Hello Verlin, Welcome to BrandEducation and The RV Book Fair 2025! What experiences have most shaped the way you write and the stories you tell?
The primary element was a sudden personal transformation at age thirty-two. I had been deeply depressed since childhood and had cut myself off from most normal development. Eventually I became almost non-functional, and my wife told me she would leave if I couldn’t find a way to change.
Over the next two weeks, everything shifted. Colors brightened, the world became three-dimensional, people suddenly felt real. I had been living behind a filter, experiencing life at “one” on a ten-point scale. Overnight, it felt like “eight.” Terrifying—but also the first time I truly felt alive.
This awakening led me into a long spiritual search, world travel, and eventually co-founding a small spiritual community. Because of this, I see characters as capable of profound change. My writing leans toward what I consider wisdom and also toward humor, because life often feels absurd and unlikely.
What drew you specifically to thrillers and mysteries?
Plot and dialogue have always come naturally, while other elements of writing felt like hard labor. Thrillers and mysteries fit my strengths: fast-moving plots, lots of banter, and the pleasure of discovering the ending as I go—because I almost never outline.
Years as a psychotherapist gave me insight into antiheroes and villains. I’ve met real people with traits like those in my books. Characters such as Kinney, who calls himself a “benign psychopath,” come from this exposure. I’ve worked with Kinneys—and worse.
Outside writing, what helps you stay grounded or inspired?
Golf keeps me grounded—though not very inspired. The game is humbling, a “good walk ruined,” as someone once said. But it’s my best option after years of wear and tear from being a professional volleyball player in Italy.
Despite its frustrations, golf courses are beautiful, and camaraderie with fellow golfers—especially older ones who’ve shed a lot of ego—keeps me connected to others.
Your books strike a balance between humor and suspense. How do you manage that mix?
Humor is simply how I experience life. Many of the most remarkable mentors I’ve known—therapists, spiritual teachers—had a light, amused way of being. They modeled presence without heaviness or added “meaning.”
I approach characters the same way: let them decide how they see the world. Some are witty, some accidental comedians, some humorless.
Suspense came only after writing several weak early manuscripts. A fast pace helps, as do subtle cliff-hangers. I always ask myself, “What would keep me turning the page?”
In Kinney’s Quarry, the protagonist undergoes a major shift after a near-death experience. What inspired that?
A real near-death experience I had in the Mexico City 8.1 earthquake. I was thrown out of bed as the fourth floor of my hotel rolled and swayed. I thought the building would collapse, and I’d die.
What surprised me most was the total absence of fear. I felt blank—almost serene. A radical acceptance took over: “What next?”
Afterward, I no longer feared death. I also stopped believing in the illusion of control. If even the ground can’t be trusted, anything can happen at any time.
In the book, the protagonist’s experience differs, but the magnitude of change is similar. For an assassin who suddenly refuses to kill, everything in his life becomes a psychological and moral crisis. Can he stop a deadly conspiracy without violence? And what does that transformation cost him?
Your novels often feature strong partnerships between characters. What draws you to writing these dynamics?
Contrasting personalities allow for rich, meaningful banter that reveals character rather than explains it. The teamwork between partners is essential—they succeed because together they compensate for each other’s weaknesses.
Male friendship is often underrepresented or oversimplified in media. I’ve had two friendships in my life similar to the depth shared by the characters. Those relationships shaped me and helped me tackle challenges I couldn’t have handled alone.
Their unpredictability also creates great plot twists. One partner’s eccentric strategies—like confusing opponents with absurdity—becomes part of the tension and the fun.
Find out more about Verlin at: https://www.verlindarrow.com/ and The RV Book Fair 2025 at: https://www.relatable-media.com/the-rv-book-fair