Robert Lalonde

Interesting facts...

Tell us a Little about yourself.

I’ve worked at a number of jobs over the years, but eventually, I was a commercial real estate appraiser and specialized in property tax appeals.

I’ve lived in various areas in Ontario, Canada, all my life. I’ve moved several times because of work and I’m glad of it because I’ve lived in some of the most interesting places in the Province. The larger cities like Ottawa and Toronto offer tremendous work opportunities and rural areas like Georgian Bay are breathtakingly beautiful and have inspired some of the most famous paintings by Canadians.

Tell us your latest news

The fourth installment in the Borman series, The Patriot, is ready for release on September 1 and the fifth, titled Shadow Brokers, will be released on December 1.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

For me, I think it was when I published my second novel, Jinxed, and immediately started writing the next one.

Until that second book is published, you’re not sure whether you can write another book that is as good as, or better than, the first. There have been many cases of writers not being able to pull the trigger a second time. When you publish that second book and get feedback that it’s better than the first, you know you’re going to be able to do it.

What inspired you to write your first book?

Writing is something I’ve always wanted to do. The first book I wrote was a non-fiction on Health and Wellness titled The ELH Diet. I had struggled with a weight problem for a number of years and when I finally figured out a way to lose the weight and keep it off, I decided to write a book about it so I could share with others how I did it. After publishing that one, I decided to write what I like to read, which is mostly the suspense/thriller genre.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I write in a compact, efficient writing style, because that’s what I like to read. I don’t enjoy long rambling sentences and I don’t like too many pages of description that slow up the story just to add to page count. My books are a bit shorter because of it, but I focus on momentum and keeping the story moving.

How did you come up with the title?

Strangely enough, this is one of the hardest parts for me and I struggle to come up with something I’m happy with. I often change the title several times as I write a book. The Patriot, which is just coming out, was originally called Cold Agenda.

How much of the book is realistic?

I try to make the entire book realistic in the sense that it could happen. Leaping tall buildings in a single bound doesn’t work in thrillers. As a reader, the story and the action have to seem possible for the most part, or I lose interest.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Yes and no. Some of the characters and situations are similar to what I’ve experienced in real life, but only in a general sense. Political corruption for example, I’ve seen first-hand in business, but I don’t write about any event that actually occurred and just change the names. It’s all completely made up … really, it is.

What are your current projects?

I have the first draft of Shadow Brokers completed and I will put that through the second draft process sometime in August. It’s not due till December 1, but I know from experience that the first draft is just a bunch of words on paper that need to be edited.

I’ve also started on the next book in the series which will come out early February 2020. The working title for that one is Easy Money, but I’m not sure I’m going to stick with that title.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

I’ve enjoyed reading books since I was six and I think I’ve always felt an urge in the back of my mind to write someday. Now that I’ve started, I can’t think of doing anything else.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

The Patriot, which is about to be released, is a story about the sabotage of the oil industry in Texas. The U.S. is the number 1 oil producer in the world, and forty percent of it comes out of Texas. In this story, a group of individuals is going around blowing up oil wells. The oil producers think it’s the work of a group of extremist tree huggers who want people to switch to sun and solar energy. The Oil Producers Consortium of Texas, OPCOT, hires Borman to find out who’s behind the sabotage and put an end to it.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

I have a lot of favorite authors, too many to name. If I were to narrow it to a short list, it would be Lee Child, Elmore Leonard, Michael Connelly and Jo Nesbo. What strikes me about their work is they’re great story tellers. Each has their own style, but they all know how to grab your attention from the first page and keep you turning the pages. Elmore Leonard for example, wrote some of the best dialogue you will find.

Who designed the covers?

Except for The Borman Factor, I have designed my book covers myself. I am working with a graphic artist right now to see if we can come up with a concept that could run through the series and tie them together with certain elements.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

The hardest part was finding a routine that worked for me. I eventually figured out that I am more productive in the morning. What I do now is to start writing when I get up and keep going till I get what I want for the day. The key is to forget about emails and social media and anything else for that matter until you get your words down for the day.

One final question...Do you have a blog/website? If so what is it?

Yes, my website is https://robtlalonde.com

New Release

Available September 1, 2019...
(A Nick Borman Novel)

Other Books...

He learned the trade in military intelligence. Now he works for himself.

Borman isn't sure he wants to get involved. But when someone tries to kill him and Alex, the decision is made for him.

The crime made no sense.
Nothing was stolen, only burned.
The truth was worse than they imagined.