Tuesday, September 7, 2021

The Story behind the Story—Faith, Firepower & Fiction by Andrews and Wilson

 JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Recently, I was talking with a friend, and she asked, "Do you have other stories you'd like to explore? Other than your series?" Boy, do I! That's the thing for most writers. You have more ideas for books than you have time to put them down. And there's another bar to overcome as well - if you've become known for small-town mysteries about a cop and a priest, publishers might look askance at your idea for an historical mystery set in London. Or if you're the bestselling writing team of action-packed military thrillers, like Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson, how do you tell your readers you'd like to have characters struggle with faith as well as fights? Let alone sell your publisher on the idea of adding supernatural elements to your suspense!

Well, Brian and Jeff, writing as Andrews & Wilson, got lucky. That is, if you use the formula preparation + opportunity = luck...



In corporate team-building retreats, there’s a well-known trust-building exercise where you are instructed to stand up straight, fold your arms across your chest, and blindly fall backward like a board into the ready and waiting arms of strangers. Assuming all goes well, they catch you . . . saving you from an embarrassing fall and probable concussion. When your turn is over, you switch and one of the catchers swaps places and becomes the catchee. . . .

This is the metaphor we like to use to describe the partnership between an author (or in our case coauthors) and a publisher when launching a new series. In the case of the Shepherds series, our new action-adventure series with spiritual elements, we put our trust in Tyndale House. But like any partnership, the reciprocal is also true—Tyndale had to put their trust in us. But before we dive too much deeper into the series, we’re getting ahead of ourselves, because there is an interesting “story behind the story” that we have to share.

It all started when a fellow thriller author friend of ours, Army veteran Josh Hood, was on an airline flight and struck up a conversation with the woman sitting next to him. As fate would have it, she worked at Tyndale House and noticed that Josh was working on a manuscript. Friendly small talk ensued, and after talking about his faith and background, he explained that he wrote military thrillers. She responded by telling him that Tyndale was looking to grow its men’s action-adventure presence in the market. Naturally she inquired if he had any material with faith elements that might be submission ready that Tyndale could take a look at. Josh, being Josh, said something to the effect of “At the moment I do not, but I just so happen to know some guys who do. Andrews & Wilson have a project under development that I think may be exactly what you’re looking for.”

The next day, Josh called Jeff, recounted the story, and an hour later our agent, Gina Panetierri, was in contact with Tyndale House. A couple of days later, we were on a Zoom call with Karen Watson and her team at Tyndale working out the details of a groundbreaking new series called the Shepherds. They’d never worked with us before, we’d never worked with them, but we shared a vision—the desire to bring authentic action, military characters, and spiritual elements to the marketplace.

Faith, firepower, and fiction . . . that was our mission.

Fast-forward twenty months and here we are, in the middle of launch week doing interviews and virtual events for the first book in the series, Dark Intercept. The entire process sometimes feels surreal, getting from there to here, and yet isn’t that the way of things in life? Unexpected doors are opened, unexpected introductions are made, and unexpected collaborations ensue . . . but none of that would be possible without trust.

Assuming the story behind the story has piqued your interest, by now you’re probably wondering what the Shepherds series is and what makes it unique. Great question! When the Tyndale team read the manuscript, they came back to us excitedly proclaiming that Dark Intercept is “Taken meets Stranger Things.” We immediately loved that tagline, because it truly captures the heart of the first book in the series—a thriller series with both supernatural and action components. Taken is the story of a man who is willing to risk everything and do anything to rescue his kidnapped daughter. In Dark Intercept, we find Jedidiah Johnson in a similar situation— except in Jed’s case, there’s a twist. Instead of setting out to rescue his own daughter, Jed agrees to rescue the daughter he wishes he had. The Stranger Things mash-up is a super fun and appropriate reference because just like in that series, in Dark Intercept, the reader quickly realizes there’s more going on than meets the eye in the streets of Nashville. Seemingly impossible supernatural occurrences are happening all around Jed, and the more he tries to deny them, the worse things get. An unseen war is raging, and the players are engaged in a spiritual warfare battles between good and evil.

A lot of people have asked us if the Shepherds series is a new direction for us because we’re incorporating these elements, but the answer is no. We don’t actually think of this series as a new direction, rather just an extension of the work we’re already doing. We’re best known for having coauthored the bestselling thriller series Tier One and its shared universe series Sons of Valor. The Shepherds series incorporates all the same elements our readers love and look forward to: covert operations intrigue, fast-paced action sequences, and nefarious plots carried out by bad guys who are as competent as they are vile.

What sets the Shepherds series apart from our previous work is a deeply personal spiritual component. Through the protagonist’s eyes, we tackle questions of faith and purpose. Like so many of our readers, our hero has regrets. He needs answers to questions that he’s too afraid to ask. He second-guesses the choices he’s made in his past, and the path forward he’s seeking is both unclear and frightening. To the world, he presents himself as a battle-hardened warrior who has it all figured out. But on the inside, our hero is racked with self-doubt. Like so many of us, he realizes he can’t figure it all out by himself, alone and in his own headspace. He needs help. He needs purpose. He needs faith. These are very human themes, themes that readers—both secular and spiritual—can wrap their heads around and relate to. So while we are breaking new ground by incorporating these elements into our existing framework of action adventure, the characters still drive the story. And as authors known for writing realistic, true-to-life military thrillers, we look at the faith elements not as something new, but as just another, important layer in writing characters true to the heroes we’ve served with.

