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Derek Catron conjures newsroom suspense with “Final Deadline”

Feeling honored and grateful to find myself on the front page of the September 20 Daytona Beach News-Journal. Jim Abbott is a gifted writer, and he captured the essence of my new novel, Final Deadline, which he called a “tale of embattled journalists trapped in a politically motivated hostage situation unfolds at a breakneck pace.” Thanks also to my writers’ group partner Ginger Pinholster, who praised the book’s balance of action and bigger messages, and Nigel Cook, who has a knack for making ...

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“Final Deadline” in Flagler News Weekly

I had a great time doing this Q&A with Danielle Anderson of Flagler News Weekly in which I got to share more details about my latest novel, “Final Deadline.” My favorite question: After writing a western trilogy and suspense thriller set in Yosemite National Park, why take readers back to the newsroom? My answer: “As more and more local newspapers across the country shut down or shrivel to a shell of what they once were, this was a story I couldn’t shake. Local news matters, even wh ...

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“Final Deadline” delivers

While seeking inspiration for the newsroom scenes in my new novel “Final Deadline,” I came across some old photos. Who can guess the circumstances for this one? 1. Deepfake alteration of an image captured during my first job delivering newspapers (apparently in 1933). 2. Hanging out with the good-looking extras on the set of “Newsies” (Christian Bale was cut from the frame). 3. The time News-Journal marketing maven Jamie Brown decided leaping from a tall building would get more people ...

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Yosemite Lies flash sale for 99 cents

For a limited time, “Yosemite Lies,” my first modern suspense-thriller, is on sale at Amazon for just 99 cents. It’s a story filled with adventure, mystery, intriguing characters, and a touch of romantic yearning—set in the rugged beauty of Yosemite National Park. Kirkus Reviews called it "a riveting tale about friendship and betrayal.” Here’s a fuller description:  Alone in the wilderness. Someone is watching. Can two women survive after they realize the secrets that haunt them have ...

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Why a thriller in a newsroom?

So why did I set my new thriller “Final Deadline” in a newsroom?  If you’ve watched FX’s “The Bear” on Hulu you know what a rich environment for drama a workplace can be when the employees care about what they do— and each other—with a passion wholly out of proportion to the pay or apparent stakes. I remember newsrooms as a generally happy place, even with the grind of constant deadlines and the dread of more buyouts or furloughs. How could that be? It was the work. And it was the pe ...

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Final Deadline: “An exhilarating thriller”

The first review of my forthcoming novel, Final Deadline, is out, and I'm delighted to share the verdict from Kirkus Reviews, which called it "An intriguing mystery, exciting thriller, and overall satisfying read." "Catron’s novel is an exhilarating thriller anchored by a likable hero," Kirkus wrote. "The ending is a strong combination of thrilling action and sincere dialogue that effectively completes the surviving characters’ arcs." You can read the full review, including a nifty plot s ...

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Washington Post exposé reveals same dark history as ‘Avenging Angel’

The Washington Post this week has a terrific series on a dark and little-known chapter of American history – one that drives the plot of my third novel, Avenging Angel. The Post series examines the legacy of the Smithsonian Institution’s “racial brain collection” — gathered for research into long-discredited theories that anatomical differences between races could prove the superiority of White people. It focuses on Ales Hrdlicka, a prominent anthropologist and curator of t ...

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