H. Terrell Griffin is the author of Blood Island, the third mystery in the Matt Royal series (there are details on how you can enter to win a copy of Blood Island at the end of this post). Although originally born in Georgia, Griffin moved to Florida and upon graduation from high school, enlisted in the U.S. Army. After three years of active duty, he began his studies at Mercer University and earned degrees in history and law. A board-certified trial lawyer, Griffin practiced law in Orlando for 38 years. In addition to Blood Island, Griffin is the author of Murder Key and Longboat Blues.
I recently sent Griffin some questions about his latest novel, which deals with the very timely theme of religious zealotry—in the U.S.
IRTM: First of all, I want to congratulate you on having Blood Island selected as a Mystery/Suspense finalist for the 2008 National Best Book Award by USA Book News. Did you go out and celebrate (Bloody Mary optional, of course)?
HTG: Thanks. It was a great and unexpected honor. I did do a little celebration, but, like Matt Royal, I did it with Miller Lite beer.
IRTM: Apparently the genesis for your book was based on recent events around the globe and the historical underpinnings of religious extremist movements?
HTG: It was. I’m fascinated by the similarities of the radical Islamic movement of today and the Christian activities of the Middle Ages. In the political spectrum in this country today, we see both ends and every gradation possible in between. For example, on one side we have the theory that our government must teach religion in the schools and if one does not adhere to the principle of inerrancy, then one can’t be a Christian. On the other end of the spectrum is the thought that religious faith has no place in public discourse and anybody who has strong religious beliefs is a troglodyte. Religious extremism is very dangerous, no matter what faith it is based upon.
IRTM: Were you worried the book might appear anti-religion or that there might be any backlash from this type of theme?
HTG: That thought crossed my mind, but I think a reading of the book will allay those fears. The Rev and his cohorts are obviously disturbed people. These are the same type of people who would follow Jim Jones and drink the deadly cool-aid. These characters do not represent any mainstream religious tradition, but are just a caricature of some of the most extreme and discounted beliefs that we find on the most dangerous end of the spectrum.
IRTM: Although fanaticism can appear at any time and in any place, you based this book--in fact all of your books--in Florida, albeit a fictional island in this latest novel. Do you really think something like this couple happen in that state? (I lived in Tallahassee for ten years and the fanaticism I noticed was more of the sporting variety, although religion can definitely take many forms.)
HTG: Perhaps if you substitute God for Bobby Bowden, you can see how it could develop in Florida. Seriously, I think there are little pockets of extremism where ever you look. They are usually so small and impotent that they’re not much of a threat, but the nuts are out there. Florida seems to draw all kinds of strange people, and that is one reason I love it so much. The sunshine state is fertile ground for extremism. Just think about Jacksonville during the Florida-Georgia weekend, or, perhaps even worse, when the Seminoles are playing the Gators.
IRTM: I like the fact that you based several of the characters in your books on your friends. That took guts. What made you decide to take that approach and how do they feel about it?
HTG: My friends love it, but that is in part because my friends are only the good characters. With one major exception. The Reverend Robert William Simmermon in Blood Island has the same name as one of my oldest friends from college days, who was in reality a very successful lawyer in Orlando. The physical description of the Rev matches my friend. Bill Simmermon loved being the bad guy. I showed him the manuscript before it was submitted to the publisher and would not have used his name without his approval.
In 1980, a friend named Wyatt Wyatt, who was a professor of English at the University of Central Florida, wrote a novel named Deep in the Heart, published by Atheneum. One of his characters was a lawyer named H. Terrell Griffin, and he described me in excruciating detail. I loved it. I might add that my next book, which is in the editing process now, is named Wyatt’s Revenge. A little bit of an inside joke that about 5 people in the whole world will get, but still an homage to my friend Wyatt who died several years ago.
IRTM: Experts often tell you to "write what you know." Both you and your protagonist are former military and former lawyers based in Florida. How much of Matt Royal is based on you and how much is pure fiction? Where does one end and the other begin?
HTG: The similarity between Matt and me is that we're both lovers of the law and a little disgusted at the turn the practice of law has taken over the past few years. When the practice of law became a business instead of a learned profession, it lost its nobility. I was lucky enough to practice in a profession for many years, but ended my career in the business of law. I tried mightily to practice honorably, and I think I succeeded. That is the core of Matt. We both live on Longboat Key (I do part-time). The similarities pretty much end there. Matt is a tough guy. My last fight occurred in the 8th grade. Matt is somewhat of a lady's man. I'm hopelessly in love with the woman I’ve been married to for almost 45 years. Matt doesn’t have a family and relies on his friends for emotional support. I have a wife, three children, a daughter-in-law who is like one of my children, and two grandchildren who give me all the emotional support I could ever need. That said, my friends are very important to me and I treasure those relationships. Finally, I think Matt and I both learned something about honor during our time in the Army. We both try to live lives based on the Army's code: "Duty, Honor, Country."
IRTM: Generally, writers either love or hate research. Obviously with your legal background, you don't have to worry much about researching those aspects of your character and the plots. Are there other areas of research you've had to delve into for your books or any that you've particularly enjoyed?
HTG: I weave a little history into all my books. My college major was history and during the years I practiced law, I finished most of the course work for a Master's degree in history. You can imagine that it is a field I love to delve into. I always research so that I can bring reality into the fictional account. However, I blend that history with fiction. For example, the story in Blood Island of how the island got its name is based on history, but I embellished the historical account with fiction to come up with a reason to name an island that never existed except in my imagination. When I take the characters to places I research those places, so that the street names are real, a park is where it's supposed to be, the police headquarters is located properly. On the other hand, I also embellish that, so, for example, the Orlando Church in Blood Island doesn't really exist and there is no church in the location where I placed the one in the book.
IRTM: Do you have a vision for the Matt Royal series down the pike, e.g. a target number of installments for the series, certain themes you'd like to explore, or taking the character in new directions?
HTG: I don’t have a target number in mind, but I think there is a lot of room to explore and expand Matt's character and Logan's and Jock's as well. Logan and Jock are based loosely on my two best friends, Miles Leavitt and John (Jock) Allred, respectively. I have taken the bare bones of their personalities and stretched their character beyond all recognition. I guess I did some of the same with Matt and myself. However, I know how these guys think, what is important to them, how they go about living their lives, their regrets, their triumphs. I want to keep expanding those characters to bring out the real Miles and Jock wrapped in the fictional characters that are so unlike the real characters. I’m not even sure that what I just wrote in this answer makes sense. I might add that my buddy Miles Leavitt died last year at the age of 61 from lung cancer. I was with him at the end and he said, "Now that I’m checking out, I guess you’ll have to kill off Logan." I told him that as long as I was able to write Logan would be alive and living well on Longboat Key. I intend to keep that promise.
H. Terrell Griffin is giving away a signed copy of his book, Blood Island, to one lucky tour visitor. Go to Terry's book tour page and enter your name, e-mail address, and this PIN, 3542, for your chance to win. Entries from In Reference to Murder will be accepted until 12:00 Noon (PT) tomorrow. No purchase is required to enter or to win. The winner (first name only) will be announced on Terry's book tour page next week.
Awesome interview. It was refreshing to read such genuine answers to very probing questions. I am anxious to read Blood Island - sounds fascinating!
Posted by: It's a Mystery | December 02, 2008 at 01:01 PM