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Buy:  Times of Trouble: an End Times thriller novel

Thirty years in the future, the U.S. government has turned into a tyranny as the EPA and TSA grow with ever more power.

Brian, the main character, tells his story from first person point of view. His work with the FBI involves mostly cyber terrorism and actual cases of potential real world terrorism. Eventually, his wife gives birth to their third child, who has Down’s Syndrome, which does not please the U.S. Health Administration because there are rules and regulations set-up in cases like these to prevent “genetic freaks” as they like to call them, from sucking up a lot of Health Admin money. Because the Atwoods are born again Christians, they never considered aborting the baby, so now the Health people have to take him away to deal with the problem later.

Meanwhile, the Secret Service decides to recruit Brian to be the personal agent of the President of the United States, David Collins, due to his great work stopping a terrorist plot that would’ve involved Offutt Air Force Base. Brian’s faith is tested every day as he deals with a man that has no morals from what Brian can see, and is tested even more when his wife finds out that she’s dying from a fast growing form of breast cancer. Trouble in the rest of the world pits the U.S. against Israel as that country attempts to defend itself from attack.

When the re-election of Collins doesn’t turn out the way he wanted it, he and his people declare the election nullified because of supposed “irregularities” with the ballots. Collins claims that the new President-elect may take the seat sometime in the middle of next year, if everything looks to be sorted out. Collins purges his staff of what he considers unloyal people, including Brian. At the same time, Brian loses his wife, but regains the son he thought he had lost.

Brian moves back to his family home in Nebraska, where we follow what happens as the country slowly falls apart. Events play out as Brian and his family sees the End Times approach.

1. Thanks for being my guest, Cliff.  Can you tell us where are you from?

I’m originally from the Phoenix area. Lived in Apache Junction, Chandler, and Mesa. Family moved back and forth between Amarillo, TX and the Phoenix area, so part of elementary school I was in Arizona then Texas then back in Arizona. Graduated from Mountain View High in Mesa. Family moved back to Texas after I graduated and I’ve lived in Texas now 20 years straight.

2. Wow!  I know all about the Phoenix metro area, having lived here the last 15 years myself.  When and why did you begin writing? 

I discovered I liked to write when I was about 10 years old. My parents made sure I was well read, so I read a couple of books that I liked, and wanted to be like the authors who wrote the books.

3. How many books have you written? Which is your favorite? 

I’ve written six. I would have to say my current novel, Times of Trouble, is my favorite. The reason is, is that I felt inspired to write it and I felt as if God was guiding me to write it.

4. What is the most challenging part of being an indie author? The most rewarding? 

The most challenging part of being an indie author, I think, is the marketing and promoting part of it, especially when you’re doing it by yourself. The most rewarding is being able to instantly see if I’m having any kind of affect on my sales when I do have promotions and how many people were willing to buy my novel.

5. As an indie author, what would you say to a potential reader who has never read anything from an indie author? 

Give us all a chance. I have read a lot of amazing work by indie authors in the last year or so. I’ve noticed the quality of traditionally published work going downhill in the last few years, which is a shame. There are quite a few indie authors out there who do it all themselves and don’t need a team of publicists, editors, agents, or whatever to make their work shine.

6. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? 

Probably the most challenging is writing dialogue that doesn’t look wooden and flows naturally.

7. Can you share a little of your current work with us? 

I’m currently working on an indirect sequel to Times of Trouble. A Preacher and his family live in Arizona and their church has shrunk down to 30 people, mostly retirees, and then the song leader decides to take his family to Wyoming to live in a community of Christians who decide to wait for the Rapture. In the meantime, the President orders small church congregations to be rounded up first and have them sent to FEMA Camps. The President decides he doesn’t like the results of the Election, so has it nullified, then orders DHS to round up the slightly larger churches.  The family tries to survive until Christ’s Return.

8. How much of the book is realistic?

I tried to write what a future Health Administration might look like. I have them purge society of “genetic freaks.” So when the Atwoods, the family in the novel, have a son with Down’s Syndrome because they don’t believe in abortion, the Health Administration takes him to deal with the boy later. I try to project how much power the TSA and EPA have in the future of this novel. The TSA not only rules the air now, in the novel, they also limit travel by car. I even have rumors in the novel about the UN and the EPA taking land from people in the Prairies so the land can go back to its native-ness. I even have the President nullify the elections due to ballot issues and forces one of the candidates for President to stop running by coming up with charges of adultery and bribery.

Cliff Ball lives in Texas, but was born in Arizona, is a born again Christian and a Baptist. Cliff has a BA in English, is currently pursuing a 2nd BA and a Technical Writing Certificate, and quite possibly an MA in Technical Communications. In high school, Cliff wrote a short story that won 3rd in a young adult religious magazine that he submitted through his Creative Writing class. Currently, Cliff has published six novels and two more short stories.

Visit Cliff at his website:  http://www.cliffball.net/ or on Twitter.