You know someone is serious about writing when they spend their wedding money on 52 books on writing fiction! That was debut novelist, Caleb Breakey, and his wife. Great to see that investment pay off with the release of The String, the first thriller in Caleb’s Deadly Games series. I’m delighted to have Caleb chat with us today about his main character, Markus Haas, the inspiration for this story, and the trickiness of the human will.

Thanks to Revell, we have a copy of The String to give away, so enter below for your chance to win a copy for yourself or to sneak into your thriller lover’s Christmas stocking 🙂

Over to you, Caleb!

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Please share a little about your character, Markus Haas

Markus is a strong-hearted Trenton University Police Officer who also serves on the Trenton SWAT team. But he’s a SWAT outsider, recruited only for his knowledge of the campus and its surroundings. Every other officer on SWAT watches each other’s backs on a daily basis at the Trenton Police Department. But Markus? At best, Markus skipped in line; at worst, he doesn’t belong.

Describe your book in 5 adjectives

Imaginative. Captivating. Edgy. Chilling. Unpredictable.

What inspired this story?

The story came to me while doing a ride along with an officer at a university campus. The details I jotted down that day made the fictional university town of Trenton come to life in my mind.

Did the twists, turns, and complications of writing such a story come easily to you?

The best stories are uncovered piece by piece. I liken this process to an archaeologist who, upon finding the smallest artefact, begins a dig that unearths an entire civilization the world has long since forgotten. Easy in the sense that you know where to break ground—but toilsome in every other aspect of excavation.

Did you know how the story would end when you began writing it?

I did not. Certain scenes that eventually worked their way into the final 50 pages had flashed in my mind during the outlining phase, but they were by no means the destination I had in mind when I wrote chapter one.

Welcome to the string, a game of impossible decisions and deadly consequences. Let’s go over the ground rules.

Rule #1: Participation is mandatory.
Rule #2: If anyone refuses to play, all threats will come to pass.
Game on.

Get ready for a deadly social experiment as a sociopath known as The Conductor delivers disturbing threats and twisted moral dilemmas to unsuspecting students and staff.

As a powerful instinct for self-preservation sweeps through the campus, one man has a grave decision to make. Will university cop Markus Haas play the game to protect those he loves? Or will he break the string and incite massive chaos–and even death?

In the great suspense tradition of Ted Dekker and Steven James, Caleb Breakey’s explosive debut novel will have you turning pages into the night.

What are the major themes in this story?

The human will—its stubbornness; its frustratingly two-facedness; how it wants what it wants; can be controlled by others; breaks—they all do; is a protector, friend, and warrior; gives you a feeling of control; can manipulate a great deal; can trick itself into missing what it needs; can be sabotaged by paranoia; doesn’t always sway others; can change in a matter of moments; when aligned with others, is to be feared; when under siege, caves in the soul; will justify itself until the bitter end; can be selfish and self-persevering; even if meant for good, may lead to nothing but pain for others; isn’t measured by a lack of resistance, but by how it adjusts to chaos; can secretly destroy you; can’t overcome everything.

Which character did you enjoy writing most?

Practicing empathy—the ability to fully immerse yourself into the heart, mind, and soul of another—enlivens me. So being a part of each character’s maturation brought me joy—though navigating the mind of a sociopath was no walk in the park.

Which character gave you the most grief?

The conductor—not because of his capacity for evil. But because he spoke so much and so confidently that it kept me asking, “What happened to you? What are you hiding?” These are layers begging to be explored.

What emotions did you experience while writing this story?

Every last one the characters experienced: intrigue, frustration, fear, conflict, anger, envy, worry, excitement, pain, selfishness, manipulation, sympathy, shame, guilt, suspicion, heroism, indecisiveness, directionless, panic, sadness, paranoia, duty, love.

What’s been something fun about publishing your first novel? What has been unexpected?

So much has happened between writing my first sentence of fiction and publication—too much to do justice here. So I’ll share how I celebrated when I found out The String was going to be published. I played Kool the Gang’s, “Celebration,” at which point my wife noticed the twinkle in my eye—then gave me the biggest hug ever.

What is in your writing pipeline now?

The sequel to The String, tentatively titled, The Hive.

Thanks Caleb!

Caleb Breakey is the CEO of Speak It To Book, the premier ghostwriting agency for influencers, thought leaders, and industry celebrities. He is an ECPA Award finalist and a winner of the prestigious Genesis Contest for fiction writers, and he loves exploring truth through story. He writes in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and enjoys visits from a mischievous mini husky and a smiley Shiba Inu.

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