Ken Fite

I just got back from the annual writer’s conference that I go to at St. Pete Beach and had a blast as usual. It was great seeing so many familiar faces. I got so much out of the break out sessions, too. But I’ve learned over the years that where you learn the most is in the side conversations… in the lobby, at the tiki bar, at dinner. Tips and tricks we share with each other on how to take our writing to the next level. Things that I know are going to transform my writing and my author business.

One of my good friends, R.J. Patterson (pictured above, left) writes thrillers similar to mine. This photo was taken before dinner on the last nite. While I like to tout that I’ve written eleven novels, R.J. likes to remind me that he’s written 100. If you’ve never read one of R.J.’s novels, give one a try. Click here to check out his books on Amazon.com.

I left St. Pete Beach with so much inspiration, so many memories, and so many ideas—I can’t wait to work my to do list and get started to see what I can do in the next year.

A quick update on my writing: I got started on a new series centered around Jami Davis, a prequel of sorts, set in the Blake Jordan universe a few years before the events of THE SENATOR. As I mentioned in last month’s newsletter, I’m going to try writing in a different genre for this story, writing this one as a psychological thriller. While I’m a little nervous about it, I think writing a different kind of story is going to help me grow as a writer after close to ten years of only writing political thrillers.

And because I still love that series, I’m also planning a new Blake Jordan next year, alternating between the two whenever I get stuck. I’m excited to see how it goes!

I’ll share an update on my progress next month. I hope you have a great October! -Ken

Well, school is back in session. Our boys are now in 8th and 11th grades and started at a new school this year. We’re sad that summer’s over but glad to be getting closer to the ‘ber months. In a few weeks I’ll be headed to the annual writer’s conference at St. Pete Beach and meeting up with my author friends. I think this is year #7 going to it.

I’m still toying with writing a series around Jami and have spent the last month doing research. What’s exciting—and a little scary—is that I’m thinking of switching genres slightly if I’m going to do it. Sure, I could write a political thriller like the Jordan novels. But I’m leaning towards a psychological thriller for Jami’s story. I think that’ll push me to try something different and the change could help me become a better writer. There are a ton of authors who write similar books at the conference so I’m excited to pick their brains so that if I write the book I make the story the best that it can be for Jami.

In case you missed it: I’m excited to share that my new release, PRIME SUSPECT, is out now in paperback! This was was a fun book to write, taking Blake Jordan back to where it all started in the first book in the series—at DDC, Chicago—working alongside Morgan, Chris, Jami, and a new character I’ve introduced, Allie Hunt. It’s about a relentless pursuit of truth in the face of danger, deception, and a web of lies. I hope it keeps you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last. I know you’ll love it.

I’m excited to share that my new release, PRIME SUSPECT, is out now in paperback! As always, the first copy in print is sitting in my office along with the rest of the series, and I’m thrilled to announce that your copy is ready for you to pick up and read, too.

PRIME SUSPECT was a fun book to write, taking Blake Jordan back to where it all started in the first book in the series—at DDC, Chicago—working alongside Morgan, Chris, Jami, and a new character I’ve introduced, Allie Hunt. It’s about a relentless pursuit of truth in the face of danger, deception, and a web of lies. I hope it keeps you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last. I know you’re going to love it.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me. Your support means the world to me. As the summer winds down and the back-to-school rush kicks in, I’m taking some time to reflect and decide which writing project I’ll take on next. I have a few ideas that I’m really excited about! Whether you’re diving into PRIME SUSPECT during these final days of summer or pushing toward your own goals, I hope you find the strength to finish whatever it is you’ve started and keep moving forward, one step at a time. -Ken

We’re quickly approaching one of my favorite times of the year—Independence Day. Around this time, I like to take a step back to reflect on the year so far. So many of us set goals on January 1st, but few pause halfway through to ask: How’s it really going?

Are the goals you set in motion coming together? Did you lose the weight? Write the book? Start the business? Chase the dream you told yourself you’d go after this year?

Maybe you haven’t accomplished everything you planned. That’s okay. This moment isn’t just about reflection—it’s an opportunity. A reset. A do-over. The second half of the year is still unwritten. But it requires a mindset shift. We have to believe it’s possible.

