L. A. Burch

Hello everybody. My name is L A Burch. I currently reside in North Carolina where I've been for twenty plus years since the early 2000’s. I attended Temple University in my hometown of Philadelphia where I studied criminal justice after graduating from high school with honors. Growing up, I was always a math and science guy, but later in life, I developed a love for creating characters and worlds designed to entertain and intrigue my readers.

I've read a ton of books over the years but until Retribution, have written very little. The challenge of keeping the story flowing towards the logical and plausible conclusion was tough. So many times, I had to go back and change things because it didn't make sense or didn’t fit with the story being told. I have to say that patience was key and that's not one of my strongest attributes. So, it took a huge effort on my part to sit back and let the story tell itself.

The author that most influenced my writing is John Sanford. The fact that all his characters experience real human emotions, like fear and anger, captured my attention. None of his key characters are saints. They react in anger, they seek vengeance, and they feel like the end justifies the means. I also love how he tells you who the bad guys are, but then shows you that they have beliefs of their own to explain their actions. In my opinion, he is the best writer ever.

People always used to tell me I was a good storyteller. I could keep them entranced for hours with my sharing of a past event. Friends kept telling me to write a book. Honestly, I didn't think I could? Finally, one day, I sat down and wrote the prologue and first chapter. The story wouldn't stop. Since then, the stories just nagged at me until I got them out of my head and onto paper. Writing gives me an outlet that allows me to stay balanced. It took me about two months of writing and revising and editing every day. I immersed myself in the story and just gave it free reign. The need to accomplish this feat was all the drive I needed to push myself to the max.

Retribution was published on Amazon on April 23, 2024. Retribution: Book One Of The Masterminds Series is available in the USA and the UK. Amazon as well as various local book stores carry Retribution via expanded distribution. I envisioned the cover, but had difficulty passing on what I saw in my mind to the designers who worked on the cover. After several tries, we accomplished the cover available on the current book. I actually finished writing the book before I had a title for it. Retribution simply means the dispensing or receiving of reward or punishment. When I reviewed the actions of almost all my characters, I realized that they all were searching for some form of retribution. And since each character had their own view of what retribution should look like. The book highlights what happens when someone tries to force their viewpoints on to others. I keep things fresh because I have no idea what I'm going to write from day to day. Whole stories change based on my mood and feelings at a particular time. I never have a concrete plan on how a book will go. My style is to let the story pretty much flow on its own. The outcome is just as fresh to me as it is to my readers.

The most valuable piece of advice given to me was to let the story you are trying to tell, help tell it. So many books and authors will try to tell you to take certain steps in a particular order to write a good book. But just like working out, everyone doesn't prosper from the same regiment. I tried to do the outlines and schedules that some writers encourage you to follow. It didn't work for me. I find that letting the story have its own natural flow is easier and a more enjoyable way to write. Find whatever atmosphere gets your creative juices going and try to recreate it every time you work so that your project and your imagination can work together as one..

The Masterminds Series is a journey through the lives of people who think they’re smarter than everyone they encounter. Because most of the characters are, it makes them think it’s okay to manipulate others any way they see fit. But what happens when these masterminds collide? when characters first thought to be good reveal dark secrets? and characters thought to be evil reveal noble causes? That’s the voyage you’ll be embarking upon once you start this thrilling Masterminds Series.

In Beyond Redemption, the second installment in the series, intentions are revealed, plots are discovered, and bombshells are dropped in every chapter. Nothing is as it seems and the roller coaster ride will wreak havoc on your emotions. New characters enter the foray, and the Mastermind’s world is thrown into turmoil. Friends become enemies, and enemies end up dead. Everyone will face danger, and some might not make it out alive. You’ll have to take a deep dive into my world to find out who survives.

As far as “Beyond Redemption” is concerned, I think we all have the ability to be redeemed, so I gave the same ability to my characters. Just like real people, some will find redemption, and some will run from it as fast as they can. As the series continues, everyone will come to that crossroad where they decide to continue straight ahead, or take an alternate path; but when all the roads are murky, how do you know which road to take?

I thank everyone who has decided to take this journey with me. I promise to do my best to entertain you and enlighten you with every page you turn, in every book I write.

L. A. Burch