As a book reviewer, I share
the mantra of my colleagues when we say ‘we’re
looking for something new’. And KJ Howe’s debut thriller The
Freedom Broker is just that, something different, featuring a tough, hero
trapped by her past; now a hostage / kidnap negotiator and expert in ex-filtration.
I wrote at the time –
Filled with trade-craft, espionage techniques, as well as a vast
array of characters and compassion, this action orientated thriller twisted and
turned like an African river. It delves into many themes, which at times was
revelatory and at times perplexing; though with Thea Paris; her confidence and
that of her cohorts, one did feel a sense of reassurance that she would be able
to manage despite what was thrown at her, and her team.
When I put the book
down, I shook it hard and listened for any rattle. There was silence, for it
has been judiciously edited for in these times of reduced attention spans there
was not a superfluous turn of phrase, exposition, word, or dammit - not even a
stray semi-colon. Though there was an odour of Cordite remaining in the room
forcing the reader to open the window.
Read the Full Review from
Shots HERE
I was delighted when Kim
agreed to a short interview for Shots Readers, and if this piques your
interest, then don’t tarry, as The Freedom Broker is available on a promotional
offer, as an ebook for £0.99 – click here,
and you will be directed to the offer.
AK First question first, what came first, the character of Thea
Paris or the Story – or is that an unfair ‘Chicken
or Egg’ type of query?
KJH Thea
Paris came first, but in thriller-esque fashion, the story raced to close the
distance. I wanted to create a strong,
talented woman with humanizing vulnerabilities, including Type 1 Diabetes. I enjoy books that are character based, so I’m
hoping Thea might resonate with people, and perhaps encourage anyone with an
illness that they can still reach for their dreams.
Given my extensive research into
kidnapping the last three years, I wanted Thea to be an elite kidnap negotiator—a
freedom broker—who travels to the world’s hotspots to bring captives back
home. The world of hostage retrieval fascinated
me, as it lurks in the shadows of society, a heart-breaking and dangerous
milieu. Thea Paris became a freedom
broker after she witnessed her brother’s kidnapping as a child. While her brother returned home nine months
later, he was never the same. As a
result, she was determined to help other hostages. There are over 40,000
reported kidnappings every year, and the number continues to grow. Displaced military and police in third world
countries are turning to kidnapping as a way of putting food on the table, and
they have the requisite security skills to do so. We need our freedom brokers to help negotiate
for the release of hostages to bring families back together.
AK I recall meeting you first over a decade ago, at the inaugural
ITW Thrillerfest; as an avid reader of thriller fiction, so when did the
desire to write one yourself first appear?
KJH
It was real pleasure meeting you
in Phoenix, Ali. I’m continually amazed
at your memory, as you were able to literally quote what we had talked about
ten years ago. I’ve always been
passionate about thrillers, and when I read David Morrell’s BROTHERHOOD OF THE
ROSE and Lisa Gardner’s THE PERFECT HUSBAND, I thought—wow, if I could ever
provide the kind of wonderful escape these talented writers did for me to
someone else, then it would be a dream come true. I started studying writing and attended Seton
Hill University to complete my Master’s in Writing Popular Fiction. I’ve also studied with some of the masters in
the genre, including David Morrell, Lee Child, Steve Berry, and they have
taught me so much about storytelling and craft, and serve as inspiration to
keep working hard. Writing is a lifelong
journey, and I hope to keep improving with each book.
AK And I see you have an interesting early life filled with
travel and reading, so tell us a little about the books you read then, that
made an impression upon you?
KJH
My father worked in telecommunications,
so we lived all over the world, including the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and
the Caribbean. It was an eclectic
upbringing, providing a unique education about the diversity of our world. Always the new kid, I lost myself in books,
especially spy thrillers like THE DAY OF THE JACKAL and EYE OF THE NEEDLE. I loved the adventure, danger and travel in
these novels, and I never tired of those harrowing tales. I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie.
AK So with your debut, did you have an extensive plot mapped out
before you embarked upon the writing process, or are you a follower of the muse
- deploying the high wire act?
KJH Most
authors feel that they are either a plotter or a seat-of-pants writer. I’m more like pants on fire! I definitely teeter on the high wire when I
write. I feel like if I’m surprised by
the turn of events, then maybe my readers will be as well. I’m constantly thinking about where I want to
go in the story though, trying to analyse the underlying structure. Research often fuels my plots, giving me
helpful ideas. If I’m struggling with
something, I consider the themes of my books, which is heavily based on family
relationships. Lots of fodder!
AK Many debut novels deploy the first person narrative, in terms
of voice, rather than the third person omnipresent; so did you deliberate on
which voice best suited The Freedom Broker?
KJH
I chose the third person close—for
a few reasons. First, I like the way you
can get inside different characters’ heads and give the readers insights into
their personalities. First person only
allows access into the protagonist’s viewpoint, and I prefer the variety of
several viewpoints. Second, in a
thriller, ending one scene with a cliff-hangar, and then diving into another
character’s point-of-view is a fabulous way of injecting tension into the
narrative. Third, I like the close third
person, as it has attributes of the first person with its tight psychic
distance, but allows for a variety of characters to speak their truth. I’m also not as comfortable writing in first
person. I have the deepest respect for authors who do it well, including Lee Child who
nails Reacher’s voice.
AK And tell us about the research; as you subtly embed tradecraft
within lucidly realised locations - so the wiff of authenticity is as strong as
that of the Cordite that peppers the narrative?
KJH
As a former medical writer, I’m
heavily invested in research, and I wanted to bring authenticity and
verisimilitude to my freedom broker series.
