Kevin Kuhens - Edge-of-Your Seat Thrillers

Kevin Kuhens is a retired supervisory special agent for the US Department of Defense and the author of Terror’s Sword, A Kyle McEwan Novel, the first of his thrillers involving the elite counterterrorism case officer. Kevin began his sworn law enforcement career as a police officer in Kentucky, followed by a Federal career that spanned three decades. Kevin served as a civilian special agent for the Office of Naval Intelligence, Naval Investigative Service (now known as NCIS), and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). His numerous assignments crossed diverse mission areas conducting and supervising criminal, intelligence, terrorism, and task force investigations, acting as an undercover agent, directing covert operations, and performing domestic and foreign protective duties. These activities occurred inside the Beltway, throughout the US, and across some two dozen countries. Throughout his career, Kevin supported the armed forces of the US and numerous allies during overseas combat operations and multinational peacekeeping efforts, including a one-year tour of duty aboard the aircraft carrier Independence (CV-62), and during military operations in Grenada and Beirut. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, he deployed to the Pentagon to support recovery efforts there. Kevin rounded out his law enforcement career as the DCIS Director for Training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. Kevin is currently writing the follow-on novel to his highly acclaimed debut novel Terror’s Sword. This book will be the second installment in the Kyle McEwan series. As our Author of the Day, he tells us about his book, Terror's Sword.

Please give us a short introduction to what Terror’s Sword is about.

Target America. An anonymous attacker known as Terror’s Sword is heading for the U.S. with an unidentified bioweapon. His mission: erase America from existence. When intelligence agencies fail to identify the terrorist or his bioagent, the president taps elite counterterrorism operative Kyle McEwan to hunt down the terrorist and eliminate the threat. McEwan is the highly classified, off-the-books weapon America unleashes when all other methods fail.

McEwan pursues Terror’s Sword in a cat-and-mouse game that crosses continents and oceans, discovering his identity and bioweapon. Despite the efforts of U.S. scientists, McEwan is the only man standing between an apocalyptic bioweapon attack and global survival. Who prevails?

What inspired you to write this story? Was there anything in particular that made you want to tackle this?

I believed someone needed to tell a story of how our leaders respond to and manage biological threats from national security, law enforcement, and medical perspectives, but needed to do it in an exciting yet believably real manner. I wrote Terror’s Sword before the COVID-19 crisis; it was prescient. When you read my book, you will find it foreshadows how that crisis unfolded and how it was managed. My insider perspective answers readers’ thought-provoking questions about controversial actions or lack of action by our leaders during the COVID-19 crisis. Further, I wanted readers to know that there are men and women who give their all to protect them and their loved ones from lurking dangers. I spotlight some of these unsung heroes who do much of the heavy lifting in the real world but rarely receive credit.

Why did you decide to include an anonymous terrorist in this story?

To create significant challenges facing my protagonist McEwan. Talk about starting from ground zero – McEwan has nothing to base his investigation on other than the fact an anonymous terrorist is heading for the U.S. with an unidentified bioweapon. The deadly plot is in motion. The timetable is uncertain. The target is unknown. A medical solution is improbable. Where is the mastermind? McEwan must overcome these challenges and more to halt the attack. Breathtaking, almost insurmountable odds of one man accomplishing it all. In time.

You are a retired supervisory special agent. How has this background influenced your writing, and how many real-life experiences make it into your books?

My goal was to let readers experience the tension, frustrations, and exhilaration that come with failures and successes in a high-pressure investigation with the deadly consequences of failure. Terror’s Sword is an insider’s exposé that mirrors non-fiction as it replicates an actual investigation of a genuine but fictional terror threat. While I take some liberal license with certain details, my book is technically accurate and describes a credible, real-world threat. By transporting readers into the story, they accompany McEwan as he attempts to identify the killer, his bioweapon, and other critical details concerning the planned attack.

What did you have the most fun with when writing this story?

All of the locations used in my book are real. I either visited them while working on investigations or traveled to them to conduct research for the book.

Interesting cover. Please tell us more about it.

The goal was to present eye-catching cover artwork that captured the essence of the plot to draw in prospective readers who want to read it for more answers.

Readers say the book had them hooked throughout, with high-octane action. How did you pull this off?

I wrote the book like I want to read other novels. Since I transport readers inside the investigation alongside McEwan, I packed the scenes full of high-tension action to give readers the sense of being there and the rush of actively participating. Such scenes keep readers looking for more at the end of each chapter.

What did you have the most fun with when writing Terror’s Sword?

Actually, when I finished writing it and sent it off to print, the reaction I had when holding the very first copy in my hands will stay with me. Since then, the realization that I wrote a novel that readers enjoy and that they keep asking me for more is an equally special feeling. Lastly, seeing Terror’s Sword become an award-winning, Amazon #1 Bestselling thriller exceeded my expectations. Readers have set a very high bar for me, and I will not disappoint them in my next Kyle McEwan thriller, which is currently underway.

What, would you say, makes bioweapons so scary?

Bioagents in and of themselves are very dangerous, as evidenced by the COVID-19 virus. When you add the ability to genetically modify a highly contagious bioagent to increase lethality and enhance transmissibility, the result is frightening, unpredictable, and possibly untreatable. The bioagent can get out of control, creating a pandemic threatening untold millions globally.

When starting on a new book, what is the first thing you do?

I draft a rough outline to give me a general sense of where I’m going with the manuscript. With Terror’s Sword, I found my finished product didn’t resemble my initial, comprehensive outline. The book evolved substantially over time, but having the outline did get me going in the right direction. So, I’m not what the fiction writing community calls a “plotter,” a writer who plots out their novel before they write it. I don’t “fly by the seat of my pants” either, i.e., I don’t just start writing and see where it takes me or a “pantser.” While I am confident in my overarching story and how the book will end, I only outline the major aspects of the book because until I conduct research and start writing, I’m not exactly sure where the book is going. That lets the characters, scenes, and events develop as I write. Granted, since I have both plotter and pantser in me, I’m known as a “plantser,” or a combination of the two.

What is an average writing day like for you?

I’m an early riser and have been all my working life, though my 4:30 a.m. wakeups have slipped to 6:00 a.m. I’m generally at my desk by 8:00 and spend the first four hours dedicated to writing or editing. I take a break for a workout then lunch. Depending on where I am with my current project, I’ll spend an hour addressing marketing issues or the rest of the afternoon conducting research. For me, exceeding 8 hours singularly focused on the project can be counter-productive, with a notable exception. When I find myself in the “zone” writing, I must capture it all—everything else goes by the wayside. I am fortunate to live in an area with one of America’s most incredible beaches. I often take advantage of the solitude it provides to recharge my batteries and reboot the computer residing above my shoulders.

What are you working on right now?

Book 2 in the elite counterterrorism operative Kyle McEwan series. I expect it to be out by the end of the year. Readers will see more of the hard-charging McEwan doing his all to save America from her enemies. The story will have some new twists that readers will love, especially women readers.

Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?

I encourage everyone to check out my website for additional information on my award-winning, Amazon #1 bestselling thriller Terror’s Sword, information on me, and reader and professional reviews. Readers can view a book trailer, listen to a Terror’s Sword excerpt, or read a sample chapter. Everyone can contact me via my website; I read and answer all emails.

Some exciting news: From today, July 1st, 2023, through July 5th, readers can get a copy of the Terror’s Sword eBook for 99 cents. This is a one-time special; everyone can obtain the eBook here.