Steven Nedelton, Author

Steven Nedelton, aka Ned Stevens, writes suspenseful novels with crime, mystery, paranormal, and noir. He was born in Yugoslavia, behind the Iron Curtain. He escaped in 1959 and lived in Paris for two years, arriving in USA in 1961; starting with 100 words of English, and completing engineering in five years. Three years later, Steven received his Master’s degree, nine times top of the class. He holds a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (NYU-Poly). He is a Professional Engineer in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Ohio.

Steven’s mother was a literature connoisseur; a BA in English and German Literature plus a MA in French Literature. Steven grew up in the home of his grandfather, a criminal lawyer/judge and finally, the highest elected official of the old, free Yugoslavia in the 1920’s. That home is now a Historic Home in Belgrade. The communists expropriated it in 1945 and the family lost everything. 

                                                                                  

Welcome Steven!

When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?

I was introduced to books by one of my aunts. I was ten or so and my first book (a birthday present) was Tom Sawyer. So, I guess, Mark Twain and my aunt (not the favorite one!) were the culprits. Then, a school friend of mine started a ‘pirate book’ and so the two of us began scribbling together. We were very competitive and judgmental at it, I remember that much. That escapade did not last for too long though and soon our writing was forgotten and replaced by sports.

Tell me about your accomplishments, honors, and published works...

I was inspired by a lengthy article in one of the major newspapers about paranormal applications in covert work. I did a lot of Internet searching and completed my first novel, Crossroads, in 2008. Crossroads was published in 2009 and The Raven Affair in 2010, both by a small publishing company. In 2011, after my publisher retired, I republished the two novels myself and went independent. Fear! was my next novel, quite liked by the Midwest Book Review (MBR). It received an equivalent of a five-star rating (like Crossroads) and the MBR Journal placed it on its five-year watch list. I received a special written recognition for that book.  I must mention, the MBR does not provide the ‘star’ ratings. However, according to one of their editors, being reviewed is equivalent to getting the top star evaluation. A Suitcase Mystery (part I), Coma Sins/The Madness of Ben Bluman and Nemesis (part II of Suitcase Mystery) followed next. Presently, I have six novels on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Where do you like to write?

My favorite place for writing is my round table in my ‘day room’ area. But the actual ‘book conception location,’ my ‘ideas place’ can happen anywhere and at any time of day and night. Funny, but the best ideas come to me just before I fall asleep. I strive to remember them for the next morning's session, though, invariably, I fail to write them down and often forget them.

How do you maintain thoughts and ideas?

With great difficulty, I tend to forget them. But, I do keep thinking and, eventually, I do get back to the gist of my original thoughts. Otherwise, in general, I develop my books while writing them. As I write, the old and the new ideas come to me.

What are you currently writing?

I’ve just completed Nemesis, Gina. I would like to tell you about it. Here goes:

Nemesis is the Part II, the ending of A Suitcase Mystery thriller. In a few words—a deadly secret is found in a suitcase full of stolen gold. Years later, it leads to a series of unexplainable murders while the FBI hunts for a top foreign killer spy.

The story starts in Latvia, near Riga, during the final days of the Second World War. A young boy Ben Kalninsh searches an abandoned coal mine tunnel for stolen guns the soldiers hid inside. Unfortunately for him, he meets an AWOL Soviet Army officer on the run instead. The officer is involved in a theft of a large amount of gold from one of his superiors and had it hidden inside the same tunnel. Unknown to him, one of the valises holds also a diary with top Soviet secrets related to espionage in the US. And so, by entering the tunnel, Ben sets into motion deadly events which will follow him into his adult life.

Years later, in Minnesota, his father is gunned down. And no one knows why. FBI agents approach Ben with the news of the murder of his father. Special Agent Miriam Dokes and Agent Book are assigned to the case which includes the torture and murder of his father’s doctor friend, Karlis Goulbis.

The FBI manager, Bob Sawyer, has a hunch there's something much more valuable than the stolen gold. Due to so many secret projects and so many years gone by, the affair becomes the proverbial search for a "needle in a haystack". In order to find the answers, Ben, the principal character, needs to go back to Switzerland, to a bank where the gold is hidden. And, from there on, Death stalks Ben and all other participants in the gold heist. Nemesis provides the denouement of the story.

What is your advice for aspiring/new writers?

Most people suggest a lot of reading of quality works. Of well known works/books and I agree. A few, very young, authors succeeded in writing their first books without much reading, and became famous overnight. Such writers are rare because they are born with the talent. Even in such cases, their ideas contributed far more to their success than their writing style. Fine writing requires a lot of practice. Finally, before trying to publish a new novel, have a good editor review it.

Connect with Steven…

http://www.snedelton.com

http://pinterest.com/snedelton/
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1/177-1442585-0104655?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=steven+nedelton&sprefix=steven+nedelton%2Caps%2C197
https://www.facebook.com/#!/snedelton1