Latest Books KILL CALL with Jeff Wooten

Dreams do come true. It’s Jude’s job to make sure they don’t.

Born with the curse of prophetic nightmares, Jude sees violent murders through the eyes of the killer before they happen. His father, who shares Jude’s dark gift, has trained Jude since birth to save the innocent and to kill the killer. A life for a life—it’s the only way.

But everything goes awry when Hanna Smith, the young woman he was supposed to save, rescues herself instead, and catches Jude in her home. Fate isn’t inescapable, but it demands balance. While Hanna may be safe for now, Jude knows that the killer will strike again, only next time there will be no warning. Jude must now find the killer on his own, without the visions to aid him, in order to carry out the task he’s been training for before it’s too late.

Jeff Wooten

Jeff Wooten recently sat down with The Big Thrill to discuss his debut young adult thriller, KILL CALL.

When you first created your protagonist for this book, did you see an empty space in crime lit that you wanted to fill? What can you share about the inspiration for that character?

I don’t know how unique Jude Erickson is as a character, but I like reluctant heroes, sometimes stumbling through their journey, but making hard decisions when the time comes, even if those decisions don’t always work out. Jude is definitely that.

Were there any particular books, movies, or songs that were knocking around in your head while you were writing this one?

I listen to music while I write. I love alternative 80s music. So, yes, lots of eighty’s nostalgia hidden in this book written in modern times. I mean, there is an indoor mall in the opening scene. Those still exist here in Arkansas, but in my mind, I was in an eighty’s mall for sure.

A novel is such a major undertaking; there’s the writing of it, of course, then you’re spending months and months revising, polishing, and then promoting it. How did you know this was the book you wanted to spend the next couple of years on?

Still not certain. Ha! Writers write. So, sit your butt down and write the next word, then the next. Finish what you start at least sometimes, but allow yourself to quit if you aren’t feeling it.

Can you pinpoint a moment or incident that sparked the idea for this book?

I was watching the news, and there was a story about a murder. I wished someone could have stopped it. My mind wandered into the fictional, and I tried to imagine what a person would do if they knew–supernaturally–a murder was about to take place.

In addition to a great read, what do you hope readers will take away from this story?

I don’t know how unique Jude Erickson is as a character, but I like reluctant heroes, sometimes stumbling through their journey, but making hard decisions when the time comes, even if those decisions don’t always work out. Jude is definitely that.

When writing, I set out to make something for pure escapism. If their is a moral or lesson, it’s coincidental, but I think many authors, including myself, often find their moral compass oozing into their stories.

If I did that, which I think I did, the moral of Kill call is: Do the right thing, even when the right thing is hard.

But basically, I hope readers get a break from reality for a while and live through the eyes of my characters.

What can you share about what you’re working on next?

The sequel to KILL CALL.