Terrence has had short stories featured in Thuglit, Spintetingler Magazine, Shotgun Honey, Big Pulp and other publications. He is a member of the New York City chapter of the Mystery Writers of America, the International Thriller Writers and the International Crime Writers Association.
A proud native of The Bronx, NY, he is currently writing his next work of fiction. Please visit his website at terrencemccauley.com or follow him at terrencepmccauley or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/tmccauley_nyc
Did you like thrillers growing up?
I always loved a good thriller, even as a kid. I was never much of a reader, to be honest, but I had a deep appreciation for intriguing stories, even from an early age. Since I wasn’t much of a reader, movies served as my introduction to the world of spies. The first movie I ever sat through with my father was Three Days of the Condor. I was about seven or eight at the time and certainly didn’t get all of the nuances at first, but I knew something was going on that I liked.
When I finally did begin to read, I got hooked on James Clavell’s Tai Pan and Nelson DeMille’s Cathedral. As my writing career began, those stories stuck with me and I knew I wanted to try my hand at the genre. Fortunately, Jason Pinter and Polis Books gave me that opportunity with SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL. The series has gone on to achieve some acclaim since and its universe only expands with each book.
What is the first story in that genre you wrote, whether it is published or unpublished?
The first book I ever wrote in the genre was what I called a business thriller titled TENETS OF POWER. It was supposed to be about the real-life drama of the mergers and acquisitions business. No bad guys with guns. Very little violence, too, but a lot of suspense.
In hindsight, the book wasn’t very good, but I have harvested parts of it for themes and scenes in subsequent works, so it wasn’t a total waste of time. My crime novel PROHIBITION was set in the 1930s but had many of the same elements of TENETS.
What is your favorite part of writing in this genre?
I love trying to break the mold. I try not to write predictable characters or plots that the audience expects. Of course, the audience needs to be familiar enough with what’s going on in order to be interested enough to buy the book, but the similarities end there. Surprising the reader with different characters and unexpected plot developments is a real thrill for me.
Is there an author in this genre you most admire?
Sure. Marc Cameron is one of my favorites. John LeCarre and Len Deighton are masters any aspiring thriller writer needs to read to see how it’s done.
What is up next for you?
I have a prequel to my University series coming out this summer called THE FAIRFAX INCIDENT. It is set in 1933 New York City and asks the question: when is a suicide not a suicide? The answer, of course, is when it’s murder. It features a lot of intrigue and sets up the beginnings of The University series, which currently begins in SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL.
I also have a Western coming out next year from Kensington called WHERE THE BULLETS FLY. It’s not related to my thrillers in any way, but it’s jam-packed with action and has been great to write. I think my readers will enjoy it, even if they don’t normally read Westerns.
Do you have anything to add?
Some people ask me which of my books they should read first. I always tell them it depends on what kind of book they’re looking for. If they want period crime fiction, they can try PROHIBITION or SLOW BURN. If they want to read my spy thrillers, SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL is a great place to start, followed by A MURDER OF CROWS and A CONSPIRACY OF RAVENS.
One project that’s especially dear to my heart is a war novella I wrote called THE DEVIL DOGS OF BELLEAU WOOD. It’s about the famous battle that gave the Marines the reputation they currently enjoy and deserve. Every penny goes straight to The Semper Fi Fund. It’s a worthy charity I encourage everyone to consider donating to whether or not they buy my book.
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