It reminds me of a story about a man named Nicholas Sitzman. He worked on refrigerated boxcars in a train yard many years ago. One day, after his coworkers left, he accidentally got locked inside a freezer car. He screamed, he pounded on the walls—but no one heard him.

As the hours passed, Sitzman used a knife to carve messages into the wooden walls:

I’m becoming colder…
Still colder now…
Nothing to do but wait.
These may be my last words.

By morning, his coworkers found his lifeless body. He’d died of hypothermia.

But here’s the part that always sticks with me: the freezer car wasn’t on. It had no power. While the temperature dropped overnight, it wasn’t cold enough to kill him.

Sitzman didn’t die from the cold.
He died from what he believed was happening to him.

Our minds are powerful. What we tell ourselves, we start to believe.

So what are you telling yourself? That you’ll never lose the weight? Never write your book? That you haven’t made any progress so far this year—and probably never will?

The stories we tell ourselves matter. They shape how we act—and who we become.

So let’s change the narrative. Let’s focus on what is possible. Not that the year is halfway over—but that we have a full second half to become who we’re meant to be.

Let’s hit July with momentum. Let’s put in the work and make the kind of progress we’ll be proud of when the year comes to a close and we look back at the impact we made.

We’ve still got half a year left.

Let’s make it count. -Ken

In case you missed it, PRIME SUSPECT, Blake Jordan #11, is out now! In this story, I introduced a new character, an ambitious federal agent named Allie Hunt, and had a blast writing the story, although it took a very long time to write it. I’m planning on making a few changes to my daily routine which should help me write a little faster.

Click here to pick up the book on Kindle if you haven’t already. For those asking about the paperback, it should be out by the end of June. I’ll let you know when it’s available.

On a personal note, the boys are out of school, so we’re in full on summer mode at the Fite household. We’re making plans for the summer, including a trip to the local water park, where we always enjoy the lazy river and getting some much needed R&R.

The launch of my new book is nearing the 30-day window so next month I’ll start planning the next story I’ll work on. I’m still deciding if I want to work on book #12 in the Blake Jordan series—or if I want to first write a book #1 in a new series in the same universe, maybe centered around Jami or possibly around my new character Allie Hunt. I’ve had an idea about a 4-book prequel that leads into THE SENATOR where we could see Jami’s story before she meets Blake and starts working at DDC Chicago.

What do you think? What do you want first? Feel free to reply with your thoughts. -Ken

Just a quick update this month—I’m about a week away from sending the final manuscript for Blake Jordan #11 to my editor. She’ll need another week or two to work her magic, then the book will be yours to enjoy. I’m so excited for you to read this story! I had a blast writing it and I really think you’re going to love where I’ve taken the series.

In the coming days, I’ll be sharing the cover reveal with you, along with the title for the new book, so be on the lookout for that. My plan is to start working on a new story in March. We’re taking a trip up to the mountains with the kids for spring break, so that’ll be the perfect time to relax, brainstorm new ideas, and start writing the next one. -Ken

I hope you had a great holiday season. I sure did! For the first time in many years, I decided to spend more time with my family instead of spending hours wrapping up the final touches on my new book. And I’m so glad I did. I really enjoyed the quality time with my boys and am thrilled to announce that I’m halfway done with the final draft of Blake Jordan #11 and should have more details to share with you in the coming weeks.

January is an interesting month. I’ve heard it referred to, jokingly, as a ‘free trial month.’ That’s because many who decide on January first to reach a big goal usually abandon that goal within the first 31 days. Go to any gym on February first and see for yourself.

But why do they fail? And why would they give up so easily?

I think it’s because their focus was wrong. They want to lose 30 pounds. They want to write a novel. They want to do big things but don’t see immediate progress so they convince themselves it was an impossible goal to begin with. In a way, they are right…

But in a way they were wrong. Because we should aim for big goals… goals that scare us and goals that stretch us. Goals that improve us through hard work and dedication.

It’s not the goal that’s the problem. It’s what we focus on that can easily derail us.

