#authorinterview – Page 3 – Avonna Loves Genres

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Murder at the Elms and Murder at Vinland by Alyssa Maxwell

Book Description

In Murder at the Elms one of the wealthy families, the Berwinds, invite those high in society to view their newly completed Bellevue Avenue estate. It is a modern mansion, that has been wired for electricity, generated by coal from Berwinds own mines. Yet, days before the party the servants go on strike, hoping to negotiate better working conditions since they work seven days a week with no time off. They are all fired and replaced with new staff. At the party there is fine dining and music but the evening ends tragically when a chambermaid is found dead in the coal tunnel and a guest’s diamond necklace is missing. Because Emma and Derrick were there, they are asked by the police to help in uncovering who is the murderer and what is the connection between the necklace and the murder.

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Book Description

Murder At Vinland is the most recent book in the series. Vinland is the Viking themed home of Florence Vanderbilt Twombly. There she is having a fundraiser for the local Audubon Society attended by the wife of Theodore Roosevelt and Harriet Hemingway. The following morning one of the guests is found to have been poisoned. However, more poisoned desserts are sent to socially prominent women who had attended the luncheon, and tension increases even as the dangerous toxin used is identified. Asked her to help to find the person sending the poisons is Emma’s good friend, police detective James Whyte. Emma and Jesse must sort through possible motives because now more than the birds are in danger.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Each of Murder at the Elms and Murder at Vinland by Alyssa Maxwell intertwines a mystery within an historical novel. The setting is the turn of the century Newport where during the Gilded Age there is vast income and a power disparity. The main character, Emma Cross, is the “poor Vanderbilt” having inherited some money from the famous family. But she is an anomaly because she is independent and a working journalist who owns the newspaper The Newport Messenger along with her wealthy husband, Derrick.

Maxwell brings turn-of-the-century Newport to life by taking readers into the mansions and how the wealthy lived. Combining mystery with real-life personalities and events from the Gilded Age makes for an entertaining and informative read.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: What about the TV series?

Alyssa Maxwell: It is not a TV series. Hallmark Mystery made the first book, Murder at the Breakers into a movie. We do not know if any new ones will be made. They do tend to move a little slowly. I have no say in anything.

EC: Why make your heroine, Emma, a woman journalist in the early 1900s?

AM: She is independent. It is unusual, not the norm, but not out of the question. There were other female journalists at that time and other women in other occupations. They did have their own business and made their own money. I always refer to Nellie Bly as the inspiration for Emma, a Gilded Age journalist who took a lot of risks. At the beginning of the series as a society journalist she was able to get into the balls and the wealthy activities in Newport. Now she is more of an investigative reporter. Jesse, her detective friend, relies on her insight because she knows the wealthy and the ordinary Newport people.

EC: Has Emma changed since she married?

AM: She has come to see there is still strength in depending on others. In the beginning she tended to be a lone wolf, that in accepting help there might be strings. With her husband, Derrick, she realizes it is possible to be a team. She is more confidant in herself and her relationships.

EC: Since Emma is pregnant will that jump the shark?

AM: Emma needed to settle into her married life and in the early 1900s that would include having a child. Nanny and Katie will help in looking after the baby as well as having her work from home. I think it is a natural progression of her life.

EC: Will Jesse ever get a love interest?

AM: I have hinted in an earlier book that Jesse and one of the maids of a mansion had met and were striking up a friendship. I need to get back to it, but have not since I have been so focused on Emma and Derrick’s relationship

EC: What would you say is the historical part of Murder at The Elms?

AM: The mystery and the historical wrap around each other in all my books. I do take some historical events and wrap them around the mystery. There was some backstabbing, with societal climbing but there was also female friendships and relationships that I explore. There is also yellow journalism with the sensationalism and embellishment. One of the journalists, Brown, uses it. He did not care how his reporting might affect someone. He did not have a lot of scruples as evidenced when he covered the striking of the servants. At that time there actually was a service strike at the Elms where everyone was fired.

EC: In Murder at Vinland how did you get the idea for the story?

AM: This house has a Nordic and Viking design, which led me into thinking of nature. The archived newspapers of the period showed how Audubon Societies were springing up.

EC: How would you describe The Ladies of the 400?

AM: Many were smart, savvy women who if allowed would have been CEOs of companies. They were frustrated in their lack of choices. This is why being on the top of society was so important to them, being like their business. They could be set in their ways because their choices were limited, so they felt other women’s choices should be limited as well. They can be good and bad. They were involved in altruistic projects and are philanthropists. They helped their communities but at the same time there was rivalry about who would be considered the most important one in society.

