Reader Mail - page 2

Reader Mail - page 2

I first "discovered" you when I listened to a conversation between you and Malcolm Gladwell. Not one to shoot from the hip, I immediate logged onto Amazon. Shortly thereafter I told my friend about this new (to me) writer. It was one of those duh?! (hit palm of hand to forehead) moments. After he ruined his knee with laughter, I reminded him that my writing tastes were pretty eclectic. You are now on my Kindle as you will continue to be now that I've run out of shelf and floor space and garage space.
I carry my Kindle in my purse when it’s not being read. If you find it stuffy in there, just send me a line and I'll take you out for a read.
-L.H.

Thanks, L.H.! I too love my Kindle, though I'll never be able to give up real books. . . glad you're enjoying the books and the newsletter, and I appreciate your letting me out once in a while.
All the best,
Joe
 

Hello Joe!
Preface: I've read all of your novels from THE MOSCOW CLUB forward, therefore you are my favourite living author. I have been reading your advice-for-writers blog and have been inspired! I do have some specific questions for you now...
Like most people, I've always wanted to book. Over the last year I've had some interesting life adventures and through divine inspiration (and some prompting from CBC radio shows and recent reading) my story and main character have finally emerged from the ether! It is going to be a sort of spy thriller and as I am Canadian, I'd like to involve CSIS. (Like your CIA or NSA, but you probably knew that...)
As I've learned from authors like you, authenticity is key to writing a believable story that pulls you in. You have developed many contacts through your previous schooling and career as well as now being an established author. How do I, a first time writer with no contacts, approach my country's security service without sending up red flags? Can I just call them up and explain the situation? Should wait until I have most of the story written out and then go to them to check facts or should I talk to them early on to get things right the first time? (I feel that their input could alter my plot lines.)
Any suggestions or advice you could provide me with would be much appreciated! Thank you so much for your time.
-B.F.

Dear B.F.,
Thanks for the kind words! I'm glad you've found the writing advice helpful. 
The easiest way for civilians to approach any government agency is through the official communications/public liaison office, which usually has both an online presence and a physical one. I don't know how the Canadian agencies handle these things, but you can find an extraordinary amount of information on the FBI's website (www.fbi.gov), and CSIS site is probably just as useful.
My advice would be to explore these online resources thoroughly, then call (don't email, call) the public liaison/communications office with a concise, specific explanation of the kind of information you need. I understand how important background information can be, but those questions are hard to explain or answer; the more specific you can be with your first inquiries, the better chance you'll be directed to someone with even more information you can use. You should have a good sense of what needs to happen in your plot, even if it turns out that things don't work that way in real life. You can make adjustments if necessary, and pose your questions as hypotheticals: what would need to happen for this to happen, or that?
Retired officials can also be invaluable sources. Again, I don't know how things work in Canada, but here in the United States, members of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers [http://www.afio.com/] have been extremely helpful to me. Canada probably has a similar organization.
Finally, I found a mention on the CIA's own website of a book called Inside Canadian Intelligence: Exposing the New Realities of Espionage and International Terrorism, by Dwight Hamilton, which sounds like a promising source of leads and names. You can read more about it here.
Best of luck!
Joe Finder

I just finished my first novel of yours – KILLER INSTINCT & I am hooked! I think this one should definitely be made into a movie - I could not put it down... I'm going out today to buy POWER PLAY & whatever else I can find by you - thank you!
-B.H.

Aw, thanks, B.H.! I'm so glad you liked KILLER INSTINCT, and really appreciate your taking the time to write. It made my morning. Hope you like the other books just as much!
All the best,
Joe

Dear Mr. Finder, I only discovered your books about six months ago and have since read every one and have so enjoyed them. And I'm sure you'll be happy to know that you're now in my top ten favourite authors. I loaned PARANOIA to my sister who loaned it to her two sons who then passed it to their girlfriends and they to their friends and family who all raved about it and have since started buying your books like crazy. So now you have a lot of new young fans. Don't worry. I won't ask for a commission, just a request that you continue to write great stories for me, my family and friends to enjoy. Thank you. M.M.

VANISHED. I can't wait to read it and see how Nick Heller measures up to my fav Jack Reacher.
-J.F.