The people in the gym didn’t miss their goal. They just focused on losing 30 pounds in 2025 instead of narrowing their focus to losing two and a half pounds a month for a year. And those who gave up writing a novel didn’t miss their goal. They just got overwhelmed by the enormity of the project instead of what they had to do this month.

Tomorrow is February first. The free trial of January is over. It’s our chance to reconsider our goals and dreams for the year and change the part we focus on. -Ken

I love New Year’s Eve… not only because it’s my wife Missy’s birthday, but it also marks the end of the year and the start of something new (which we’re all ready for).

For the last few years, December has been a busy month with my new releases. But this year I decided to defer the new release to January-ish and spend more time with family. And I’m so glad I did. I’ve really enjoyed being able to fully enjoy the holidays.

But December is also when I like to reach out to my readers to ask a few questions…

What do you love about the Blake Jordan series? What do you want to read more of? Last year’s survey responses were so helpful to me. Like TV shows that listen to their fans, your feedback helped me write a story this past year that many of you loved.

Would you please take a moment to complete this year’s reader survey?

I consider your input invaluable to help me write the best stories possible for you in 2025… and you’ll enjoy many hours of reading in return. It’ll be quick, I promise!

Just click here and give me your thoughts. Thank you so much. -Ken

Writing can be such a rollercoaster sometimes. It’s so interesting to me how I can go days, weeks, sometimes months without adding many words, then, out of nowhere, it’s like the floodgates open. Sometimes, I think of it like a wave coming in from the ocean. If you time it right, you can catch the wave at just the right time and ride it a long ways.

On that note, I finished the first draft of my new novel this month, and I’m halfway through the second draft, so I’m making great progress and riding the wave as far as I can. But while I see a clear path to the finish line, I’ve decided I should take my time with it. Because the greatest gift you can give someone this holiday season is your time, and when my kids want to spend time with me, I want to be able to tell them yes.

When my oldest wants to play basketball with me, I want to say yes.

And when my youngest wants to throw the football, I want to say yes.

When the family wants to spend time together watching a movie, I want to say yes.

One day, the house won’t be so noisy. One day, the boys won’t want any of my time. They’ll be all grown up, too cool to hang out with dad. These moments will all be gone.

But the books will always be there, waiting on me to write.

This holiday season, ask yourself if the things you think are urgent really are so. As much as I want to get this new book out, I don’t want to miss the important things that happen at home, either. Spend time with the people you care about while you can. Because one day, when you look up from your busy life, they won’t be there anymore.

Make no mistake—I have big goals, and I’m still dead set on making them a reality. And I’m going to get this new book out as soon as I can. But not sooner than I have to.

Because it’s important to keep our eyes and hearts open to finding the moments that matter. And when they happen, we need to be there. Have a great December. -Ken

Happy Halloween! Tonight I’ll be taking my kids trick or treating and I can’t wait. I’m especially looking forward to collecting Dad Tax after they fall asleep tonight. The current tax rate is at 15% (inflation, baby), so we should all make out pretty good.

The boys are getting so big. With one being sixteen and the other twelve, I wonder how many more Halloweens they’ll be dressing up for. My oldest will be a basketball player, sporting Michael Jordan’s number 23 on his jersey, and my youngest will be a sumo wrestler. It’s so funny seeing him wear the outfit. It fills with air and expands so big lol!

I made a lot of progress on the new book this month, adding over 16,000 words in October, and should have a major update to share with you in next month’s newsletter.

One thing I’ve been trying to do better at lately is improving my mindset when it comes to writing. A few weeks ago I came across a post online that had the following words:

Laziness kills ambition

Anger kills wisdom

Fear kills dreams

Ego kills growth

Jealousy kills peace

Doubt kills confidence

These are all truths I think we can agree on. These are all things that make sense. When it comes to writing books, many of these things apply. Sometimes, okay often, I do feel lazy for not writing fast enough. I do fear I won’t see my dreams come true. And I do get a little jealous of author friends of mine who can crank out a book in a month, effortlessly, like it’s no big deal, and do it over and over again. I let the doubts creep in.

Now scroll back up and read those sentences again.

This time from right to left.

Aren’t those things also true? If you focus on the right part of the sentence first?

Sometimes when you change the way you look at things the things you look at change.

Have a great November. -Ken