EC: What was the role of Jennie?

AM: She wanted to start up an Audubon Society. She was passionate about the protection of birds. At the time women were wearing hats adorned with feathers. She gets angry with these women and because of this Emma suspects her. By the 1920s, feathers on hats were out because of the efforts of the consciousness and education, but at the time of the story this was in the beginning. I put in two historical figures, Harriet Hemingway who established the Massachusetts Audubon Society and Edith Roosevelt because of her husband’s activism in preserving the environment. I thought they would be likely figures to attend a luncheon on the dangers to birds.

EC: Next books?

AM: In the book that I am finishing now, the next Newport mystery there are fewer suspects than this book. The book is titled Murder at Arleigh, coming out this time next year. A societal couple believed to be madly in love has a wrench thrown when the wife comes to Emma and tells her she thinks her husband is trying to kill her. The couple is real, Harry and Elizabeth Lehr. Two Weddings and a Murder will be my next book in the “A Lady & Lady’s Maid” series. It begins with a marriage and that same day the chief inspector is murdered, coming out in February.

THANK YOU!!

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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Rose Arbor by Rhys Bowen

Book Description

London: 1968. Liz Houghton is languishing as an obituary writer at a London newspaper when a young girl’s disappearance captivates the city. If Liz can break the story, it’s her way into the newsroom. She already has a scoop: her best friend, Marisa, is a police officer assigned to the case.

Liz follows Marisa to Dorset, where they make another disturbing discovery. Over two decades earlier, three girls disappeared while evacuating from London. One was found murdered in the woods near a train line. The other two were never seen again.

As Liz digs deeper, she finds herself drawn to the village of Tydeham, which was requisitioned by the military during the war and left in ruins. After all these years, what could possibly link the missing girls to this abandoned village? And why does a place Liz has never seen before seem so strangely familiar?

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Elise’s Thoughts

The Rose Arbor by Rhys Bowen is more of a suspenseful novel that a historical one. There is a mystery, but also a dose of romance along with the serious topic of memory loss.

The book opens in London 1968 where Liz Houghton has been demoted to obituary writer for a London newspaper. After a young girl has disappeared, Liz decides to investigate, hoping for a scoop. Helping her is her best friend and roommate Marisa who happens to be a police detective.

They venture to Tydeham where during WWII the Army had all the residents relocated because they needed the area for military operations. Now it is a ghost town. But through her investigation Liz discovers that there were three girls who disappeared during WWII while evacuating London for the countryside. One was found murdered in the woods and the other two were never seen again. Helping with her desire to get to the bottom of what happened is James, someone who grew up in Tydeham and is now back trying to salvage some of his parents’ items.

The multiple interrelated story lines raise questions that will keep people engrossed.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Idea for the story?

Rhys Bowen: I read an article on a real abandoned village on which the story is based. The army had come and said to the people who lived there for generations, that they had three weeks to get out. Then the army took it. The community was given government housing. Many people thought they could come back after the war. But the army had destroyed it completely after they trained for the invasion there. This village was army property since WWII. There are still live ammunitions so no one can go there. This is sad. After I saw this, I wanted to write about it.

EC: What would you say the book is about?

RB: The past is not exactly what people think it was and the different types of mothers.

EC: How would you describe Liz?

RB: She is in her late 20’s. Her father thought it would be a waste of time to educate a girl, so she was sent to a secretarial course. She has been overprotected all her life, being the only child of older parents. She has lacked confidence all her life. She is ambitious and wants to make her way in the world. She now has a job as a newspaper reporter. She jumps at the story where a little girl has vanished from London. She sees this as a way to redeem herself with her employer. Her parents are controlling and manipulative. She is curious, angry at times, and would like to be more daring than she is. She does feel that her parents are smothering.

EC: What role did Marisa play in the story?

RB: Marisa is a detective and Liz’s roommate. She is the opposite of Liz who had a privileged upbringing. Marisa has come from a working-class family. Liz envies her because Marisa’s family is very close. Liz would like to be Marisa.

EC: How would you describe James?

RB: He, like Liz, has been wounded by his upbringing. He lost his mother early on, but she was a woman who made it quite clear she did not love him. He lost his two siblings. Now he is trying to be the support for his father. He and Liz both feel responsible for their parents as they get older. He is a nice and caring person.

EC: What about the relationship?

RB: They click immediately because they both come from similar backgrounds. They bond early on. They take it slowly.

EC: Why the dementia type illness of Liz’s mother?

