Novelists can create unique works of art, from extreme circumstances to enjoyable moments. Like any other form of artwork, writing exceptional novels requires thousands of hours of practice and disciplined effort for anybody headed toward success. Many aspiring authors are overwhelmed by the prospect of writing a new original novel because the massive undertaking can be frightening.
A thriller is similar to a mystery but with several key distinctions. By definition, thrillers are fast-paced narratives filled with conflict, tension, suspense, surprising turns, and high stakes. Every scene is designed to move the plot rapidly forward and put the characters to the test while keeping the readers turning those pages constantly. Readers are taken on a roller coaster journey and kept on the edge of their seats. When we discuss thriller novels, it's important to examine writers who work at their craft, constantly upgrading the level of storytelling. J. Luke Bennecke is one such novelist, a prominent thriller writer who has never disappointed his readers. He has made his name by writing interesting, exciting, plot-driven stories with complex characters.
Bennecke began his working career as a student assistant at the University of Nevada, Reno, in 1991, where he designed and built an ADA ramp and hydraulic fountain/recirculation system for an architectural centerpiece of the campus, Manzanita Lake. While attending UNR, he took his first creative writing class. He fell in love with the entire process, thanks, in part, to an enthusiastic and supportive professor. He then worked for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) until being laid off as part of Governor Pete Wilson's Reduction in Force program. Bennecke quickly landed a job working for the County of San Bernardino Transportation Department, where he spent three years writing planning and engineering reports to improve Southern California freeways, before returning to Caltrans as a Project Engineer. He designed the Ayala Interchange as part of Segment 9 of the new I-210 highway near Rialto, California.
Bennecke founded his real estate firm in 2002 after passing the California Real Estate Broker's exam. He assisted homeowners in buying, selling, and financing residential properties. He soon left Caltrans and founded a real estate firm that employed up to 75 realtors and loan officers, which he sold in 2006 before dedicating two years to designing and constructing his dream estate in Cherry Valley, California. After completing his home, the 2008 financial crisis hit and led to the Great Recession, when Bennecke came out of retirement and returned to civil engineering, where he began working as executive vice president at a new company, Southstar Engineering and Consulting, Inc. While helping to run Southstar, he worked as a full-time consultant Project Manager for Caltrans District 8, where he delivered over a dozen freeway interchanges in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, along with the I-15 Joint Port Of Entry project near the Nevada border.
Bennecke and his wife created Red Apple Reading in January 2011, and he became the CEO, working part-time to help (as of 2023) over 65,000 children in 38 countries learn to read American English.
Yearly, Bennecke and his wife enjoy their philanthropic work by interviewing and granting scholarships to high school students at his alma mater, San Gorgonio High School, in Highland, California. Bennecke says he is grateful to live during such an exciting time in human history and believes giving back is a terrific way of showing how grateful he is to be alive and part of such a great country, one that provided him the opportunities to work hard and become successful.
He began writing as a thriller novelist in 2015. He has written two screenplays and five novels, including his Amazon bestseller Civil Terror: Gridlock. Waterborne, his second Jake Bendel thriller and an Amazon bestseller, was released by Black Rose Writing in 2021.
Bennecke is a licensed general contractor, holds the prestigious Project Management Professional designation, is a principal at Southstar Engineering, and enjoys occasional flights as a private pilot. He and his wife continue to live in Southern California, where he has two adult daughters and three cats. In his spare time, Bennecke enjoys traveling, playing drums, reading, learning about cutting-edge technology, golfing, and catching up with his grown daughters. He is a member of International Thriller Writers and looks forward to ThrillerFest in New York every year.
Bennecke has always supported science and technology and seems keen on worldwide tech innovations. He supports self-driving cars due to their role in increased safety and efficiency in resolving traffic congestion. He suggests that these cars can potentially improve lane capacity by at least 500%, which could nearly eliminate all traffic congestion. However, a lack of technology to prevent would-be hackers from breaking in and taking control of automobiles will likely stall widespread roll-out efforts to capitalize on the benefits of self-driving cars fully.
Moving forward into the future requires optimism for the advantages that lie ahead, but also keeping a sharp lookout for potential threats like terrorist attacks or hackers seizing control of vehicles.
Bennecke's Achievements as a Writer
A competent writer should be well-versed in discussing their chosen topic, be aware of their target audience, and create relevant content. Such writers create quality material that follows a logical sequence of events. Writers like Bennecke develop a style and a "voice" that their readers enjoy and praise. For his novel, Waterborne, Bennecke was presented with the American Fiction Award and was a nominee in the Thriller: Techno category in 2022. Waterborne also won first place in the 2022 BestThrillers.com Book Awards for Best Medical Thriller and third place in the 2022 BookFest Awards for Technothrillers.
Thriller novelists are often artistic people who excel at creativity, innovation, and the ability to thrive in environments that allow interesting exposures. J. Luke Bennecke has proven himself gifted with a creative imagination for seeing potential futures. His stories have paved a unique way forward for writers and readers alike.
