Karjackistan!
Welcome to Karjackistan! A driver backs away (around obstacles) to escape a mock ambush. This came as part of a Protective/Evasive Driving course that I took for background research. Vehicle Dynamics Institute teaches a great set of courses for security professionals. Note the splatters from paintball bullets.
Read MoreDereliction of Duty
Congress has passed a measure to pay active-duty military personnel during the government shutdown. So, lawmakers have solved the military part of the problem, right? Wrong. Thousands of full-time members of the Guard and Reserve serve most of the time in a civilian status. They’re called Civilian Technicians or Air Reserve Technicians. They perform vital…
Read MoreCreatures, Crimes, and Creativity
Had a great time at the recent Creatures, Crimes, and Creativity literary conference in Baltimore. Speakers included John Gilstrap and Jefferey Deaver, who gave informative and entertaining talks. I had an opportunity to take part in two panels. The first panel addressed violence in genre literature. I asserted that an author can use detailed violence…
Read MoreWriters’ Police Academy
Though I write military thrillers and not crime novels, I thought I might learn a lot from the annual Writers’ Police Academy in Greensboro, NC. I did not come away disappointed! Many thanks to Lee Lofland, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, Greensboro Police, Guilford Technical Community College, and everyone else associated with this event. Great…
Read More“Eye on Books” interview
Thanks to Bill Thompson for a chance to discuss The Warriors with him on “Eye on Books.” Click here to listen.
Read MoreVince Flynn, a fine author who left us too soon
Blackfive asked a number of thriller authors to offer some thoughts on the passing of Vince Flynn. Vince was quite a gentleman, and certainly tops in his field. For the full text of the Blackfive article, click here.
Read MoreRave reviews for THE WARRIORS!
Kirkus Reviews calls The Warriors “an expertly rendered tale of lingering hostilities rooted in the former Yugoslavia.” Booklist says “Young experienced the events of the Balkan wars firsthand, and his knowledge translates well to the page.” The Warriors comes to book stores on July 11.
Read MoreDoing the enemy’s job
Some thoughts on how sequestration impacts the military, in an opinion piece I wrote for the online edition of USA Today.
Read MoreThe Bizarre Illogic of Terrorists
Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, as I anticipated an activation of my Air National Guard unit, I saw a photo of a pro-al Qaeda demonstrator in Pakistan. He held a sign that said: The World is Red With Muslim Blood. I wanted to ask him, “Where? Shed by whom?” I’d like to ask a similar…
Read MoreNew Thriller, THE WARRIORS, Marks 20th Anniversary of Deadly Conflict in Bosnia
Twenty years ago, Sarajevo burned. From 1992 to 1995, the Bosnian capital endured one of the worst sieges of modern warfare. This year marks the twentieth anniversary of other significant events from the Bosnian war, as well. In 1993, the United Nations declared a number of “safe areas,” including the town of Srebrenica. Two years…
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