RB: It plays into the plot because her mother does not remember something terrible that happened. But Liz’s discovery triggers something that has terrible consequences. It helps me plant the clues for the reader that things are not exactly as we thought they were. Liz feels very guilty that her mom is slipping away more and more. It is very hard to take for Liz.

EC: Next books?

RB: It will be in the Royal Spyness series titled We Three Queens coming out in November. King Edward announced he wants to marry Mrs. Simpson causing a huge Constitutional crisis.

The next Molly comes out in March. It is about the early days of the movie industry. Most of the people in the book are real characters. It is titled Silent as The Grave.

My next big stand-alone is a historical novel about a woman who has the perfect wife. One day he announces he wants a divorce. She drives to the South of France and creates a whole new life for herself. The working title is Mrs. Endicott’s Excellent Adventure. It takes place from 1938 to 1947. It will be out in August of next year.

THANK YOU!!

***

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: A Is for Amish by Shelley Shepard Gray

Book Description

Siblings Martin, Kelsey, Beth, and Jonny are as different as can be, but they have one thing in common. They’re all longing to reinvent their lives. Raised by their divorced lapsed-Amish father and English mother, they only knew real stability and a sense of family when visiting their Old Order grandparents, Josiah and Sylvia Schrock, in peaceful small-town Millersburg, Ohio. Now the four want to try living with them and joining their faith—much to the Schrocks’ surprise . . .

Martin, the eldest, is reeling from a bad breakup, so he’s especially determined to make a fresh start. When he meets his grandparents’ neighbor, Patti Coblentz, he’s immediately drawn to her outgoing, helpful nature—but is so overwhelmed that he appears blunt and rude. Is there any way he can drop his defenses enough to admit she’s captured his heart?

Always self-conscious about the birthmark on her temple, Patti is resigned to never marrying and busying herself with the responsibilities of the large home and property she has inherited. Besides, Martin’s ill-mannered behavior and disconcerting directness make him the last man she’d ever want to wed—no matter how handsome he is.

Yet given time and patience—and adhering to their grandparents’ unexpectedly challenging rules—the whole family might just find what they’re looking for, even Martin and Patti.

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Elise’s Thoughts

A is for Amish by Shelley Shepard Gray has a premise where four English siblings with Amish grandparents are seriously thinking of becoming Amish. They are discontent with their lives and long for a change.

Beth, Jonny, Kelsey, and Martin Schrock had their father leave the Amish faith, marry an English woman, and then had their parents get divorced. The parents were pretty much doing their own thing, searching for their own happiness, and left the children to their own devices. They decide to try out the Amish lifestyle. It is not an easy choice as they would be leaving good jobs, homes, electricity, cars and all the English ways of life. They remember how wonderful the times were when they would visit their grandparents farm. The author explores that the fond times the grandchildren remember might have occurred only because it was a visit and now, they would have to abandon the life they knew forever.

The grandparents suggest that only one or two of them at the most, come at a time.
It is decided that Martin and Kelsey will be the first two to go. They are to live with their grandparents and try out the Amish lifestyle for one year.

Martin, the oldest, meets his grandparents’ neighbor, Patti Coblentz, and is immediately drawn to her outgoing, helpful nature, but he comes across as blunt and rude. Besides Martin’s ill-mannered behavior and disconcerting directness there is something that draws Patti to him. She cannot believe that he did not even react to the birthmark on her face. They eventually become very attracted and care for each other. The problem is that Martin was overly critical of himself and not completely happy in either the English world or the Amish world.

The other sibling, Kelsey, has completely taken to the Amish way of life. After meeting Preacher Richard, it becomes obvious that they are attracted to each other and want to spend their life together. Unfortunately, they must wait to get married until she is baptized.

This book shows the complexities of the Amish life and how it is not so easy for an Englisher to jump into the Amish faith. The author wrapped part of the story up with a beautiful happily ever after, while leaving a cliffhanger for the other relationship. Readers will take a journey with the characters seeing all the ups and downs of their feelings, questions, frustrations, and insecurities. Those who read book 1 will be waiting on pins and needles for book 2.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How much of the alphabet are you going to have?

Shelley Shepard Gray: If it was up to me, I would do the whole alphabet, but right now it is the first three letters. In this book I had two of the four siblings’ stories. I had originally thought that the hero, Martin, and the heroine, Patti, would have their own story. But it was not going to be that easy for him to go from being English to Amish. Because of that I knew that the readers would want as part of the story a happily ever after. His sister, Kelsey, does not have as many qualms of becoming Amish. Also, since it is a three-book contract for now, I wanted to make sure each of the four siblings had their story.

