About Author

Martin Roy Hill

Martin Roy Hill
BIOGRAPHY

Martin Roy Hill has led an eclectic life. Soldier, sailor, journalist . . . well, not a spy, but he has written about them.

Martin joined the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve when he was 19, the same year he sold his first published piece to Reader's Digest. He spent a total of 13 years as a Coastguardsman, in two tours, involved in small boat search and rescue, emergency medical response, port security, and maritime law enforcement.

In between those tours, he served in a counter-insurgency unit in the U.S. Navy Reserve. After a final stint of Coast Guard active duty following the 9/11 attacks, Martin was offered a commission as a medical service corps officer in a component of the California National Guard, where he trained combat medics for Iraq and Afghanistan. Later, Martin converted to the military police, retiring in 2016 as a major and executive officer of an MP unit.

Martin also served as a wilderness medic and operations sergeant with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department Wilderness Search and Rescue Detail, where he was cross trained as a tactical (SWAT) medic. Martin also spent several years as a medic and security specialist with a federal Disaster Medical Assistance Team.

Martin received a bachelor's degree in journalism from CSU Dominguez Hills, and spent more than 20 years as a writer and editor for newspapers and magazines. His investigative reporting earned him numerous journalism honors, including two William Allen White Awards. His stories were included in three of the Investigative Reporters and Editors' annual compilations of the best investigative reporting. He also worked as a freelance correspondent for LIFE and Newsweek.

After serving on active duty following the 9/11 attacks, Martin switched careers, becoming a U.S. Navy analyst in combat casualty care. He retired in 2018 to write full-time.

Between his military, public safety, and journalism careers, Martin experienced many adventures. In the Coast Guard, he participated in dozens of rescues, chased Russian spy ships and smugglers, protected dignitaries, and once was nearly lost at sea in a storm. In the Navy, he was assigned to liaison with a USCG patrol boat during war games, and ended up participating in what at the time was the largest drug bust in U.S. history.

He's been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane, and once followed a migrant trail from the U.S. into Mexico (at that country's request) to locate the remains of a woman who died along the trail so the smuggler leading her group could be prosecuted for her death. As a journalist, he covered disasters, air crashes, wild fires, as well as national and international leaders.

Martin's freelance credits include Reader's Digest, LIFE, Newsweek, Omni, American History, Writer’s Digest, Coast Guard Magazine, Retired Officer Magazine, The Compass, Aviation History, Mother Jones, the Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times Sunday Opinion, and Travel sections, and many more. He was a lead contributor to the 1995 WWII anthology, "From Pearl Harbor to Nagasaki: America at War," published by the Retired Officer Association, and a contributor to the 2013 American Civil War anthology "Gettysburg: Three Days that Saved the United States," published by I-5 Publishing.

Martin's background plays a significant role in his writing, which many reviewers have noted has a sense of realism not often found in fiction. His first book, DUTY, a collection of short stories centered around national service, was named the 2012 Best Short Story Anthology/Collection by the San Diego Book Awards Association. His novel, The Butcher's Bill, was named the 2017 Best Suspense/Thriller Novel by the Best Indie Book Awards, and received the 2017 Clue Award for best thriller from the Chanticleer International Book Awards.

Besides his novels, Martin's short stories have appeared in such publications as Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, ALT HIST: The Journal of Historical Fiction and Alternative History, Mystery Weekly Magazine, Crimson Streets, Nebula Rift, Devolution Z, and others.

Martin is a professional member of the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers.

