Happy Thursday, friend! Welcome to an interview with author Christy Cooper-Burnett about her latest novel, Run: Outmatch, Outsmart, Outlive. Let’s chat with Christy.
Get to know the author: Christy Cooper-Burnett
Hi Christy! Welcome to Armed with A Book. Tell me and my readers a bit about yourself!
I am an award-winning author from southern California, where I live with my sixteen-year-old rescue beagle, Gertie. I have one grown son who encouraged me to write my debut novel No Way Home. I had such fun with that book that it turned into a three-book series, and four time-travel adventures later, I have now taken on the thriller genre.
I come from a long line of law enforcement officers, and after college I started my own law enforcement career in crime prevention at my hometown police department. I later transitioned into new home construction where I worked for a builder design center for many years.
I love live music, comedy shows, and cooking, and have been known to throw some epic girl’s day get-togethers! If I find a good series streaming somewhere I will binge watch it on a weekend when I’m taking a break from my current writing project. My love for travel can motivate me to pick up and go at a moment’s notice as long as Gertie can tag along.
I enjoy writing strong female protagonists who are normal “everywoman” characters rather than a typical young, gorgeous, sword-yielding heroine. I believe that sometimes the world doesn’t give the average woman enough credit, and I’m out to change that, one book at a time.
What inspired you to write this book?
This book was very personal for me as it is loosely based on actual events in my life. While I have not taken my son on the run, I did consider it after a run-in he had with gang members. Thankfully, the police were able to arrest the right people and my son was safe. But it did get me thinking about what I would have done if things had not gone our way, and the plot for RUN was born from that.
How long did it take you to write this book, from the first idea to the last edit?
It took me about four months to write RUN, which is a typical time frame for me. Once I get started, I am super focused. Ideas come to me 24/7 and by the time I am finished with a manuscript my iPhone notepad is full of miscellaneous stuff that has popped into my head. I tend to get my best ideas and plot points in the middle of the night, which to be honest, is really annoying!
What makes your story unique?
Going back to my earlier remark, I think writing about normal women makes them relatable. I want my reader to think about what they would do if they encountered the same situation as my protagonist, and to cheer my characters on because they aren’t super spies or soldiers—they are mothers, wives, girlfriends, sisters and daughters. Ordinary women who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances.
Who would enjoy reading your book?
RUN is geared for an adult reader. My story contains a bit of violence and cursing. Because let’s face it—every parent knows that traveling with a snarky teenager who doesn’t want to leave their friends would provoke even the calmest mother to curse! But if you are on the run from a ruthless street gang with your teenager, your resilience will be put to the test in ways you could never imagine.
To make the story as realistic as possible I called on a family friend for my research. A retired gang intelligence officer who had been undercover in southern California gangs for many years. In addition, he was also a gang member in Los Angeles in his youth. The world he painted for me was not without violence. I didn’t want to sugarcoat the storyline, because I wanted it to be authentic. I believe anyone who is looking for a good adventure or heart-pounding thriller will enjoy RUN.
What’s something you hope readers would take away from it?
I always hope they will relate to the characters. RUN explores the lengths a mother will go through to protect her son, while they maneuver the intricacies of a mother-teenage son relationship under the worst of circumstances.
What is something you have learned on your author journey so far?
I’ve learned to write my stories the way I want to tell them. While they won’t be for everyone, I have learned that it’s okay if they aren’t. They will resonate with some readers, and as an author, that’s all I can hope for.
What’s the best piece of advice you have received related to writing?
My dear friend, Tom McCaffrey (The Claire Trilogy) is the one who told me to write for myself. Don’t worry about what some readers may or may not like. It’s my story, and it should be told my way.
If you could give a shout out to someone(s) who has helped in your writer journey, please feel free to mention them below!
My publisher, Black Rose Writing and the entire staff have been more helpful that I ever imagined. They have guided me through the maze of the publishing world with expertise. To Tom McCaffrey for his continual support, and to Eileen Cotto, my number one advance reader for tirelessly combing the pages of my drafts and catching the typos and other things I miss.
Where can readers find you on the Internet?
www.christycooperburnettbooks.com, Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok (@christycooperburnett)
Run: Outmatch, Outsmart, Outlive
Genre: Thriller/Suspense
Coming: July 4th
Kendra Thompson’s simple life goes from predictable to living nightmare when her sixteen-year-old son Kyle records the unthinkable. Now Kendra and her son are running for their lives, hunted by a vicious street gang with eyes and ears everywhere, who are determined to silence Kyle forever. In a deadly race to stay one step ahead of a ruthless gang, a crooked cop, and a corrupt politician, Kendra is the only one who can save him from a web of corruption that leaves her with almost no one she can trust.
Their lives hang in the balance as two strangers become their best chance for survival—a gutsy truck driver and her brother, a retired DEA agent with a questionable past. Kendra’s fierce determination to save her son and outmatch their pursuers is put to the test as she discovers just how far she is willing to go and what she will sacrifice to protect her child.
But where can a desperate other turn for help when she can’t trust anyone, and everyone has a stake in finding them?
Content notes include foul language and violence. Gang violence.
Book Excerpt from
Run: Outmatch, Outsmart, Outlive
Kendra grabbed her purse and overnight bag while Kyle got dressed. Before heading to the garage, she gave her room a final sweep to ensure nothing they needed was left behind, then grabbed her keys and led Kyle to the garage. Peeking through the garage door window, she scanned for unfamiliar cars. Once she was convinced it was safe, she quickly started the car and pulled out. She floored the accelerator and watched the speedometer climb as they sped away, leaving their neighborhood behind. If only there had been some kind of sign to tell her that today would be the day that everything fell apart. But life was never that easy.
