CANR
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PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE:
CITY: Tampa
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: CA 396
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born 1963, in VA; married, wife’s name Wendy; children: Ashley, Emma, Jack, Connor.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, doctor, and minister. Vascular and trauma surgeon; has worked as actor, firefighter, paramedic, jet pilot, and diving instructor; leads a men’s military ministry in Tampa, FL. Has commenced development of original work for film and television with studios including A&E, Amazon, Imagine Entertainment, and Skydance.
MIILITARY:U.S. Navy, fourteen years, combat surgeon with Naval Special Warfare; deployed with a SEAL Team for a Joint Special Operations Task Force and once as an FRSS team leader with U.S. Marines; served two tours in Iraq.
MEMBER:International Thriller Writers, Horror Writers Association.
AWARDS:Audie Award in the faith-based fiction & nonfiction category, 2023, for Dark Angel; Audie Award in the faith-based fiction & nonfiction category, 2024, for Dark Fall.
WRITINGS
Also author of War Torn (inspirational novel), 2018; with Brian Andrews, of “Tier One Origins” novella Scars: John Dempsey, 2020; and of short stories.
“Tier One” series has been optioned for television.
SIDELIGHTS
Jeffrey Wilson is a surgeon and military veteran who has cowritten numerous thriller novels featuring military settings drawn with authentic expertise. He began his career as a solo author but has achieved greater success in recurring collaboration with fellow U.S. Navy veteran Brian Andrews. After writing a pair of novels under the joint pseudonym Alex Ryan, they began teaming up under their own names, with the covers dubbing the duo “Andrews & Wilson.”
[open new]Wilson was born in Virginia. In a conversation with BTSCelebs, he explained that he was raised in a Christian family and that religion has played a central role in his life. He remarked: “I was all in as a kid, leading in Young Life, active in my church youth group, a member of FCA—you name it. My challenges came later, when harsh realities of life challenged my faith. … In the fire service as a paramedic, and … then in war as a Naval officer, I saw things and experienced things that challenged my faith.” Wilson further explained: “I never stopped believing but I drifted from my faith when I couldn’t rectify the true evil I saw in the world and the suffering as a result of that evil with my misconceptions of God and the Christian walk. I was able … to find my way back to an even stronger faith, but it took time. This is common in the life of those who have experienced the horrors of war firsthand.” To encourage a supportive and affirming faith in others, Wilson leads a multi-church military ministry in the Tampa area, where he lives with his wife and children.[suspend new]
Andrews and Wilson met at a thriller writers’ conference, Thrillerfest, in 2012. “I’m not all that comfortable in those kinds of social situations, and so I had made an effort to seek out other military veterans, thinking these would be men and women I would have things in common with,” Wilson told Nancy Bilyeau in an interview for the Big Thrill. It turned out that he and Andrews had much in common. “Brian and I hit it off immediately,” he told Bilyeau. “We were both Navy, we had daughters the same age, we both were all about family. We swapped sea stories and became great friends that first night.” They kept in touch by phone and e-mail, and when they met again at the 2013 Thrillerfest, they decided to write together. “We assign chapters for a given section and then swap and edit,” Wilson explained to Bilyeau. “The most important thing that makes this work is that every chapter I write gets a re-write by Brian and vice versa and we do this as we go along. In the end, there is a smooth blending of work so that we can hopefully end up with one voice.” [resume new]Regarding what readers can expect from an Andrews & Wilson book, Wilson told Suspense Magazine: “From a storytelling perspective, I would say the hallmarks of our brand are hard-hitting, realistic action that ebbs and flows through a nail-biting, and sometimes gut-wrenching plotline.”[suspend new]
“Nick Foley” Series
Beijing Red, published under the Alex Ryan pseudonym, opens a series focusing on Nick Foley, a former Navy SEAL and medic. Combat veteran Foley, while trying to decide his next steps in life, volunteers to help set up an immigration system in western China. Another worker contracts a mysterious illness, with symptoms similar to those associated with Ebola, and dies in a gruesome manner. Because the illness is not contagious, the Chinese government suspects that bioterrorism is the cause. Officials interrogate Foley, believing he may be an American agent, but soon microbiologist Chen “Dash” Dazhong recognizes that Foley can assist her in the investigation. They face many dangers as they try to prevent a biohazard from being unleashed.
Several reviewers considered Beijing Red an exciting story with an intriguing premise. It makes for “fine reading for fans of special-ops and contagion-driven thrillers,” remarked Jeff Ayers in Booklist. A Publishers Weekly critic termed the novel “earnest” and “workmanlike” but flawed; the critic praised the detailed exploration of biohazards and espionage, while adding: “The prose is middling at best, and the characters lack depth.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor offered a more positive assessment, calling the book “a fast-moving, tense biothriller” and “a terrific tale for fans of the genre.”
[re-resume new]Nick Foley returns in Hong Kong Black, in which an undercover CIA agent goes missing in Xian, China, and soon washes up in Hong Kong along with dozens of other mutilated corpses—victims of a tech-savvy organ-harvesting ring. Comely Chinese microbiologist Dazhong Chen helps Foley both track them down and stay alive, if just barely. A Publishers Weekly reviewer characterized this novel as a “by-the-numbers sequel” built on “quick jolts of action tempered by moments of romance.”[suspend new]
"Tier One" Series
Tier One, written under the authors’ own names, begins a popular series about Jack Kember, a former member of a Tier One Navy SEAL team–a covert operations unit. He is the sole survivor of an attack by Iranian terrorists on his team and another. After he recovers from his wounds, he is assigned a new name, John Dempsey, and is deployed with a new, secret force, code-named Ember, dedicated to wiping out the terrorist group. He learns that the cell is planning to attack the United Nations headquarters in New York City, but he also finds that the U.S. government is keeping some things from him. He and his team follow the terrorists across borders, seeking justice and revenge.
The novel “began with a germ of an idea,” Wilson told John B. Valeri in an interview for Valeri’s eponymous Web log. “Once we decided to write—and to write it together—it really took on a life of its own. The more we discussed the premise, the more real it became and the more we fell in love with it. I think the book became for us what it seems to be for most people—a hope that something like our fictitious EMBER really does exist. … There is a place in all of us that quietly hopes that outside the political rhetoric there is some group, somewhere, working in the shadows to keep us safe.” They sought to make their heroes realistic, he added, and to make their adversaries three-dimensional as well.
Some reviewers saw much to admire in the book. Kemper/Dempsey has “character depth” that “makes the alpha male more relatable and is a nice touch by the authors to an otherwise gung-ho, balls-to-the-wall thriller,” observed an online critic at Real Book Spy. The story, this critic added, “is somewhat predictable” but provides “a no-frills, action-packed adventure.” A Publishers Weekly contributor offered measured praise, calling Tier One “rousing if predictable.” A blogger at JBronder Book Reviews recommended it highly, though, dubbing it “a great, brutal story” that immerses readers in its battle action.
[re-re-resume new]
“Shepherds” Series
Andrews and Wilson’s paranormal “Shepherds” series centers on former SEAL Jed Johnson’s joining up with the Shepherds organization, a devout military outfit devoted to shielding the world from spiritual threats. In the series’ second novel, Dark Angel, a cadre of demons called the Dark Ones help Shepherd-turned-terrorist Nicholas Woland escape from prison in Paris. Jed’s dawning psychic abilities prove essential as his team seeks to stop Nicholas from sparking religious warfare with an attack on the Vatican. A Publishers Weekly reviewer declared that in Dark Angel Andrews and Wilson “thrill with their imaginative worldbuilding, edge-of-the-seat plot, and deeply felt characters.”
In Dark Fall, the next “Shepherds” novel, a Peruvian village is vaporized, signaling Dark Ones leader Victor’s plan to destroy people’s faith by propagating pain and suffering. Jed’s team is joined by Watchers, children with a sixth sense for the spiritual world, who help in the recovery of the major weapon responsible—and whose boarding school becomes Victor’s next target. Commending Jed as a “believable hero,” a Publishers Weekly reviewer reckoned Dark Fall an “adrenaline-pumping … intense thriller that’s as heavy on action as it is on faith. Imaginative and exciting, this is another winner.”
