Featured Interview With E. R. Yatscoff
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Edward Yatscoff was born in the Niagara Peninsula and now resides Alberta, Canada. He’s backpacked the world, visited six continents, and lived in Australia. From steelworker to assembly lines to construction work he finally settled down to a 32-year career as a firefighter. He’s played drums in a Big Band, climbed the Great Wall of China (Jinshanling section) , honeymooned during the Grenada Revolution, snorkeled with a marlin, tried smuggling a Playboy into Communist Russia, egged an Aussie PM, and met his future wife on a freighter in the South China Sea. Presently he manages a writer’s group, river floats, camps, does occasional renos, reads profusely, gardening, pickleball, and drinks demon rum. He has written 11 novels YA, MG, and adult crime, travel articles, and short stories. Among his notable awards are winner of the John Bilsland Non-Fiction Award and a Crime Writers of Canada Finalist. He has recently signed with BWL Publishing who are rebranding his firefighter series crime novels
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
In grade school I was enthralled by Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan of the Apes series then went into science fiction. But when my friend showed me Spiderman comic #1, I became a Marvel fan. I published my first article–non-fiction–for big bucks in a national magazine and that led to a 10 year drought of rejections. I suppose I began writing about then which was 20 years ago
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I like a mix of investigative/tough guy stories whether by cops, lawyers, PIs or anyone else and good historical fiction or drama. Dan Fesperman, Robert Crais, LeHane, J.L. Burke (opening pages are the best ever), Baldacci, Connelly, Deverell, Child–just so many I can’t pin one down. I do mix in non-fiction every 3rd or 4th book to clear my head of fiction characters. I read an average of 45 books a year. Every poorly written book I’ve read has spurred me on to write because I knew I can do better. There are still books I come across that are poorly researched regarding investigative protocols. All the authors had to do was befriend a cop.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
FIRE DREAM is the 1st in my firefighter crime series as well as the 1st firefighter crime fiction in Canada. It was conceived on a visit to my hometown in the Niagara Peninsula when I ran into some high school people (and an old flame) who remarked on my firefighting career. It also evoked some less than pleasant memories. My story stars a heroic fire captain, a master at chaos control. But nothing prepares him for the deadly situations in his hometown. It’s a different kind of chaos. It’s fun to throw a character into the maelstrom. In my historical fiction novel THE RUMRUNNER’S BOY it is a teenager I throw into the mix of criminals, liquor smugglers, and WW1 vets during U.S. Prohibition. FIRE DREAM was rebranded from Old Flames BWL Publishing
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