M. E. May – Unscrupulous

This week, it’s my pleasure to welcome back one of my favorite authors,

M. E. May

Michele (M.E.) May attended Indiana University in Kokomo, Indiana, studying Social and Behavioral Sciences. Her interest in the psychology of humans sparked the curiosity to ask why they commit such heinous acts upon one another. Other interests in such areas as criminology and forensics have moved her to put her vast imagination to work writing crime fiction that is as accurate as possible. In doing so, she depicts societal struggles that pit those who understand humanity with those who are lost in a strange and dangerous world of their own making.

In creating the Circle City Mystery Series, she brings to life fictional characters who work diligently to bring justice to victims of crime in the city of Indianapolis. Michele also hopes her readers will witness through her eyes, the wonderful city she calls her hometown.

 And the Moral Is…

As writers, we all want to entertain and provide stories people will enjoy. So, do we not also have a responsibility to provide some small lesson for human kind?

I suspect that some new authors don’t give a second thought to the moral their stories contain. Not until an interviewer asks them about it. When I wrote my first novel, Perfidy, it took a while for me to see how I’d woven the futility of revenge into it. Of course, it would be difficult to write police thrillers without including some truth and justice, and to show how my characters accomplish this against all odds.

Now that I’ve become a seasoned author of five published novels, I start with a theme which is often the moral of the story. In book two, I dealt with one of the terrible results of child abuse; in book three, the conflict between doing what’s right and trying to save a loved one no matter the consequences was studied; and book four takes a look at the destructive behaviors which can be the result of fanatical religious conflict.

The fifth novel in the Circle City Mystery series, Unscrupulous, takes on more than one complicated issue. The crime is human trafficking of children. This in itself is horrendous enough to consider; however, the theme lies in how three children never give up on the idea they will survive and find a way back home, and of the determination of the police to save them.

Of course, as I have done in most of my novels, there are many other sub-themes mixed in with the personal lives of these detectives. In Unscrupulous, Sergeant Brent Freeman is lead detective and in the midst of this stressful case, he has to deal with the destructive emotion of jealousy.

Throughout the series, we watch as detectives deal with their families, colleagues, lovers, and friends. Lessons can be learned as we watch each character grow or fall—willing them to get back on track and try again.

I believe we need to show our characters as people. They need to have faults, values, and the ability to change as they live life’s lessons. I can truly speak for myself when I say that as a young twenty-something, I thought I had everything figured out. In the many years since that time, I have discovered that not all is black and white. I need for my characters to do the same. Their experiences must move them to the next level. Whether they move in a positive or negative direction will show readers a particular character’s strength.

To new authors, I would say, please keep your characters human. Never make your “good guy” too pure and perfect or make your “bad guy” so evil that a redeeming quality can’t be spotted. Human beings aren’t like this. You want to keep your readers’ attention and have them coming back for more. Readers must have a sense that a character can change or they will get bored.

Unscrupulous

Christmas is only a week away, but not all is merry and bright for Sergeant Brent Freeman and his partner, newly promoted Detective Anne Samuels. They find themselves facing more than a homicide when they discover the victim’s five-year-old daughter, Maricella, is missing.

When suspicion moves to human trafficking and gang involvement, the FBI sends in two of their best to assist in the investigation. In the meantime, two people who insist her mother didn’t want her anymore have transported a terrified little Maricella out of state. Fortunately, she finds solace in two older children. These two soon realize their captors are prepping Maricella for organ harvesting. Their main goal becomes to protect her at any cost, even if it means running away in the snow and bitter cold temperatures of December without any knowledge of the area where they’re being held. Can Maricella’s newfound protectors get her out of the house and to safety before the doctor decides she’s a transplant match? Will Brent discover where these unscrupulous persons are hiding the children before it’s too late?

Other titles by M.E. May:

Perfidy (Circle City Mystery, Book 1) – winner of the 2013 Lovey award for Best First Novel

Inconspicuous (Circle City Mystery, Book 2) – nominee for the 2014 Lovey award for Best Suspense novel

Ensconced (Circle City Mystery, Book 3)

Purged (Circle City Mystery, Book 4)

Learn more about Michele at www.memay-mysteries.com.

Facebook URL:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/M-E-May/522693281079718?ref=hl

Twitter:  @memayauthor

Amazon buy link – Unscrupulous:

http://www.amazon.com/Unscrupulous-Circle-City-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B017OPGRDC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451506603&sr=8-1&keywords=unscrupulous+me+may

Michele and I would love to hear from you so please feel free to leave a comment.