“Sons of Valor” Series
The “Tier One” character of Lieutenant Commander “Chunk” Redman gets central billing in Andrews and Wilson’s spin-off “Sons of Valor” series. The opening novel, Sons of Valor, begins with a tragedy in Afghanistan in 2016, when Qasim Nadir’s sister, Saida, is marrying his best friend, Eshan Dawar, but gets killed in an American drone strike. While Qasim’s life takes him to London and professional expertise in combat drones, Redman and his fraternal SEAL Team members—Trip, Saw, Riker, and Morales—engage in a mission or two around the Arabian Sea. Chunk get fresh motivation from whip-smart intelligence officer Whitney Watts, but a face-off with Qasim looms after Eshan tricks his friend into flying a drone for a Taliban mission, an act that fills him with pride.
A Kirkus Reviews writer praised Andrews and Wilson for “presenting action sequences with clarity” and for demonstrating an “authoritative understanding of weaponry.” The reviewer appreciated how the authors “depict the ethical complexity and consequential missteps on both sides” and deemed Sons of Valor a “solid series kickoff from a prolific pair.” A Publishers Weekly reviewer heralded the “scorching action scenes and authentic technical detail” and affirmed that “military thriller fans will be pleased to have a new team to root for.”[close new]
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, April 15, 2016, Jeff Ayers, review of Beijing Red, p. 23.
Internet Bookwatch, May, 2016, review of Beijing Red.
Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2016, review of Beijing Red; May 1, 2021, review of Sons of Valor.
Library Journal, July, 2023, Jeff Ayers, review of The Sandbox, p. 51.
MBR Bookwatch, August, 2013, review of Fade to Black.
Publishers Weekly, March 7, 2016, review of Beijing Red, p. 45; July 25, 2016, review of Tier One, p. 47; March 13, 2017, review of Hong Kong Black, p. 60; March 1, 2021, review of Sons of Valor, p. 44; October 18, 2021, review of W.E.B. Griffin: Rogue Asset, p. 35; February 14, 2022, review of Dark Angel, p. 49; September 12, 2022, review of Dark Fall, p. 54.
ONLINE
Andrews & Wilson website, https://www.andrews-wilson.com (April 25, 2024).
Big Thrill, http://www.thebigthrill.org/ (August 30, 2016), Nancy Bilyeau, “Writing a Military Thriller with Potent Authenticity.”
BTSCelebs, https://btscelebs.com/ (February 18, 2022), “Andrews and Wilson: ‘We Are Beyond Excited That the [Book] Series Is Now under Development as a TV Series.’”
Crimespree, https://crimespreemag.com/ (November 24, 2023), Elise Cooper, “Interview with Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson.”
JBronder Book Reviews, https://jbronderbookreviews.com/ (September 1, 2016), review of Tier One.
Jeffrey Wilson website, http://www.jeffreywilsonfiction.com (October 26, 2016).
John B. Valeri website, https://johnbvaleri.wordpress.com/ (August 31, 2016), “Veteran Collaboration: Brian Andrews & Jeff Wilson on Tier One.”
Mystery & Suspense, https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/ (November 25, 2023), “Q&A: Brian Andrews | Jeffrey Wilson.”
Real Book Spy, https://therealbookspy.com/ (August 24, 2016), review of Tier One.
Suspense Magazine, https://suspensemagazine.com/ (March 12, 2019), Jeff Ayers, “Interview: Jeffrey Wilson and Brian Andrews, Author of the ‘Tier One’ Series.”
Thriller Magazine, https://thrillermagazine.org/ (August 26, 2019), “Interview with Andrews & Wilson.”
Tyson Adams website, https://tysonadams.com/ (August 30, 2016), review of Tier One.
Wag the Fox, https://waggingthefox.blogspot.com/ (August 29, 2016), interview with Jeffrey Wilson and Brian Andrews.
Writer’s Digest, https://www.writersdigest.com/ (December 7, 2021), Robert Lee Brewer, “Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson: On the Power of Creative Teamwork.”
Andrews & Wilson is bestselling coauthor team of multiple covert ops and action-adventure thriller series: TIER ONE, SONS of VALOR, and THE SHEPHERDS.
Brian Andrews is a US Navy veteran, Park Leadership Fellow, and former submarine officer with a psychology degree from Vanderbilt and a masters in business from Cornell University. Brian also is a principal contributor at Career Authors, a site dedicated to advancing the careers of aspiring and published writers.
Jeffrey Wilson has worked as an actor, firefighter, paramedic, jet pilot, and diving instructor, as well as a vascular and trauma surgeon. He served in the US Navy for fourteen years and made multiple deployments as a combat surgeon with an East Coast–based SEAL Team. He and his wife, Wendy, live in Southwest Florida with their four children.
Alex Ryan
A pseudonym used by Brian Andrews, Jeffrey Wilson
Alex Ryan is a pseudonym for the co-author team of Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson.
Genres: Thriller
Series
Nick Foley
1. Beijing Red (2016)
2. Hong Kong Black (2017)
Andrews & Wilson
A pseudonym used by Brian Andrews, Jeffrey Wilson
Navy veterans Brian Andrews & Jeffrey Wilson are the writing team behind the #1 bestselling Tier One series. Brian is a nuclear engineer and Park Leadership Fellow who served as an officer on a fast-attack submarine. Jeff is a trauma/vascular surgeon who conducted combat operations with an East Coast–based SEAL team. Their other novels include the Shepherds series and installments in WEB Griffin’s Presidential Agent series.
Genres: Thriller
New and upcoming books
April 2024
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Four Minutes
May 2024
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Act of Defiance
(Jack Ryan, book 24)July 2024
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Ember
(Tier One, book 8)
December 2024
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Defense Protocol
(Jack Ryan, book 25)
Series
Tier One
1. Tier One (2016)
2. War Shadows (2017)
3. Crusader One (2017)
4. American Operator (2018)
5. Red Specter (2019)
6. Collateral (2020)
7. Dempsey (2023)
8. Ember (2024)
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Tier One Origins
1. SCARS: John Dempsey (2020)
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Presidential Agent (with W E B Griffin)
9. Rogue Asset (2021)
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Sons of Valor
1. Sons of Valor (2021)
2. Violence of Action (2022)
3. War Machine (2023)
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Shepherds
1. Dark Intercept (2021)
2. Dark Angel (2022)
3. Dark Fall (2022)
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Novels
Four Minutes (2024)
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Series contributed to
Jack Ryan
24. Act of Defiance (2024)
25. Defense Protocol (2024)
Navy veterans BRIAN ANDREWS and JEFFREY WILSON (Andrews & Wilson) are the writing team behind the Wall Street Journal, Audible, and #1 Amazon bestselling Tier One series which has been optioned for television. Brian is a nuclear engineer and Park Leadership Fellow who served as an officer on a fast-attack submarine. Jeff is a vascular surgeon and jet pilot who conducted combat operations with an East Coast-based SEAL team and worked in cover government task forces.
They have over twenty published novels and have sold over a million copies across media channels. Their other works include the Sons of Valor and Shepherds series, Rogue Asset for the W.E.B Griffin estate, The Sandbox, and the twenty-fourth installment in Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan series, Act of Defiance. In addition to their novels, Andrews & Wilson have multiple original works in development for film and television with A&E, Amazon Studios, Endeavor Content, Imagine Entertainment, PictureStart, Skydance, Sony, and Walden Media.
November 25, 2023
Q&A
Brian Andrews | Jeffrey Wilson
Brian Andrews is a US Navy veteran, nuclear engineer, and former submarine officer. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in psychology, holds a Master’s in business from Cornell, and is a Park Leadership Fellow. He is a principal contributor at Career Authors, a site dedicated to advancing the careers of aspiring and published writers: www.careerauthors.com.
Jeff Wilson
Jeffrey Wilson has worked as an actor, firefighter, paramedic, jet pilot, and diving instructor, as well as a vascular and trauma surgeon. He served in the US Navy for fourteen years and made multiple deployments as a combat surgeon with an East Coast–based SEAL Team. He and his wife, Wendy, live in Southwest Florida with their four children.
