Said the Spider - a story of crime and suspense.

by

Earle Van Gilder

Sophisticated crime syndicate parasites invade the normally solid foundation of Midwestern banking and generations of established manufacturing. Executives and management usually in control suddenly find they are masterfully manipulated into a web of irreconcilable personal and financial seduction.

From the traumatic discovery at the river’s edge to the eventual confrontational conclusion Said The Spider seduces greedy, gullible and unsuspecting prey into a deadly and graphic whirlwind of corporate disaster leading to murder, suicide and revenge.

The early exploits of the juvenile crime spree by a youthful mastermind who cleverly manipulates his prey leads the reader to the ruthless genius manipulating the city. This drama of cause and effect with no escape from the temptations of lust, greed, and ignorance has been cleverly baited.

The corporate investigative agency and police sources enter almost too late to stop this whirlpool of turbulence as the bank Vice President’s realize their own failure and the investors and corporation officers panic and retreat from the coming Armageddon.

As murder, suicide and monumental financial losses are exposed, the crime syndicate learns of an investigation which might interrupt their lucrative operation. Crime bosses will stop at nothing to successfully complete their artistic looting of a major bank and manufacturing complex.

Time is running out. Investigators are pulling pieces of the puzzle together. Corrupt and greedy bank executives are running for their lives. The syndicate is charging ahead in their goal of complete domination and eventual departure culminating in a surprise and conclusive end to fraud and murder.

They say you should write what you know, and Earle Van Gilder does just that with his thriller, Said the Spider. With more than 40 years Earle (Doc) Van Gilder was involved in the investigation of white-collar crime. The last 20 years he ran his own Investigative Corporation partnering with major firms, local and state government agencies and law enforcement to solve a wide range of criminal activities from internal theft and white collar crime to insurance fraud, criminal investigations and undercover operations.

Earle is also a certified Kyokushinkai Karate Branch Chief and martial arts instructor and well versed in the handling of weaponry. These experiences combined with his Marine Corp and equestrian experiences have resulted in a number of short stories which in turn led to his first novel, Said The Spider. He recently completed a second novel, Gumshoe Diary, The Month of May.

Click below for the interview:

Tell us more about Said the Spider.
 The main character is myself, and the book can be reviewed on Amazon.com. It’s fiction but based on actual experience concerning industrial espionage, white collar crime, and the characters on both sides of that equation.

How many unpublished books do you have lurking under your bed?
I’ve completed two more in this series that continue on from Said The Spider, Gumshoe Diary-The Month of May, and Point of Connection. I’ve also written numerous short stories and children’s stories.

How did you find the publisher/agent? What was the journey like? Ever feel like giving up?
I chose Outskirts Press through research and frustration with locating an agent or other source. It has been an interesting experience, frustrating at times also, but one that I’m happy to have taken.

How do your juggle a writing schedule with real-life work, or are you a full time writer?
I retired in 1998 from my work as President of the company I founded, Corporate Information LTD, an investigative agency that specialized in white collar and undercover investigations. My freedom to write is much improved and my writing continues as the pace of my life allows it.

What's the best/worst part of being a writer?
The writing is the easy part. The worst part is my anticipation and frustration with this part of the process. I am impatient!

Do you start your projects writing with paper and pen or is it all on the computer? -It all starts in my mind and then translates totally to the keyboard.

What/who do you draw inspiration from?
My inspiration is my wife.

Do you set yourself goals when you sit down to write such as word count?
None, I set no goal and frequently have no idea where the story is going. Sometimes I even surprise myself. I do tend to totally lose track of time.

Are you a published or a self-published author and how do you come up with your cover art?
Said the Spider is published through Outskirts Press and the cover art was a cooperative effort by both myself and Outskirts Press.

What are you working on now that you can talk about?
I have completed (both unpublished) Gumshoe Diary-The Month of May, and Point of Connection. They are related to the original book (Said The Spider) with many of the same characters, but new adventures.

How do/did you deal with rejection letters?
They can’t be taken personally. Most agents or publishers I’ve corresponded with reject without bothering to read (if at all) anything more than a few lines. I know this because they have not been furnished more than that limited request. At this time in my life I have no need for a resume and write for my own pleasure.

What's your advice about getting an agent?
Not having agent, my advice would be useless. I can only say that if that’s your goal then proceed with it and be persistent.

Do you have a critique partner?
My wife reads and re-reads my work as do 2 or 3 close friends who are kind enough to assist in grammar, punctuation and story content. I’ve chosen those critique sources I trust who will be honest, candid and precise in their evaluation of my work.

Contact:
http://outskirtspress.com/saidthespider