Which brings us full circle back to the theme of this article: trust. There’s actually a third member of the crazy trust exercise we described: the author, the publisher, and the reader. That’s right, we’re asking you, the reader, to trust us. We’re asking you to pick up a copy of Dark Intercept and put your faith in our hands to catch you as you free-fall into an adventure that might feel a little uncomfortable or crazy at first. Don’t worry; we’ll catch you . . . and we promise you’ll have a thrilling experience for it.

 

JULIA: That's an offer you can't refuse. Readers, how do you feel about authors expanding into different types of fiction? What do you think of genre-blending? Has there ever been an author you liked better the second or third series down the road?

 

Andrews & Wilson is the bestselling writing team of Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson—the authors behind the Shepherds series, the Tier One and Sons of Valor series, and Rogue Asset, the ninth book in the W.E.B. Griffin Presidential Agent series. They write action-adventure and covert operations novels honoring the heroic men and women who serve in the military and intelligence communities.

Brian is a former submarine officer, entrepreneur, and Park Leadership Fellow with degrees from Vanderbilt and Cornell. He is also a principal contributor at careerauthors.com, a site dedicated to helping aspiring authors. Jeff worked as an actor, firefighter, paramedic, jet pilot, and diving instructor, as well as a vascular and trauma surgeon. During his fourteen years of service, Jeff made multiple deployments as a combat surgeon with an East Coast–based SEAL Team. Jeff now leads a men’s military ministry for a large church in Tampa.

To learn more about their books, sign up for their newsletter online at andrews-wilson.com. Follow them on Twitter: @BAndrewsJWilson and Instagram/Facebook: AndrewsandWilson.

 



 

49 comments:

  1. Congratulations on the new series [and Happy Book Birthday] . . . .
    This is so interesting, especially since “Dark Intercept” was already on my must-read list . . . thanks for sharing the backstory on how your Shepherds series came to be . . . .

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    1. Thank you Joan! You post makes me happy to hear it was already on your radar :-)

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  2. Congratulations on your recent book release.

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  3. Good Morning Gentlemen: I accept your offer. sidebar: hi Dr. Wilson I live about 3 miles south southwest from your office in Tampa. A generation back, I stopped reading military fiction. It will be interesting to see how the spiritual component plays out in your new series. IMHOP, military logic and planning are all reality based. When facts end --faith begins, Looking forward to see what happens.

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    1. Coralee, I think this may be the first time we've had one of our commenting community being actual neighbors with a guest author!

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    2. Coralee,

      Small world, right? Hi neighbor

      And I LOVE this: "Where facts end, faith begins." Do be surprised if you see that in a future book!

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  4. Congratulations and happy book birthday, Brian and Jeff. I’ll be delighted to have a look.

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  5. Congratulations on finding a new direction - and someone to publish it!

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    1. Edith - we professional authors know that's often harder than the actual writing!

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    2. Thank Edith. We love the team at Tyndale House. They've rallied around the vision of the series, produced the most beautiful hard cover I've ever seen, and supported us every step of the way.

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  6. Wow, men's fiction has come a long way. In the early '80s I copyedited two ghost-written series, both work for hire men's action series, written by our neighbor. This was similar to all the authors who wrote as "Carolyn Keane". One was about a group called the A-Team (not that A-Team)--largely played for laughs, and the other was for a series called "Devon's Way". They were MM paperbacks, and as pulpy as they come.

    Best of luck with the new direction, gentlemen.

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    1. Correction: Devon's Way was not ghost-written. Rod Pennington, my neighbor, was the author.

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    2. Thank you Karen, and thanks for sharing some insider info too! I've not read Devon's Way, but will make a point of checking it out!!

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  7. Welcome Brian and Jeff--what an interesting mix you proposed! Gina is a smart agent to take your idea exactly where it needed to be.

    And Julia, yes, of course we'd read your London historical!!

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    1. I have no doubt of that, Lucy, thank you! But as someone who's going to be releasing a book VERY different from your Florida cozies, you know it's also about getting a publisher to take a chance on a new direction...

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    2. Lucy Roberta, see your Messages

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  8. Congratulations! I love that you are trying to push men's fiction forward in this way. Best of luck with the news series - it sounds fantastic!

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    1. Thanks, Liz! We're super excited and grateful for Tyndale's support.

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  9. Oh, this is FANTASTIC! I cannot wait to read this--and it's all the more tantalizing because the reason I'M not reading our copy--is that Jonathan is!
    But from what I gather, this is NOT just for men, right? Can you talk a bit more about that? Just like Julia's series is not just for women.