Kendra drove until she found an unimpressive-looking motel situated on an obscure side street, which she was sure would accept her cash with no questions asked. It wasn’t the Ritz Carlton by any stretch of the imagination, but right now, anywhere was better than staying at their house.
Once she checked them in, she pulled the car around the back of the motel, where it was out of sight from the street. After entering the room, she collapsed on the desk chair and pulled out her phone, feeling drained.
“Who are you calling?” asked Kyle.
“Officer Gutierrez.” she said, pulling out the officer’s business card and starting to dial.
“No, wait!”
She pulled the phone away from her ear and frowned at her son.
“What?”
“Mom, think about it. How did they find us so fast? I mean, seriously, like we just told the police, and what, less than two hours later, the Sinners are at out house? Even if they found my student body card and figured out it was me, that’s too fast. What if the gang has someone on the inside, you know?”
“Kyle, you’ve been watching too many police shows. I mean, I agree it was fast. But I just can’t believe the police are part of it. Especially not an officer in the gang detail unit.”
“Mom, please, you don’t know what you’re doing. This could make it worse for us.”
“It’ll be okay. Officer Gutierrez will help us.”
Kyle sighed and sat on the bed. “Okay, so there are a couple of things I didn’t tell you before,” he said.
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t get mad at me, please. I just couldn’t tell the police.”
“Tell them what, Kyle? If you know something else, then you had better tell me right now! These people aren’t playing.”
“Yeah. No, duh, Mom. All right, so the guy with the gun caught up to me to me. I was hiding, but he found me. He pulled the gun on me, and I pushed my way out from behind a stack of pallets. He fell and dropped the gun, and that’s when I got away.”
Kendra was left speechless as she stared at her son, realizing how close this came to ending disastrously. She was shocked that he didn’t tell her this before.
“So he saw you, then. And if the gang found your ID, then they know who you are.
Your name. That’s probably how they found us so fast.”
“Yeah. Well, maybe.”
“Oh, my God. I can’t believe you waited until now to tell me this! What were you thinking?” Kendra shouted.
“I don’t know, Mom. I just didn’t feel like I should tell the police that.”
“Why the hell not? Kyle, they are the only people who can help us!”
“No, they aren’t. There’s something else. So the leader dude, I heard him tell one of the guys to call their contact at LAPD and tell him the job was done. They have someone working for them in the police department, Mom. I mean, c’mon, this is the Sinners we’re talking about. Of course they would.”
“But—” Kendra started to object, but Kyle raised his hand to stop her.
“Let me finish, Mom. So before I really knew what was happening, before I knew they were actually going to kill the guy, I started recording it on my phone. I just figured if some guy was getting jumped, then it would go viral or something. It’s stupid, I know. But I never meant to record an actual murder. Then my phone rang and they saw me. They know I recorded them. And now they know who I am. This is so messed up, I can’t believe it,” he shouted, punching a pillow.
Kendra was in disbelief over what she was hearing. The gangbangers knew her son had recorded what she was now certain was a gang assassination. What made it even worse was that someone within the LAPD was somehow linked to it. She was aware that it might not be the investigating officer. But what if it was? Then what? If the police couldn’t be trusted to protect them, who else could she turn to?
“So now you’re mad at me, right?”
She was. Of course she was.
But Kendra decided to let it drop, because if she didn’t, the weight of it would linger heavily between them. And at that moment, they had bigger problems to deal with.
“No, I’m not mad, Kyle. I just really, really wish you had mentioned this to me before now. A heads-up would have been nice,” she said, trying hard to control the frustration in her voice.
She recognized that he was just a teenager who didn’t always make the best choices, but this was a major secret to keep from her. After weighing the options in her mind, she concluded that taking a chance with the police was their only option. What other choice did she have? With his hands folded in his lap, Kyle sat on the bed with his head down.
“Kyle, look at me.”
He lifted his head and fixed his gaze on Kendra.
“I know you were probably confused about what to do. But if there is anything else I need to know, and I mean anything, please tell me now. I can’t keep us safe if I don’t know what’s going on.”
“That’s it. I swear, Mom.”
“Okay, let’s try to get a few hours’ sleep. I’m going to call Gutierrez in the morning and just see if he has anything new to share with us. Once I talk to him, I’ll know whether I feel it’s safe to tell him about this or not. Believe me, I am as hesitant as you to let this information get into the wrong hands.”
Kenda moved the desk chair under the doorknob to be safe, and they each took a double bed. She believed they were safe for the night, but then remembered their home was found in just a couple of hours. She had no idea what kind of resources the gang had at their disposal. If they had an insider at the LAPD assisting them, they could have access to limitless support.
Kendra stayed up for a long time that night, too worried to sleep. Her life was peaceful until a few hours ago. Tonight, she was in complete turmoil and scared for her and Kyle’s well-being. She was off work for the next three days, which meant she could avoid dealing with that. Since tomorrow was Friday, she had the entire weekend to decide what to do.
Kendra drifted off to sleep only to dream of being chased and woke up in a cold sweat at 5:00 a.m. Kyle was up shortly afterward, the first time he had seen that time of day since he was a toddler. Kyle could stay up as late as he wanted, but trying to wake him early usually guaranteed Kendra was in for a fight. She said good morning cautiously, trying to get a read on his mood. He didn’t look at her, but grunted a response. She realized he was as scared as she was, and she vowed to herself to do everything possible to prevent the fear from creeping further in.
Interested?
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