Interview by Elise Cooper
Q: Can you share the inspiration behind creating the “Sons of Valor” series, which is a spin-off of the “Tier One Series”?
Jeffrey: We hope to continue the series as long as people continue to read them. This is a spin-off, a shared universe with the “Tier One Series.” The eighth book comes out next year. There was a minor character in the previous series, Chuck Redman, who was widely popular with the readers.
Q: Could you elaborate on the foundational concept of the “Tier One Series” and how it sets the stage for the “Sons of Valor Series”?
Jeffrey: The entire SEAL team gets wiped out because of leaked intelligence. The sole survivor gets a new identity, John Dempsey, and now is part of a covert operation task force.
Brian: The first book of that series came out in 2016. John Dempsey, the main character of that series, is not in the “Sons of Valor Series.” Although in the second book there are a lot of references. But there are other cross-over characters.
Q: What inspired the character Chuck Redman in the series, and is he based on the real-life retired SEAL Jay Redman?
Jeffrey: He is a good friend of ours and we wanted to honor him. We do it a lot where we put those who we had a professional and personal relationship in our books. Chuck does not represent Jay, but we did it to honor our friendship.
Q: What was the creative process behind developing “Sons of Valor III: War Machine”, and how does it continue the narrative of the series?
Brian: We tend to write our military thrillers as trilogies. The Qasim Nadar thread wraps up in this book. In the real world we like to give the antagonist characters some leeway to flush out their motives and organization. There is a great line, “Every villain is the hero of their own story.” We embrace this in our writing. It is not our point of view, but the character’s thoughts and actions..
Jeffrey: We do not like our bad guys to be two-dimensional cookie cutters unlike Dr. Evil. The risk is do readers have sympathy for a terrorist. We wanted to explore will Qasim do the right thing or take the path of evil. People will see his evolution through the books on becoming a Jihadi. In book 2 there was a clear path for him to take, but the one he takes should cause someone to hate him.
Q: The quote from Book 1, “It is a shame that it takes personal losses and suffering for most men to find their courage,” seems especially poignant in light of recent events in Israel. Could you comment on its relevance?
Jeffrey: This is a timely quote referencing how someone’s tragedy is tested under fire. It would be great if no one had to discover this about themselves. Think about the stories that came out of 9/11 and how heroic actions were displayed. I read amazing stories of how people were so incredibly brave on October 7th. A young female army officer went out in her PJs with her gun, joined up with someone else, and held off the terrorists, protecting their little village. There is such inspiration in these stories.
Q: What are the key takeaways you hope readers will gain from your books?
Jeffrey: This is why we write these books, hoping people will have a new appreciation for the toll it takes on the operator: the relationship with one another and their families. We feel there is a higher reason we wrote the books, to honor the men/women we served with and to share that world.
Q: How would you describe the character Qasim in the series?
Brian: Qasim is cold-hearted, diabolical, and evil. He cares about his cause. He cemented himself as a person of significance in the local culture. In book 3, he has drunk the Kool-Aid, taking a leadership role in a terrorist organization. He must deal with personal problems, money, motivation, logistics, and must keep secrets. He wants a Caliphate where there must be a shift of power and take control.
Jeffrey: We want to show how the technology and information is different now. There is an information war going on the same time as a covert war. The operators are new but also the terrorists are more sophisticated. This is a different dynamic post 9/11. We wanted to explore what a new generation of terrorists looks like. They are multi-educated, bi-lingual, and tech savvy. It is also an infiltration of culture and society that is no longer just in the Middle East. This is a change in the real world which we wanted to write about. These are the battlefields of the 21st century.
Q: Can you give us an insight into the character of Chuck Redman?
Jeffrey: Highly intelligent, tenacious, intuitive, mission and team before self.
Q: How would you describe Lucy’s character in the series?
Brian: Whitney saw her as sad, intense, brave, focused, loyal, and cared about others concerns. When she faces mortal danger, she stands her ground.
Q: And what about Whitney? How does she evolve throughout the series?
Brian: She takes initiative in this book. She found a lot of strength from Lucy. Her goal is to be part of the team.
Jeffrey: Both Lucy and Whitney are tenacious. We did not want to write Whitney as a one-woman killing machine taking out the bad guys single handedly or a mousey analyst who fades in the background. We pushed her out of her comfort zone, which she hated, but realized it made her tougher. She is someone who never quits. She is one of my favorite characters.
Q: What can you tell us about the dynamic between Whitney and Redman in the series?
Brian: They are both mirrors of the other. They recognize in the other characteristics they admire. Both are confident. There is a scene in the book where she is on the verge of physical collapse and starts to think about who the person would be she could rely on to get her out of this situation. Her subconscious understands it is Chuck because she does not realize her own inner strength. Over the first two books she grasps how much she admires and respects him. Chuck also tries to think what she would do when trying to rescue her. They both try to do what the other person would do when the other person is not there.
Q: Is the technological equipment, like Valkyrie, described in the book based on real-world developments?
Jeffrey: It is a drone and manned from the ground. There is technology in development that has the capability. We wanted to explore how much autonomy should AI have: should it include a kill decision?
Brian: There are drones that can fly along fighter jets that augment pilots on missions. It is a stealth drone, with a vertical takeoff from anywhere. We had in the book what safeguards would the military program?
Q: Can you share some insights about your upcoming books and projects?
Jeffrey and Brian:
The next Sons of Valor book does not have a date yet but there will be one.
There is a techno-thriller coming out in April, titled Four Minutes. A task force collects Intelligence from the future to stop attacks in the present. They use this information to try to stop the bad guys.
We will be writing the next Tom Clancy book titled Act of Defiance, coming out on the 40th anniversary of the book Red October. A Russian super weapon is deployed at sea and it’s up to Jack Ryan to find a countermove.
The next Tier 1 book comes out in July titled Ember, the name of the taskforce. The taskforce does covert operations.
The fourth book in the Shepherds series comes out next fall. We explore combat and faith with a speculative element. There is a supernatural spiritual warfare element that blended into a covert ops’ thriller. This includes using scriptures of the Bible. It has demons possess bad guys.
Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson: On the Power of Creative Teamwork
Authors Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson discuss the benefits of working as co-authors and the process of writing the newest Presidential Agent novel, Rogue Asset.
ROBERT LEE BREWERDEC 7, 2021
Brian Andrews is a U.S. Navy veteran, Park Leadership Fellow, and former submarine officer with a psychology degree from Vanderbilt and a masters in business from Cornell University.
Jeffrey Wilson has worked as an actor, firefighter, paramedic, jet pilot, and diving instructor, as well as a vascular and trauma surgeon. He served in the U.S. Navy for 14 years and made multiple deployments as a combat surgeon with an East Coast-based SEAL Team. He and his wife, Wendy, live in Southwest Florida with their four children. You can find them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Brian Andrews (left) and Jeffrey Wilson (right)
Brian Andrews (left) and Jeffrey Wilson (right)
In this post, Brian and Jeffrey discuss the benefits of working as co-authors, the process of writing the newest Presidential Agent novel, Rogue Asset, and more!
Name: Andrews & Wilson
Literary agent: Gina Panettieri
Book title: Rogue Asset, Book #9 in WEB Griffin’s Presidential Agent Series
Publisher: GP Putnam’s Sons
Release date: December 7, 2021
Genre/category: Thriller
Previous titles: Tier One Series; Sons of Valor Series; Shepherds Series
Elevator pitch for the book: Charlie Castillo is back in the newest installment of the bestselling Presidential Agent series, with a new team and new challenges. Together with his protégé, USMC Captain and MARSOC Raider P.K. “Pick” McCoy, they will have to work fast and deep in the shadows, because the Secretary of State has been kidnapped by an unidentified terrorist organization. If they can’t find him quickly, a deadly series of events will unfold, plunging America into war.
Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson: On the Power of Creative Teamwork
IndieBound | Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]
What prompted you to write this book?
We were beyond flattered when approached by Putnam to carry the mantle of the Presidential Agent Series on behalf of the Griffin estate. To write under the banner of the iconic W.E.B. Griffin is at once thrilling and humbling, and we worked hard to honor the rich universe and larger-than-life characters he created in the series.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
Because the book was contracted as part of the existing series, the timeline was different than had we been developing a de novo project. As always with our process, we began with a “what if” question. In this case, what if a terrorist organization in North Africa kidnapped the Secretary State to use him as a pawn in a regional power play?
