Interview with Joshua Hood
(We are proud to present this exclusive interview with Joshua Hood.)
TSM: As a prolific author of numerous military thriller novels, what has been the most challenging thing about the genre you’ve come to define your work by?
JH: The military thriller genre is PACKED with so much talent, and with guys like Mark Greaney, Brad Taylor, Brad Thor, Jack Carr, Andrews and Wilson, Simon Gervais, and Don Bentley getting better and better with every book, you have to be on your game.
That said, my biggest challenge/goal in writing The Guardian was to create a story that would appeal to readers outside of the military thriller genre.
TSM: You are a veteran, having served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as a former member of a SWAT team in Memphis, Tennessee, and those experiences have influenced your writing immensely. Writing at least partly based on firsthand knowledge, do you find there have been moments where you have had to forgo realism for the sake of the plot? Or do you strive to keep your books true to reality and lived experience within their respective fictional narratives?
JH: That’s a great question. Authenticity and attention to detail (especially when it comes to guns, gear, and tactics) have always been a hallmark of military fiction. Diehard fans of the genre EXPECT their authors to get those details right, and when you mess something up, they are the first to let you know. Because of this, when I started, every story had to be based on fact: a battle or incident that had actually happened.
For the first few books, this was easy enough, but as my career progressed and I grew as an author, I wanted to tell different kinds of stories. Step outside of the box and try new things, but every time I had a “what if” idea, these self-imposed rules/boundaries would step in with a list of reasons why that wouldn’t work in the real world.
The Guardian was the first book that I’ve been able to silence that inner critic and say, “so what if it’s not real, this is FICTION.”
TSM: Can you tell us about your newest novel, The Guardian?
JH: The Guardian follows a medically retired Air Force Pararescueman or PJ named Travis Lane, who is forced to join a private military company to save his family farm. The company is called Broadside Solutions, and they provide rescue insurance for their uber-rich clients. Travis Lane’s first mission is to rescue what he thinks is a mining magnate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but things quickly go sideways, and he finds himself in the fight of his life.
TSM: You say on your website that you and your work are “all killer, no filler” and that you don’t “mince words.” How else would you describe your writing style? Is there any piece of advice, or are there any guidelines that you attempt to adhere to in the writing process?
JH: I’m a huge Elmore Leonard fan and always try to follow his advice about “leaving out the parts readers tend to skip.”
TSM: You say in a blog post on your website that a central theme in most, if not all, of your books is redemption and that “we want to root for a hero –– even a flawed hero.” Most writers and readers know that a perfect, flawless protagonist doesn’t make for an interesting story, but what would you say you find most compelling about the redemption of a flawed hero as a theme?
JH: I like characters who live in gray—the fault lines where necessity and morality are smashed together. In a good thriller, the difference between a hero and a villain is razor-thin—especially if you are working with a flawed protagonist.
For me, a flawed protagonist is someone who is one step away from going the wrong way, and oftentimes, the only thing keeping them on the right path is this desire to be a better human being.
TSM: Every writer has a slightly different approach to plotting their stories. With complex thrillers such as yours, how do you tend to go about your planning and writing process?
JH: I always start with a detailed outline that has everything neatly plotted out—then I throw it away and start writing. NOTE: If you are an aspiring author, please don’t do this because it’s a terrible waste of time and energy.
TSM: Finally, are there any projects coming up in the future that readers can look forward to from you?
JH: I am working on a book called Burn Out that is about an ex-con turned smokejumper who gets pulled into a life-threatening conspiracy in the Six Rivers National Forest.
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