Virtual Book Tour + #Giveaway: Shooting at Shadows by Forest McMullin @GoddessFish

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Blurb:

A photograph can tell the truth. It can also get you killed.

Ethan McGuire’s relentless pursuit of explosive stories has cost him his family, his integrity, and now–possibly–his life. While documenting the rise of white supremacist movements in Western New York, Ethan encounters a world of neo-Nazis, heavily armed survivalists, rogue FBI agents, and violent criminals, all with something to hide. But when a crew of ruthless bank robbers starts hunting him for photos he doesn’t even know he has, the stakes turn deadly.

As his enemies close in and his family becomes a target, Ethan must expose the truth–before it buries him. Shooting at Shadows is a relentless thriller and chilling cautionary tale, inspired by the author’s real-life experiences as a photojournalist. It exposes the darkness lurking beneath the surface of American extremism–and the cost of bringing it to light.

"One hopes that McMullin has further adventures planned for his unlikely hero." –Kirkus Reviews

"...a provocative thriller exploring highly pertinent themes in American culture today..." –Fredrick Soukup, author of Blood up North

 

Purchase Shooting at Shadows on Amazon

 

Read an Excerpt

Someone outside began pounding on the truck in time to the chant and within moments it sounded like everyone who could reach the sides was pounding too:

“BOOM BOOM BOOM! BOOM BOOM BOOM!

“KKK! GO AWAY! KKK! GO AWAY!”

It was deafening, like being inside a giant bass drum. The thin metal walls of the truck amplified the beating and Ethan could feel the horrible reverberation in his chest. Everyone moved toward the center of the bed as if the walls could come crashing in on them at any second. The two holding the rear gate down were fighting the door as people outside tried to raise it.

Suddenly the pounding stopped and Ethan felt the truck moving. The crowd was so loud he hadn’t heard the engine start. But how could they get through that mob without running anyone over? Maybe if Kevin went slowly enough, they’d let the truck pass. Surely the police would be able to get there and see to their safety. Then he realized it wasn’t forward motion he felt. The truck was swaying side to side. The chanting changed too. “O-VER! O-VER! O-VER!” They were trying to turn the truck on its side. Ethan didn’t think it could be done, but with this many people it was impossible to know for sure.

Everyone inside moved away from the center and put their hands against the sides to steady themselves. It was like trying to stand in a boat on choppy seas. Back and forth, back and forth the truck rocked, gaining momentum every time. Ethan saw the men holding the door down lose their balance and fall. The door rose and blinded them with brilliant sunlight.

Interview with Forest McMullin

Do you ever wish you were someone else? Who?

I never wished I was a specific person, but I have wished I was a jazz bass player. I’ve had multiple dreams that revolve around the idea that I’m in a club waiting for the band to start when they announce that the bass player is sick and can’t play. I offer to fill in and I’m amazing even though I’ve never played. If I could magically play any instrument, it would definitely be bass.

What did you do on your last birthday?

Birthdays don’t hold much fascination for me anymore. My wife and I stayed home and shared a nice bottle of wine and she made a wonderful meal of shrimp and vegetables in a yellow curry sauce.

What part of the writing process do you dread?

I dread most of the writing process. Starting. Finishing. The middle. The results are what keeps me going, not the process. When I get something I think is strong, it makes the unpleasant process worth it.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

A lot. I go for long walks or hikes and things will often start moving when I get back. Walking is a meditation for me where details of my writing can be worked out

Tell us about your latest release.

In 1993 I spent eight months working on a photo story about radical racists, most of whom lived in Pennsylvania. I interviewed a convict inside Attica Prison, slept on the floor of a ramshackle trailer in a rural compound, rode in the back of a Ryder truck going to an anti-gay rally, and attended a cross burning. I hung out with skinheads and Aryan Nations and Klan members. I saw and heard things that were shocking and repugnant. By the end I had a story strong enough for my agent to license to publications around the world. You can see some of the photographs in the Archive section of this site here.

Several years later I found out that some of the people I had photographed had robbed twenty-two banks, netting several hundred thousand dollars. Six of them either pleaded or were found guilty and were sentenced to federal prison.

I decided that working on the story and spending time with those criminals had the potential for an exciting book. After experimenting with a non-fiction treatment, by 1999 I settled on a fictional version and started writing what became the thriller Shooting at Shadows.

About the Author:

Forest McMullin is a writer based in Atlanta, Georgia. Earlier in his career, he was a photojournalist who specialized in photographing fringe social groups. Today he writes both long and short form fiction, Shooting at Shadows is his first novel.

Connect with Forest McMullin

Website ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Substack ~ Bluesky

Giveaway:

$25 Amazon/BN GC

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