I'm pleased to welcome E. William Podojil to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Bill writes the Herb Society Mystery series. The Poseidon Project is the first book in the series and was released last month.
Kathy: Molly Halloran has her bucolic retirement upended. Do you hope to have a peaceful retirement, one filled with adventure, or one somewhere in between?
Bill: I hope my retirement is filled with good health first and foremost, and lots of travel to places I’ve never visited. At this point, I hope to be able to continue my writing, as well as work on other projects. I plan to stay as busy as I can be and focus on crafting stories that captivate. I rarely watch television and get my escape through novels and hope I can give stories to other readers.
Kathy: In The Poseidon Project Molly and her friends have to race against the clock and travel halfway around the world to meet kidnappers’ demands. Hopefully you've never had to deal with kidnappers, but have you traveled around the world? Where are your favorite places to visit?
Bill: According to a major US airline that I’ve flown for most of my career, I have traveled about ninety times around the world in terms of my two million flight miles I’ve accumulated. I have been to every continent except Antarctica and over sixty-five countries. I lived in Europe for over a decade so that afforded me the opportunities to see so much. Favorite places so far have been French Polynesia, Peru, Italy, Greece, Vietnam, New Zealand and South Africa.
Kathy: What first drew you to thrillers?
Bill: Since I began reading, I’ve been pulled in by stories that involve suspense and mysteries. I always like to guess who or what the antagonist will be, plus any twists in the plot.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
Bill: I am working on a fictional biography/memoir about a very old character who looks back over his life, but somehow I turned that into a mystery without even trying. My stories have interpersonal relationships, romance, comedy, tragedy and things like that, but ultimately I end up back into mystery and suspense mode at least for part of it.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
Bill: The Herb Society Mysteries is a series that features four retired friends who share a secret past and use their skills to solve a challenge. Joining the four women are two men who meet in book one and become romantically involved and help the four women solve their challenges. I have just submitted book 2 that involves aspects from book 1, but is a stand-alone story. My goal is to have a link between each of the books (characters, plots, bad-guys, etc.) but still work together. Through these stories, the characters evolve, change and experience many ups and downs just like in life.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
Bill: My favorite character is Lukas Halloran, who is a secondary protagonist and son of one of the Herb Society women. I like Lukas because he’s handsome, rich extremely smart at technology and has a lifestyle many people envy, but deep down he still sees himself as the nerdy, awkward neurotic kid he was growing up. He analyzes everything, sometimes to his detriment, and uses logic over emotions most of the time. But when he uses emotions and falls in love with Taylor, he’s all-in, even though he doesn’t understand logically what that means.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
Bill: My mom and her group of friends inspired the storyline. They are all former teachers who have had amazing careers, travels and interests. They still get together regularly, are active and still travel. One time I talked with the group and was amazed at all the things these women had accomplished individually and collectively and it inspired me to show how inside every retired or elderly person, is a collection of wild stories, adventures and memories.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
Bill: Well, like most authors, I sent out query letters and got a couple of responses back. When I signed the contract with the Wild Rose Press, they helped me edit and improve the story with their great team of artists, editors and professionals. They have been wonderful partners in bringing the story and series to life.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
Bill: James Michener, Madeline Miller, Douglas Stuart and John Boyne would be at my dinner table. Each of these writers have written stories where I became completely immersed in the location, the time period and the culture in which the stories take place.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
Bill: I am currently reading Hombrecito by Santiago Jose Sanchez
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
Bill: Travel is obviously something I love and especially learning about the place I’m visiting. Not just things to see, but customs, ghost stories, legends, historical events, food and things that make a place real. I also love to hike, work in my gardens and write.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
Bill: Coke Zero, Sparkling Water, Espresso beans, eggs and good bread
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
Bill: I have three books minimum planned for the Herb Society Mysteries series, but if the books are well-received, I’ve got plenty of adventures I can write about for the series. My fictional biography is something I work on occasionally. Finally, I want to write a story about my three sons, all of whom were adopted internationally. We know next to nothing about their biological families since they were given up for adoption at birth. Two of my boys are from Guatemala and one is from Vietnam - three brothers born thousands of miles apart and how they grow up to be men with families of their own. In real life, they are young adults now and their own lives are starting to take off, so I’m not sure how I would tell the story. Any ideas anyone?
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
Bill: Storytelling is one of the most effective and human ways to impart information, history and culture. Ultimately, it is entertainment, escape, learning and how the stories, messages and words resonate with the reader. I absolutely love this part of my job.
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The Poseidon Project (The Herb Society Mysteries) by E William Podojil
About The Poseidon Project
Mystery- Suspense - Adventure 1st in Series
Setting - Tucson, AZ and Dubai, UAE
Publisher: Wild Rose Press (August 26, 2024)
Paperback: 270 pages
Molly Halloran and her friends have a secret past. Their bucolic retirement is suddenly upended when Molly’s husband is abducted and held for a steep ransom. Now she, her friends, her tech executive son, Lukas and his Air Force pilot boyfriend must race against the clock and travel halfway around the world to meet the kidnappers’ demands. But when they learn why her husband has been abducted, they realize how high the stakes truly are. Molly and her friends now must face their past in order to save the future. But not only their futures; the world’s.
About E William Podojil
E. William is an international business executive and novelist. He has traveled extensively and visited over sixty countries while based in Europe and the USA. Podojil works as an executive business advisor, strategist, and coach while also pursuing his love of storytelling and writing. His second novel, The Poseidon Project, will be published in 2024 by The Wild Rose Press and is the first in a series of adventure thrillers. Podojil writes personal, humorous stories of his life and travels with his husband and three sons in his blog at www.ewpodojil.com.
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