Meet Dustin H. Austin, author of 'Child of Two: Journeys Begin'

Dustin H. Austin is the author of the highly-rated book 'Child of Two: Journeys Begin.' Here, he lets us get to know him, his characters, and his book a little bit better.

Have a question for Dustin? Leave it in the comments below!

What was the inspiration behind this book?

The inspiration behind this book deals with that of my own inner demons I deal with when it comes to religion. Regardless of my beliefs I wanted to encourage readers to believe in something positive and make them ponder about real world events from a science fiction point of view.

Which character spoke to you the most?

I would have to say the main character Tash. I imagine everyone has a little Tash in them for dealing with life. As humans, we all undergo some form of internal struggle inside of us. Tash's constant fight with himself and his beliefs throughout the book is a key point. He has to figure out who and what he is before it's too late.

Like most people when they are young and in high school, it had been a challenge to figure out who they were. I know people today who still don't understand who they are and I still find myself question who I really am on an occasions. I just think that's human nature to do, and it's okay.

What is one of your favorite scenes?

Chapters 22 “Camping” and 23 “Galliths” were my favorite parts of the book. Amanda admits her love to Tash here, and she shows Tash and Ryder she can have fun. In those two chapters, you see the strengths of those three characters.

If you could live as one of the characters in your book, which one would you choose and why?

I would have to say Ryder. Ryder's an easy going individual with an incredible sense of humor. He’s not afraid to say what he’s thinking, but he’s also compassionate and loyal. Honestly, I created Ryder just for that reason. I wanted humor, friendship and someone Tash could rely on and I consider without Ryder, there would be no "Child of Two."

The paranormal genre is a highly competitive one. How does your book stand out compared to the others?

My book “Child of Two” brings some real world issues into light. It action and adventure in it along with love and romance with humor. The book can make you look at things differently in the world. Most people don’t even notice these things are going happening today. People are more worried about money than they are about their fellow human beings and planet.

I wanted to make this book fun not only for young adults but also for all kinds of readers. Everything from your “Harry potter” readers to your “Twilight” fans.

Will there be a sequel to this book? If so, when can we expect to see it?

Yes, I’m happy to say. I actually had continued writing the book before I released this one. The next book will be call “Book of Symbols.” I believe there will be at least three books in this series. “Book of Symbols” should be out no later than August of this year.

Are you working on any other projects?

Yes, besides working on “Book of Symbols” I’m writing two other books at this time. One is a horror book and the other is another science fiction book that takes place in the future after a third world war. I’ve also been considering writing another book on dog training that teaches someone how to train a “Cadaver dog” to go along with my “Drug Detection” training book I wrote “A Training Guide on Drug Detection K9's: It's cheaper than you think.”

Please tell us about your other publications.

I wrote a book called; “A Training Guide on Drug Detection K9's: It's cheaper than you think.” You can find it at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MGGDTFO

My background in law enforcement dealt with police canines and I felt this had been a perfect opportunity for me to share my knowledge with the world.

You used to work in law enforcement. How do you feel this impacts your writing?

To be honest it has been a little more difficult for me because of that. All my writing in the past has been on a factual basis/technical using quotes and precise locations and measurements. But it has also given me the opportunity to think more “outside the box” because of my training. We are taught to consider all possible aspects and the behaviors of individuals. How to react during certain situations and how normal people would react to the same situations.

I’ve had to change up how I write but I find it invigorating doing this though. Instead of writing my standard eight pages DUII report, now I can write a four hundred page book about something completely made up. Before, I only said what I could remember of the incident or what I had been told. Now however I can put something down on paper and later if I don’t like it I can change it. This is the ultimate freedom a person can have in my opinion.

How does your family support you and your writing?

My family has been very supportive in my writing. They understand I enjoy writing and actually encourage me to keep writing. My wife has been chastising me to hurry up and finish “Book of Symbols” so she can find out what happens next.

Authors love to support authors. Who else should we be reading?

One of my favorite authors is Denise Grover Swank. I give her credit for me starting my own writing career. She was an inspiration not only because I like her books but because of her background. She has six kids and still finds time to write. That’s incredible and downright near a miracle because I have three and I can barely deal with them.

What are you reading right now? What was the last book you read? What is next on your TBR pile?

I’m currently reading “Bellmere Common” by Mark Steen. The last book I read was “Sacrifice” by Denise Grover Swank. The next book I intend to read is “Redemption” by Denise Grover Swank.

When not writing, what can we find you doing?

When I’m not writing you can find me spending time with my two youngest children, well their not young anymore, and spending time with our animals. My daughter and I do what we can to help out the stray animals around where we live. All the money earned from my “Drug Detection Training” book goes to helping the stray animals. We try to find them homes, get them medical attention if needed and spayed or neutered. Because of some medical issues I have I’m limited on what I can and can’t do so it’s nice having my daughter around to help me.

What is something readers may be surprised to learn about you?

Because of my background in law enforcement and being a drug detection K9 officer people are surprised that I support the legalization of marijuana.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Is there any groups that help support new authors and their books? If so where can a list of these groups be obtained.

Thank you for your time!

Book blurb-

Tash is an Awkward eighteen year old boy who was born with an unusual birthmark. Over the course of one terrifying night, he gets to find out exactly what "Child of Two" means.

Tash and his best friend Ryder's lives get turned upside down. They spend the night fighting demons, the law, a secret society and a mad man. All Tash and Ryder have to help them in their conquest is a written letter from his mother, which instructs them to travel halfway across the country to find a man that Tash has never met.

Follow Tash and his fun-loving companion Ryder on their journey. Tash falls in love for the first time and discovers many new things about himself in this coming of age fantasy novel with paranormal romance story lines.

Tash and Ryder find out that many things in this world are not what they appear to be. They meet secret soldiers whose main purpose is to hunt down and fight demons. Can Tash and Ryder stay one step ahead of the demons? Can they find this mystery man before it's too late?)

Buy it on Amazon

Dustin H. Austin, a former police officer, is enjoying life with his retired K9 partner “Timmy.” His passion is helping animals and spending quality time with his Wife and their three children. Dustin and his family live in Texas.

Follow Dustin:

Amazon Author Page

Twitter: @author_dustin 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChildofTwoJourneysBegin?ref=hl