About Me

Richard B. Gartrell is author of The Tensions of a Promise, a faith-based romance novel (his newest project) and the Homicide Detective John Francis Kelly Series, a detective mystery series (silver medal, “series” finalist, Next Generation Indie 2022 International Book Awards). He’s a former tourism marketing chief executive, college professor and college administrator and author of numerous professional articles and a tourism industry textbook. With bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communications from San Francisco State University and doctoral studies in communications at the University of Nebraska, he began his creative writing career in 2014 with his detective series and more recently, short stories and a romance novel. Enjoying retirement at 84, he and his wife live on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington State.  Connect with me through my readers list. Follow me on social media, and if you have read one of my books and enjoyed it please leave me a review on Amazon. 

Each book has a different murder or series of murders. I leave it to the medical examiner to be explicit, if necessary. Not realizing it initially, several of the books carry social messages aligning intertwined in the murders. It gave me an opportunity to express, through Kelly and his colleagues, information and perceptions about homelessness, PTSD, white supremacy, and abuse.

My characters became like friends. Kelly, a macho Army MP turned detective, shows moments of brilliance along with streaks of romanticism. Yes, he’s a cop but madly in love with his former high school sweetheart. He’s close with his partners, Bob Conway, and later Frankie Glover. He’s very close with his Sergeant, Matthew Ivan Troy, and just loves it when he’s called to his office by a growling voice. Sherlock, his first name Randy, unlocks computer systems to give Kelly answers he needs. Dr. Caitlin Ward, a forensic psychologist, likewise gives Kelly and his team explanations behind criminal behaviors. He’s got a Chief who respects his investigative talents.

Each book is self-contained, but readers of the full series will be rewarded with foreshadowing of future books and references to activities from previous books. 

Enjoy!

In my first romance novel; "The Tensions of a Promise", meet Darci and Robbie.  Fall in love with them as they struggle with love, searching for love and then loosing it unexpectantly, recognizing feelings that change their life, and following Gods plan and not their own desires. 

I began creative writing nearly eleven (11) years ago. I was 73 then. Today at 84, I’m still writing. Before that, during my professional career, I wrote many marketing academic and trade articles plus a destination marketing textbook for the convention and visitors industry. To awaken to another style of writing has been fun and challenging.

Developing a plot and creating believable characters has been an insightful journey. Homicide Detective John Francis Kelly was a fun character to bring to life as were his companions. Many fell in love with one of my characters, an IT person, Sherlock. Many wrote to me and expressed their distress with what happened to him in book three. The Kelly series is just that, a series, so each book has a relationship with the others. Kelly takes on incredible investigations and confronts the raw side of our society in each of his cases: brutal drug cartel, PTSD, homelessness, white supremacy, abuse and incest, and radical destructive politics.

In my new adventure, the romance novel; "The Tensions of a Promise". it's giving you, the reader, a story that captures your heart as two protagonists struggle with love, searching for it, losing it unexpectantly, and recognizing its dramatic feeling that changes their perspective on life. This was a new exploration of a side of me I longed to tap into. I am a romantic at heart and writing this novel has been a wonderful journey. Seeing the characters jumping to life int he pages was exhilarating. The nature of romance novels cab ne varied with explicit scenes; but I have not taken that route. Instead, it's a faith-based romance where two individuals struggle with their own desires and intent versus what God is planning for their lives. 

In all my books, they remain true to my belief that good writing does not have to contain graphic scenes to be entertaining.

So, what do I do next? I write to keep my brain sharp. I am writing for pleasure. I write for you, the reader, with the hopes you will like what I write. Writing is a gift to be shared. May you enjoy my novels and short stories.

~ Rich ~

P.S. Romance novel II is underway and expected to be released in late summer.