Welcome guest author Don Helin!

Today I have the pleasure of introducing Don Helin, whose military thriller, Thy Kingdom Come, will be released by Medallion Press on March 1.
Don is a retired Army officer. During his career in the military,he spent three tours in the Pentagon. He uses this knowledge to create the top-secret, fictionalized world of Colonel Sam Thorpe. Thorpe is a member of the Pentagon's elite anti-terrorist task force.

Welcome, Don! Can you tell us a little about yourself and what caused you to write Thy Kingdom Come?
During my time in the Pentagon, we would receive periodic reports that white supremacists had inflitrated the ranks and were using their military training to rain terror on minorities.
I did research and found that while most Americans believed the threat from white supremacists ended with the death of Timothy McVeigh, the Southern Poverty Law Center has documented a 48% increase in hate crimes since the year 2000. They show 888 hate groups in the U.S., with 33 of these groups in my home state of Pennsylvania.
The threat posed by these groups is real and the threat is now. For example, two white supremacists were arrested this past October for allegedly plotting to go on a national killing spress, shooting and decapitating black people. They planned to then assassinate the then-presidential candidate Barack Obama.


Tell us a little about Thy Kingdom Come.
Thy Kingdom Come is a suspense/thriller in which a white supremacist militia located in central Pennyslvania plans to steal enough cesium-137 for a local university to make seven dirty bombs. Colonel Sam Thorpe, a member of the Pentagon's anti-terrorist task force goes undercover, and assisted by FBI agent Alex Prescott, must find a way to stop them.

How did you arrive at the title?
The Christian Identity Movement, a religious movement imported to this country from England in the 19th Century, preaches racial discrimination. Quentin Oliver, a disgruntled ex-Marine and advocate of this religion, commands the militia, and wants to create a new kingdom where whites will rule supreme.

Please share your sale story with us.
I read about Medallion Press in the Writers Digest. The first novel I sent to them got turned down. Two years later I forwarded them a query letter on Thy Kingdom Come.. It took about three months before they asked for the entire manuscript. One day at lunch six months later, the phone rang. When I picked it up I heard, “This is the Acsquisitions Editor at Medallion Press..."

What are you working on now?
I'm working on the next novel in the Sam Thorpe series, Sons of My Lai.

What are your favorite books and movies?
I love suspense/thriller books and I guess that's why I write them. Some of my favorite authors are Lee Child, Jon Land, Robert Parker, James Patterson and John Sanford I also enjoy suspense movies, although I'm a sucker for sad movies that end on a happy note.

How can readers keep up with your writing and books?
I'd encourage everyone to check my website periodically, www.donhelin.com. I'd love for readers so send an email and tell me how they enjoyed my books and any ideas on how I can improve. I also am looking for places to make presentations and do signings.

Book Blurb
Most Americans believe the threat from local white supremacists ended with the death of Timothy McVeigh. The Southern Poverty Law Center, however, continues to document significant increases in hate crimes. Most of our most sensitive areas, including nuclear plants, lack adequate security, and the nightmare of an armed militia stealing nuclear materials is real. Enter Colonel Sam Thorpe, a member of the anti-terrorist task force, to go undercover and train “The Patriots,” a homegrown militia in central Pennsylvania.
His job: Get close to self-appointed general Quentin Oliver and uncover the core of evil. And evil is what he finds. Oliver, a disgruntled ex-Marine colonel, plans to steal cesium-187 from a local university and construct seven dirty bombs. During training sessions, Sam also uncovers a link between Oliver and the French Separatist Movement in Quebec.
The world is in trouble, and Sam is isolated with only one person In his corner: FBI covert agent Alex Prescott, a kick-ass woman with spiked blond hair and a personality to match. Will she be enough? Or is the world about to realize its worst nightmare?

Reviews
"Thy Kingdom Come crackles with authenticity." ~ CJ Lyons, bestselling author of Lifelines

"Thy Kingdom Come is a scary, prescient thriller that confronts us all with the very real possibility of an attack on the U.S. from the inside instead of the out. Don Helin's taut tale of one brave man confronting white supremists with plans to outdo 9/11 is reminiscent of the best work of Stephen Hunter and Vince Flynn. Terrific in all respects." ~Jon Land, best-selling author of A Walk In The Darkness

Finding Success in Writing

From the dearth of how-to articles and books on writing, it would appear some writers have identified the Holy Grail of writing: how to find success. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against how-to books. My shelves are packed with them. But they will not do the grueling work of writing your story – only you can do that.
James Bonnet’s The Real Key to a Writer’s Success pinpoints several key factors in attaining success as a writer: a special knowledge, a serious commitment, dedication, a thick skin, and lots of hard work. The first can be overcome with research, which I love to do. Research can take as much time as actual writing, and is key to including authenticating details in your story. The rest require self-discipline.
Before all of that must come a great love of story. Carole Lee Dean states, in Your Mind is the Key to Your Success, that believing in oneself is critical. Not just believing, but visualizing your success after the fact. The old Field of Dreams theory, but instead of making one baseball field on which others gather to play, you have the ability to create endless worlds for readers to visit.
In order to get to that place in your mind where you are secure in dreaming your own success into being, you must first know yourself. Sound silly? Not really. As Howard M. Gluss says in The Writer's True Self and Success, “What you want out of life will, in return, create and nurture your sense of self.” He’s provided several sets of questions to help you delve deeper into what your true goals are, and strengthen your resolve in the face of the ever-elusive “success.” As many a writer can tell you, having success with one book doesn’t ensure success forever. In fact, publishers can be tougher on second-time novelists if the first book’s sales underperform.
While some writers may find limited success in “writing to the market,” the better tack is to write the story only you can write.
Michael Lent shares his story of overcoming personal obstacles in Be the Writer You Want to Be Now. Although his article is aimed at screenwriters, the main thrust – believing in yourself – rings true with any writer. Read Marilyn Beker’s Dare to Dream – Write Anyway! if you need more of a pep talk.
Don’t allow yourself to be led by dreams of success. Write for the love of story, as only you can tell it.