Ace Collins
Why I Started Writing:
I was writing short stories in third grade, so I think storytelling has always been in my blood. In fact, what I do is not really much different than what my rural Arkansas grandparents did. Their front porch stories entertained us for hours. I became a bit more serious about writing in high school and then in college, I majored in both journalism and English. I landed my first book contract when I was in my late twenties and have been storytelling on a full-time basis ever since.
Authors Who Have Influenced Me:
As an adult, Clive Cussler’s style impacted the way I framed stories. My influences as a child included Jules Verne and Mark Twain. Recently, I’ve been reading works by Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. There is no doubt that radio scripts from detective shows and mystery programming from the 1940s have had a greater impact on my style than anything else. So if I had to single out on of those radio scribes, it would be a man who later made his mark in motion pictures … Blake Edwards
Books I Have Written:
The first book I landed was a biography, The Mandrell Family Album. Since that time, I’ve penned bestsellers like Lassie A Dog’s Life and The Stories Behind The Best-Loved Songs of Christmas as well as almost eighty other books. I have had titles that focus on music such as Turn Your Radio On, social issues, Darkness Before Dawn, historical fiction, The Yellow Packard, suspense, the Christy winner The Color of Justice, whodunits, Hollywood Lost, pop culture, Untold God: The Stories Behind Elvis Presley’s #1 Hits, and even motivational books such as Gratitude. I’ve also penned children’s books, devotionals, and a long list of biographies. My current series for Elk Lake, In The President’s Service, is likely my most challenging work, and I think perhaps my best storytelling to date. Fifty or more of my titles can be still be found at Amazon if you want to get a more complete idea as to the range of my work.
What I'm Working On Now:
I have a new dog book, Service Tails, that was just released; a devotional, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, comes out very soon as well; and I’m always working on the next episode of In The President’s Service. I will soon be signing to do a three book action/adventure series as well as another dog book. As I like to write at least five new titles every year, the more work I can land the better.