What Was your Mission in Writing this Book?

Besides the thrill and challenge of writing a story that has many crossing lines of suspense, there was this, simply put: North Korea has a far more deadly bite than any other scorpion in the world. Seoul, a city of ten million, is only thirty-seven miles from an armada of weapons. Tokyo is an easy flight, in missile capability, from North Korea’s eastern border. Mere artillery attacks on Seoul, without resort to WMD’s, would wreak havoc on the world’s economy, and kill hundreds of thousands. And, if it came down to an issue of nothing to lose by Kim Jong Il’s leadership, in less than an hour he could turn the world upside down. So why not write a thriller based on North Korea?

How do you assess what’s going on between the US and North Korea now?

Fragile! Very fragile! As long as North Korea remains a closed and isolated country, the remainder of the world is at risk. First, we have little understanding of its mindset. Kim Jong Il is far more than a dictator. Let me use this simple analogy: Imagine if George Washington had a son who became President upon Washington’s death. Imagine further that during Washington’s “lifelong” tenure as our President, he not only gained absolute political power, but also exerted a religious dominance as well. Although too simple an analogy, it gives you some idea of the depth of North Korea’s mindset.

Our only hope is to change future generations of North Koreans, which means access to their markets. As others have said, blue jeans, movies, and rock & roll did more than anything else to change the youth of Russia and indirectly to cause the Berlin Wall to come down!

Why make a Marine Reservist your Protagonist, Rather than an Active Marine?

The first rule of writing is to write what you know. I do know the Marine Reserves. Second, over the last decade, the Marine Reserves have transformed into an indispensable part of our Total Force. Active Marines are highly dedicated, professional, and capable. Will Parker is just as capable, but he leaves his civilian post to carry out this ultra-dangerous mission for a far greater, personal reason – though I won’t disclose it here or further hint at it. He has the very best of reasons to go after these killers. And fate gives him the opportunity. The story at the end puts all the pieces together.

How Are Marines Receiving the Book?

I’m thrilled to say they are using words like “WOW,” “realistic,” and “terrific.” And, why not have a Marine as a hero protagonist for both Active and Reserve?

Any Difference in Reception Between High Ranking Marine Officers and Others?

I believe all Marines understand that a story reflecting the individuality, character, and determination of one Marine reflects the ethos of all. Within the bounds of military order, Will Parker has his own ideas, one of which was expressed by an old Marine buddy. He said the last rank selected for your skill, capabilities, and war-fighting is the rank of Colonel. He went on to say that after that, it is a political selection process and the best politician wins. Interesting thought. Parker is a warfighter. But, except for fate giving him a special opportunity for service, this could be an Army Ranger, Special Forces, Navy SEAL, or Air Force Special Tactics.

How did you Take to Plotting a novel?

For me, writing is a blast! And plotting a novel is both a challenging and far reaching exercise. It is fun to have several plot lines that converge at the end. Also, there are a few sub-plots that only a second read may get.

From your South Korea Assignments, What did you Learn about North Korea?

After serving with units that supported South Korea’s Forces and being involved in several Ulchi Focus Lens exercises, I learned the depth of this problem and gained a respect for the North Koreans as a military adversary. We are constantly reminded by history that the will of a people can be formidable. (By the way, Ulchi Focus Lens is the annual joint forces exercise for the “defense” of South Korea.)

How can you understand the North Koreans if you’ve never Set Foot in North Korea?

Stepping foot into a country – especially North Korea – does little for you. For example, a Diane Sawyer visit might be fascinating, but would be so controlled, and so restricted, that it would tell us little beyond what we already know. In-depth research from other public sources, and oftentimes internet-available sources, can give you a lot more than any visit. For example, Russian students have traveled to Pyongyang for years and have written of their experiences and observations. They have greater access than a Diane Sawyer. A Northern Thunder has strived to be very detailed and very accurate. Besides being a fun read, this novel can also give the reader some accurate insights into North Korea that most others won’t have.

Is Will Parker you and, if not, how are you Different?

I’ve lived in ice caves, survived blizzards with temperatures down to -44 degrees, repelled out of helicopters and off cliffs, and served with Force Recon Marines. I have served in the Pentagon, and Korea, and on several other continents. I am a lawyer and a marathoner. But no, I am not Will Parker, nor is any one specific person. He is bits and pieces of many people I have crossed paths with. To succeed, he needed to be a loner, willing to go his own path, and he needed a reason to be a loner. He needed a Herculean determination and an Iron Man capability. That doesn’t mean he had to be 6’5” or built like a linebacker. He’s not intended to be a superman, but someone capable of pushing the limits. Audi Murphy was 5’5” and weighed 112 pounds, and Kit Carson was also 5’5” and weighed 140 pounds. I would not have wanted to tangle with either man!

In The Book, Will spends a lot of Time Training. To what extent does this Reflect the basic Marine philosophy?

The training for not only Will Parker but today’s Rangers, Special Forces, SEALs, and Air Force Special Tactics is at a level never before attained in the US military. Training translates directly into survivability. Simply put, a Will Parker has a better chance to survive his mission if he is well trained. And in training, I do have special experience. As someone who had the chance to train in places like the Army’s Arctic Survival School at Fort Greeley, Alaska, for example, I know survival. The temperatures reached 44° below zero! The engine blocks in cars would freeze if you didn’t have a heating system. At Bridgeport, we taught ice caves and winter survival. At Twenty Nine Palms, we lived in 100°- plus desert conditions for weeks. We lived through desert sand storms where you had to wear your gas mask just to breathe (you may see some of this is my next novel, The Megiddo Factor). Training provides experiences that promote survival! The book also reflects an essential Marine philosophy. Every Marine and every officer is trained first as an infantryman. You may later become an artillery officer, or a tanker, or a supply clerk, but first, you learn to be an infantryman—a war fighter. Will Parker reflects those skills and that philosophy.

Where Does Will Parker Go from Here?

In A Northern Thunder, Will Parker showed an intangible quality. As important as training is, a handful of people have a special trait the rest of “mere mortal” men lack. Some people are practically “unkillable”— if such a term exists. Yet, Parker would rather run a marathon than drink a martini. In my next novel, he takes on Al Qaeda!