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    1. I love the fact that Jonathan steals our books right out of your hands! But yes, the point you make is an important one. This is not simply "men's fiction". We have a full and complex cast. One of our POV characters is 12 year old Sarah Beth Yarnell, who has been kidnapped by dark forces. Why she's been kidnapped and her rescue is central to the plot of the story...and these things are not something only men want to read about. The themes of the novel: crisis in faith, facing one's personal demons, and rediscovering purpose are not gender specific. We believe (and hope) the story will resonate with a wide readership!

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    2. That's exactly right, Hank. For us, while the story has all the classic elements of our action packed, covert ops thrillers, its really about so much more. These are character driven stories and the crises and challenges faced by Jed, but also young Sarah Beth, Rachel, David etc are things everyone can relate to. We all have demons to deal with, right?

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  10. Congratulations on a new series and direction!

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  11. Congratulations! Isn't it amazing how sometimes things just 'magically' work out?

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    1. Contrary to what a lot of as-yet-unpublished authors think, who you know won't get you a book contract. But Brian and Jeff's story shows that once you're in the business, all that time spent at conferences, joint appearance at bookstores, and agency parties pays off, because just like in any industry, networking can afford you opportunities.

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    2. Julia is spot on here. Publishing is ultimately a relationship driven business, that's what we've learned. And in a relationship driven business, you can either approach it from the "what can I get" philosophy or "what can I give" philosophy. We've tried hard to embrace the latter. And so have folks like Julia and Hank and when our stars cross paths we tend to fall into helpful orbits. We're so grateful for this opportunity to be on Jungle Reds! Thank you Julia!!!

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  12. Fascinating and talk about kismet! Congratulations on your new release, and your new direction.

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  13. Trust is at the core every worthwhile relationship and, given your presence here today on JRW -- a source I trust, I shall ferret out your new series.

    I wonder when the (publishing) world will stop dividing books into men's fiction (action) and women's fiction (romance)? Isn't good writing and good story telling for everyone?

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    1. Thank you and you post an astute observation! We have a lot of women readers who have embraced our TIER ONE and SONS OF VALOR series. We write strong, confident female characters in our series because the world is full of strong, confident women moving the needle and leading from the front. I hope both the "men's" and "women's" fiction camps embrace this new series!

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    2. So good to read your reply to my comment. Thank you. Deepens my trust of your work!

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  14. Congratulations! This sounds exactly like something I would read, and now I want to look into your earlier books, too.

    DebRo

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    1. Thank you Deb! We'd love for you to check out our other books. Sons of Valor is a good place to start...it's on sale with a BookBub for 99 cents right now! LINK: https://amzn.to/2WWiXuO

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  15. Congratulations! Such a fascinating behind-the-scenes story--wish you all the best with your launch, and here's to more faith, firepower, and fiction!

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    1. Damyanti, I'm glad you popped in! I wanted to tell you how much I've been enjoying your blog (https://www.damyantiwrites.com/blog/ for anyone who wants to check it out.) It's a wonderful resource for writers.

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    2. Damyanti! So fabulous to see you! Hope you are safe and well

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    3. Thank you Damyanti! Really appreciate you taking the time to read the article and chime in! Hooyah

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  17. This is such a great story about collaboration and trust. Thanks for sharing and congratulations on you latest endeavor!

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  18. This is such a great story about collaboration and trust. Thanks for sharing and congratulations on you latest endeavor!

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    1. Thank you Jean! We are truly blessed to (a) have met at an author conference and (b) been able to go on this adventure together. It's very rewarding to have a friend to share all the ups and downs (especially the ups) with.

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  19. Sounds intriguing. Congrats on the new series!

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    1. Thank you Mark! We're thrilled for the launch and to hear what people think

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  20. Sounds good! I would certainly read this book!

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  21. JULIA, thank you for introducing us to new to me authors.

    Genre blending depends on which elements are blended and who the author is. I am not a fan of graphic violence.

    Diana

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    1. We agree, Diana. But I would add that what we really hate it GRATUITOUS violence. In this book, we have the opportunity to share a violent world but through multiple points of view and with an eye towards realism in its AFFECT of characters and relationships. There is some violence, but at its heart this is story about redemption, crisis, relationships, and faith

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  22. Congratulations, Brian and Jeff! I'm very much in agreement with the idea that books shouldn't be separated into "men's fiction" and "women's fiction," and I'd very much like to read both of your series, but especially the new one! I'm all for complex characters and crossing genres.

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  23. Thanks so much, Deborah! We look forward to hearing what you think!

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  24. Congratulations, Brian and Jeff on your past success and your new series! Your publishing story of this series is so interesting. I love a success story that starts with a chance meeting. But, the thing about a chance meeting is that one has to take advantage of it and do the work to make it a fortuitous one, like you all did.

    As to authors expanding into different types of fiction, I'm all for it. I can't imagine ever thinking that an author should limit their creativity. Of course, I will say that when a favorite author of mine decided to expand and write another series, stand-alones, and a children's series, I was a bit nervous, because the original series is one that I love so dearly. But, she didn't abandon the first

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