Each book combines a mystery, thriller, and police procedural. While the suspense is off the charts, there is also a very heart wrenching and heartwarming backstory of the characters that remind readers of the sacrifices made by those who serve to keep Americans safe.  

The main character is Kate Holland, a former US Army detective that spent eleven hours as a prisoner of war in Afghanistan. She received a Silver Star after killing her captives and escaping. Fast forward to the present where she is a civilian investigator in her hometown of Arkansas. Because she has demons, she is contemplating suicide but discards those thoughts after saving a German Shepherd puppy, Ruger, shot by a hunter. Throughout the series both Kate and Ruger realize they are each other’s support. There is also a budding romance between Kate and another detective, Arash Kharoti, who is part of the plot mysteries and character world. Some of the other supporting characters are Sherriff Lou Simms, and Deputy Seth Armstrong. 

There are five books in the series that should be read in order.  The first one is a novella, titled Invisible Wounds followed by The Garbage Man, In the Name Of, Beneath the Bones, and Last Dog Out. In each book readers find a plot involving veterans that is very riveting along with more of a backstory on Kate, Ruger, and Arash.

These book plots are gritty, complex, intense, and have edge of the seat scenes. Anyone who has not read this series might want to start and those that are readers will look forward to the next book in the series.

Elise Cooper:  How did your being in the military help influence your writing?

Candace Irving: I am former Army, but it was brief.  I did end up in the Navy. I was commissioned as an ensign in the US Navy but ended my career as a Navy Lt. I was sent to Surface Warfare Officer’s School to learn to drive warships and was also a damage control officer. Being a part of both branches enables me to write the lingo, plus I married an Army guy. My husband is a former combat engineer sapper who helps me with the explosive’s storyline. Regardless of which branch of the military, the mindset and how things work is the same. I know the correct questions to ask.  For instance, in the Navy we do this so what is the Army or Air Force method?

EC:  Why did you decide to write the Kate Holland series?

CI:  I am writing for all readers but also am writing for all veterans. I hope this is my gift to them.  If someone is a vet, they realize the thoughts and feelings of the characters are what they and I experienced. I want the stories to be realistic, not like a book I read that I threw at the wall. It seemed that author got everything wrong and angered me as a woman and a veteran. This is after 9/11, and our soldiers were coming back with serious scars.  This author made it seem that the vet who had a scar was nonchalant about it instead of realizing that some veterans have painful memories. This is why I decided to write the Kate series. I wanted to write Kate as a veteran who had to overcome her scars emotionally as well as living with the physical scars on her cheek.

EC:  Why the setting of Arkansas?

CI:  I lived there for ten years. I thought how not many settings take place there.  Fort Roots is an actual base so the place in my story is a wink and a nod. I changed the real place of Mayflower to Braxton because I did not want to be nailed to a specific town. Usually, she is in the small town with interconnected characters.

EC: Most of the books in this series involve murderers centered around veterans. Do you agree?

CI: I am a detective writer at heart so there must be a dead body. Suddenly these bodies were popping up all over the place in this small town that previously had three murders in ten years.  I knew I had to change Kate from being a Sherriff’s deputy to working for the state police with Ruger as her K-9 partner that involved veteran cases. The plots involve a very intense mystery that put the heroes and heroines in a dark and nasty place which they must overcome.

EC:  Do you own a dog since Ruger is one of the featured characters?

CI:  Yes. The inspiration for Ruger is my fifty-pound standard poodle. Some of the weird things my dog does makes me laugh and I say to myself, ‘that is totally going into the book.’ Dog behavior is pretty much consistent. 

EC:  How would you describe Kate?

CI:  She is not Superwoman but does have skills, such as the way she handles knives. She is determined, smart, funny, strong-willed, stubborn, a survivor, guilt ridden, at times feels depressed, doubts herself, and feels shame. 

EC: How about Ruger?

CI: He keeps Kate calm, has a sense of purpose, loyal, a guard dog, a service support animal, as well as a canine partner to Kate. He and Kate rescued each other. 

EC:  You also have Kate with PTSD issues?

CI:  Yes. She has nightmares, flashbacks, hallucinations, and sleepwalks. Most of the time whether in a movie, TV show, or book there is this horrible thing that has happened to someone in the military and the rest of the plot it does not affect them. I wanted to write a series where Kate must grow from her experiences. Below is the actual checklist that is in the therapist’s manual, and I had Kate fill it out. There is a specific form of treatment by Dr. Resick and she even wrote a self-directed manual (https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Unstuck-PTSD-Cognitive-Processing/dp/1462549837/ref=asc_df_1462549837?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=79852162946901&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583451682302499&psc=1) Dr. Resick created CPT in the eighties. Veterans can go on my website and find resources.

EC:  What do you want readers to understand about how Kate’s wounds affected her?

CI: While Kate was serving in Afghanistan she was ambushed and then raped. She suffered injuries of a broken collarbone, a broken shoulder, and burns. She saw her best friend, Max, beheaded by the Islamists. She wears his watch and when she gets anxious turns it until her skin is raw. I wanted to make it realistic, so I took on all her emotions. Kate started to get CPT treatment with the trauma focused sessions centering around pains that interfere with the normal recovery process and have her identify problem patterns. 

EC: is Kate’s therapist, Dr Manning, based on Dr. Resick?

CI:  Yes. From book 2 going forward she became Kate’s therapist.  She took the situation I created for Kate and said this is what would occur with her. She reads the book and is Dr. Manning. She makes suggestions for Kate as Dr. Manning, like having her wrap her wrist so when she feels the need to turn the watch her skin will not be raw.

EC:  What about her boss, Lou?

CI:  He is like an uncle to her. He can read her, is helpful, and caring.  Because he knew her father was heartless and someone who constantly put her down, Lou tried to be the opposite to her.  He and his wife felt like Kate was the child they could not have. He is based on a neighbor I had in Arkansas, someone compassionate, grounded, figured out what make people tick, and had a lot of common sense. 

EC:  How would you describe Detective Arash?

CI:  He is caring, understands her, trusting, encouraging, and protective. He and Kate share a deep connection. 

EC: What about the relationship between Kate and Arash?

CI: I thought hard what kind of man Kate should end up with.  It must be someone who does not care about her scars but embraces them. He realizes she is strong. In a way her scars are a badge of honor. Kate is afraid she will lose Arash because of her scars and baggage. She also has issues with showing off her body to the man she wants to look perfect too, Arash.

EC:  You have another series, “Deception Point” besides the Kate “Hidden Valor” Series.  Can you talk about them?

CI: Both series have investigations and detective stories, but “Deception Point” has a global setting while “Hidden Valor” takes place in Arkansas. The main character of the “Deception Point Series” is Special Agent Regan Chase, an active-duty CID, while Kate is a retired CID. I used my Damage Control Officer experiences to write the book, Blind Edge, of the “Deception Point” series. 

EC:  Will the “Hidden Valor” series be made into a TV show?

CI:  I did option the rights for this series with a potential TV series. 

EC:  Next book?

CI:  Kate will have her last therapy session in the next book, Blood on The Wire that comes out in August of next year. But readers should not worry, Dr. Manning will not be written out of the series. It will be a process for Kate to get over all her scars on her body and face.  The relationship with Arash will progress. Also, her former partner Seth’s story will be a part of this story. The case involves a psychologist at a Little Rock VA hospital who was found brutally stabbed to death. In the victim’s house, Kate is stunned to discover a cache of military-grade explosives. Plus, the psychologist was conducting a private investigation into a heinous crime that occurred more than two years ago in an active war zone. Bodies have begun to multiply.THANK YOU!!

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