On Episode 13 of The Miami Book Hub podcast, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Pinecrest author John David, whose Pete Lamaster thriller series has already begun turning heads well beyond South Florida.
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John is a public relations strategist and crisis communications consultant by day, and—like many of us trying to balance careers, families, and creative dreams—an author by night. His professional background gives him a unique lens through which to write fiction, particularly fiction centered on journalism, media pressure, public narratives, and the dangerous speed at which stories can take on a life of their own.
His first thriller, The Bystander, introduces Pete Lamaster, a television reporter who unexpectedly captures a shocking act of violence on camera. As John described it, Pete is “a happy-go-lucky reporter” covering a festive college football weekend when “there’s an active shooter incident,” and the footage he captures quickly goes viral. An armed bystander is hailed as a hero, but, as John put it perfectly, “everything is not as it seems.”
That premise launches a fast-paced mystery that touches on gun rights, veterans issues, media ethics, and misinformation without, John emphasized, becoming preachy. “I wrote a work of fiction,” he said. “It’s a mystery novel. It’s meant to be fun. It’s meant to be escapist. But when you touch on the issues of the day, it makes it more interesting.”
The Bystander won the 2025 Page Turner Award in the mystery category, was a Storytrade Award finalist, and was named one of the best thrillers of 2025 by BestThrillers.com. His second book, The Pawn, was released this May, and the third installment, The Pretender, is already in developmental editing and scheduled for release in March 2027.
One of the most interesting parts of our conversation was John’s take on journalism in today’s fractured media environment. Pete Lamaster may begin as a more casual local reporter, but over the course of the series, John said, he becomes “a little bit more serious about his craft.” That evolution feels especially timely in a world of social media, commentary masquerading as news, viral clips, AI-generated content, and click-driven coverage.
John also offered generous advice for aspiring writers. His first rule: find the process that works for you. “Some people have to write every day,” he said, “but I can’t write every day. I have day jobs.” For John, dictation has become a useful tool because, as he explained, “ideas come from my brain to my mouth quicker than they can come to my hand.”
His second rule was even simpler: “You start by starting.” Whether that means an outline, a first chapter, a character sketch, or a rough idea, the important thing is to begin, and then power through the inevitable self-doubt. “The DNA is there,” he said of those early drafts. “The idea is there.”
When it comes to book promotion, John’s public relations background helps, but there is no magic formula. His advice: knock on as many doors as possible and experiment. “If we all knew what was working, we would all be doing it,” he said.
Readers can learn more about John David, his books, and his newsletter at ByJohnDavid.com. His novels are available wherever books are sold online.
You can watch this and other episodes of The Miami Book Hub at YouTube.com/@J.AdrianBetancourt and listen to it on Spotify. Please like, subscribe, and share with your friends and family. Until next time… keep reading, keep writing, and stay curious, Miami!
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