Martin Roy Hill's Books

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Book
$3.99 kindle Free with KUeBook,
Upriver (The Linus Schag, NCIS, Thrillers Book 3)by Martin Roy HillPublish: Oct 01, 2022Series: The Linus Schag, NCIS, ThrillersCrime Fiction Thriller Suspense Mystery
$3.99 kindleeBook,
Codename Parsifal: A WWII Thrillerby Martin Roy HillPublish: Sep 04, 2023Thriller Action & Adventure
Chimera Island
$3.99 kindle Free with KUeBook,
Chimera Islandby Martin Roy HillPublish: Nov 01, 2021Thriller Suspense
The Fourth Rising (Peter Brandt Thrillers Book 3)
$3.99 kindle Free with KUeBook, Paperback, Audio,
The Fourth Rising (Peter Brandt Thrillers Book 3)by Martin Roy HillPublish: May 10, 2020Series: The Peter Brandt ThrillersCrime Fiction Historical Mystery Thriller Suspense Mystery
Duty: Suspense and Mystery Stories from the Cold War and Beyond
$2.99 kindleeBook, Paperback,
Duty: Suspense and Mystery Stories from the Cold War and Beyondby Martin HillPublish: Aug 13, 2012Crime Fiction Suspense Mystery Supernatural Suspense
WAR STORIES: Tales of Courage, Leadership, Blunders, and SNAFUs
$3.99 kindleeBook,
WAR STORIES: Tales of Courage, Leadership, Blunders, and SNAFUsby Martin Roy HillPublish: Sep 10, 2018History
Polar Melt: A Novel
$3.99 kindleeBook, Paperback, Audio,
Polar Melt: A Novelby MARTIN ROY HILLPublish: Dec 30, 2018Thriller Suspense Science Fiction
The Killing Depths (The Linus Schag, NCIS, Thrillers Book 1)
$3.99 kindleeBook, Paperback, Audio,
The Killing Depths (The Linus Schag, NCIS, Thrillers Book 1)by Martin Roy HillPublish: Nov 24, 2012Series: The Linus Schag, NCIS, ThrillersCrime Fiction Thriller Suspense Mystery
The Butcher's Bill (The Linus Schag, NCIS, Thrillers Book 2)
$3.91 kindleeBook, Paperback,
The Butcher's Bill (The Linus Schag, NCIS, Thrillers Book 2)by Martin Roy HillPublish: Jun 30, 2017Series: The Linus Schag, NCIS, ThrillersCrime Fiction Thriller Suspense Mystery
The Last Refuge
$4.79 kindleeBook, Paperback, Audio,
The Last Refugeby Martin Roy HillPublish: Feb 29, 2016Series: The Peter Brandt ThrillersCrime Fiction Thriller Suspense Mystery
Eden: A Sci-Fi Novella
$3.59 kindleeBook, Paperback, Audio,
Eden: A Sci-Fi Novellaby Martin Roy HillPublish: Nov 15, 2014Science Fiction
Empty Places
$3.99 kindleeBook, Paperback, Audio,
Empty Placesby Martin Roy HillPublish: Oct 12, 2013Series: The Peter Brandt ThrillersCrime Fiction Thriller Suspense Mystery

Martin Roy Hill's Series in Order

It's exciting to find a book series to follow! Discover the whole new world of book series created by Martin Roy Hill.
** Also, there might be other book series by Martin Roy Hill not listed on AllAuthor.

  • The Linus Schag, NCIS, Thrillers

    1 The Killing Depths (The Linus Schag, NCIS, Thrillers Book 1) - Published on Nov, 20122 The Butcher's Bill (The Linus Schag, NCIS, Thrillers Book 2) - Published on Jun, 20173 Upriver (The Linus Schag, NCIS, Thrillers Book 3) - Published on Oct, 2022
  • The Peter Brandt Thrillers

    1 Empty Places - Published on Oct, 20132 The Last Refuge - Published on Feb, 20163 The Fourth Rising (Peter Brandt Thrillers Book 3) - Published on May, 2020

Martin Roy Hill's Awards and Achievements

    Martin Roy Hill has earned excellence awards over time. Here is the glimpse of the accolades clinched by the author.

  • Best Crime Thriller
    2021

    The Fourth Rising (Peter Brandt Thrillers Book 3)

    award
  • Best Mystery - Best Independent Book Awards
    2020

    The Fourth Rising (Peter Brandt Thrillers Book 3)

    award
  • Clue Award - Suspense Chanticleer International Book Awards
    2020

    The Fourth Rising (Peter Brandt Thrillers Book 3)

    award
  • Readers' Favorite Book Award -Thrillers (Silver Medal)
    2018

    The Butcher's Bill (The Linus Schag, NCIS, Thrillers Book 2)

    award
  • Winner, Adult Fiction, California Author Project
    2018

    The Butcher's Bill (The Linus Schag, NCIS, Thrillers Book 2)

    award
  • Best Indie Books Award -Thrillers
    2017

    The Butcher's Bill (The Linus Schag, NCIS, Thrillers Book 2)

    award
  • Clue Award for Best Suspense/Thriller (Chanticleer International Book Awards).
    2017

    The Butcher's Bill (The Linus Schag, NCIS, Thrillers Book 2)

    award
  • Best Short Story Collection
    2012

    Duty: Suspense and Mystery Stories from the Cold War and Beyond

    award

Martin Roy Hill Interview On 30, Jun 2018

"Author Martin Roy Hill grew up in Rodendo Beach, southern California and has been living there except his military service. Having worked as a sailor, a journalist, a soldier, and a writer and says that there were aspects of each job that he enjoyed very much but however, still misses being a kid and the long summer vacations.
As an experienced Investigative Journalist, Martin believes that patience is the key to be successful in life, and especially in the job. Saying that his life is more interesting in hearing than in living, Martin admits that it has had a lot of impact on his writing with instances of it used in various books.

Martin feels that he is very lucky to have a family who supports and inspires his writing and is currently working on a Military sci-fi thriller called ‘Polar Melt’ which should be out sometime this year."
Where were you born and brought up?

I grew up in Redondo Beach, a small community south of Los Angeles. With the exception of military service, I've been a Southern California resident all my life.

How would you describe your childhood while growing up? What is your favorite childhood memory?

Long, lazy summer vacations. Boy, I miss those.

You’ve worked so many jobs — a sailor, soldier, a journalist, and a writer. If you had to pick a favorite, which would it be?

That's hard to say. There are aspects of each I enjoyed very much. I enjoyed the adventure of small boat search and rescue in the U.S. Coast Guard. Being a police reporter for a daily newspaper was very exciting, and being an investigative journalist was fulfilling. But as in all things in life, there were accompanying frustrations, too. After a while, most things become boring, and you move along.

