Ask the Author: Will Jordan
Answered Questions (12)
Will Jordan
Hi Sam. Absolutely - yes. Hawkins was created for a number of reasons - firstly to serve as a suitably challenging opponent for Anya in Black List, which he more than accomplished. For the first time Anya had run up against someone that she couldn't dominate in a fight; who was bigger and stronger than her, and who apparently possessed equal skill and experience. It's debatable how their fight might have played out had Alex not intervened, so I leave that up to the reader to decide.
As for Drake - yes, Hawkins is in many ways the polar opposite of him. Where Drake is generally compassionate and agonises over difficult moral choices, Hawkins has no problem doing whatever the situation requires, including torture and murder. He can be superficially charming and sometimes uses this to influence others whose help he requires, but he's more than happy to resort to intimidation and veiled threats if that fails. And most importantly he really seems to enjoy what he does. His persona of cheerful bonhomie with his victims isn't just an act - it's how he actually feels in that situation. He loves his job and the violence it allows him to inflict on others.
In a series where I've always made a point of having antagonists with multiple layers portrayed as different shades of grey, Hawkins is perhaps the exception as he basically displays all the characteristics of a psychopath. That allows me to have a lot of fun with him!
That being said, we'll get to learn more about him in the next book that may just change a few opinions...
As for Drake - yes, Hawkins is in many ways the polar opposite of him. Where Drake is generally compassionate and agonises over difficult moral choices, Hawkins has no problem doing whatever the situation requires, including torture and murder. He can be superficially charming and sometimes uses this to influence others whose help he requires, but he's more than happy to resort to intimidation and veiled threats if that fails. And most importantly he really seems to enjoy what he does. His persona of cheerful bonhomie with his victims isn't just an act - it's how he actually feels in that situation. He loves his job and the violence it allows him to inflict on others.
In a series where I've always made a point of having antagonists with multiple layers portrayed as different shades of grey, Hawkins is perhaps the exception as he basically displays all the characteristics of a psychopath. That allows me to have a lot of fun with him!
That being said, we'll get to learn more about him in the next book that may just change a few opinions...
Will Jordan
Hi there, the novella is currently being worked on. We're currently looking at an autumn release date, but more details will likely be firmed up once I'm finished writing it.
As for timelines, it's set between the events of Books 5 and 6, giving some insight into what happened during the interval.
As for timelines, it's set between the events of Books 5 and 6, giving some insight into what happened during the interval.
Will Jordan
Hi there, Helen! Glad you're enjoying the Drake series. Unfortunately books 4, 5 and 6 are currently only available in ebook format (unless you speak German!), but we're expecting this to change in the not too distant future. In the meantime, anyone with a computer/smartphone can enjoy them with the free Kindle reading app.
I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Will Jordan
I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Will Jordan
Will Jordan
Hi there! Very pleased to confirm that book 6, Ghost Target, will be released on July 4th. Here's the Amazon page:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghost-Target...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghost-Target...
Will Jordan
The threat of being sued for breach of contract if I don't.
But mostly because I enjoy it, so I don't need to look for inspiration or motivation. If you have to find reasons to write, you probably shouldn't be doing it in the first place.
But mostly because I enjoy it, so I don't need to look for inspiration or motivation. If you have to find reasons to write, you probably shouldn't be doing it in the first place.
Will Jordan
The only piece of advice I've ever been given that's worth repeating is that no character is 100% good or 100% bad. They're all somewhere in between, and you must show elements of both in your own characters to make them believable.
Will Jordan
Great question! Yes, Cain is very much the Big Bad of this series, and there were three aspects of his character that were important to me:
1. I wanted someone who was more than a match for Drake and the others, perhaps not on a physical level but in terms of cunning, intelligence and experience, and Cain fits the bill. He's the chess player you think you'll have in checkmate in five moves, except he'll beat you in four. He always has some other play, some hidden agenda.
2. He wasn't always the cold, ruthless, driven man we see in this series. I always saw him as something of a fallen hero; a man with noble ideals who tried to do the right thing only to gradually compromise and lose sight of his original aims. It's been mentioned several times that he and Anya have a complex shared history, which has gradually come to light over the past few books. But the real details and extent of their relationship have remained hidden until now. What we see in the next book might just change how people view him.
