Q: When did you begin writing your political thriller, Outfoxed?
I began writing the novel about six years ago, but the work began in earnest during the height of the pandemic. During this time, I developed a disciplined writing program, where I write roughly 500 words per day, five days per week.
Q: Will there be a series for Inspector William Fox, or no?
Absolutely! I am working on the next book in the series of Outfoxed. Inspector William Fox, the protagonist, and several of the main characters who appeared in the first book will be embroiled in another action adventure with a twist of international spy craft. My first novel covered the political intrigue in China, and this one will cover North and South Korea. Over the next four years, I will be writing four more William Fox adventures.
Q: What themes will readers find inside Outfoxed?
I am very interested in current events, especially in the global political arena. I threaded real life events and issues from both the past and the present into my story. For example, in Outfoxed there is an in-depth exploration of Chinese government politics with a focus on the chairman of the communist party and the repressive environment in China. I spent a great deal of research on this subject and believe this
added credibility to the story and provided an interesting read for my audience. This subject of Chinese espionage is quite relevant today if you consider the recent spy balloon shot down by US fighter jets and this underlies the current of conflict which continues between China and North America.
Another example is the rich history of the Chinese Admiral Zheng He. In the late Gavin Menzies’ novel, 1421; The Year China Discovered the World, he presented that Admiral Zheng He may have reached the Americas before Christopher Columbus. This prompted me to wonder, What if Zheng He arrived on the shores of Nova Scotia, and what if, he left treasure behind?
Q: How did you go from operating a dental supply business and writing articles for the dental industry to writing action-packed political thrillers?
Although, I was used to writing techno-clinical articles for the dental profession I promised myself that once I retired, I would try my hand at fiction writing. I knew it was going to be a big jump for me to switch to fiction, so I took a variety of courses in the art of fiction writing to get myself prepared.
The seeds for the idea of Outfoxed began years ago during a trip to Pelee Island where I was inspired by a real-life RCMP undercover agent. He was working to bust up the Al Capone’s Purple Gang of Detroit who were rum running between Canada and the US. In real life, his boat was ripped in half by a US Coast Guard cutter.
In my fictional story, this is William’s grandfather. While aboard, the Louis St. Laurent, he related this story to Jimmy, who asked, “Did he make it?” to which William replied, “Well, I am here, aren’t I? He swam to shore, eventually met my grandmother, and was reassigned to Montreal.”
Q: Which characters from your novel did you have the most fun in creating?
By far it was William Fox, my protagonist, however, I enjoyed creating Tracy Jordan, William’s love interest, as well as William’s partner, Patrick Reilly. These are my main characters, however, a delightful surprise to me as a writer, was the character, Ren Bo. He is a young and idealistic Chinese intelligence officer from the Strategic Support Force who was recruited by Guan Yin, the Minister of State Security.
Although exposed to many corrupted elements in the Chinese government, he remains uncompromised and holds himself to a high moral standard. In many ways, Ren Bo is a mirror image of William Fox.
Q: What is your main protagonist, Inspector William Fox like?
William Fox is an RCMP officer, thirty-two years old and handsome in a rugged way. He has balanced features, brown hair, and is intelligent and calm under pressure. His coworkers respect him because he is direct and to the point, but he does go off script, which frustrates his commanding officer.
This very trait is the one that has the Canadian Intelligence community impressed with his skills. He has a background in forensic accounting and is adept at martial arts. During his teenage years, his father was ambassador to South Korea. On a day trip to the market in Seoul, his younger brother Jamey was attacked by a street gang. William, being only sixteen, did not have the skills to protect his brother.
Never wanting to feel powerless again, he asked to learn Taekwondo. Skills which have proved invaluable his entire life. The incident which left his brother crippled and, in a wheelchair, still haunts and troubles William. It is also his strength as he has a strong sense of justice which motivated him to become a police officer.
Q: Describe your writing style using three words.
Accurate. Bold. Concise.
Q: Where can readers find you and your books online?
I can be found online at https://peterthomaspontsa.com/ and on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/InspectorWilliamFoxAdventureSeries
https://www.facebook.com/peterthomaspontsa
https://twitter.com/PeterTPontsa
https://www.instagram.com/peterthomaspontsa/
https://www.pinterest.ca/PeterThomasPontsa/
Outfoxed can be ordered online through Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo Store, Google Play, Friesen Press Online Bookstore or order direct.
Author Bio:
During the years Peter Thomas Pontsa operated his dental supply business, he shared his knowledge writing dental articles which appeared in many dental journals. He was president of the College of Dental Technologists of Ontario, where he helped develop the quality assurance program and was an associate publisher for a denturist magazine. He is an avid British sports car enthusiast and while president of the Headwaters British Car Club, wrote numerous stories about cars in the club’s newsletter, “British Driven.” Peter spent two seasons racing with Jagged Edgers Motorsports and is a
student of Taekwondo and holds a second degree blackbelt. He belongs to the Wordsmiths and is a member of the Crime Writers of Canada. Peter Pontsa lives in Loretto, Ontario, with his wife, Angela, and their orange tabby, Mr. Tee, where he combines his passions—British cars and writing.
Urban Book Reviews 