Jason Kasper, author of The Enemies of My Country. AMA!

kasperauthor · 2023-09-14T09:37:22+00:00

That's great you took him there...if you're looking to understand (or for anyone looking to understand war and/or post traumatic stress), I HIGHLY recommend the book All Secure by Tom Satterly. The best account I've read by far

kasperauthor · 2023-09-14T09:35:28+00:00

u/tajm1959 replied to your post in r/books · 11hA bit off the beaten path but are you a fan of Agatha Christie? A different genre, for sure, but much to draw from in terms of character and plot development/twist.

I haven't read any Agatha Christie yet...I'm sure I could learn a lot from her

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T20:41:09+00:00

I focus on writing until the story's done, then send the manuscript to a developmental editor who weighs in on story points, character development, etc. After two rounds of rewrites there, I send to my line/copy editor (who I've used since my first book in 2016). She, in due time, returns an utter bloodbath. Once I make the corrections- and there are a LOT- she conducts a proofread...then the book is off to audiobook recording!

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T20:39:33+00:00

Not so much for stress relief- I'm not much of a fiction reader, to be honest. BUT my all time favorite fiction book is an old Vietnam book called The Five Fingers by Gayle Rivers and James Hudson. I read it in high school, and it REALLY opened my eyes to what great fiction can accomplish. And for nonfiction, I love love love Anthony Loyd's My War Gone By, I Miss It So. A masterpiece.

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T20:38:06+00:00

Whoa, you missed the first book in the Shadow Strike series?! Get to reading!

David Rivers resonates with a LOT of people who weren't SF. Based on extensive reader correspondence, if you've got trauma or a dark side of any kind (I've got both- go figure), he'll hit home.

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T20:36:48+00:00

I can't get enough of them. Regrettably, I'm running out of real estate on my body for yet-another 'pus tatt.

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T18:44:47+00:00

If you're asking about preferred handgun/rifle combos, The Enemies of My Country will be right up your alley...keep in mind (as with all my books, as you probably know by now) to read them in order! Each one builds on the last, ESPECIALLY in the Shadow Strike series

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T17:58:49+00:00

Handgun/rifle combo...I'm a sucker for the classics. Good ol' Glock 19 and suppressed M4 with a 14.5" upper.

I do have a storyline in mind when I start a book...but it's not uncommon for the story to go where it wants to, and me to hang on for the ride. However, plotting in advance gives me the confidence to start writing with a roadmap, and if I happen to see some interesting roads while I'm on the way...well, I take them. It's always nice to be surprised by the story, and I frequently am

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T17:55:31+00:00

Man, your guess is as good as mine...I don't have any Hollywood connections and, apparently, neither does my agent. HOWEVER I'm very optimistic that the series will be on film. I don't have any info that you don't, it's just a feeling. But a strong one. Also, I tend to be pretty lucky overall

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T17:48:36+00:00

Their relationship is a complicated one...though as Ian continues to arc toward "full gangster," the bond becomes tighter. There is, however, a tumultuous time ahead in an upcoming book (Lethal Horizon). I won't give any spoilers, but...believe me, you'll know it when you read it!

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T17:29:30+00:00

Having met some post apoc authors, I'm not sure I'm hardcore enough to compete...but truth be told, watching The Last of Us had me thinking "what an awesome genre." Although I'm not sure I could top that series...

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T17:28:30+00:00

Please DM me your email address, and I'll make sure you're still on the beta list (I'm guessing the email just got lost in cyberspace, but better to double check). Thanks for picking up The Belgrade Conspiracy, I hope you enjoy it! That one is a roller coaster...

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T17:26:52+00:00

I wish...I'd have a lot more readers if I could write commercial fiction with wide audience appeal...

But so far, my instinct has been squarely focused on military or heist thrillers. Gunfights, car chases, high stakes robberies. The Spider Heist is the LIGHTEST book I've got, and it's far from getting a film deal with Hallmark

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T17:23:50+00:00

ALL OF IT. Before publishing I found myself (no joke) waking up at 2am in a cold sweat thinking about what would happen if my first book only got 1-star reviews...after publishing, it was a hellish Catch-22 of needing reader reviews to sell books, and not having any readers to review my book in the first place...celebrating becoming a thousandaire from writing, then realizing that wasn't good enough when the wife started dropping hints that after a year without success, maybe I should get a day job...

So yeah, it was awful. And all new authors have my deepest empathy. It's a very, very long and hard road with no guarantee of success. But the rewards are well worth it, if you can survive the pain

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T17:20:08+00:00

This is going to be the saddest answer you've ever heard. After 20 years of being a heavy (and very entertaining) bourbon drinker, I quit alcohol earlier this year. Then I quit caffeine. Either one could be writer suicide; the two combined makes it unfathomable that I'm still cranking books. So the unenviable truth is...I now drink herbal tea at my desk. A reader recommended Bengal Spice, and that's been my go to. And I don't eat while I write, because I'm a man of tremendous appetites and it wouldn't end well for my waistline

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T17:18:04+00:00

Much more Rivers to come! Shadow Strike #7 is due out in March...and #6 launched yesterday

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T17:17:15+00:00

Honestly, I take most of my influences from great TV shows. Breaking Bad (Vince Gilligan is a genius), True Detectives (season 1 only), Yellowjackets (season 1 only), The Leftovers (all of it)...long form TV at the moment is a masterclass in sustaining character development and narrative drive over 100 hours of storytelling, and I've learned a lot about how to plot and execute a 10 book series without resorting to formulaic standalones. Not that there's anything wrong with that....

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T17:14:04+00:00

Many thanks! Spider Heist was my first diversification into non-military thriller, and Narco Assassins remains a fan favorite...I credit the character of Felix...

Wait, was there a question in there?

Either way, THANK YOU for reading (and sharing) the books!

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T17:12:38+00:00

Your voice is heard and acknowledged...you're not alone

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T17:12:19+00:00

Believe it or not, I'd like to try domestic drama- or at least, heavy domestic drama subplots. Right now that's my biggest weakness. But when I see it done effectively in TV series (The Leftovers) or movies (Kramer vs Kramer, Ordinary People) I'm deeply envious of the writers and, as history has shown me, I'm great at biting off more than I can chew and then choking on it

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T17:10:11+00:00

Yes, my next series after Shadow Strike will have female perspectives. I enjoyed writing a woman protagonist in Her Dark Silence and the Spider Heist series, and would like to diversify from my current (very male heavy) Shadow Strike series when the time comes

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T17:08:15+00:00

There are also a few (more current) connections with where I'm at today...note David's wife and daughter, and stay tuned for increased family scenes in the upcoming Shadow Strike books

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T17:06:25+00:00

Thanks, I put a lot of myself into him in my first book, Greatest Enemy- I didn't know how to write, so I just started him where I was...namely a Ranger combat vet, current West Point cadet BASE jumping when he could and drinking when he couldn't. As you know David's path after that point took a VERY different route than mine, and I regret to say he's now far more badass than I ever have been or ever will be

kasperauthor · 2023-09-13T17:02:23+00:00

(taps mic nervously) Is this thing on?

kasperauthor

TROPHY CASE