Andrew G. Nelson was born and raised in the Richmond Hill section of New York City and graduated from the State University of New York. In 2005 he retired as a sergeant from the NYPD after twenty years of service.
He has traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe, something that he draws from in his writing. When he is not reading or writing he can be found engaging in his other passion, collecting and researching police and WWII military memorabilia. He is currently researching the history of the cloth insignia of the famed New York City Police Department, Emergency Service Unit.
He and his wife Nancy have four children and they currently reside in central Illinois with their Irish Wolfhound.
He is the author of Perfect Pawn and the sequel, Queen's Gambit, the second in the James Maguire series.
BBB: What inspired you to become an author?
AGN: Actually the road to becoming an author started with a bet. Back around 2000 my wife and I were having a discussion about books, as we are both avid readers. She said that she believed that it would be hard to do and I disagreed. Having spent much of my law enforcement career writing investigative reports I felt that it was just a matter of ‘painting a picture’ with words. She made a bet with me that I couldn’t do it and I wrote her a brief story. She was shocked when she read it and repeatedly asked me to continue it. Then 9/11 happened and our world was thrown into a tailspin. Tack on some other issues and my retirement and I never got around to it. Then in 2012 she finally broke me and I began writing again, based on the original story concept I had started a decade earlier.
He has traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe, something that he draws from in his writing. When he is not reading or writing he can be found engaging in his other passion, collecting and researching police and WWII military memorabilia. He is currently researching the history of the cloth insignia of the famed New York City Police Department, Emergency Service Unit.
He and his wife Nancy have four children and they currently reside in central Illinois with their Irish Wolfhound.
He is the author of Perfect Pawn and the sequel, Queen's Gambit, the second in the James Maguire series.
BBB: What inspired you to become an author?
AGN: Actually the road to becoming an author started with a bet. Back around 2000 my wife and I were having a discussion about books, as we are both avid readers. She said that she believed that it would be hard to do and I disagreed. Having spent much of my law enforcement career writing investigative reports I felt that it was just a matter of ‘painting a picture’ with words. She made a bet with me that I couldn’t do it and I wrote her a brief story. She was shocked when she read it and repeatedly asked me to continue it. Then 9/11 happened and our world was thrown into a tailspin. Tack on some other issues and my retirement and I never got around to it. Then in 2012 she finally broke me and I began writing again, based on the original story concept I had started a decade earlier.
BBB: What books have your written?
AGN: So far I have two books published: Perfect Pawn and the sequel, Queen’s Gambit. Both are in the mystery / suspense genre and feature a retired NYPD detective named James Maguire. I have a third, which is a standalone book titled Small Town Secrets that will be out later this month (August 2014). This one is also a mystery / suspense book and features a new main character named Alex Taylor who was formerly with the NYPD.
BBB: Do you ever get writer's block?
AGN: Not really, I have figured out a way that I think helps to avoid this. At any given time I have about 2-3 works in progress. If I don’t feel the mood of a particular book or I think I am forcing the dialogue, I’ll close it out and work on another. The characters of Maguire and Taylor have such different personalities, that it makes it easy for me. Besides, after twenty-two years in law enforcement, I have a lot of stories and ideas swirling around my brain.
AGN: So far I have two books published: Perfect Pawn and the sequel, Queen’s Gambit. Both are in the mystery / suspense genre and feature a retired NYPD detective named James Maguire. I have a third, which is a standalone book titled Small Town Secrets that will be out later this month (August 2014). This one is also a mystery / suspense book and features a new main character named Alex Taylor who was formerly with the NYPD.
BBB: Do you ever get writer's block?
AGN: Not really, I have figured out a way that I think helps to avoid this. At any given time I have about 2-3 works in progress. If I don’t feel the mood of a particular book or I think I am forcing the dialogue, I’ll close it out and work on another. The characters of Maguire and Taylor have such different personalities, that it makes it easy for me. Besides, after twenty-two years in law enforcement, I have a lot of stories and ideas swirling around my brain.
BBB: What are you currently working on?
AGN: Currently I am working on the third book in the Maguire series. I have about 90k words into it and I expect it to be released sometime in the fall. I also have the outline for the second Alex Taylor novel done and will start that up immediately after.
BBB: How can readers discover more about you and your work?
AGN: Readers can find out more about me and follow the latest news on my books via the following methods:
Web: http://andrewgnelson.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @Andrew_G_Nelson
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Andrew-Nelson/168310343376572
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Andrew-G.-Nelson/e/B00G7T0LTI
Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7377210.Andrew_G_Nelson
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AndrewNelson
AGN: Currently I am working on the third book in the Maguire series. I have about 90k words into it and I expect it to be released sometime in the fall. I also have the outline for the second Alex Taylor novel done and will start that up immediately after.
BBB: How can readers discover more about you and your work?
AGN: Readers can find out more about me and follow the latest news on my books via the following methods:
Web: http://andrewgnelson.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @Andrew_G_Nelson
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Andrew-Nelson/168310343376572
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Andrew-G.-Nelson/e/B00G7T0LTI
Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7377210.Andrew_G_Nelson
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AndrewNelson
