Pump Up Your Book Chats with Fit to Kill author Donnie Whetstone

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ABOUT DONNIE RAY WHETSTONE

Donnie Whetstone resides in Rochester, Washington with his wife Diane. He is a full time personal trainer with over twenty years of experience and more than 70,000 training hours in homes, gyms and his own private training studio. Donnie is currently the co-owner of Fit Stop 24 Fitness Centers located in both Olympia and Yelm, Washington.

Though Fit to Kill is his first novel, he is no stranger to writing, having written numerous articles on nutrition, weight training and fitness; appearing in newspapers, magazines and the Internet. In Fit to Kill, his experience as a trainer allowed him to truly immerse the reader into the world of fitness in this detective thriller.

Donnie also has 13 years of military service in both the US Marines and US Army serving as a platoon sergeant and acting first sergeant. His experience as a trainer and veteran was extremely helpful in writing Fit to Kill. He is currently in the process writing a new novel with the working title of Night Spear. It combines both the supernatural and military drama.
For more information about Donnie please visit www.donniewhetstone.com.

The Interview

Thank you for this interview, Donnie. Do you remember writing stories as a child or did the writing bug come later? Do you remember your first published piece?

A: I never wrote stories as a child, but I spent most of my grade school years in honors art, winning several art awards. I didn’t take art my junior year of high school, I lost the taste for it, but I missed the mental escapes I got from it. I had acquired all the credits I needed to graduate the middle of my senior year. To pass the time, I took a creative writing class, the year was 1979. I remember my first published piece like it were merely a few months ago, because it was merely a few months ago.

What do you consider as the most frustrating side of becoming a published author and what has been the most rewarding?

A: The criticisms and rejections are the most frustrating, without a doubt. I don’t care how flawless a person’s piece may be, someone, whether it’s an agent, a publisher, a reviewer or a reader, will find something to criticize or reject. Your skin thickens over time, but it still sucks. The most rewarding side is the adulation from readers and peers, who are gracious for what our work has given them yet don’t realize, it is they who are giving.

Are you married or single and how do you combine the writing life with home life? Do you have support?

A: I’m married. My wife’s name is Diane, Di for short. When it comes to the writing life, Di and I couldn’t be a better team. I’m the creative side and she’s the technical side, from formatting, to marketing, to design, etc, etc.

What do you like to do for fun when you’re not writing? Where do you like to vacation? Can you tell us briefly about this?

A: Despite the trips to Vegas, Hawaii and wherever bodybuilding takes us, the pig outs after contests and the occasional fine dining, the most fun we have, and I think I can speak for both of us, is the two of us sprawled on the sofa like contented cats, on a quiet weekend, watching a good movie. It sounds corny, but it’s true.

If you could be anywhere in the world for one hour right now, where would that place be and why?

A: Hmm, my knee jerk reaction would be the city of Ulm in Deutschland. I lived there for three of my six years. It would be great to see my old friends again. Besides, it’s fest season!

Who is your biggest fan?

A: My parents, not knocking anyone else, they’ve known me a lot longer.

Where’s your favorite place to write at home?

A: In the spare upstairs bedroom that currently serves as my office.

Do you have any pets?

A: Yes, three cats, Ace, Izzy and her obnoxious offspring, Ozzy.

Tell us a secret no one else knows.

A: I don’t like Ozzy.

What’s on your to do list today?

A: Cardio: 30 minutes, Training 10 clients; I’ll spare the details, Leg training; that’s gonna hurt, finishing this interview, cooking the rest of this week’s meals when I get home and whatever Di may be up for.

Now I’ve got a couple of fun questions for you. If Tom Hanks, in the movie Cast Away, unearthed a copy of your book, how would that help him find a way off the island?

A: There’s nothing in my book that will help him find a way off the island. Sorry Tom, but my book would provide an invaluable way to pass all of that spare time.

You have a chance to appear on the hit talent show for authors, American Book Idol, with judges Steven Tyler, Randy Jackson and Jennifer Lopez, to determine whether your book will make it to Hollywood and become a big screenplay where you’d make millions of dollars. What would impress them more – your book cover, an excerpt or your author photo – and why?

A: Not taking anything away from the excerpt, but it’s definitely the author photo, especially when I’m near contest shape. My author photo is perfect for a how to book on muscle building or strength training, but it’s hardly the typical photo you’d see on a detective thriller, in a good way of course.

You just got word that your book has received the 2012 NY Times Bestselling Book Award and you have to attend the ceremony to give an acceptance speech. Anyone who’s anyone will be there and it’s your shot for stardom. What would you say and who would you thank?

A: First, I’d like to thank my parents for their unyielding love and support. To my better half, Di…we did it. I’d like to thank my family, friends, colleagues and clients. Your faith in me has been invaluable. I’d like to thank the Olympia Writer’s Group, who prepared me for this very moment. Last but definitely not least, I’d like to thank everyone here tonight. Your valuable work has inspired and blazed the trail for folks like me, that can be summed up with this quote, “Others have done it before me, I can too.” I cannot thank you enough and I sincerely hope that I can inspire others as much as you all have inspired me. Thank you.

I understand that you are touring with Pump Up Your Book Promotion in August via a virtual book tour. Can you tell us all why you chose a virtual book tour to promote your book online?

A: That takes us back to Di. She is like a bloodhound when it comes to due diligence. When she told me how much she liked the Pump up Your Book Promotion, it was a no brainer for me.

Thank you for this interview, Donnie. Good luck on your virtual book tour!

A: Thank you for having me. Peace

ABOUT FIT TO KILL

How do you stop a personal trainer, who fantasizes about killing his clients, then carries out his gruesome desire on someone else? Making matters worse, how do you stop desires for your own trainer, jeopardizing your marriage? More troubling, do you want to? That’s what Detective Tara Tanner must solve in this crime thriller.

La Flore is renowned for its elite personal trainers. This model city however, faces a crisis. Someone is on a killing binge. The killer is vicious and cunning. He harbors a profound irony for one of the nation’s fittest cities, and the way he selects his victims makes him untraceable, but this predator has a weakness.

Fit to Kill is a non-stop thriller of fantasy, temptation and redemption, a deadly game of chase, in which the line is marred between predator and prey, a game that reveals how far one will go to kill, and how far the other will go, to survive.

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