Dear J.F.,
Hope you like VANISHED! Lee Child says Nick Heller and Jack Reacher would probably go have a drink together, so I hope you like him just as much.
All the best,
Joe Finder

Joseph,
I haven't read much in recent years - and certainly no fiction. Ten years back (at the age of 55) I joined the campaign to ban recreational duck shooting in Victoria, Australia. It has engulfed my life - leaving no
room for anything else. But I found a Reader's Digest someone had left at my holiday house a few days
ago. I’ve just completed POWER PLAY – and thoroughly enjoyed it. I just wanted to thank you very much for taking my mind away from campaigning and into the realm of suspenseful fiction. Much appreciated!
- L.

Dear L.,
So glad POWER PLAY found its way to you, and that it gave you a needed break. Hope you find the other books now, and like them just as much!
Thanks very much for taking the time to let me know, and best of luck with your work.
Joe Finder

Hi, Joseph. I bought your novel, PARANOIA, in my local Tesco store for £2.00 a few days ago. I'd never heard of you but wanted something to read to take my mind of things and thought if I didn't like it, well I've only spent £2.00 so no great loss. What a revelation! I'm literally now racing through the pages. This has to be one of the best fiction reads I've ever come across. There's only problem with the book, though. I'm nearly at the end of it and I wish it was longer. But, having just discovered your books, there is one definite silver lining; I can look forward to reading all of your other books. Joseph, keep writing. You're a natural born story teller.
-M.

Dear M.,
Thanks for the kind words — glad you liked the book, and that it was a low-risk venture! Hope you enjoy the others just as much.
Best,
Joe Finder
 

Joe, I understand that you are a Boston native.  It comes out in most of your books, and that's a good thing.  I've read most of your books, and have a feeling that you have a connection somehow with Logan airport or the air cargo industry.  I wondered because your facts are spot on.  My guess I'd that you worked for FedEx or the like for a summer, or have a good source giving you excellent fact.
Am I right or wrong?
BTW, I own a customs brokerage in Boston.
- J.B.

Thanks, J.B.! Glad I passed muster.  An international air cargo company let me spend time at their Logan Airport terminal, and I got to talk to workers loading and unloading, on the plane, etc. (In fact, you can see a photo of me with Dom Deleto of ASTAR right here).
Hands-on research is one of the best parts of this job.
All the best,
Joe

Are you aware that in PARANOIA, you stated the Porsche's ho as 320 when Adam bought it, but later on stated it was 450? Just a minor detail that only a car geek like me would notice. Otherwise it is a great story! As someone who works in the IT field for a big corporation, I found it riveting! I never saw the ending twist coming. I've enjoyed all of your books that I've read – KILLER INSTINCT, PARANOIA, COMPANY MAN (I formerly worked at Steelcase!), and THE MOSCOW CLUB. I'm looking forward to getting VANISHED.
- R.P.

Dear R.P.,
In the words of Homer Simpson, "Doh!"
My mistake, of course, and I wish the copy editor had caught it. My ability to correct these things once they're in print (or, in PARANOIA's case, in reprint) is pretty limited, but if I have the opportunity to fix it in a future edition, I will. Thanks for reading so closely, and for the kind words.
The people at Steelcase were great to me when I was writing COMPANY MAN. Glad to hear you like the books, and I hope you like VANISHED and BURIED SECRETS (coming June 21) just as much!
All the best,
Joe
 

Hi Mr. Finder,
From what I understand of your career, your earlier days were dedicated to writing non-fiction for newspapers, but also other publications - is that right?
Then you've made the move into fiction, though you obviously still do write non-fiction as well.
Did/does writing non-fiction impact on your fiction career?
- S.S.

Dear S.S.,
Thanks for the kind words, and I'm flattered that you think my advice might help. My short answer to your question is no, I don't think that being published as a non-fiction author makes it any easier to get your fiction published. People who read a lot of non-fiction tend not to read novels, and within publishing houses, the two lines don't often overlap. Publishing a nonfiction book certainly wouldn't harm your chances of publishing a novel, but unless you write a book that becomes a cultural phenomenon, it's not likely to bring you to the attention of fiction editors, or agents who primarily represent novelists.
That said, the longer answer is, well, maybe — but only because writing and publishing nonfiction is another way to improve your writing skills, build your network of connections, and learn about how the publishing industry works. You can do those things in many different ways, from taking a class or a workshop to attending a writers' conference to writing a new novel and sending that one out to agents and publishers.
In any case, sitting down to write a book of any kind is such a major commitment of time, energy and attention that it needs to be its own goal. If you feel inspired to write a nonfiction book as your next project, do it — but do it for its own sake, not because you really want to be a published novelist. If your goal is to publish a novel, write your next novel.
Best of luck,
Joe Finder
 