After nearly a decade in retirement, how would Charlie Castillo respond if called back into service by a new Presidential Administration facing a very different geopolitical landscape than the one he left behind?
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
First off, it was thrilling to work with the incredible Tom Colgan. We learned so much from him. From the get-go, Tom counseled us not to try and replicate W.E.B. Griffin’s writing style or his voice—because no one possibly could!
Instead, he encouraged us to bring our unique Andrews & Wilson flair—the same authentic, gritty action of our Tier One series—while paying homage to the world and characters Griffin created. Armed and motivated with that advice, we were empowered to bring Charlie back into action and introduce a few new characters that we hope fans of the series will find compelling and embrace.
Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson: On the Power of Creative Teamwork
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
The only surprise for us was the lack of surprises! With Charley Castillo at the helm, the book practically wrote itself. As co-authors, our “superpower” is that we never have to worry about writer’s block. That’s the power of teamwork and collaboration—a fresh perspective or a new idea is always only a phone call away.
For Rogue Asset, we used the same tried and true process we’ve developed writing what is now 15 books written together … and we’re happy to report that for this book that process did not let us down.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
We hope, more than anything else, that readers will rejoice at the return of the Presidential Agent series. We also hope that instead of trying to compare Rogue Asset to the previous installments, fans will embrace Charley’s return and join him on this new adventure in a world that is more volatile, uncertain, and dangerous than it was a decade ago. The stakes are higher than ever, so fans of the series better buckle-up for a white-knuckle ride!
If you could share one piece of advice with other authors, what would it be?
Write with confidence! Once you find your voice, embrace it … because a writer’s voice is the one defining asset in a very crowded industry that is distinctly and truly his or her own.
INTERVIEW WITH BRIAN ANDREWS AND JEFFREY WILSON
by Elise Cooper | Nov 24, 2023 | Author Interviews, Books, Features
War MachineSons of Valor Book 3
Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson
Blackstone Publishing
Nov 7th, 2023
Sons of Valor, War Machine, the third book in the series, by Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson finishes the overarching story of terrorist Qasim Nadar. They use their vast experience to write engrossing thrillers. Andrews worked as a nuclear engineer on naval submarines, while Wilson was a trauma surgeon embedded with the East Coast Navy SEALS.
In the stories, Nadar fools everyone and is considered a hero in England. Everyone that is except counter-terrorism analyst Whitney Watts. After getting a call from her MI6 counterpart Lucy Kim she flies to England to work with Lucy to try to out Nadar as a terrorist. Unfortunately, their investigation turns upside down and they are kidnapped by the terrorists. As Lieutenant Commander Keith “Chunk” Redman and the rest of Tier One travel across London in search of Watts, Nadar prepares to unleash his most dangerous weapon yet, an advanced drone with artificial intelligence and stealth technology.
The authors know how to keep the tension high with the suspense growing on each page. Readers will not want to put this epilogue down.
Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the series?
Jeffrey Wilson: We hope to continue the series as long as people continue to read them. This is a spin-off, a shared universe with the “Tier One Series.” The eighth book comes out next year. There was a minor character in the previous series, Chuck Redman, who was widely popular with the readers.
EC: What is the premise of the “Tier One Series?”
JW: The entire SEAL team gets wiped out because of leaked intelligence. The sole survivor gets a new identity, John Dempsey, and now is part of a covert operation task force.
Brian Andrews: The first book of that series came out in 2016. John Dempsey, the main character of that series, is not in the “Sons of Valor Series.” Although in the second book there are a lot of references. But there are other cross-over characters.
Elise Cooper: Did you base Chuck Redman on the real retired SEAL Jay Redman?
JW: He is a good friend of ours and we wanted to honor him. We do it a lot where we put those who we had a professional and personal relationship in our books. Chuck does not represent Jay, but we did it to honor our friendship.
EC: How did you get the idea for the current book, Sons of Valor III: War Machine?
BA: We tend to write our military thrillers as trilogies. The Qasim Nadar thread wraps up in this book. In the real world we like to give the antagonist characters some leeway to flush out their motives and organization. There is a great line, “Every villain is the hero of their own story.” We embrace this in our writing. It is not our point of view, but the character’s thoughts and actions..
JW: We do not like our bad guys to be two-dimensional cookie cutters unlike Dr. Evil. The risk is do readers have sympathy for a terrorist. We wanted to explore will Qasim do the right thing or take the path of evil. People will see his evolution through the books on becoming a Jihadi. In book 2 there was a clear path for him to take, but the one he takes should cause someone to hate him.
EC: Book 1 has this quote, “It is a shame that it takes personal losses and suffering for most men to find their courage.” This seems so relevant for those families that brutally lost loved ones in Israel on October 7th. Do you want to comment?
JW: This is a timely quote referencing how someone’s tragedy is tested under fire. It would be great if no one had to discover this about themselves. Think about the stories that came out of 9/11 and how heroic actions were displayed. I read amazing stories of how people were so incredibly brave on October 7th. A young female army officer went out in her PJs with her gun, joined up with someone else, and held off the terrorists, protecting their little village. There is such inspiration in these stories.
EC: What do you want readers to get out of the books?
JW: This is why we write these books, hoping people will have a new appreciation for the toll it takes on the operator: the relationship with one another and their families. We feel there is a higher reason we wrote the books, to honor the men/women we served with and to share that world.
EC: How would you describe Qasim?
BA: Qasim is cold-hearted, diabolical, and evil. He cares about his cause. He cemented himself as a person of significance in the local culture. In book 3, he has drunk the Kool-Aid, taking a leadership role in a terrorist organization. He must deal with personal problems, money, motivation, logistics, and must keep secrets. He wants a Caliphate where there must be a shift of power and take control.
JW: We want to show how the technology and information is different now. There is an information war going on the same time as a covert war. The operators are new but also the terrorists are more sophisticated. This is a different dynamic post 9/11. We wanted to explore what a new generation of terrorists looks like. They are multi-educated, bi-lingual, and tech savvy. It is also an infiltration of culture and society that is no longer just in the Middle East. This is a change in the real world which we wanted to write about. These are the battlefields of the 21st century.
EC: How would you describe Chuck Redman?
JW: Highly intelligent, tenacious, intuitive, mission and team before self.
EC: How would you describe Lucy?
BA: Whitney saw her as sad, intense, brave, focused, loyal, and cared about others concerns. When she faces mortal danger, she stands her ground.
EC: How would you describe Whitney?
BA: She takes initiative in this book. She found a lot of strength from Lucy. Her goal is to be part of the team.
JW: Both Lucy and Whitney are tenacious. We did not want to write Whitney as a one-woman killing machine taking out the bad guys single handedly or a mousey analyst who fades in the background. We pushed her out of her comfort zone, which she hated, but realized it made her tougher. She is someone who never quits. She is one of my favorite characters.
EC: What about the relationship between Whitney and Redman?
BA: They are both mirrors of the other. They recognize in the other characteristics they admire. Both are confident. There is a scene in the book where she is on the verge of physical collapse and starts to think about who the person would be she could rely on to get her out of this situation. Her subconscious understands it is Chuck because she does not realize her own inner strength. Over the first two books she grasps how much she admires and respects him. Chuck also tries to think what she would do when trying to rescue her. They both try to do what the other person would do when the other person is not there.
EC: Is the piece of equipment, Valkyrie, true?
JW: It is a drone and manned from the ground. There is technology in development that has the capability. We wanted to explore how much autonomy should AI have: should it include a kill decision?
BA: There are drones that can fly along fighter jets that augment pilots on missions. It is a stealth drone, with a vertical takeoff from anywhere. We had in the book what safeguards would the military program?
EC: Next books?
JW and BA:
The next Sons of Valor book does not have a date yet but there will be one.
There is a techno-thriller coming out in April, titled Four Minutes. A task force collects
Intelligence from the future to stop attacks in the present. They use this information to
try to stop the bad guys.