EC: Was Martin’s story a cliff-hanger?

SSG: I did not see it as a cliff-hanger, more of his and Patti’s story a continuation. I wanted to be realistic, and not every relationship is easy with these characters being very complex. Their story will not get resolved until book three, but they will be in book two. Mainly they must get over the fact that he does not think he wants to become Amish and she has been baptized.

EC: How would you describe Martin?

SSG: When he was in his English environment he was relaxed, confidant, outgoing, and attentive. He doubts himself and is searching for happiness. I think he is direct, thinks a lot of himself, and sometimes rude. He is like a lot of people I know; he needs a reset. He must stop looking for an easy solution.

EC: How would you describe Patti?

SSG: Vulnerable, sweet, kind, patient, audacious, has a sense of humor, self-conscious of her birthmark, and is lonely. She is desperate to want to belong.

EC: What about their relationship?

SSG: They are in love with each other. The reader knows they are meant to be together, but it will not happen overnight.

EC: Being Amish versus English?

SSG: In some of my stories the characters must navigate that if they become Amish it will be a difficult life and that the problems they are facing in the English world do not just go away. While writing the second series I ever wrote, Seasons of Sugar Creek in the third book I had an Amish hero and an English heroine. In this story, the characters allowed me to delve into some tough issues. One of my Mennonite friends told me how serious the solemn vow is to become baptized. But people do break it, yet it is not something that should be taken lightly. Being Amish is not easy considering they do not have electricity or a car. The daily parts of their life are difficult although they do embrace it.

EC: Is this Amish community liberal

SSG: Yes, they would have to be. I have them as New Order. I based the town on my knowledge of Holmes County, which is a progressive Amish community.

EC: What was the role of Connor, who thought of himself as Patti’s beau?

SSG: I put him in the story for Patti to have a reminder that this is the person she had settled for. Even though Martin presented a bunch of different challenges, he was always nice, kind, and respectful of her. Connor is territorial, possessive, not respectful of her, makes her feel unworthy, a chauvinist, self-centered, a bully, and egotistical. She will decline his advances.

EC: What about the other sibling Kelsey?

SSG: She is independent, easily frustrated, at times a troublemaker, prickly, feisty, blunt, and is looking for stability as well as peace. She also can be a drama queen. She was loving the life as a middle child.

EC: How would you describe her beau, Richard?

SSG: Confidant, personable, and an advisor as an Amish preacher. I modeled him after a Bishop I once had dinner with. They are both young and very charismatic.

EC: What about their relationship?

SSG: Kelsey’s relationship with Richard was a nice contrast to Martin and Patti. They liked each other and their love came naturally. Their relationship was a lot lighter than the others. I hope the readers enjoyed the scenes where she is fighting with the hen. They become captivated by each other. Richard was willing to wait and be patient with her until she made the decision to become Amish.

EC: Do you have another book coming out next month that is a compilation with other authors Lenora Worth and Rachel J. Good?

SSG: Yes, it is titled The Christmas Gathering. It again has an English person that falls in love with the sister of his Amish friend. The novellas I write usually has a story around Christmas. This one has a fun gathering, with everyone getting along, the English and Amish. In this story there is a scavenger hunt. The heroine did leave the faith but was not baptized yet. The theme was reunions.

EC: Next books?

SSG: The second book comes out in January with another sibling, Johnny as the hero. It is titled B is For Bonnet. He ends up working in a bicycle shop. But of his storyline he must make amends with his father. C is for Courtship; the third book comes out in November 2025.

But before these I will be writing the second book in another series, Unforgotten, out in November. It is a suspense story set in Kentucky.

THANK YOU!!

***

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Ambush in the Mountains by Mary Alford

Book Description

Innocent lives at stake…
Can a former soldier and his canine save them?

Helping a pregnant woman he comes across in a mountain storm puts Axel Sterling right into the path of ruthless human traffickers. Now it’s up to the ex-soldier and his dog to keep Summer and her unborn baby safe from the abductors she’s finally escaped. But between the icy wilderness and the armed gunmen following them at every turn, one wrong move could cost Axel and Summer their lives.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Ambush in the Mountains by Mary Alford a story of second chances, forgiveness, self-healing, compassion, unbridled trust, friendship, love, and redemption. As with most of her books she uses the weather as a character. Like the previous book, this book dealt with the dark subject of human trafficking in a compassionate and informative way.