I enjoyed my Christmas card from Nick Heller and I also thoroughly enjoyed VANISHED which I finished today. I have read POWER PLAY, KILLER INSTINCT and now VANISHED. Your books create a dilemma, I want to keep reading, but I want them to last longer. I have read literally thousands of books at age 75 and Nick Heller is one of the best heroes yet. Will there be more Nick Heller to come? Thanks for an excellent adventure with Nick.
- M.L.

Dear M.L.,
Thanks for the kind words! Glad you liked VANISHED, because Nick's definitely coming back. His second adventure, BURIED SECRETS, will hit stores June 21, 2011. It means a lot that you took the time to write — I really appreciate it.
All the best,
Joe Finder
 

I am 83 and legally blind so I read your books on digital tape from the library for the blind. You are the best. I don't want to read any other books - they are dull compared to yours.
- C.P.

C.P., this makes my day. I've recorded my own books for the library for the blind, and it's been one of the most rewarding things I've done. I'm so glad you're enjoying them. Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
All the best,
Joe Finder

Hello Joseph.
I am living in Thailand and am originally from Albany, NY.
I am retired investigator, having worked in that capacity both for govt. and private agency, and also worked for Steven Emerson and Investigative Project for Terrorism and also Stratfor. You are my favorite author and your novels are not only realistic but genuinely suspenseful. Keep up the good work. 
- P.

Dear P.,
I too call the Albany area home — always good to meet someone else from there! Thanks very much for the kind words. Glad you like the books, and I hope my travels take me to Thailand at some point.
All the best,
Joe

Joseph,
Not to gush but I'm a big fan. Loved COMPANY MAN, loved it! I bought copies for all my sales managers. It's like the Glengarry Glen Ross for Michigan office furniture sales managers. You da man!
- D.B.
 

We live in Dublin, Texas. How in the world did you hear about Dublin Dr. Pepper? Have you actually had it? Made our day! We have enjoyed every one of your books. Don’t retire anytime soon!
- B.R.

Dear B.R.,
Yes, I've had the famous Dublin Dr. Pepper! I love Texas — have family in Houston and Austin, and try to include Texas stops on book tour whenever I can.
As for retiring, no worries — I'll be writing as long as I can! Thanks for the kind words, and I hope you like BURIED SECRETS, out next year.
All the best,
Joe

Hey, just so you know, I've contacted you before and shmooed about your page-turner books. I haven't had a chance before now to order and read (in one day) your book VANISHED. I'm so glad you're getting recognition for your fine, honest appealing gift of writing. You definitely have an "escape read" down pat and I highly recommend you to everyone, that has a chance to read, to get on your list and have a real ride.
Just had to let you know, enjoyed immensely, your approach to life with your character Nick, and how he went severEly in the red to do what is right, no kickback, no appreciation, just what life is really like ....hence the attraction, where no one becomes rich and lives happily ever after, but the richness of doing right and good is felt with passion. Esp. like the clean word dialogue (most). Good Job!
My question is this....when will the movie directors wake up and make these memorable ideas into real movies?
- S.

Dear S.,
Thanks for the kind words! I'm especially glad you like Nick, since he's the hero of my next book, too; I have plans for at least a four-book series about him.
He doesn't have a movie deal yet, but a film version of PARANOIA is in active development, with the goal of reaching movie theaters sometime in 2012. KILLER INSTINCT has been sold to the movies, too. It's a long road from page to screen, so fingers crossed.
I really appreciate your taking the time to write, and hope you like the next book just as much —
All the best,
Joe
 

I just finished POWER PLAY and I particularly liked the portion related to composites. I was VP of government business at Beech during the development of the ill fated Starship and the composite gear doors and winglets for the C-17. Beech designed the all composite gear doors but McDonnell Douglas designed the winglets that had an aluminum structure with composite skins. What a problem the combination makes. I also briefed the lady acquisition czar who later wound up behind bars. After she turned up her nose at little Beech so her imprisionment was especially rewarding. Too bad her retired Admiral husband didn't join her.
- B.