We will be writing the next Tom Clancy book titled Act of Defiance, coming out on the 40th
anniversary of the book Red October. A Russian super weapon is deployed at sea
and it’s up to Jack Ryan to find a countermove.
The next Tier 1 book comes out in July titled Ember, the name of the taskforce. The
taskforce does covert operations.
The fourth book in the Shepherds series comes out next fall. We explore combat and faith
with a speculative element. There is a supernatural spiritual warfare element that
blended into a covert ops’ thriller. This includes using scriptures of the Bible. It has
demons possess bad guys.
THANK YOU!!
[Interview] Andrews and Wilson: “We Are Beyond Excited That The [Book] Series Is Now Under Development As A TV Series”
Posted on February 18, 2022 by Btscelebs
BTSCelebs: Who is Andrews & Wilson professionally?
Brian: Andrews & Wilson is the storytelling team of Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson. While we have both published individually, we are now working full-time as Andrews & Wilson, with multiple books coming out each year in four different series. We are both Navy veterans who support the veteran community by taking on mentoring and philanthropic roles. After graduating from Vanderbilt and the NROTC program, I served as an officer on a 688 class fast attack submarine in the Pacific. After my tour of service, I attended Cornell University, where I earned an MBA and was a Park Leadership Fellow. I worked as an entrepreneur while beginning my career as a storyteller and now write full-time.
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Jeff: As Brian said, we’re both Navy veterans. In my case, I served as a combat surgeon with Naval Special Warfare, deploying with an East Coast–based SEAL Team as well as one deployment as an FRSS team leader with the Marines. I have had lots of jobs, but my time serving with the amazing warriors of NSW is the thing I am most proud of and shaped who I am as a person and a writer. I also write full-time now, but in addition I lead a men’s military ministry for a large, multisite church in Tampa, which has been beyond rewarding.
Which Bible passage is the best summary of the message behind Dark Angel?
Brian: For me, John 8:44 and Ephesians 6:10-18 come to mind, but my favorite that fits the story arc is Ephesians 6:12, which says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” In Dark Angel, our hero Jed finds himself battling darkness that predates his time in the Shepherds and a foe that matches not only his warrior skills but one who has capitalized on his fall from grace. Do you agree, Jeff?
Jeff: That’s one of my favorites for sure. I also love Isaiah 6:8, which is where God calls to Isaiah and he answers: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” I love it because, like the characters in the Shepherds series, Isaiah answers the call without question. These are the men who we had the honor to serve with in the Navy, those who answered the call and said, “Here I am. Send me.”
Are there any people in the Holy Bible that inspired the characters in your new book?
Jeff: There are a myriad of them in fact. One of the things that is so inspirational in the Old and New Testament is how God uses ordinary, and often flawed, men and women to be His light in the world. David was loved by God but did some terrible things, finding his way back to God in time. Before he was writing the New Testament, Paul was Saul and hunted and killed Christians. I love Peter, the flawed, often–short-fused guy who became the “Rock” on which the Christian church was built. Those are the types of characters we tried to build in the book—ordinary men called to do extraordinary things not because they’re better than anyone else, but because they surrender to God. When they make mistakes or miss the mark, they get up every time and strive to do better.
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What was one tough obstacle you had to overcome while writing Dark Angel and which part of the novel was the easiest to write?
Brian: Great question—the most difficult part of writing this second installment in the series was trying to force ourselves to slow down! There was a strong compulsion to accelerate Jed into the program and get him into a leadership position right out of the gate. But we knew that would be a mistake. We spent hours talking about what makes units like the Navy SEALs so effective, and the core concept we kept coming back to is the strong bonds of brotherhood between the team members. In the Shepherds, an organization that is well-established but always recruiting new members, there would need to be a protocol in place to help create the same kind of bonding that you see in high-performing teams. The solution to this conundrum became the idea that “all” Shepherds—regardless of seniority—rotate through the training program with new members when forming a new squadron so they can bond as a group. Writing this “boot camp” module into the opening of the novel was super fun and allowed us to develop and show off the personalities of Jed’s future teammates.
It’s great that you are powerful inspirational writers! Tell us about when you both accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Jeff: I was raised in a Christian family and gave my life to Christ in high school. But like so many of us, my story didn’t really end there. I was all in as a kid, leading in Young Life, active in my church youth group, a member of FCA—you name it. My challenges came later, when harsh realities of life challenged my faith. This started for me as a young man, working in the fire service as a paramedic, and grew slowly over time. In other government service and then in war as a Naval officer, I saw things and experienced things that challenged my faith. I never stopped believing but I drifted from my faith when I couldn’t rectify the true evil I saw in the world and the suffering as a result of that evil with my misconceptions of God and the Christian walk. I was able, with help from my wife and others in my life, to find my way back to an even stronger faith, but it took time. This is common in the life of those who have experienced the horrors of war firsthand, and it’s why I’m now serving in a men’s military ministry in Tampa.
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Brian: The idea that God would send His only Son to live and struggle among us has resonated with me my entire life. To live as a mortal is the purest path to empathy, compassion, and understanding. How can one truly love another person unless you have walked in his or her shoes? For over two thousand years, Jesus and His teachings have inspired people to take the journey to become better versions of themselves. His lessons will never lose their relevance or poignancy. When faced with derision, Jesus responded with kindness. When facing hate, He responded with love. For as long as I can remember, I have accepted Him and His love.
Besides Dark Angel, what other exciting projects do you guys have planned for 2022?
Brian: 2022 and 2023 are exciting for us. In addition to Dark Angel in April, we also have the third book in the Shepherds series coming out in October—Dark Fall. And we are beyond excited that the series is now under development as a TV series.
Jeff: Yep! And of course Sons of Valor gets its second installment in the series in June with the release of Violence of Action. We love this series and are glad to get some more Tier One SEAL action out there for our readers. And next winter look for Dempsey, the seventh book in the Tier One series to hit the shelves. Early winter 2023.
Brian: Right, and speaking of 2023, we also have a brand-new techno-thriller coming next year. Sandbox is a high-concept thriller we’re really excited to share!
Jeff: For fans and readers who want to learn more, go to andrews-wilson.com to see all our books and interviews. While you’re there, please sign up for the newsletter to stay apprised of all our release dates and announcements. We never share contacts and we won’t spam your in-box—just periodic updates with the latest news and giveaways!
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Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson’s “Dark Angel” is scheduled to be released on April 5th, 2022.
A Special Thanks to Tyndale House Publishers and Andrews and Wilson for the exclusive interview and images.
Interview “Jeffrey Wilson and Brian Andrews” author of the “Tier One series”
POSTED BY: ADMINISTRATOR MARCH 12, 2019
Andrews & Wilson: Show They’re “Tier One” Quality
Interview by Jeff Ayers for Suspense Magazine
Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson have found success writing together. Not only do they write the #1 bestselling series Tier One, they have also written standalone novels featuring ex-Navy SEAL Nick Foley, under the pseudonym of Alex Ryan. They took time out from their busy writing schedule to answer five questions for Suspense Magazine:
Jeff Ayers (J.A.): How do you edit your work when it’s a collaborative process?
Jeffrey Wilson (J.W.): One thing that’s different for us—at least from me and my solo projects—is there is so much more editing that goes in during the rough draft phase. Our process involves writing concurrently, brainstorming constantly, and splitting up chapters, usually by POV. About every three or four chapters we trade work, edit and re-write the other guy’s chapter, and blend them together into a master file. As a result, when we finish the rough draft, we have functionally been through one complete edit. After the rough, we start the developmental editing (DE) phase and bring our amazing developmental editor into the loop. She reads the entire manuscript, prepares detailed notes, and we conference all together. With the manuscript back in our court, we begin the process all over again but now as a DE pass—with me and Brian splitting the work, and swapping the master file back and forth. It sounds cumbersome, but it’s actually insanely efficient and is the reason we can produce a book so quickly.
