What He Left Behind: Benjamin Bradley on Crafting Mystery and Meaning
Indie Author Insights Featured Author Series
Benjamin is a member of Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. His short fiction has appeared in literary magazines including Reckon Review and Flash Fiction Magazine.
WHAT HE LEFT BEHIND is Benjamin’s upcoming release from CamCat books, due out April 29, 2025. He describes his latest book as a love letter to old friends, intertwined with a small town murder mystery.
In the past, Benjamin worked with an indie press to put out The Shepard & Kelly Mystery Series, which have more of a “cozy tilt.”
Benjamin is also working on his next book!
What do you hope readers will take away from your upcoming book?
The major theme that runs through WHAT HE LEFT BEHIND is the question of legacy and how we impact the people around us. My hope was to put into conflict the perspectives of two types of people. One that left home once they hit adulthood and one that never left. It begged the question how their views of the world (and their hometown) might contrast, particularly while working a case together and burying old conflicts.
What was the most challenging aspect of getting your book published, and how did you overcome it?
Self doubt. Writing is a lonely endeavor if you let it be and it can be so incredibly easy to get lost in your head and let imposter syndrome take the wheel. It’s a universal feeling for authors, but there’s always a sense of “is this anything?” when you generate a first draft. The “Resistance” as Steven Pressfield says, is a powerful force and it nearly led me to shelve this manuscript and walk away. I’m glad I didn’t!
How did you come up with the idea for your book?
For work, I’ve spent the better part of a decade working with individuals experiencing poverty, often in hands-on environments like homeless shelters or food pantries. In those special moments where I get to hear somebody’s story, I found myself thinking about the concept of “home” and how community can drive so much of our lives. Since so many of those conversations happened in western North Carolina, it felt right to set the story there. The rest kind of came together like magic (very slow, meticulous magic!).
What is your favorite genre to read and write?
I’m an avid reader in general, but I tend to pick up titles in the mystery/thriller/crime fiction genre more than others. I’ve really enjoyed books in sci-fi and even romance, but life is a big, complicated mystery, so those titles appeal the most to me.
What is your writing routine, and any specific habits or rituals that have helped you stay productive?
In the past few years, I’ve juggled a few different routines, so often it was just finding time to write that fits my current obligations, whether that’s my day job, home life, or getting outside. My biggest habit is that when inspiration strikes or a certain line/idea pops into my head, I throw it into a NOTES doc on my phone. Whenever I get back to the manuscript, I pull that up and start there.
How do you handle writer's block or moments when you feel creatively stuck?
I find it really helpful to have multiple projects to work on, often in different stages. If I feel stuck drafting a new idea, sometimes it feels good to dive into editing a different manuscript or brainstorming an outline for a new idea. I also think it’s totally okay to walk away from the desk and give it the space it needs. Writing is a muscle, both in the way that you build strength with practice, but also in that sometimes you just flat out need to rest.
What are you working on next?
Thanks to a lot of excitement from early readers of WHAT HE LEFT BEHIND, I’ve been exploring what it might look like to build the story into a series, so I’m pretty deep in the process of working through that. I have another manuscript that I’m putting the finishing touches on that I hope will be in reader’s hands in 2026!
If you could do a book signing anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Torres Del Paine National Park in Patagonia. My wife and I explored this wonderful park on our honeymoon and I would love an excuse to get back!
Where is the most exciting or unusual place you have promoted your book?
I stumbled upon my book for sale in a small book shop in a beach town and I ended up offering to sign their stock on hand. I had no idea it would be there, but what a cool surprise.
What advice do you have for aspiring authors?
There’s a lot of advice out there, it’s important to take it all in, but just as important to find out what works for you. Stephen King doesn’t have the same writing habits or tips as Elizabeth Gilbert. There’s no wrong answer. And you are uniquely qualified to tell a story. It just may take some time to find it.
What do you love about being an author?
Writing gets me out of my head. When I get to step into another world, it’s a unique form of therapy or meditation. I think that’s such an incredible privilege. On top of that, it is wild to talk to readers about stories that once lived in my head.
What do you dislike about being an author?
I’m not totally comfortable in full-on sales mode, so I tend to get shy when it comes time to pitch my book or tell people they should buy it. Being an author, whether it’s self-published or with a major publisher, requires so many different skills that it can be exhausting. But it’s worth it!
What has helped you sell the most books?
Time and persistence. I spent a few years practicing in public, mostly through the The Shepard & Kelly Mystery Series, and that really helped me get a sense of what worked and what didn’t (for me). In that, I built a reader base and a great community of other writers who like to support one another. That’s made all the difference in the world.
What is the most valuable lesson you've learned on your journey as an author that you wish you had known before you started?
What’s the rush? Our manuscripts and stories can feel SO urgent and SO important that we want to share them with the world tomorrow. But the brutal truth of publishing, particularly with publishers and not self-publishing, is that the timelines are long. With that, it can also be really freeing because there is room to let a first draft marinate or rest on a shelf. You have the time, the story will find a home when the time is right.
What is your favorite quote?
“Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.”
― Harper Lee, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
Where can we find you?
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benjaminbradleywrites/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/benjaminbradleybooks/
Newsletter: https://www.readwriteandrun.substack.com
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