Back on the police service after a brush with death, Michael Walton is ready to book bad guys one way or another.
The Barrie resident, who didn't want to say which police department he's employed by due to the sensitive nature of his work, will be celebrating the launch of his second book on Thursday with a unique experience at The Farmhouse.
The Bradford Street restaurant will be transformed into what can only be described as a movie set to mark the official release of APOK Derailed.
“We have a car that was all shot up by me and some friends at a bear camp that will serve as a backdrop at the red carpet,” Walton told BarrieToday. “There will also be a special effects guy coming in to do something to another vehicle we have there.
"It is going to look like something out of a Hollywood movie."
APOK Derailed continues to follow Colonel Miguel Mejia as he tries to unravel a global conspiracy and not only keep millions safe, but those close to him as well.
Walton credits New Year’s Day 2011 as the relaunching of his passion for writing. Hearing a group of fellow officers who were chatting about New Year’s resolutions, Walton said he laughed and shook his head.
“Someone asked if I had done everything I wanted to in life and it kind of hit me as I went back to my desk,” he said. "I guess I hadn’t and I remember being a kid just wanting to write. I made a promise then to get to work.”
Walton wrote the first five chapters of APOK in the first seven months, but tragedy struck in July while preparing for a triathlon.
While riding his bicycle, he was struck by a car and witness accounts indicate Walton bounced off the vehicle, leaving skin on it. Knocked unconscious, and with bouts of amnesia and several serious injuries, the 44-year-old had no idea if he would ever wear a badge again to support his family.
“I didn’t know if I’d ever serve as an officer again,” Walton said. “Once I was able to write, I got myself a laptop and started writing. I couldn’t stop writing. It was all just pouring out of me on to the screen.”
After a return to policing, Walton said he didn’t want to stop living his dream of writing.
APOK Derailed is the sequel to the first book, but Walton says you don't have to read the first to understand what's happening the follow-up.
Walton says he loves being a police officer, but it isn't his only passion.
“The writing is just me, pouring out what I have inside and sharing it with people," he said. "I love knowing people are enjoying the book, but in the end, it is just me wanting to create and tell the stories I have built up.”
The launch of APOK Derailed takes place Thursday at The Farmhouse, located at 268 Bradford St., beginning at 6 p.m. It will feature musical artists Memphis Mudd and Melina Melle.
