I know several followers of Billy Beckett who have been waiting for the Audible component of Out of Bounds to appear in the Kindle Store. I apologize for the delay, but want to assure listeners that it won’t be much longer. A new narrator, A.W. Miller, is coming on board, and I think you’ll find the tone and inflection of his voice greatly enhance the listening experience. Hopefully we’ll have the finished product by June 1. Thanks for your patience.
Once upon a time, I envisioned turning the exploits of a young, ambitious and charismatic sports agent into a series of crime adventure novels. The possibilities were endless, it seemed to me, and played into my background as a longtime writer and editor in the newspaper business. The series wouldn’t be about sports, per se, but rather the inherent drama of life — competition and conflict, triumph and defeat, loyalty and betrayal — with the various games serving as compelling backdrops.
I’m pleased to say that Billy Beckett continues to thrive. Readership has surpassed a half-million, with release of the fifth book in the series, Out of Bounds, now less than a week away (Feb. 1). Billy’s business interests have expanded, and there is a colorful cast of characters ready for the next adventure.
I thank the readers that have helped make the project a rousing success and trust they will continue to offer encouragement and support.
With Break Point off and running as of Friday, I’ve already been asked a few times about using a tennis player as one of the lead characters. The best reason, I suppose, is that I’m fascinated by the athleticism and drama at the highest levels of the game. As I watched the recent U.S. Open, which ended with a couple of teen-agers in the women’s final, that only became more apparent. The action was riveting, and one can imagine the backstories that were in play.
In the case of Simon Shay, I could easily envision the kid basking in that global spotlight. Or at least having the ability to do so, if only he could get his life in order and overcome the troubles that have been placed in his way. It’s a recurring theme in the Billy Beckett series — young athletes capable of great feats but leading star-crossed lives. They are often their own worst enemies, and it’s up to Billy to guide, and often rescue, them. There’s an element of lawlessness and danger that complicates the struggle throughout.
I can see that struggle growing. The sports backdrop, whatever it may be, offers all sorts of possibilities moving forward. And I wouldn’t be surprised if the music side of Billy’s business — with Claire in the lead — becomes more prominent as well. There is much left to explore.
Billy Beckett’s return to the scene took a little longer than expected but was hopefully worth the wait. Break Point, the fourth novel in the crime adventure series, is now available for pre-order, with a publication date of Oct. 1.
The new thriller is the first of the series with my name exclusively on the cover. As I’ve mentioned previously, various storylines and characters were developed in collaboration with the bestselling author Scott Pratt, my late brother-in-law, who tragically passed in November 2018. I know Scott would have wanted me to keep the story going, and I’m proud to do so.
Break Point covers a lot of ground, taking Billy and his precocious client Simon Shay, a rising tennis star, from the Gulf Coast of Florida to familiar territory in Tennessee, and on to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado — all with an eye toward Simon’s much-anticipated appearance at the Australian Open. The story connects popular characters from the first three novels and introduces several intriguing newcomers, including Zander Fleming, an adventurous friend from Billy’s college days who has risen to great heights in the business world.
What can go wrong? Most everything, it turns out. I hope you enjoy.
— Kelly
The release of Deep Threat has proven to be a satisfying yet bittersweet project for me personally.
The suspense novel was a collaborative effort with bestselling author Scott Pratt and is the first in the Billy Beckett series. Scott and I had been working since last spring on remaking the series, which was conceived in 2016 and hopefully will yield two more books with co-authorship in the coming year.
Unfortunately, real life has a sobering way of putting even the most compelling fiction in its place.
The death in June 2018 of Scott’s wife, and my only sister, Kristy, has left our family reeling. She had courageously battled cancer for more than a decade and was the major source of inspiration for Scott’s legal thrillers. During her illness, the catalogue grew to include more than a dozen books in the Joe Dillard and Darren Street series; they have combined to sell over three million copies. Scott’s future as an author, it seemed, couldn’t have been brighter.
Less than five months after Kristy’s death, Scott was suddenly gone as well. He lost consciousness on a scuba diving excursion in Bonaire, in the southern Caribbean, and never recovered. Needless to say, we are all still a bit numb.
After much reflection and consultation with Dylan, his son and right-hand man, we have decided to move forward with the Billy Beckett series, in Scott’s honor. The books have a bit different flavor than his previous works, but he believed in them and enjoyed the crafting of new characters and storylines. He always had strong opinions, and I enjoyed the creative back-and-forth with him immensely.
I very much appreciate you giving Deep Threat a read (or listen) and look forward to adding to Scott’s proud legacy.
— K.H.