Article and Interview by Elise Cooper
Never Miss is Melissa Koslin’s debut book. If her future novels are anything like this one, she has a long career as a romance suspense novelist. The story has a unique premise in that the heroine is a female sniper who worked for the CIA. The other piece of the story is a man-made virus used as a weapon. Although readers might have fatigue having gone through Covid-19, the essence of this plot is finding those who want to unleash the deadly biological weapon, not the weapon itself.
Readers are introduced to the heroine, Kadance Tolle, who is on the run. Having been a part of a family of assassins she no longer wants that job, but her family has other ideas. While in her car she notices a glint from across the street. Realizing someone is trying to kill some stange man, Lyndon Vaile, she risks her own life and pushes him away from the bullet. Despite the danger she feels compelled to help Lyndon discover why and who is after him.
Kadance finds out that he has three doctorates and has researched how the Ebola virus is man-made (sound familiar?) and can be weaponized. Unfortunately, someone doesn’t want his discovery to come to light, making Lyndon the ultimate target. They decide to work together to stop the mastermind behind the attack and save as many people as possible. Kadance and Lyndon are being stalked, pursued, watched, and targeted as they make their way across the country to stop a disastrous event.
Blending science and intrigue into an intense action-packed story will keep readers on the edge of their seats. But there is also humor, thanks to a Maine Coon cat named Mac that offers a welcome relief from the riveting plot. This first attempt by Koslin was hit out of the park.
Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the story?
Melissa Koslin: I wanted to write about a female sniper, and I also stumbled over the Ebola Virus prevalent in the 1970s. It can be a very crippling disease. I thought, what if this is man-made? The story evolved from there. It is relevant today with a virus that we are going through. But I want to emphasize this story was in the publisher’s hands before the whole pandemic even hit.
EC: How did being a sniper affect the heroine, Kadance?
MK: In some things she is super wise, while with other things she is super sheltered. Her family has isolated her. She has a unique family in that they all are assassins. Because she is a marksman and a CIA operative, she has deceptive skills.
EC: What about her personality?
MK: She is a loner, someone who strives to achieve justice. Kadance is very observant, keeps everyone at a distance, a control-freak, and is sometimes judgmental, but she is also kind.
EC: Do you have a knowledge of guns?
MK: I do have a rifle and am a fourth-degree black belt, a certified instructor of Songahm Taekwondo. My rifle is a 1022 so I know a little bit about shooting. Luckily, I have a friend who was a Marine Sniper. After I researched everything myself, I asked him to check for reality. He changed the type of rifle Kadance used as a sniper. Based on the distance she was able to shoot he told me what gun to use, a Tac 50. I also had her use a different rifle, a Remington 798, at the shooting range because she wanted to avoid attention.
EC: How would you describe Lyndon?
MK: Analytical and logical yet cannot lie. He can recognize the difference in behavior but doesn’t understand the emotions behind it. Lyndon has a photographic memory. He has three doctorates, in Microbiology, Pathology, and Epidemiology, plus a master’s in cyber security. Besides being a genius and a scientist, he has a strong faith.
EC: What about the relationship?
MK: They have an unusual alliance because they are so opposite in so many ways. These are two people who have different backgrounds, different philosophies on life, and different faiths, yet they come together. The defer to the other’s strengths. Over time, they have come to respect and trust each other.
EC: Why the Black Sabbath music?
MK: I like this music, so I put it in the story. Lyndon, this nerdy strait-laced boring guy likes to listen to heavy metal music, even blasting it.
EC: What about the cat Mac?
MK: He is a Maine Coon cat and is based on my cat. They are very dog like. The only difference is my Mac is a sort of a wuss because he is so sheltered. The book Mac is a lot braver since he was an alley cat. They are both very smart. If they had thumbs, they could open doors. I told my husband we can never have door handles, only doorknobs.
EC: What about your next book?
MK: I would like to write more about Kadance’s backstory. Her handler is someone of note. But my next book, out in the fall of 2022, is about a woman running from human trafficking. To stay in this country, she marries someone who helps her.
EC: THANK YOU!!
