CHRISTOPHER NULL

John David is a friend and colleague whose debut novel, The Bystander, hits shelves next week. When not talking about contronyms and grabbing fish out of the ocean with his bare hands, John’s a crack PR guy by day, long-form writer by night. Book two in his series is already slated for next May. Get to know John a bit better as he runs the gauntlet of Introducing the Author.

Who are you, and what do you write about?

My name is John David, and for purposes of this exercise, I write “ripped from the headlines” mystery novels. I also authored a business book that was published a few years back, and I write a ton of marketing and PR copy in my day job as a consultant and crisis communications expert. I live in Pinecrest, Florida, have been married for 27 years to the lovely Pamela, and have two adult-ish children.

What is your favorite word?

I have always loved whipsaw. Lately, though, I have been fascinated by contronyms. What are contronyms you ask? They are words that have more than one meaning that are seemingly opposite. Dust, for example. You can sprinkle dust on something, but then you remove it by dusting. Sanction is another. You can approve an activity by sanctioning it. Or you can prevent something by sanctioning it. Overlook… I won’t bore you any further.

What is your least favorite word?

Facilitate, followed closely by empower.

What is the trait you most like about yourself?

I have confidence in my abilities, particularly when it comes to writing. I had never written any fiction before I wrote my debut novel. I believed I could do it, and that made the difference.

What is the trait you least like about yourself?

That I feed off deadline pressure.

What is your greatest fear?

The authorial answer would be “the blank page,” but it’s actually Ebola and monkeys. I read The Hot Zone, in 1994, which talked about our planet’s vulnerability to a mass outbreak of the Ebola virus, and it scared the crap out of me. Because of that, I always hustled past the monkey exhibits when I took my kids to the zoo.

How do other people describe you?

“David!?! He owes me money!”

I hope: clever and good-natured.

What talent would you most like to have?

I wish I could draw. I think it would be great to be able to draw like a cartoonist, for example. I could do storyboards. And then I would also have good penmanship. The ideas just flow.

If you weren’t working as a writer, what would you be doing?

I have been a public relations consultant my entire career. It’s my first calling.

How would you like to die?

Peacefully and with my wits about me.

If you were to die and then come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?

A dolphin. Near the top of the marine food chain. They can echolocate. And they are one of the only other mammals that have sex recreationally. I think they have it made.

When and where were you happiest?

In my kitchen with my family, no matter what the meal.

What is your greatest regret?

I think I could have benefited from an advanced degree of some kind, but it would probably take an advanced degree to figure it out.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I’m a pretty happy guy, but I have always hated being bald.

Who is your fictional hero?

Indiana Jones.

Who are your favorite writers?

Carl Hiaasen, Richard Osman, Catherine Steadman, T.J. Newman, Anthony Horowitz.

What have you been working on lately?

My debut novel, The Bystander, releases on September 24, 2025. It has received some great early reviews and even earned a couple of awards. I think it’s pretty good and have been hustling to build a readership.

Find John on his website or on Instagram, and check out The Bystander at Amazon!

Want to be the next thriller writer profiled on the blog? Email me here!