You worked for 20 years as a writer and editor for newspapers and magazines. What was the most challenging part of your job as a journalist?

Trying not to become too cynical about people. People will tell you one thing, and then deny they said it later on. As an investigative journalist, I always recorded my interviews and keep copious notes. I also relied heavily on documents. The Freedom of Information Act is a reporter's best friend.

The work you have done in investigative journalism has won you many awards and appreciation. According to you, what are the qualities one needs to be a successful investigative journalist?

Patience. Too often wannabe investigative reporters rush to publication with only a partly formed story. As in good police work, you need to follow up on each piece of information, confirm it with other sources, and nail it down hard.

You spent 13 years working as a coast-guardsman. What was the best experience you had in that job?

Saving lives. Most of my Coast Guard time was with the reserves. I've taken part in many rescues, but most of those did not involve situations that were immediately life-threatening to the people seeking assistance. Only twice in those 13 years did I take part in rescuing people who, had we not arrived when we did, probably would have perished. Both those rescues involved two people.

You have had a rather exciting life — chasing Russian spy ships and smugglers, jumping out of a plane, covering disasters and air crashes, etc. — almost like that of a book hero. How much influence have these had on your stories and writing?

Let's get something straight — I'm no hero. And all that stuff sounds more exciting in the telling than in the living.

Yet it does influence my writing. The opening piece in my short story collection, DUTY, describes the experience of jumping out of an airplane. That was based on my experience when I went through jump training in the 1970s. Another story in the same book was inspired by what I knew about drug smugglers from my time with the Coast Guard. The climactic scene in my thriller, Empty Places, in which Peter Brandt is nearly swept away by flood waters, is based on my own experience covering floods as a journalist. I was standing on the bank of a rain-swollen river when the bank started crumbling beneath me. If my photographer had noticed and warned me, I probably wouldn't be doing this interview right now.

Who all are a part of your family? How supportive have they been of your career choices?

I've been lucky. When I determined to be a writer in my teens, both my mother and father were very supportive. I dedicated my book DUTY to them. My late father-in-law Robert Wade — a well-known mystery writer himself — helped me with my first two novels. I dedicated Empty Places to Bob.

My wife, Winke, grew up in the publishing industry and she serves as one of my two editors. Our son, Brandon, is working on being a playwright himself. You joined the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve when you were very young — at the age of 19.

Do you think you missed out on anything because of work, which other people your age enjoyed?

Not at all. It not only helped me grow up, it gave me some great experiences you would never get any other way.

Which is the best fan mail you have ever received?

It wasn't a fan letter, but my favorite story is when Brandon send me a text telling me the guy sitting across from him on the bus was reading my novel The Killing Depths. It was the first time I actually realized I had readers.

Your first book, DUTY was awarded the 2012 Best Short Story Anthology/Collection by the San Diego Book Awards Association and your novel, The Butcher's Bill, was named the 2017 Best Suspense/Thriller Novel by the Best Indie Book Awards and received the 2017 Clue Award for best thriller. How does such appreciation make you feel? How does it inspire you to write better?

It's great to get recognition, but sometimes it's hard to believe. When the San Diego Books Awards announced DUTY as the winner at their awards ceremony, it just didn't register in my brain. My wife had to nudge me and say, "They're calling your name!" When I was notified by email of the two awards for The Butcher's Bill, I had to have Winke read them to make sure they said what I thought they said.

The Linus Schag series is a brave and bold thriller series. Apart from writing the genre, do you also enjoy reading it? Which is your favorite book in the genre?

You need to read the genre you write in, so, yes, I read a lot of thrillers. Actually, should say I listen to a lot of thrillers since I listen to audiobooks during my commute. Some of my favorite writers are David Morrell, James Rollins, Bob Mayer, and Jack Higgins. Of course, there are also the late-greats like John D. MacDonald, Alister McLean, and Ian Fleming.

You are a professional member of organizations like Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. What do you learn from them and how do you incorporate it in your writing?

One of most important things professional membership in these organizations gives a writer is credibility, since you need to reach a certain level in your career before you can be granted full membership. It also provides a chance to network with other authors, both in person and virtually over the Internet. It also provides learning opportunities to improve your writing. The San Diego chapter of Sisters in Crime is very active, with talks by established authors or experts in law enforcement every month, and an annual day-long writing conference. I also regularly take part in the ITW's weekly Thriller Roundtable in which authors discuss various topics dealing with the art of writing.

What’s the next project you are working on? What is your inspiration behind it?

My latest book should be out sometime this year. It's a military sci-fi thriller called Polar Melt and, as you might guess from the title, deals with the disappearing Arctic ice cap due to global climate change. A special Coast Guard team links the disappearance of an Arctic research ship's entire crew to a Russian oil platform and the mysterious energy source that lies below it.

Where were you born and brought up?

I grew up in Redondo Beach, a small community south of Los Angeles. With the exception of military service, I've been a Southern California resident all my life.

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