David's book The Shooting Salvationist, appeared twice on the Wall Street Journal Bestseller list in 2011. This story has been republished (2019) titled, Apparent Danger.

Screenplays based on two of his novels, CAMELOT'S COUSIN and JACK & DICK, are currently being represented for production in Hollywood.

His forthcoming book, JFK’S GHOST: Kennedy, Sorensen, and the Making of Profiles in Courage will be released by Lyon’s Press in June.

David grew up in the Detroit, Michigan area and has been an ordained minister for more than 40 years. Now retired from pastoral ministry, he writes full-time. 

Good day David and thanks for taking part in our interview.

Thanks for the invite, Norm…

Norm: How did you get started in writing? What keeps you going?

David: As a minister for more than 40 years, writing has always been part of my work. But about 15 years ago I started writing articles––book reviews, etc. And immediately knew that I wanted to write my own books.

I love working with words and the research, too. Now, retired from the pastorate, I can’t imagine just sitting around and doing nothing. So I am writing full time. Both as a ghostwriter and crafting my own books. 

Norm: Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books? 

David: Each book is different, however, one common theme is that I enjoy finding stories from history that have been overlooked or under-reported. Or, as is the case with JFK’S GHOST,  a story that is well-known, but has never had a book-length treatment.

For fiction, I like to start with a true-life mystery and go from there, like when I found myself curious as to why Lyndon Johnson didn’t attend Winston Churchill’s funeral. That led to my book, THE CHURCHILL FUNERAL PLOT. 

Norm: What helps you focus when you write? 

David: I have a great “writing room.” I have had a great office wherever we’ve lived.

Norm: What has been the best part about being published?  

David: Being published seems impress people far beyond what it really means. It is nice, though, seeing one of your books in a bookstore, or even a library. ☺

Norm: What do you see as the influences on your writing? 

David: The most significant influence is my reading. I usually read 10 or so books per month. I used to have a 7,000 book library, but that was pre-retirement, when I had the room for that many books.

These days, my library is around 1,000 books. Francis Bacon said: “Reading maketh a full man; Writing maketh an exact man.” 

Norm: Do you write more by logic or intuition, or some combination of the two? Please summarize your writing process.  

David: I think intuition plays more of a role than logic. The best ideas come as I am writing, they are part of the flow.. 

Norm: Can you share a little of JFK’S GHOST: Kennedy, Sorensen, and the Making of Profiles in Courage with us? 

David: The story of the writing, publication, popular reception, of Senator John F. Kennedy’s Pulitzer Prize winning book, Profiles in Courage, is in many ways a window into the era of all things Camelot to come.

Kennedy’s rise to the pinnacle of political power after World War II is a compelling story of ambition, wealth, skill, and a measure of cunning.

He was prone to sickness—near death on a few occasions—yet he won the White House in 1960 with an image of youthful and vibrant energy. He brought erudition, charm, wit, and charisma to the presidency in ways never before seen.

Not long after Profiles in Courage was released rumors began to circulate that Kennedy had not actually written the book, and that sales figures were being manipulated to ensure the book’s longevity on bestseller lists.

If the rumors were proven to be true, and there was a genuine charge of fraud, all of Kennedy’s hopes and dreams, as well as those of his die hard circle of admirers and boosters––not to mention his father––would come to nothing.

In the book, I track the rumors down and give the facts. It’s really the definitive account of the story. 

Norm: What was the time-line between the time you decided to write your book and publication? What were the major events along the way?  

David: When I begin to work some as a ghostwriter, I read about several famous ghostwritten works from history. I came across the story of the “controversy” about Kennedy’s book.  And the idea for my book came along quickly. 

I developed a book proposal and found a new agent (Leticia Gomez) and she found Rowman & Littlefield/Lyon’s Press – they offered a contract and advance and I wrote the book in about six months. 

Norm: What did you know going in about the subject matter of your book?

David: I knew that there were significant questions about Ted Sorensen’s role in the creation of Kennedy’s book. However, I didn’t know if there was anything definitive “out there.” 

Norm: What served as the primary inspiration for the book? As a follow up, what were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them? 

David: The idea of writing the definitive book on the subject was, itself, quite inspiring. My goal was and is to tell the story. Simple as that. No political agenda. Just follow the evidence wherever it leads. And, yes, I feel like I achieved my goal and the larger purpose for writing it. 

Norm: What was one of the most surprising things you learned in writing your book?  

David: I learned much more about John F. Kennedy’s health issues than I ever knew before, and these issues played into the story of the writing of Profiles in Courage. 

Norm: Where can our readers find out more about you and JFK’S GHOST: Kennedy, Sorensen, and the Making of Profiles in Courage?

David: My personal WEBSITE

Norm: What do your plans for future projects include? 

David: I am currently researching a book about the personal relationships between John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon. 

Norm: As this interview comes to an end, if you could invite three authors (alive or dead) to your dinner table, who would they be and why?

David: Winston Churchill, because he was a writer before and after he was a politician. David McCullough, because I LOVE his books. And Willi Manchester, because of his skill at research 

Norm: Thanks once again and good luck with all of your endeavors