Brian Andrews (B.A.): And when Jeff is finally done with all the heavy lifting, I write “The End” and attach the file to a snarky, self-indulgent email to our publisher, and send our latest masterpiece off for publication. But seriously, all kidding aside, one of the more important elements of our process is the mechanics of managing the prose so the novel reads with a singular voice. One of the great compliments for us as a writing duo, is when a fan or reviewer comments about the consistent voice and the absence of stark or contrasting style from chapter to chapter. That is intentional, and the cornerstone of the Andrews & Wilson process. A very wise author once said, “All writing is rewriting” and we embrace this adage to the core. Our editing phase is the heavy lifting of the project, during which all sentences are fair game for deletion, relocation, or rephrasing. As you heard Jeff explain, by the time we’re done with DE the book has been collaboratively rewritten two times, which is why a unified voice emerges by the end. This process requires that you trust your co-author and lock your ego away in a drawer. Even if we wanted to, it’s impossible to “take credit” for specific ideas or sections of prose—every novel is an Andrews & Wilson collaboration and is virtually impossible to deconstruct.
J.A.: Why do you think your Tier One novels have been so popular?
B.A.: When a reader picks up a Tier One novel, our goal is that he or she is fully immersed in the story before finishing the first chapter. We try to accomplish this by using three levers: premise, plot, and protagonist. Every Tier One book is based on a “ripped from the headlines” premise. Given the long production cycle for books like these, this requires a good measure of crystal ball gazing and a little bit of luck so that we get it right. For example, the impetus for “American Operator” (the latest book in the series) was born from us observing a systematic, multi-pronged Russian influence campaign to destabilize American relationships and operations in Turkey, Iraq, and Syria. The premise of the book is a “what if” scenario in which Russia orchestrates a false flag operation in Turkey that fractures the US-Turkish alliance, thereby knocking the United States out of the driver’s seat in the region and shifting the balance of power and influence to Russia.
The second lever is plot, and every Tier One novel opens with an inciting event that draws the reader into the mind and motivational machinations of the villain. For example, in the opening chapter of “American Operator,” the US Ambassador to Turkey is murdered and his Chief of Staff, Amanda Allen, is kidnapped. We pose the question immediately to the reader: Why was Amanda Allen taken instead of murdered? And if she’s not recovered, what will the consequences be?
J.W.: I think readers are drawn to the realism in our premises, and the intrigue in our plots, but most importantly the realism of the characters. All the series characters are real and relatable; our protagonist, John Dempsey, most of all. That’s highly intentional—writing characters with strengths and weaknesses, faults and frailties, instead of just superheroes—because those are the type of men and women we know and have served with. In Special Warfare, you have ordinary people who do amazing things because of their drive and sense of service, but then pick up milk on their way home, go to their kids’ ball game, and take the garbage to the curb. We try hard to imbue humanity into all the characters, because it brings them to life and makes you care what happens to them. Dempsey is just a man, but he is a man of the highest possible caliber. He is a former Tier One Navy SEAL—an operator, a patriot, and a member of an elite brotherhood. In his world, heroism is expected. In his world, country is put ahead of self. And in his world, tragedy is unavoidable. To do his job requires a level of self-sacrifice—as well as mental and spiritual toughness that few people will ever know. To understand him, you have to walk in his shoes, which is why we write his character using an intimate, and intimidatingly close, third person POV. After reading any of the Tier One books, you will feel like you’ve been through “the suck” with Dempsey, and that’s the level of realism we strive for.
J.A.: How do you find your distinctive voice, both with your individual works and those done together?
J.W.: Well, I think understanding our process that we described earlier answers that a little bit, but I also think that Brian and I have a very similar outlook on writing. We think alike now to the point where we joke that we have one brain that we share when it comes to the craft of writing. Others might say that if you sum us up, you almost have one good writer.
B.A.: In our co-authored works (the Tier One and Alex Ryan series), the mission is to eschew two distinctive voices in exchange for a unified voice. There’s no soloist in this performance, only the choir. That’s the beautiful irony of your question—when you read our collaborative work, what should resonate is that the Andrews & Wilson voice should feel different and distinct from our solo stuff. We want it that way, because each co-authored novel is truly a 50/50 collaboration.
J.A.: What is the Andrews & Wilson brand?
B.A.: When we started this journey we decided that we wanted to write books about Military Characters, Covert Operations, and Science & Technology. Those are the three pillars of our brand and will always be a common theme in all our co-authored works. From book to book and series to series, the emphasis might shift more heavily from one pillar to the other, but all three elements will always be present.
J.W.: Thematically, that’s correct. From a storytelling perspective, I would say the hallmarks of our brand are hard-hitting, realistic action that ebbs and flows through a nail-biting, and sometimes gut-wrenching plotline. As far as the writing itself, well, when it comes to a two-name brand everyone brings their own personal strengths. I’m the talent and the good looks and the brains, and Brian…wait, what did you say you do again?
J.A: Have you thought about writing either solo or together in other genres?
J.W.: Well, Brian and I have both written outside the military and covert ops thriller genre. I’ve written a few supernatural thrillers—one being more classic horror than anything. Brian recently released a speculative technology thriller called “Reset” that’s an incredible near future techno-thriller that ties climate change, artificial intelligence, and government conspiracy into a ‘what the heck just happened’ plot. If I had to describe it in a single sentence, it would be: “The Terminator meets War Games with a dash of The X-files thrown in.” As far as co-authored off-genre work, we do have an exciting new Andrews & Wilson novel in the pipeline. The book features a former Army CID investigator turned homicide detective, Valerie Marks, as she tackles her first domestic case in which the murderer is unlike any serial killer the world has faced before. We don’t have a pub date yet, and can’t release the title, but in this new book we explore some cutting-edge science and mix in some true crime elements for the first time.
B.A.: And Jeff just released his first faith-based title, “War Torn,” a couple of weeks ago, and it’s been incredibly well-received. Something that folks probably don’t know, is that Jeff leads a men’s military ministry in Tampa focused on helping war fighters deal with crisis of faith dilemmas that can accompany war time service—both for the service members and their families. “War Torn” was born out of things Jeff has seen and been part of in the horrors of war, and it is a beautifully written, emotional novel that I encourage our readership (even those who don’t typically read faith-based fiction) to explore.
To stay up to date on their work and sign up for their newsletter, check out these links; Brian’s Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2OZEkXd, Jeff’s Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2DcHQqW, and
Andrews & Wilson Newsletter: www.andrews-wilson.com. ■
INTERVIEW WITH ANDREWS & WILSON
fiction
Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing two prolific and highly successful authors, Jeffery Wilson & Brian Andrews. Both Jeff and Brian are navy veterans (thank you to both gentlemen for their service). Among many great works they’ve teamed up to write, they have coauthored a #1 bestselling series, Tier One.
You can learn more about them by visiting their WEBSITE. And be sure to check out their upcoming novel, Red Specter,which serves as the 5th novel of the Tier One series!
AO cover
Brian Andrews is a nuclear engineer who served as an officer on a fast-attack submarine in the Pacific. He is a Park Leadership Fellow, has a master’s degree in business from Cornell, and holds a psychology degree from Vanderbilt. In addition to his works with Jeff he is the author of The Think Tank series and the explosive, bestselling Sci-fi thriller, Reset. Brian lives in Tornado Alley with his wife and three beautiful daughters
Jeff Wilson has worked as an actor, a firefighter, a paramedic, a jet pilot, a diving instructor, a Naval Officer, and a Vascular and Trauma Surgeon. He served in the Navy as a combat surgeon, deploying with the Marines and later with an East Coast based SEAL Team as part of a Joint Special Operations Task Force. He is the award-winning author of three supernatural thrillers, Fade to Black, The Donors, and The Traiteur’s Ring as well as the recent faith based, inspirational war time novel War Torn, which he wrote as part of his work with a men’s military ministry. Jeff and his wife, Wendy, are Virginia natives who, with their four children now live in Southwest Florida.
T1 trilogy
Thriller Magazine: Your Tier Ones series has been wildly successful, and it’s exciting to see that the 5th novel will soon be releasing! What is some of the inspiration for the series, and how did you guys go about creating it?