The opening scene in the story has Elizabeth Wyse remembering her Amish roots when she enjoyed the snow. At 18 and during the last of her rumspringa, she let an English man, Ray, persuade her to leave her home, her family and everything she’d ever known, to be with him. Instead of having a happily ever after she was forced into human trafficking by threats to her family and physical abuse.

They changed her name to Summer and now eight years later, she aged out as being too old yet was allowed to “help” with the new girls and became Ray’s personal woman. After becoming pregnant with Ray’s child, he decided the baby could bring him big bucks. Although Summer had been and was still petrified at what Ray would do to her, to save herself and her baby she decided to escape. She also knew she had to try to bring Ray down to bring justice to the girls who were killed, save those still in bondage, and prevent any girls in the future falling victim to this monster. She’d save incriminating evidence from his computer onto a thumb drive. Fearful of him discovering the thumb drive, she hid it in the walls of the house they were living in.

It was during a moment of bravery and now 8 months pregnant she escapes. After running through the woods in the Tobacco Root Mountains during a heavy snowstorm, she ran into the path of a vehicle. Axel Sterling was with his dog Camo, driving home on an isolated road, barely missed hitting her. When he stopped to check on her and to find out why she was out walking in this storm they were fired upon. Survival mode kicked in, which meant getting this terrified, very pregnant woman, himself, and Camo to some place safe. Axel’s heroic dog Camo consistently throws himself into danger to protect those around him.

Now it’s up to the ex-soldier, Axel, and his dog, Camo, to keep Summer and her unborn baby safe from the abductors she’s finally escaped. But between the icy wilderness and the armed gunmen following them at every turn, one wrong move could cost Axel and Summer their lives.

This is an edgy, intense, and fast paced story with plenty of action. Readers will root for the characters and will fall in love with Camo.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Idea for the story?

Mary Alford: There is a human trafficking aspect to the story just like the previous book. When I read about it and saw survivor’s stories it touched my heart. I wanted to write in this book how the main character escapes human trafficking, to shine a little light on it. My forte is to include the weather and have the characters on the run from the bad guys. The weather is almost another villain in the story by giving a sense of urgency.

EC: How would you describe the female heroine, Summer?

MA: She was Amish and met this Englisher man during her Rumspringa. He said all the right things and convinced her to run away with him. Through her I touched on what those victims of human trafficking had to endure. She is strong-willed, fearful, has trust issues, vulnerable, damaged, guarded, terrified, and courageous. She tries to put being a mother-first because she is pregnant. She feels guilty about leaving her Amish family. She aged out but was kept around by Ray.

EC: How would you describe Axel, the hero?

MA: He feels he is on a mission, protective, patient, caring, and kind. Being a former soldier he is a bit of a wounded soul after he lost his best friend who was also a soldier. After he left the military he went to Montana, found a little cabin on top of a mountain. He enjoyed being isolated.

EC: How would you describe the bad guy, Ray?

MA: A predator who had Summer in this sex trafficking nightmare for eight years. He has killed before. Evil, manipulative, berating, and mean.

EC: What about the relationship between Summer and Axel?

MA: It takes her a long time to trust him. He helped her to overcome how she experienced darkness and to feel safe. Axel broke down Summer’s wall that she has up for self-preservation. As they try to escape the enemy they form a bond. Axel sees her courage and strength. He wants her to be happy.

EC: What was the role of the dog Camo?

MA: He was like the dog that helped those with PTSD: very comforting, loyal, former military dog, a Belgian Malinois, and protective.

EC: Abram and Lainey were in the previous book and are in this book also. Why?

MA: In the last book they just met. In this book, they are married. She is embracing the Amish lifestyle. They are both good friends to Axel.

EC: Next book?

MA: It comes out in April 2025. It is titled Amish Country Killer. The setting will be in an Amish community in Kentucky. The hero is now in law enforcement but is former Amish. The heroine is the new Chief of Police. The plot has several girls disappearing. The killer is targeting Amish women.

THANK YOU!!

***

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Ember by Brian Andrews and Jeff Wilson

Book Description

After surviving the most dangerous mission of his career, John Dempsey is back at Ember. But Ember has changed—and so has he. Meanwhile, a new adversary sees an opportunity to rise. As Dempsey and Vice President Jarvis soon discover, the world stage is about to get deadlier than ever …

To survive the notorious prison IK-2 and assassinate Russian President Vladimir Petrov, John Dempsey had to become rosomakha, the wolverine. Now, back home in America, he’s trying to put the pieces of his life at Ember back together. But which man returned from Russia—Dempsey, or the wolverine? From the way his teammates look at him, it’s obvious they’re not sure, and neither is he.