I have spent the last three years interviewing kidnap negotiators,
former hostages, kidnap and ransom insurance executives, hostage reintegration
experts, and the Special Forces soldiers who deliver ransoms and execute
rescues. Immersing myself in this world was
fascinating and critical to the books.
When I read, I like to be entertained, but I also like to learn, grow as
a person. I’m hoping that readers of THE
FREEDOM BROKER will feel enlightened about the world of kidnapping after spending
time with Thea and her team of operatives.
AK I
find it encouragingly curious that you attended the first ITW Thrillerfest, in
Phoenix Arizona; and now over a decade later, you have not only your first
thriller on the market but you are an Executive Director at International
Thriller Writers and heavily involved in the NY
based annual Thrillerfest, so tell us a little about what you do with ITW.
KJH
I’m honoured to be part of the
International Thriller Writers. It’s a
special organization, the sole mandate is for us to support all thriller
writers. Please know that we are very
inclusive, as we have many members who write YA, romantic suspense, science
fiction thrillers, etc.—we welcome anyone writing page-turning fiction.
I’m the executive director of ThrillerFest, the annual conference held in
July every year in NYC at the Grand Hyatt.
The lovely Liz Berry is the executive director of ITW, and we work
closely to make sure we’re doing everything we can to help our talented
authors. It’s a great privilege to be
part of such a professional and friendly group.
If you’d like more information, please visit the ThrillerFest
website: www.thrillerfest.com. If anyone has questions, drop me a line at kimberleyhowe@thrillerwriters.org. I’m here to
help.
AK And will we see you at Bouchercon, Theakstons Harrogate as
well - so tell us about the events you are planning to attend in 2017?
KJH
Absolutely. I’m delighted that Bouchercon will be in my
hometown of Toronto, Canada this year, and I can’t wait for Harrogate as well
as CrimeFest. I love visiting the U.K.
and look for any chance to do so! I’ll
also list other events on my website, www.kjhowe.com
AK Advanced word, including warmth for Kirkus
[among others] has been very generous for The Freedom Broker, so were you
nervous crossing the line from reader to writer?
KJH
Absolutely, totally nervous. Like other authors, I work alone for countless
hours, hoping my stories might resonate with readers and critics. It’s hard to predict how people will respond. Writing is a very personal process, so any
positive feedback is profoundly appreciated.
I also realize that everyone has different taste, and it’s to be
expected that some people may not find my book(s) their cup of tea. But when a reader or critic speaks highly of
THE FREEDOM BROKER, it truly touches my heart.
AK And I am assuming you are continuing the adventures of Thea
Paris, and if so any hints what might be in store?
KJH I was
fortunate to sign a two-book deal, so SKYJACK, the next Thea Paris adventure,
will be coming out next February. Thea
is shepherding two former child soldiers from Africa to London when the plane
they are on is hijacked. The adventures
kick off from there. The novel features
secret stay-behind armies from WWII, the Sicilian Mob, the CIA, and the
Vatican. Warning: do not read it on a plane……..laughing…….
I’m also researching future Thea Paris novels,
as I have many rabbit holes to explore in the world of kidnapping. I love
visiting the locales where I set the stories, so I can bring a ring of
authenticity to the settings. Travel and
adventure are my passions, so it’s no hardship to spend time abroad.
AK I enjoy your blog, which you share with ‘ROGUE WOMEN WRITERS’ so tell us a
little about it, and how it got started?
KJH
I adore the Rogue Women Writers,
as they are a supportive and impressive group of eight female thriller authors
focused on international intrigue. Charter
members include Gayle Lynds, Francine Mathews, Jamie Freveletti, Christine
Goff, Karna Bodman, S. Lee Manning, Sonja Stone, and myself. A few of the ladies started talking about how
fun it would be to bond together with like-minded writers, and the next thing
we knew, Rogue Women Writers was born. Please
stop by at www.roguewomenwriters.com, as we love having visitors. We blog regularly about intrigue, spies,
kidnapping, and many
other topics.
AK And tell us a little about some of the recent books that have
passed your reading table?
KJH
As you are, I’m a huge fan of Andrew
Gross’ THE ONE MAN. I love books
that provide a total escape, and that is what Andy did with his brilliant
historical novel. If people haven’t had
a chance to read it yet, I would highly recommend they do.
Another phenomenal trilogy is Greg Iles’
NATCHEZ BURNING and THE BONE TREE. Can’t
wait to read MISSISIPPI BLOOD.
AK And I found the imagery and storytelling in The Freedom Broker
to be most cinematic, so I am assuming you also have an avid interest in Film,
so what recent thrillers have you seen that have caught your eye? As well as
the ones in the past that still remain in your memory.
KJH
When I write, I often see scenes
unfolding, like a movie playing on a screen in front of me—and I love watching
films and TV series, especially in the thriller genre. I love classics like all of the Bond films (huge
fan) as well as THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR, DAY OF THE JACKAL, THE
EAGLE HAS LANDED, RONIN, and HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER. And the TV series RAY DONOVAN is beyond
compelling. I love how the brilliant
writers make me cheer for a total anti-hero—and I enjoy how they use family as
a prominent theme in the series. THE
NIGHT MANAGER had me absolutely hooked—but that could have been because of Tom
Hiddleston. Also love HOMELAND.
AK Thank you for your time, and also the adrenaline rush of your
debut thriller.
KJH
Thanks for your energy, your positivity, and your support of the
genre. I always enjoy your posts, the
analysis thought-provoking, staying with me long after I read them.
Editor's note: The Freedom Broker ebook is currently
available on a 99p promotional offer CLICK HERE
and the paperback will be released on 27 July 2017 from Headline Publishing in
the UK
More information about
KJ Howe can be accessed Here
More information about
Thrillerfest 2017 can be accessed Here
