MEMBER IN THE SPOTLIGHT
THONIE HEVRON
By Skye Blaine
I met author Thonie Hevron three and a half
years ago when I was a new Redwood Writers
member. At the first meeting I attended,
she came up and introduced herself. Her warmth and interest
made me feel welcomed and valued.
The title of her newest novel, Intent to Hold, implies
the tension you will find in the book. Her
police procedural is chock full of engaging people
and plenty of action. Even though the story
line includes murder, mayhem, and drug cartels in
Mexico, the themes of the book are positive: the
main characters show courage and honesty, even
under pressure. They back each other up. They
care beyond the job. They are complicated people I
enjoyed spending time with. It was hard to put the
book down to go to bed!
Each book in the Nick and Meredith series
takes its title from a section of the California penal code:
By Force or Fear, Intent to Hold, and her upcoming
novel, Malice of Forethought—
powerful, memorable titles. At the front of the books, she
offers the corresponding section of the penal code,
which sets the tone for her novels. Hevron, who was employed in the
police field for much of her adult life, once experienced
working for a chief in Southern California with
questionable ethics. This difficult experience has
flavored her writing life: she writes for cops
and wants to encourage them to maintain their
integrity. The end, she says, does not
justify the means.
She comes from a writing family. She told me
that her stepfather, who served in the military
policeand as a deputy US Marshall, provided the
role model for Nick, an honest, loyal, and
complex character. She explained that she outlines
her novel as she begins writing, but sometimes a minor character
hijacks the story, must be heard, and drives her to
re-envision the plot line. She encourages aspiring
writers to “keep their butts in the chair” and feels
it’s a must to join a critique group.
Even though Hevron is traditionally published
by a small press, she says she still has to do a lot
of marketing: interviews, blog posts twice a week,
cold-calling police officer associations, speaking
engagements on process, and readings.
To find out more about Thonie Hevron, visit
her website:
Remember–this same post is on the website above. Click on “Just the Facts, Ma’am” and scroll down to today’s post.