Meanwhile, Vice President Kelso Jarvis has barely had time to mourn the death of his mentor before a devastating attack reveals a new threat. Because of Dempsey’s mission in Russia, the rules of the game have changed—only now it’s not clear who the players are. As Dempsey leads Ember on a mission to protect and avenge a shocking attack on America, Jarvis’s oath to his nation is tested in ways he never imagined. Together, they must determine who is behind this rising threat and stop the mastermind before it’s too late.

And just as Dempsey begins to feel like himself again, an old ally resurfaces—someone he thought he’d left for dead long ago …

***

Elise’s Thoughts

Ember by Brian Andrews and Jeff Wilson has Dempsey returning home to the US. After Dempsey’s mission in Russia, the rules of the game have changed. He leads Ember on a mission to protect and avenge a shocking attack on Americans, where Jarvis’s oath to his nation is tested in ways he never imagined. Together, they must determine who is behind this rising threat and stop the mastermind before it’s too late. There will also be a return of a character long thought dead, one who has a complicated past with Dempsey.

If readers want to understand what is going on in the world with nation versus nation, more like a chess game with a lot of action this is the series to read. The characters are acting on their own values and are principled based.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: What about a movie/TV/streaming deal?

Brian Andrews and Jeff Wilson: There are half dozen projects under development and hopefully announcements will be forth coming in the next six months. The “Tier One series” and “The Four Minutes series” are being developed along with a faith-based series we write and some short stories. “Sons of Valor” is not being developed because it slightly competes with the “Tier One series.”

EC: Is this book the first in the arc, setting up future books?

BA & JW: Yes. What the Chinese have done to the US have been damaging: hacking the infrastructure, stealing secrets, and interfering with trade/monetary policies. We want to show how they are more of a complicated enemy. Our first trilogy had Iran as the enemy, the second trilogy-plus had Russia as the enemy, and now this third trilogy will have China, Ember’s most difficult challenge they have faced.

EC: What is the Dempsey factor you talk about in this book?

BA & JW: It is mission before self. The idea that adding Dempsey to the team has the success rate go up disproportionally. He is so good at his job that he is worth two or three operators on the team. His philosophy is about the enemy trying to take another chess piece off the board.

EC: Can you discuss the different ethos in the book?

BA & JW: Dempsey has a SEAL’s heart and a warriors’ mind. The politician’s ethos is not the warrior’s ethos that says team before self. Jarvis is conflicted about the warrior ethos versus the politician ethos.

EC: Why did you put in that first scene in the book?

BA & JW: The opening scene of Ember was pulled directly from Crusader One. The scene in the Iranian Bazaar was from Dempsey’s point of view in Crusader one. Now readers get to see it through Elinor’s eyes. He has a lot of guilt about leaving her behind for 2.5 years.

EC: Did Dempsey have PTSD in this book with his nightmares?

BA & JW: I think it is impossible for a warrior to do the type of jobs he does without having emotional repercussions. The nightmares signals to the readers he is still grappling with his morals and humanity. We give mixed signals because there is a scene in the book where he focuses on his job. His team is not sure if he is suffering from PTS or is he OK?

EC: Why did you highlight Jake, Dempsey’s son, in the story?

BA & JW: He is following in his dad’s footsteps to become a SEAL. We have big plans for him. Someday he will be reunited with his dad. I will not say how and when it will happen.

EC: Why a new female, Wallace, on the team?

BA & JW: We changed the chemistry of the Ember team. Grimes is jealous of her since she was accepted outright and a completely different personality: upbeat and cool. Grimes worked so hard to be accepted and now she sees Wallace is easily accepted by the guys. She feels, ‘are you kidding me, come on.’ Grimes broke the glass ceiling and Wallace comes in to clean it all up. It is so unfair for her.

EC: Where are you going with the Grimes/Munn relationship?

BA & JW: Munn and Grimes have feelings for each other and are drawn together. It could happen. But they must be wary of temptation, because what happens if it does not work out? Will it affect the team and the professionalism? How they handle it will be a part of the series going forward.

EC: What about your next books?

BA & JW: The second book in the “Tier One” next trilogy will continue with the Chinese operative as the villain. No title yet. It will probably come out fall 2025. Lieutenant Commander Keith “Chunk” Redman will make an appearance.

Sons of Valor IV will be a transitional book to the next trilogy in the series. We do not want to ignore the recent everts of October 7^th so we will be writing a story with Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. It will be out next summer. There will be a lot of Petra and Jarvis.