JEFF: The inspiration for the Tier One series, like for all of our books, was real life. Brian and I have both had the honor to serve our country in the United States Navy, and we have served beside some amazing men and women who were the real life inspiration for many of the characters in the Tier One series. For sure, there are close friends who we know see some of themselves and their stories in our pages. From the start, Brian and I have been committed to telling the story of the Ember Team in a way that shows the real world personalities, and the strengths and weaknesses and the sacrifices, of the real Heroes that guard our nation. Our work is fiction, and we work tirelessly to protect the OPSEC of those we still know out there on the pointy tip of the spear, but in the characters and relationships we find the opportunity to show what the world is really like. Our goal is always that when our friends in the community read our work they’ll say, “Yeah, that’s what I would have done.”
As for how our co-author partnership got started, well Brian begged and begged to work together and I finally relented. Is that how you remember it, Brian?
BRIAN: I remember that day like it was yesterday. We were both debut authors and attending ITW’s Thrillerfest conference in NYC. It was the opening night cocktail party, and I saw Jeff huddled in a corner weeping, because he is pathologically shy, you see. I approached him and tried to offer him comfort and support, which clearly he needed because of his condition. He rebuffed my outreach, but like Jeff mentioned, I was persistent, not taking no for an answer. I considered it my philanthropic duty at the time. I mean, yes, authors are known introverts, but c’mon man…
In all seriousness, the partnership was something we slid into quite naturally because as military veterans, collaboration and teamwork are not just buzzwords. They are an ethos. Lone wolf action heroes dominate the big screen, but in real-life operations, teams rule the day. As co-authors we combine our subject matter expertise, leverage each other’s strengths, and augment each other’s weaknesses. Once we co-authored the first five chapters of Tier One, we never looked back.
co authors
TM: Working with a co-author can either be the biggest blessing or hardest obstacle for an author. Obviously, you have a great working relationship. What are some tips you could give authors as far as how to work well with a coauthor without stepping on each other’s toes?
BRIAN: First tip is communication. Jeff and I dialogue a minimum of five days a week. Writing a novel, especially a book in a series as complex as TIER ONE, is like climbing Everest. It is not something you “wing,” and it is not something that can be executed by working in silos. Regular and frequent communication is our secret sauce, because we are always brainstorming, plotting, problem solving and energizing each other. The second tip I alluded to in the previous question, which is to recognize and leverage each other’s strengths and weaknesses. In any team project, there is division of labor. If you can take your ego out of the equation and divide the work based on skills and preferences, things really get moving.
JEFF: All joking around aside, Brian and I were friends when we started working together and the experience of being partners in the Andrews and Wilson brand has only made us even better friends. For that, I consider myself truly blessed. I agree with everything Brian said and would just add that the most important thing of all is the ability to set aside pride and ownership and focus on what is best for the book, the series, and the brand. We truly treat every book and every character as our creation.
TM: How do you approach writing the first novel of a series versus writing the third or fourth novel in the series? Is it harder to writer one or the other?
BRIAN: I think the first novel is the most challenging because you’re laying the foundation for all future novels to come. Just like in construction, if the foundation is flawed the building you erect atop that foundation will not be structurally sound and risks collapse. If you don’t think about your character’s longitudinal development, map out their relationships, think about personal and professional challenges they will face, then you will either run out of material prematurely, or find yourself writing in loops, forced to rehash elements from previous books.
JEFF: I agree completely, and Brian and I are very intentional about building arcs for both plot and character beyond the work in progress. That requires a lot of longitudinal thinking, but as we’ve said more than once now, it most importantly requires communication so we’re on the same page. The first book in a series is really the most challenging, because while in our genre you absolutely must deliver action and excitement, the first book by necessity requires attention and time to world building and character backstory development. Done badly, this can be an absolute drag on the reader and a pace killer, but done well with just the right touch, it can make the stakes even larger and more personal—and so more exciting. With subsequent books, both the writers and the readers know the characters and the worlds and you can focus more on just giving them and killer story.
red specter cover
TM: With the fifth novel’s release coming up soon (titled Red Specter), what can readers expect for John Dempsey? How are you keeping the series fresh for loyal fans and new readers?
BRIAN: Dempsey has reached a place in his career and personal life where he feels like he’s finally achieved some stability. He’s come to grips with Jack Kemper’s “death” and his new life as John Dempsey. While the angst from losing his Tier One brothers in Book 1 will never truly go away, he’s finally done grieving and accepted the loss. Now he’s embraced his Ember family and leveling up his skills as he transitions from operator to spy. So now that things are going pretty well for him…
JEFF: No spoilers here, but be prepared for a pretty bumpy ride. Things are going to shake up for the men and women of Ember as Dempsey and his team face the most challenging threat of their careers.
TM: Lastly, with the wild success of your series, it’s not too far-fetched of an idea that we could see John Dempsey on the big screen one day soon! Which actor do you think could do the character justice?
JEFF: Dempsey is a tough cast, but I would totally have Brian play either Elizabeth Grimes or Amanda Allen… He just needs to get in better shape.
BRIAN: *Cough, grumble, knee-slap…* Time to go back to your corner, Jeff. We’ve talked about this. As for Dempsey, definitely not Adam Sandler. Needs to be somebody big and believable. Maybe a bearded up Joe Manganiello, Scott Adkins, or better yet somebody new to break out the role!
Thank you gentlemen for the great interview! For our readers, don’t forget to check out the amazing Tier One series. You won’t be disappointed!
Wilson, Jeffrey & Brian Andrews. The Sandbox. Blackstone. (The Sandbox Series, Bk. 1). Jul. 2023. 352p. ISBN 9781665041911. $27.99. THRILLER
The CEO of an innovative tech company is killed in his smart home, and what seems like a slam-dunk case has far more sinister implications in this series starter from Andrews and Wilson, coauthors of the "Tier One" novels. This homicide is the first case for detective Valerie Marks, and everything seems wrong from the start. The house's multiple cameras and security protocols appear corrupted around the time of the murder, and the CEO's former partner at the company, Abe Winter, has a motive but also a solid alibi. Then the security footage miraculously gets restored and shows Winter committing the crime. How can he be at two places at once? Valerie starts to draft a theory; if she's right, it could change everything. VERDICT Andrews and Wilson have crafted an intense and eerily timely techno-thriller; it's Silence of the Lambs meets HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey. The series will make readers think twice before asking Alexa or Siri a question, but they'll want to play in this sandbox.--Jeff Ayers
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Ayers, Jeff. "The Sandbox." Library Journal, vol. 148, no. 7, July 2023, pp. 51+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A755555582/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=56ce681b. Accessed 6 Apr. 2024.
Dark Fall
Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson. Tyndale House, $26.99 (432p) ISBN 978-1-4964-5144-6 The adrenaline-pumping third installment in Andrews and Wilson's Shepherds series (after Dark Angel) follows elite agent Jedidiah Johnson as he tracks down a dangerous new weapon. Jed leads a team of spiritual warriors known as the Shepherds whose goal is to subdue the demonic Dark Ones organization. The vaporization of a Peruvian village tips off the Shepherds to a lethal new "directed energy weapon" wielded by Victor, the leader of the Dark Ones, who plans to shake the faith of believers by causing destruction and suffering. Jed and his team--with the help of the Watchers, a group of gifted children with "second sight" into spiritual affairs--retrieve the weapon and foil Victor's plan. Victor vows revenge, and with the Shepherds scattered across the U.S. investigating possible targets of the energy weapon, he attacks the boarding school where the Watchers live, determined to kill them all. Jed and the Shepherds catch on and race to the school, but the kids have to find a way to hold out until then. Jed is a believable hero and the menacing Victor makes for a perfect counterpoint, propelling this intense thriller that's as heavy on action as it is on faith. Imaginative and exciting, this is another winner from Andrews and Wilson. (Nm)
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"* Dark Fall." Publishers Weekly, vol. 269, no. 38, 12 Sept. 2022, p. 54. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A719644812/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2e3423ad. Accessed 6 Apr. 2024.
Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson. Tyndale House, $25.99 (480p) ISBN 978-1-4964-5139-2
In this action-packed second entry in Andrews and Wilson's Shepherds series (after Dark Intercept), former Navy SEAL Jed Johnson must follow his visions in order to stop a traitorous comrade. Jed is rhe leader of a new team within the Shepherds organization, a military outfit of religious soldiers tasked with protecting the world from spiritual threats, and his skills are tested when his team deploys to go after a demon who has been posing as an American soldier while killing worshipers at a mosque. Meanwhile in Paris, the leader of a group of demons known as the Dark Ones helps Nicholas Woland, a convicted terrorist and former Shepherd, break out of prison. Jed must use his emergent psychic abilities to stop Nicholas, who is bent on inciting religious warfare by attacking the Vatican. Andrews and Wilson thrill with their imaginative worldbuilding, edge-of-the-seat plot, and deeply felt characters. Fans of Frank Pererti and Ted Dekker will enjoy this. Agent: Gina Panettieri, Talcott Notch Literary. (Apr.)
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"Dark Angel." Publishers Weekly, vol. 269, no. 7, 14 Feb. 2022, pp. 49+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A695588427/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=8cccc714. Accessed 6 Apr. 2024.
Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson. Putnam, $28 (432p) ISBN 978-0-399-17121-5
Fans of bestseller W.E.B. Griffin (1929-2019) will welcome the return of Griffin's hero C.G. "Charley" Castillo--last seen in 2013's Hazardous Duty, when he was an Army colonel--in the capable ninth Presidential Agent novel by Andrews and Wilson (coauthors of the Tier One series). When secretary of state Frank Malone is kidnapped while attending a Middle East summit in Cairo, President Natalie Cohen responds by reactivating the Presidential Agent program. She calls Castillo, the original presidential agent, out of retirement and asks him to take charge of the mission to rescue Malone. The hitch is he'll be helped by U.S. Marine Corps Capt. P.K. "Pick" McCoy Jr., who's slated to become the next presidential agent. Bored with sitting on his front porch, Charley accepts the mission, but he's less than enthusiastic about his role as trainer to the man who'll be taking his job. If the main plot follows predictable lines, Andrews and Wilson supply plenty of credible action in the Griffin mold, while the mentoring subplot provides extra interest. Readers will look forward to how the succession angle is handled in the sequel. Agent: Mel Berger, WME. (Dec.)
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"W.E.B. Griffin: Rogue Asset." Publishers Weekly, vol. 268, no. 42, 18 Oct. 2021, p. 35. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A681537604/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=a151e595. Accessed 6 Apr. 2024.
Andrews, Brian SONS OF VALOR Blackstone (Fiction None) $18.99 6, 8 ISBN: 978-1-09-409356-7
A disillusioned Afghan flirting with terrorism and an elite Navy SEAL team move ever closer to a deadly conflict.
Qasim Nadar bursts with joy at the 2016 wedding of his twin sister, Saida, to his best friend, Eshan. When he finishes his London education, Qasim will likely follow the same path, marrying Diba, a beautiful local girl. But the day turns to tragedy when a drone attack kills Saida. Four years later, a team of Navy SEALs led by Lt. Cmdr. Keith “Chunk” Redman executes a daring mission in the Arabian Sea. Chunk and his men—Trip, Saw, Riker, Morales—are so close they’re like brothers. Qasim, meanwhile, has tried to put the past behind him, attending school in London and working for British Aero Defense Systems. As the tale alternates between these two storylines, Andrews and Wilson develop the personalities and inner dynamics of the SEAL team over a handful of operations. The addition, in Florida, of intelligence officers Michelle Yi and Whitney “Heels” Watts adds texture before the team returns to the Middle East. Eshan, meanwhile, persuades Qasim to return home, ostensibly to be reunited with Diba but actually to help in the fight against the American military. Though he’s declared his hatred for jihad, Qasim is tricked into piloting a plane on a successful mission. His feeling in the aftermath is a surprise even to himself: pride. In addition to presenting action sequences with clarity and an authoritative understanding of weaponry, the authors also depict the ethical complexity and consequential missteps on both sides of the conflict. A glossary of military lingo and acronyms is included.
A solid series kickoff from a prolific pair.
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"Andrews, Brian: SONS OF VALOR." Kirkus Reviews, 1 May 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A659924793/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2f614f5b. Accessed 6 Apr. 2024.
Sons of Valor
Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson. Blackstone, $18.99 trade paper (450p) ISBN 978-1-0940-9356-7
This solid series launch from Andrews and Wilson (the Tier One series) introduces Lt. Cmdr. Keith "Chunk" Redman, a U.S. Navy SEAL. In 2016, Qasim Nadar is attending the wedding of his sister, Saida, to his oldest friend, Eshan Dawar, in Afghanistan when an American drone strike kills Saida and Qasim's father. Five years later, Qasim is in London working as an aeronautical engineer specializing in combat drones when Eshan, now an investment banker, shows up and persuades Qasim to attend his upcoming wedding in Pakistan, where Qasim gets ensnared into operating a Chinese drone and working with the Taliban. Meanwhile, after a successful mission in the Arabian Sea, Chunk becomes the leader of a new Tier One SEAL Team, which includes brainy intelligence analyst Whitney Watts, who provides some romantic heat. Chunk and his team are soon on a collision course with Qasim and company. Scorching action scenes and authentic technical detail make up for the fairly predictable plot. Military thriller fans will be pleased to have a new team to root for. Agent: Gina Panettieri, Talcott Notch Literary. (June)
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"Sons of Valor." Publishers Weekly, vol. 268, no. 9, 1 Mar. 2021, p. 44. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A654760023/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=24970a02. Accessed 6 Apr. 2024.
Hong Kong Black: A Nick Foley Thriller
Alex Ryan. Crooked Lane, $25.99 (352p) ISBN 978-1-68331-028-0
In Ryan's by-the-numbers sequel to 2016's Beijing Red, former Navy SEAL Nick Foley looks into the mysterious disappearance of undercover CIA agent Peter Yu, who had been conducting routine surveillance of tech companies in the Chinese city of Xi'an. Not long after Foley avoids two attempts on his life and bumps heads with operatives from China's elite Snow Leopard counterterrorism unit, Yu's body washes up in Hong Kong harbor, along with dozens of other corpses with strange incisions on their torsos and missing eyes, noses, and genitals. Along with returning series character and love interest Dazhong Chen, a beautiful Chinese microbiologist, Foley finds himself chasing after a 21ST-century, DNA-enhanced organ harvesting ring. All this adds up to quick jolts of action tempered by moments of romance. Seasoned thriller fans have seen all this before. Ryan is the pseudonym of Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson, both U.S. Navy veterans. (May)
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"Hong Kong Black: A Nick Foley Thriller." Publishers Weekly, vol. 264, no. 11, 13 Mar. 2017, p. 60. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A485971626/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=a4a545a5. Accessed 6 Apr. 2024.
Fade To Black
Jeffrey Wilson
JournalStone
c/o MM Book Publicity
2817 West End Avenue, Suite 126-274
Nashville, TN 37203
9781936564859, $16.95, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: Jack is a young man caught between two terrifying worlds. In one, he is Marine Sergeant Casey Stillmam, locked in combat in the streets of Fallujah, Iraq. He is lying next to his dead and dying friends, bleeding in the street - until he wakes up at home, in bed with his wife. In this other world, Jack is a high school science teacher, husband, and devoted father to his little girl. But the nightmares of war continue to haunt him, and to Jack/Casey they feel in many ways more real than his life at home with his family. When news of killed Marines in Fallujah surface, Jack realizes he knows far more about these men then he should. But, when the dead Marines begin visiting him while he is awake-he realizes he is in serious trouble. Faced with the possibility of losing his mind, or far worse, the nightmares being real, Jack knows he must somehow find a way to bridge the two realities and fight his way back from the nightmares to save his wife and little girl.
Critique: "Fade To Black" is the kind of novel whose realism and deftly written story rapidly engage the reader's total attention from beginning to end. Author Jeffrey Wilson clearly has a knack of crafting memorable characters and embed them into a novel that blends war time combat with a kind of supernatural suspense that is as riveting as it is entertaining. Very highly recommended, it should also be noted that "Fade To Black" is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.00).
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2013 Midwest Book Review
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"Fade To Black." MBR Bookwatch, Aug. 2013. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A340808751/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=f4ca41c4. Accessed 6 Apr. 2024.