Serves You Right

What if the person sworn to protect you is the one you can’t trust? SERVES YOU RIGHT by Orion Gregory pushes a rookie detective into a world where every ally could be an enemy.

Sydney Livingstone thought life in Walsh County would be quiet compared to her days in professional tennis. Instead, she’s being hunted by The Enforcer, a vigilante determined to deliver his own brand of justice. As bodies fall, secrets surface, and suspicion spreads within her department, Sydney realizes survival depends on untangling betrayal before she becomes the next victim.

Orion Gregory has been hooked on mysteries since reading Agatha Christie as a boy. With a Communications degree and an award-winning career in journalism and advertising, he later contributed to a national sports magazine and spent years coaching tennis. Now living in Southwest Ohio with his wife, Fran, Gregory writes thrillers that combine breakneck suspense with psychological insight.

More at oriongregory.com.

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Amazon: https://amzn.to/4gEGWTZ

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/237696808-serves-you-right

Writing Process & Creativity

How did you research your book?

Fortunately, I have several friends who are doctors and another who is a police officer. With the internet today, so much information is at your fingertips on virtually any subject. I do know, however, that if the authorities ever examine my search engines, I’m going to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, regardless if they have any proof.

What’s the hardest scene or character you wrote—and why?

The most challenging scene and character was Rex Cutter, the person who assaulted Frank McBride at the amusement park. Here, a redneck, hillbilly character attempts to play a tough-guy role against a person who has committed a cold-blooded murder. If it had just been the two of them together, Cutter more than likely would have been seriously injured or killed. As it was, he emerged believing he vanquished his opponent.

Where do you get your ideas?

I’ve loved the thriller/mystery genre since I was a kid. Sometimes when I’m simply experiencing life, I find myself plugging in “what-ifs.” What if a mysterious note appeared on a picnic table at a reunion? What if I saw my picture on a most-wanted list? What if those three people on the street corner were assassins? Most of those ideas never lead to anything, but there’s always a few that stick with you and have the potential to bloom.

What sets your book apart from others in your genre?

A vigilante who attracts attention on the dark web becomes very interesting when the reader understands that he or she has ties to the police department. When a flawed rookie female detective seeks to find the culprit while dealing with the precinct's “good-ol’-boy network”, you’ve got yourself quite a story.

What helps you overcome writer’s block?

I don’t know if many of the so-called cures really work. I think you must place your butt in the chair and write, whether you feel like it or not. Once you begin working, good things begin to happen.

What’s your favorite compliment you’ve received as a writer?

Several people have told me that they couldn’t put the book down. Another said that it “doesn’t let you breathe.” Those are probably the biggest compliments, especially since I strive to never, ever bore the reader with extraneous details. If someone finishes your novel, you probably did something right along the way,

Your Writing Life

Do you write every day? What’s your schedule?

I’d love to tell you I have a strict regimen I follow, but currently, I really don’t. Sometimes it’s hard for creative people to get pinned down on specific hours during the day. You never know when inspiration is going to find you. But with the help of my wife, I’m working on becoming more predictably organized. But it’s definitely a work in progress.

Where do you write—home, coffee shop, train?

I do most of my writing at my home office. But when I need to be creative and think deeply, such as coming up with an inventive plot or new twist, I go to the library. I can’t watch television there, take phone calls, or fetch a snack from the cupboard. For some reason, I do my best organizing and planning at the library, although the nuts and bolts of writing are usually accomplished at home.

Any quirky writing rituals or must-have snacks?

I exercise a lot, sometimes to an excessive level. I can’t write well unless I am relaxed from a good workout. I try to get my workout done early so the creative juices will flow. As for snacks, just about anything goes. I alternate between salty and sweet.

Behind the Book

Why did you choose this setting?

My friend Greg Fair lives in Northeast Ohio. I had visited him a couple of times and I enjoyed the small town feel of the communities near Carrollton. I had a wonderful lunch in a restaurant/bar in the quaint town of Minerva, Ohio. I thought about titling this past book “Murder in Minerva.” That title is still on the table for #3 or #4.

If your book became a movie, who would star in it?

I think Sydney Sweeney would do an excellent job playing Sydney Livingstone. As for the other cops, I think there are so many that could fit the bill. Queen Latifah would be an excellent Griffith. Penn Badgley would be an ideal Mitsoff.

Which author(s) most inspired you?

As a kid, I read Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes novels. I loved trying to solve a mystery, even though I failed most of the time. My favorite writers of today are James Patterson and CJ Box. I think it’s very important to read the genre you’re going to be writing about. The bestselling authors are not there by accident, so they’re doing something right.

Fun & Lighthearted Qs

What’s your go-to comfort food?

I love peanuts, diet soda, red wine, and chocolate. Unfortunately, all those treats are taboo for me now as I suffer from migraine headaches. So now vanilla is my flavor of choice, whether it be in protein bars, protein drinks, or ice cream. And if you place a tray of nacho chips and salsa in front of me, you won’t hear a peep for at least an hour.

If you could time-travel, where would you go?

The Kennedy Assassination - and everything associated with it -  has always fascinated me; therefore, I would like to go back to Dallas’ Dealey Square in 1963 about an hour before the assassination. I’d like to be in the Texas School Book Depository an hour before the shooting to see if I could do anything to stop Oswald and conspirators (if there were any) from killing the president. Who knows how preventing that assassination would have changed our country and the world?

What 3 books would you bring to a desert island?

1.      The Bible

2.      An Idiot’s Guide for Getting Off A Desert Island

3.      Boatbuilding Without Tools

What’s something that made you laugh this week?

I just returned from my first trip overseas. We spent nine days in Italy and had a wonderful time. We were returning to a hotel from our tour of Pompei. I was extremely tired from the trip, so I tied a pullover jacket in a knot and wrapped it around my eyes so I could sleep in the car. At a stop light, I sat up in the seat with my eyes still firmly covered. I was told a guy in the car next to us spotted me and had a surprised look on his face. I guess it appeared I had been taken as a hostage. We recalled that story over wine and limoncello and laughed until we cried.