The Clancy book has Katie Ryan back. The setting is the South China Sea with high stakes involving Taiwan and China. The title is Defense Protocol coming out in early December.

THANK YOU!!

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Special Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Tier One Series Books #1 – #7 by Brian Andrews and Jeff Wilson

Elise’s Thoughts

The “Tier One” series plots written by Brian Andrews and Jeff Wilson will remind readers of the late Vince Flynn. They are better than the books written after various authors took over the writing when Vince Flynn died. Thriller fans get an explosive thrill ride that starts with page one of book one and doesn’t let up for the duration. But readers will get much more, including relevant geo-political issues that make it appear these authors have a crystal ball. Below is an interview with Brian Andrews and Jeff Wilson about their first seven books. They use their vast experience to write engrossing thrillers with enemies from Iran to Russia to China. Andrews worked as a nuclear engineer on naval submarines, while Wilson was a trauma surgeon embedded with the East Coast Navy SEALS. Book eight, Ember, will appear in a separate Q & A.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: What would you say is the style of this series?

Brian Andrews & Jeff Wilson: There are three book arcs where each book has its own bad guy, but the main bad guy gets their due in the third book. Because the antagonist narrative is extended over the course of the trilogy, readers get to know them. In reality this series everything has shades of grey concerning policy, morality, Special Operations, and how the characters emotionally handle their actions.

EC: How would you describe each of the following characters over the course of all the books in the series?

BA & JW: EMBER, the organization, is autonomous with analysts, field operatives, surveillance, and collecting intelligence. They are deep cover with speed, stealth, and efficiency.

John DEMPSEY: A former SEAL, believes in serving his country, and is adaptable. He is a mission before self-type of guy who puts his country first. He can be quite emotional, which defines his humanity. He is always questioning if he is doing the right thing for the right reason instead of just following orders. He is the Operations Director.

Kelso JARVIS: He heads the Ember team. He is the most complicated character. He has always been a chameleon to get the job done. He is a little bit Machiavellian where the ends justify the means. He is driven by a recognition of his own mortality because of his disease and being married to Petra. Sometimes overconfident, observant, clever, and a man of action. At times he expected members of the team to betray their peers and teammates. He is willing to make judgements about what his team can or cannot handle. He makes decisions for the team. He withholds because it is in the best interest of their operational effectiveness, the end goal. He has evolved the most of all the characters, because he is more introspective and empathetic.

PETRA FELSK: She is Jarvis’s right-hand person, a former intelligence expert. Someone he can confide in and trust completely. She can read Jarvis’ mind and complements him. She admires his qualities. She is not afraid to challenge him and call him out.

Elizabeth GRIMES: Sniper operator. In the beginning she had trust issues and feels isolated. Lizzie is perceptive, loyal, questioning, connects the dots, needs to be in control, and sarcastic. She is our devil’s advocate character, someone not afraid to argue the other side, an outside the box thinker. She now sees Dempsey as brother-like and he sees her as sister-like. But she sometimes becomes the big sister to him.

Dan MUNN: He is the SEAL medic who now works for Ember but is also an operator. Dan was a teammate of Dempsey when a SEAL. He is his good friend and knows how to push his buttons.

Levi HAREL: The Mossad chief. He is perceptive, wise, and a true ally of the US. He looks beyond politics, a pragmatist and a tactician. He is a mentor to Jarvis.

Richard WANG: He is the team’s cyber guy in the field. Insecure, egotistical, and a genius. He wants the team’s respect, defaulting to humor and self-deprecation.

Ian BALDWIN: He is the head of Ember’s signals division: electronic, communications, and intelligence. He handles the different ways data is intercepted, collected, and interpreted. He is an enigma. He is like the AI of the team. Ian is the eccentric uncle no one knows how to talk to.

BAD GUYS: They match Dempsey in skill, tactical, and survival. They are formidable foes.

EC: In the first book, TIER ONE, Navy SEAL Jack Kemper had to give up everything including his family to take on the persona of John Dempsey, working for a covert organization that operates without any bureaucratic red tape and operates in the shadows. Did the Tier One book set up the premise for the rest of the books in the series?

BA & JW: Back in 2015 when we started to write this series, we realized that America’s enemies were being constantly defeated by the Navy SEALS because they are so good at what they do. We thought about the ‘what if’ the enemies tried to neuter the Special Operations arm of the US military service, wiping out the entire Tier One Navy SEALs. We fictionalized it by making Tier One smaller than in real life and had all the squads on the same mission to get the high-value terrorist targets, which we did in the first book. For us, the premise was quite intriguing as the enemy upped their game in covert actions.

