Meet the author of popular ‘Dexter’ novels at SWFL Reading Festival

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FORT MYERS, Fla.- After more than a decade of slashing and slicing, the popular “Dexter” novels are coming to an end.

This summer, New York Times bestselling author Jeff Lindsay will publish his eighth and final “Dexter” novel.

Fans can meet Lindsay this weekend at the Southwest Florida Reading Festival.

WINK News spoke one-on-one with him as he closes this important chapter of his life and career.

Before he sliced his way to prime-time popularity on television, Dexter Morgan first fascinated fans in the pages of novels.

“People like the guy,” said Lindsay. “He’s a monster, but people like him.”

So much so, the “Dexter” novels inspired the hit Showtime series which lasted eight seasons and won multiple Golden Globes.

“It didn’t just surprise me, I was stunned, and at the same time appalled because it’s a serial killer,” said Lindsay.

A serial killer with a code. Dexter doubles as a blood spatter analyst for Miami Metro Police Department and only kills bad people.

“If he was in the police, he would know how they were working, if they were on his trail,” said Lindsay.

With each novel, Lindsay did intense research, spending hours at police stations and reading old case files. He even got experts to approve his books, all to give readers the most authentic experience.

“As authentic as I can make them. I have friends who do forensics, and if I have a question, I can call and ask them,” said Lindsay.

The plots of each novel run the range from murder, to cannibalism, even art and show business.

Now, Lindsay is closing the book. His eighth and final “Dexter” novel,”Dexter is Dead,”comes out in July. Lindsay admits, as he puts words to paper this time around, saying goodbye to his dark and disturbing character wasn’t easy.

“I was behaving like I had classic, post disaster depression and I didn’t realize it.”

It took Lindsay between six weeks to a year and a half to write each “Dexter” novel. In an ironic twist, his final novel starts out with Dexter in jail, charged with a murder he didn’t commit.

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