3. The thing that was most important for Cain (and I suppose, any antagonist in my books) was to give him a logical goal that the reader can identify with. Cain's not out to topple governments or kill innocent civilians for the sake of being evil - he's pursuing a bigger objective that will gradually become clear as the story unfolds. It's just his methods, and how far he's willing to go, that set him apart from the more heroic characters. My intention is to give the reader something to think about when considering if he's truly a monster.
1. I wanted someone who was more than a match for Drake and the others, perhaps not on a physical level but in terms of cunning, intelligence and experience, and Cain fits the bill. He's the chess player you think you'll have in checkmate in five moves, except he'll beat you in four. He always has some other play, some hidden agenda.
2. He wasn't always the cold, ruthless, driven man we see in this series. I always saw him as something of a fallen hero; a man with noble ideals who tried to do the right thing only to gradually compromise and lose sight of his original aims. It's been mentioned several times that he and Anya have a complex shared history, which has gradually come to light over the past few books. But the real details and extent of their relationship have remained hidden until now. What we see in the next book might just change how people view him.
3. The thing that was most important for Cain (and I suppose, any antagonist in my books) was to give him a logical goal that the reader can identify with. Cain's not out to topple governments or kill innocent civilians for the sake of being evil - he's pursuing a bigger objective that will gradually become clear as the story unfolds. It's just his methods, and how far he's willing to go, that set him apart from the more heroic characters. My intention is to give the reader something to think about when considering if he's truly a monster.
Will Jordan
Hi Samuel. Book 6 is almost finished, and we've currently pencilled in a June 2016 launch date. We won't know for sure until the editing is done, but definitely this summer. Also I'm hoping to publish a novella shortly before this, but more details on that later.
As for how long the series has left, that's tough to say! I'm contracted for at least 3 more books by my UK publisher, and there are certainly a few more scrapes for Drake to get into along the way. Obviously every story to end eventually, but as for Drake himself... well, there are a lot of places I plan to take his character development first. That's what I enjoy most about this series - watching Drake and his companions change and develop with each book.
Right from the start I knew this series was going to make a mark on all its characters. They don't just press the reset button at the start of each new book, they remember and grow from their experiences. Sometimes that makes them stronger and better people, sometimes it doesn't...
As for how long the series has left, that's tough to say! I'm contracted for at least 3 more books by my UK publisher, and there are certainly a few more scrapes for Drake to get into along the way. Obviously every story to end eventually, but as for Drake himself... well, there are a lot of places I plan to take his character development first. That's what I enjoy most about this series - watching Drake and his companions change and develop with each book.
Right from the start I knew this series was going to make a mark on all its characters. They don't just press the reset button at the start of each new book, they remember and grow from their experiences. Sometimes that makes them stronger and better people, sometimes it doesn't...
Will Jordan
Downfall (Ryan Drake book 6). About 50 pages to go, actually...
Will Jordan
Jack Daniels and/or coffee. Repeat until writer's block clears or you pass out.
Will Jordan
Hi Sean,
Yes, you're right in that Ryan Drake (spoiler!) appears only briefly in Black List at the end. This was a conscious choice on my part as I was interested in telling the story from a different angle, and Drake wouldn't really have worked as the protagonist in this case, so Alex Yates took centre stage for this one. I can assure you however that Drake is very much present in the follow-up Deception Game, which takes place during the same time period as Black List.
I hope you get a chance to read the rest of the series, and look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Will
Yes, you're right in that Ryan Drake (spoiler!) appears only briefly in Black List at the end. This was a conscious choice on my part as I was interested in telling the story from a different angle, and Drake wouldn't really have worked as the protagonist in this case, so Alex Yates took centre stage for this one. I can assure you however that Drake is very much present in the follow-up Deception Game, which takes place during the same time period as Black List.
I hope you get a chance to read the rest of the series, and look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Will
Will Jordan
Hi Samuel, Black List will be released on 10th August 2015. It's available to pre-order from all good online retailers.
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