EC: It seems you always have a relevant piece to your plot. Were you influenced by what happened in Afghanistan when a military helicopter was shot down, killing 31 U.S. special operation troops, most of them from the elite Navy SEALs unit that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden?

BA & JW: This is a perfect example of what we tried to show in this first book. The Taliban knew how the SEALs moved. In the first book, Tier One, we tried to show how the enemy is gaining in sophistication and should not be underestimated.

EC: In book two, WAR SHADOWS, there is a very relevant quote, “Making decisions requires courage. Without courage leadership cannot exist. Without leadership the bad guys win every time.” Please explain.

BA & JW: This is a theme throughout all our series. Leadership matters. Look at the leadership in this country and there are serious problems. I was taught people need to lead by example, having integrity and accountability. They should own mistakes and tell how they will fix it. Instead, they gaslight. We are trying to imagine a world of military leaders and politicians that we want to see in real life, making decisions based on principles. They should not be self-serving and go along with the political winds. Dempsey and Jarvis stand up for what they think is morally right.

EC: In book three, CRUSADER ONE, there is a terrorist attack where Israel is caught off guard and people question the readiness, security, and how to protect. Even though this was written way before October 7^th, it exemplifies it. Please explain.

BA & JW: We employed Iran, Iron Dome, and multiple groups attacking at the same time. Hamas and Hezbollah were amassing weapons and digging tunnels, so we put it in the story.

EC: Elinor Jordan is introduced. Can you describe her?

BA & JW: She is like a female Dempsey and are kindred spirits. They have feelings for each other, sometimes trusting each other and sometimes they don’t. She has a schizophrenic existence, sensitive, caring, courageous, conflicted, and wants to make the world a better place. We wrote her as a Persian Jew working for Mossad. Yet, in the research we found that this community of Persian Jews are not considered by the Iranians as mortal enemies.

EC: The focus of book four, AMERICAN OPERATOR, has Dempsey rescuing an American hostage being held by the Jihadists terrorists. Please explain.

BA & JW: Dempsey rescues US State Department aid Amanda Allen and is willing to do anything to get her out because he has so much guilt over leaving Elinor behind. We wanted to represent the hostage mindset with Amanda: fearful, tough, capable, courageous, observer, and wondering if she should fight. She tried to figure out how she was going to survive but not betray her countrymen. She was tortured and was in a no-win situation trying to maintain her dignity, wits, and hope.

EC: In book five, RED SPECTER, did you focus on the Russian covert organization, Zeta?

BA & JW: It is the Russian version of Ember. Arkady is the Russian Jarvis who is brilliant, cunning, devious, a spymaster, strategic, powerful, and likes to play the long game. Both Arkday and Jarvis are willing to sacrifice their people for what they perceive of the greater good. Jarvis sacrificed Grimes emotionally and had Dempsey go on what was perceived as a suicide mission. This book is a reckoning of the escalation.

EC: Book six, COLLATERAL, has the rubber meeting the road. Do you agree?

BA & JW: We intended to end the Russian arc with this book but did not because there is a lot more story to tell. We had the US President designate Ember to go after every Zeta operative and eliminate them. We wanted to write it as the new Cold War including Russia infiltrating the Ukraine.

EC: Is book seven, DEMPSEY, a vengeance book?

BA & JW: The mission is more complicated than that. The book has a Russian contracting an American to kill his own leader. Enemies make strange bed fellows, and the enemy of my enemy is my friend until dead. We wanted Dempsey to deep dive into understanding his Russian enemy by living among them. This will change his entire approach to how he sees the world. Truth is relative and strength is what is important. The Russian President, Petrov, is a war criminal, murderer, psychopath, malicious, and paranoid, the ultimate dictator based on Putin.

EC: Why the two Russian words for truth istina versus pravda?

BA & JW: One means relative truth and one absolute truth. Americans believed there is one truth, and it is verifiable. In Russia the absolute truth is like mathematics and is provable. Now in America truth is what someone believes, which is relative truth. The question we want readers to ponder, is foreign assassination acceptable if that leader does really bad things, like Hitler? The question we pose is assassination of a foreign leader sometimes necessary for our own well-being, security, safety, and the existential threat? We are not suggesting that assassination is OK but just posing the questions.

EC: Readers that want adrenaline-fueled thrillers with a lot of action, deception and vengeance should read these books, preferably in order.

For book eight, EMBER, the one coming out this month, see the new Q & A.

THANK YOU!!

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