Interview with David B. McKinney     David, why write a book at this time in your life?   Early in my management career, all my reading tended to be non-fiction.  I thought that if I wasn’t learning something while I was reading, it was a waste of time.  Ten or so years ago, I picked up a book my wife was reading and fell back in love with reading.  As a child, I read all the time.  After a few years, I began thinking about writing my own novel and as a challenge to myself, wrote Crane Creek.   Where did you get the idea for Crane Creek?   I had decided the general direction I wanted to head with a story.  Six or seven years ago, my brother-in-law invited me to travel from Overland Park, Kansas, to Crane, Missouri, to fly fish in a small stream.  He told me the fish would be hard to catch and they were.  In fact, I didn’t even get a strike.  My brother-in-law caught a few.  While I was wading the stream, I began to envision that as the setting for my book.   How long did it take to finish the novel?   From start to finish, six years.  I actually came straight home from my trip to Crane and wrote the first eighty or so pages.  I got busy and put it down.  The issue with writing is trying to put together a block of hours.  When you’re trying to hold a job and raise children, it’s hard to do.  A couple of years ago, my brother-in-law got very ill.  During the last year or so of his life, all he had the strength to do was read.  He encouraged me to finish the book, as did my daughters.  Unfortunately, I did not complete it before his death.  I regret that to this day.  The book is dedicated to him.   You mentioned your daughters, tell us about your family?   I have a wonderful wife and two wonderful daughters.  My wife and I have been married for over thirty years.  She’s a saint.  My oldest daughter, Ashley, attended Kansas State University graduating with her degree in Elementary Education.  She then attended the University of Kansas where she received her Masters in Special Education. Ashely married Ryan Seeger.  Ryan is a US Marine and they are currently stationed in California.   My youngest daughter, Courtney, graduated from Kansas State with her degree in Family Studies.  She married Andrew Hoelscher.  They live and work the family farm in central Kansas.    I have been blessed with a wonderful family!   Crane Creek is void of sex scenes, although there were opportunities to include them.  Why didn’t you?   At the end of the day, I wanted to write a book that my children could read.  I don’t believe that a novel has to be full of bad words and sex to have a story that people will read.  Who we are is reflected in what we do, what we say, and how we treat people.  If I lose sales because those things are missing, so be it.  I can live with that.     Are you planning on writing other novels?   I am currently working on a novel.  I believe the title will be J.R. Steele.  It is written for both adults and teenagers.  It is a story about a young man, his relationship with his father, and his search for life answers, primarily God.  The story follows J.R. through his high school years, his first love, and his life purpose.  I am excited about completing this novel.   Are any sequels planned for Crane Creek?   I’m considering bringing back a couple of the characters from Crane Creek in my next project.  I won’t tell you which ones.  You’ll have to guess.   Who are your favorite authors?   I really enjoy Stuart Woods, John Grisham, and Robert Ludlum.  They are excellent storytellers.  Not only do I read their works, I try to learn from them as well.