Pete Carlson wrapped a cartel thriller around the theme of family

Pete Carlson lives in Denver and has written three novels: “Ukrainian Nights,” “Tearza” and “Deep Waters of Destiny” published by Calumet Editions. Pete and Marsha enjoy their family and four grandchildren, cooking, golf, and travel. 

SunLit: Tell us this book’s backstory. What inspired you to write it? Where did the story/theme originate?

Pete Carlson: The core inner stories of my novels are always about the relationship between two people. I have friends who were adopted and others who grew up without the benefit of a loving family. I wanted to explore how that affects their lives. 

The outer story came from research that I conducted for my first novel, “Ukrainian Nights.” After the fall of the Soviet Union, the Russian mafia and KGB filled the…