a sense of humor and the ability to sort through who we meet in life. Otherwise, he is much different than me—more of a doer than a thinker. I’m up in my head a lot. 

If your book were made into a movie, who would star in the leading roles?

I like Mark Wahlberg for Kinney’s partner, a slightly dim-witted ladies man (with a remarkable lack of success in that department). I’m stalling because I haven’t come up with an actor for Kinney yet. Keanu Reeves? He’s a nice guy and a big draw at the box office, plus he’s trained as a martial artist.

If your book were made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?

I’d find a way to work in some of the niche music genres I’m fond of: conjunto, fado, western swing, and highlife, for example. Although they have absolutely no relevance to the plot or characters, I’d do it anyway. People need to hear this stuff. Check them out. 

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing your book?

Finishing the damn thing is always the biggest payoff, no matter what comes next. By the time I’m rewritten and edited as much as I need to, I’m usually ready to move on. The biggest challenge was finding a way to resolve the plot and tie up all the loose ends. A thriller has to have a satisfying, plausible ending, however surprising it might be.

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like?

In this sequence: Exciting, frustrating, discouraging, momentarily joyful, back to baseline mood.

Which authors inspired you to write?

Donald E. Westlake, Daniel Pinkwater, Thomas Perry, Elmore Leonard, Thomas Berger, and Jonathan Carroll. I read about three books a week as a child, taking on all comers.

What is something you had to cut from your book that you wish you could have kept?

I had to cut several conversations that I thought were funny enough to warrant inclusion, but as my editor said, they didn’t advance the plot or reveal any aspects of the characters in any way. Lulls in the pacing such as these just bog things down.

If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours?

I don’t think it should. My book is less important and less helpful than many others. On the other hand, if a reader is simply looking for an engrossing, fun book and there’s no “should” involved, all I can say is I LOVE Kinney’s Quarry. I wish I could read it for the first time.

On rituals:

Do you snack while writing? Favorite snack?

I snack periodically no matter what I’m doing. The important thing when I’m writing is to keep some sort of cold drink handy. When my brain becomes hyper-focused—when I write—it heats up and I dry out quickly. I think if I didn’t stay hydrated, I’d curl up like a dry leaf and blow away.

Where do you write?

I have a  beautiful oak desk my father-in-law made for me. It sits in an alcove with bay windows overlooking a forest. I couldn’t ask for anything more appealing to my particular taste.l I love trees. And dogs, of course..

In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?

I wrote about twelve manuscripts by hand—probably over a million words if you count first drafts. In those days, my fingers getting tired was the governor on my writing sessions. Two of these books were eventually published under another name. I held out as long as I could to not even type, but eventually it became a necessity for other reasons. Now I’m glad to write on a computer.

Fun stuff:

If you could go back in time, where would you go?

The 1960s. The counterculture, the burgeoning music scene, and the activism would all be fascinating to participate in. I was alive then, but not capable of appreciating it.

Favorite travel spot?

New Zealand! I love New Zealand. It’s beautiful in varied ways, and unspoiled. The people I met there were friendly, sensible, not fear-based, and just solid and decent. If you chatted on the street, they might ask you to dinner at their house.

What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you? The scariest? The strangest? 

Here’s a longish list of unusual events in my life:

In the middle of an 8.0 quake - 4.5 minutes

Missed being blown up by Mt St Helens by ten minutes

Rescued a dog who’d fallen through ice

Journeyed around the world on a spiritual pilgrimage

Met famous people, including Einstein and Wilt Chamberlain

Had amnesia (twice)

I was lost with no money in another country

Built a floor that appeared in House Beautiful

Put on an exhibition in the yard of a maximum security federal Was a (minor league) chess prodigy as a child

Prevented suicides

What’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?

When I was extremely scared of heights as a youth, I climbed Mayan pyramids, anyway.

Any hobbies? or Name a quirky thing you like to do.

I visit with every dog I encounter anywhere. If I even see one out of a car window, my heart soars.

If there is one thing you want readers to remember about you, what would it be?

“He writes books I really enjoy.”

And here’s what I hope people who aren’t readers might say: “He is committed to kindness.”

What is something you've learned about yourself during the pandemic?

If I have a lot of free time on my hands, I’ll write a lot more.

What is your theme song?

“Half a Man and Half a Boy” (Nick Lowe). I actually used this on a radio show.

What is your favorite thing to do in spring?

Golf. More specifically, hit a pure shot, regardless of my score.

What is something that made you laugh recently?

Stephen Colbert’s monologue.

What is your go-to breakfast item?

Eggadilla—it’s like a quesadilla with egg in there, too.

What is the oldest item of clothing you own?

I’ve had a hooded fleece jacket for forty years.

Tell us about your longest friendship.

I just heard this morning that my high school girlfriend’s mother passed away. Anne is still a dear friend. In hindsight, we were more like siblings than lovers.

What is the strangest way you've become friends with someone?

I was walking my dogs down a street one evening and a woman approached me from where she was edging her front lawn with scissors. “I think you’d like to meet my husband,” she told me. I found that odd, but I agreed, and she fetched a man who looked just like me. We had a lot in common, too, and we ended up traveling to India together and staying in touch through the years.

Who was your childhood celebrity crush?

Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) in the British TV show The Avengers. She kicked ass while she wore catsuits. For some reason, I’ve always enjoyed watching women actors best men in fights.

Favorite place to read a book:

My goal is to be as physically comfortable as possible to eliminate distractions from my rickety, post-athletic career body, so I ensconce myself in a recliner with a window at my back.

Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with (include name of book and author):

I’m hesitant to toot my own horn, but in my mystery—Blood and Wisdom—the P.I.’s assistant is truly witty—more than I am—and still makes me laugh when I reread my novel (once a year.) Given that elevator rides are short, I think he’d be the one most likely to entertain me with a few sentences. 

Number one on my bucket list:

This may be hard to believe, but there’s nothing left that I’ve been drawn to and never tried. In the first half of my life, I pushed myself to experience everything I could, no matter the cost. I don’t mean skydiving and the like. I mean places, careers, relationships, non-mainstream activities, etc.

Why did you become a psychotherapist?

I’ve got a pretty weird answer to this one. My friend I respected told me to. I’d never taken a psychology class or expressed any interest in becoming a therapist. I didn’t even know what the letters I’d end up with after my name stood for. In the space of ten days, I went from import store owner to clinical psychology grad student. (Since I already had a master’s degree in something else, they accepted me immediately). It didn’t take long for me to realize that my friend was right—it was the perfect career for me. Unfortunately for him, what I learned enabled me to diagnose him as delusional, so I graduated myself and everyone else out of the spiritual group he led after a few months.

Links:

KINNEY'S QUARRY:

Amazon

Goodreads

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