AGENTS OF HOPE received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Jack McDaniel.
AGENTS OF HOPE; published September 26, 2017
What’s the book’s first line?
I learned early on to survive I had to embrace the paranoia.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
Survivors of Pan21—who didn’t report to one of the camps—are being hunted by a ruthless group of Texas Rangers throughout the Republic. Destin, a young survivor who is one of the terrorists at large, has learned to cope and survive on his own, traveling the Republic on freight trains and in the back of semi trucks, moving from place to place to stay ahead of the law, developing back up plans, contingencies, always contingencies.
But Destin longs for more. He’s searching for community and a place to belong. He’s tired of being alone. The only problem is the paranoia. It won’t let him trust anyone or hang around long in any one area. But then he meets Bird, a quirky girl who offers him more. She allures him with answers to his questions and a way out of the constant running.
Everything goes haywire when the two become hunted by one of the Rangers, Phillip Insco. It’s a race to get to the barrio and avoid the Ranger. There is one question Destin has to answer: is Bird who she says she is and are the barrio and the resistance, Texas Underground, real?
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
It grew out of the direction the United States has been moving for the past 20 years. We’ve become a country that lacks tolerance and empathy, and truth has taken a backseat to belief.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
First off, it’s a great read and a lot of fun. Second, the characters make the story great and add relevance to the world they live in.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
In this book there are two main characters, Bird and Destin. Destin is a happy-go-lucky guy normally who is trying to find his place in the world. He’s smart but not interested in conforming to everyone else’s ideas. He’s seen a lot as a survivor and has difficulty trusting others.
Bird is neuroatypical. She sees the universe different than anyone you will meet. She’s brutally honest and brilliant. But she has trouble relating to others. Bird reminds me of a mixture between Jason Bourne and Ozymandias, and maybe some Marv from Sin City.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
No, Agents Of The Undertow was my first book.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I’m a graphic designer and web developer.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
Finding an audience.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
Treat it like a business once you’ve finished writing. Do the same things any publisher would do. Also, don’t wait, start your next book.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
There are so many. I love Iain Banks and the Culture series. I also like a lot of James Morrow, Pynchon and Colson Whitehead. Tim O’Brien has to be high on the list.