Lynn Hallbrooks

Biography

Lynn Hallbrooks partnered with David McKoy to create the Call Sign: Wrecking Crew series of books. These books were published under the Call Sign Wrecking Crew, LLC umbrella. After David McKoy passed away, Lynn continued writing books. All the books are now available again on Smashwords through their partnership with Draft2Digital.

"Writing words that help others" is the 5-word elevator pitch that Lynn uses to describe what she's been doing since becoming an author.

Smashwords Interview

When did you first start writing?
I first started writing when I was in High School. I would write poetry and short stories for fun, as in not for school assignments. I showed some of my work to a friend once, he must have really liked it because I still haven't seen it to this day. I learned right then always keep the original - make copies and give them to people.

I first started writing professionally in December 2009 with another friend, David McKoy, we published our first book in 2011 and the sequel was published in 2013.
What is your writing process?
David McKoy is very old-school, he uses pen and paper. The ideas roll from his head and get written down as fast as he can manage it. Overall he is a pantser - does not know how to do an outline. He gives me the hand written work and my job is to type it up.

I type it up in rough draft - what he put. Then I do a rough draft of how I would word things. I send that to him. He reviews it and from there we go back and forth.

Recently we added a couple of beta readers to the mix. That helped us fix some sections that we didn't realize had gaps.

Then we have someone read over for typos and such. Hopefully I put the right version in for publishing. :)
Read more of this interview.

Where to find Lynn Hallbrooks online

Books

This member has not published any books.

Lynn Hallbrooks' favorite authors on Smashwords

Smashwords book reviews by Lynn Hallbrooks

  • The Santa Shop on Nov. 07, 2011

    Tim Greaton's book, The Santa Shop, was given to me by a really good friend. It is one of those books that has a mix of emotions. The reader is given an inside look at the main character's inner most thoughts. As the story unfolds, I kept wondering what is the connection between the first and subsequent chapters. It isn't until the very end that all the pieces fall together. I personally love the book and I hope that others will love it as well.
  • Recall! Return of the IRR on Aug. 04, 2012

    A word or two of caution, this book is for mature audiences especially those of a military mindset. The book is autobiographical. It sheds light on the author and his background. I never read Doug DePew's first book, SAT & BAF! Memories of a Tower Rat, but I plan on doing so as I think it would give me the reader a better perspective of Mr. DePew's previous military journey. I thoroughly enjoyed Recall! Return of the IRR. I could plainly visualize the events as they were unfolding. I'm former U.S. Air Force so it wasn't difficult to do. In addition, I was a dependent spouse to an U.S. Army Reservists who participated in Operation Desert Storm. So the book took on a more personal feel as it progressed. The book has many humorous parts. I was reminded of the movie 'Stripes' in some parts but you'll have to read the book to understand why.
  • The Family Is Made : Part 1 (Thuggin In Miami) on Aug. 21, 2012

    Rich Kid and his "family of street warriors" suffer losses and gains both in members and in business. Disclosure: Ristrict Publishing & Co allowed me the opportunity to read this book after I commented that I like crime fiction. After reading some of it, I discovered it was different than other crime fiction books I've read. You see, the view point is from the members of the "family" as opposed to law enforcement. Due to this fact, there is mention of drugs; sexual situations; violent acts, and coarse language throughout the story. The characters and dialogue used are believable. The action is well paced. Despite my unease in reading this type of book, the ending left me wanting to read the next book in the series.
  • Game 7: Dead Ball on Nov. 05, 2013

    I've loved baseball and reading mystery books since I was a child. It is so rare that I get to combine the two. I don't recall seeing a category Baseball mystery but if there is one this belongs in that category. Marshall Connors is an umpire who worked his way up through the ranks. So when his mentor taps him for the position of Chief Umpire for the World Series he is stunned and honored. When his best friends are involved, his world is rocked - not necessarily in a good way. The story alternated between omniscient and first person. In this particular story it works well together. I have put the other two books in this series on my wish to read list. If you love mysteries and baseball this is a winning combination that I highly recommend.
  • Lust, Money & Murder - Books 1, 2 & 3 on Dec. 10, 2013

    After reading the first book, Lust, I felt compelled to read more thus I purchased the complete set here on Smashwords. I wasn't disappointed. Elaine Brogan's father tried to protect her from reality. But reality found a way to ruin her family and toss her into the fray. Her intelligence and beauty get her only so far. In some ways the character, Elaine, is portrayed as naive and a person who doesn't catch on as quickly as I would have thought she should have. Maybe deep down she knew but didn't want to believe what was happening to her. Either way the vulnerability plays a vital role in moving the story forward. Overall I loved the trilogy.
  • Melody Jackson v. The Woman in White It Happened on Lafayette Street (Season One - Book One) on Feb. 24, 2016

    This is a mixture of Young Adult, Mystery, and Paranormal genres. Melody Jackson has a few phobias but looking into mysteries isn't one of them. When faced with an unusual occurrence happening across the street from her house, Melody decides to do something about it, at first she tries to get the building taken down. When her parents get involved they come up some other solutions. I love the interaction between Melody and her parents. It is funny, sweet, and so much like what I experienced with my children. I also love that the parents took enough interest in what Melody was doing to help her when she was going a bit over the deep end with her ideas. Disclaimer: I was provided a copy as part of a book discussion/review group.
  • Melody Jackson v. the Hound from Hell It happened on Lafayette Street (Season One - Book Two) on May 22, 2016

    This is a Paranormal Mystery. While Melody's much younger second cousin visits, there are sounds coming from across the street. Are the two events related? Melody's reaction to her parents make me laugh sometimes. She is a bit more intelligent and somewhat mature for her age. Warning: There are some scenes that may be scary for young readers. Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
  • Catching Onix on April 19, 2017

    A sweet short story that shares about Grace and her son Finn. I loved how as a mother, Grace has to balance between wanting to keep her son safe and allowing him a social life. It isn't an easy task.
  • The Verona Exchange: A Rainee Allen Mystery on Aug. 14, 2018

    Reader's note: This is the second book in a series. If you haven't done so I highly recommend you read the first one, The Golden Peacock, beforehand. That said, if you are sensitive to violence as well as adult language and situations, then perhaps these are not the books for you. Rainee Allen is one determined lady especially when you threaten her family. I could so relate to how Rainee was feeling and I just had to see how things unfolded. I would like to think that I would have the same grit and determination if my maternal "hackles" were raised.