Dear B.,
Thanks for the kind words, and for taking the time to write. I'm relieved that you weren't writing to tell me I got it wrong! It's fascinating stuff, and I really enjoyed the research on that aspect of the story.
All the best,
Joe Finder
 

Just finished VANISHED and POWER PLAY. You've replaced Vince Flynn in my book. I was so engrossed in POWER PLAY I cancelled playing poker Friday night. Looking forward to your new book.
- J.

Thanks, J.! Hate to think I might have been responsible for a missed opportunity for you to win money, but maybe it saved you some? Either way, I appreciate the kind words, and hope you like the other books just as much.
I'll be offering free excerpts from BURIED SECRETS and even the chance to win early reading copies in the early months of next year.
All the best,
Joe

About two months ago I read COMPANY MAN and thoroughly enjoyed it, now I have just finished KILLER INSTINCT and in some ways it was even better. Booyah, Gordy just blew me away.
The central characters in both books seemed to have the same vacillation between right and wrong, the sort of people who find a wallet in the street, spend the money and then find out who the owner was and if they could afford to lose the money in it. If not they would somehow make sure the owner got the money back.
Anyway,in your opinion who are the best two authors you have read and secondly if you had to pick out two groups or artists who would they be?
Oh, and if you found a wallet in the street, what would you do with it?
- A.B.

Oh, boy, A.B. — tough questions!
Ask me on any given day and you'll get different answers, but today I'll pick John LeCarre and Robert Ludlum as my favorite authors. Last year I gave a talk on this topic and received loads of requests to put this list online. You can read it here. Music is even more changeable, but I can tell you that my theme song for VANISHED when I wrote it was Johnny Cash's "All I Do is Drive." I also try to keep up with what my teenage daughter's listening to, and am a big fan of a Boston-based indie rock group called Guster.
No matter what, I'd try to return the wallet, even if it meant asking some PI-types I know for help tracking the owner down. I'd probably look through it first, though . . . everything's fair game to the writer.
Thanks for the kind words, and I'm glad you liked the books!
Best,
Joe

Hello,
Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed PARANOIA. I read it a few years ago, and I found my heart pounding when the main character was sneaking into offices, crying when his father died.
I enjoyed it so much, I have bought several copies to give to friends, who have all had a reaction like, "Thanks a lot, I was up all night reading that book and I had work the next morning."
I have cast the movie over and over in my head and over wine with friends. Who will be the protagonist? Shia LeBoeuf?
My 81 year old dad, who never reads fiction, finally agreed to try it and is hooked. Like anyone who reads it— and like any good fiction where we fall in love with the character(s), you can't wait to see what happens, but you don't want it to end.
I've read your other books, but in my humble opinion, I believe this is your best.
Thank you so much!
Sincerely,
M. S.

Dear M.S.,
What a great way to start a Monday morning. Thanks so much for the kind words, and for passing PARANOIA on to your friends. There's no greater compliment an author can get.
It's funny, when PARANOIA was first optioned for the movies, I had all kinds of ideas about casting Adam, but several of those actors have aged out of the role in the meantime! I could definitely see Shia LeBoeuf in that role, but I doubt I'll have much input into the director's ultimate decision. All for the best, since I have Nick Heller's next adventure to plan...
Best wishes,
Joe Finder
 

We met in Scottsdale in early November [2009]. I enjoyed VANISHED. Hope you bring back Nick Heller. I liked the way you weaved in and out of sub plots. Heller likens to a modern day Travis Mcgee but much smarter. The unpredictable twists made it enjoyable reading. Just a question "It was a dark and stormy night" Alas isn't this Snoopy? Still working on my books thanks to you and your encouragement. On a sad note it was a shock about Robert Parker. You told me you know him, how sad he will be missed. He was my favorite writer since John D. MaDonald. Maybe you can replace them on my book shevles. Thanks again for your personal imput it has helped me emphatically.
- G.

Dear G.,
How nice to hear from you, and thanks for the kind words about VANISHED. "It was a dark and stormy night" is absolutely Snoopy, patron saint of all great thriller writers.
Still processing the loss of Bob Parker, and will be for a long time. Rereading EARLY AUTUMN right now, and am blown away all over again by how sharp, how tight the writing is. He made every word count.
And I'm hard at work on the next Nick Heller novel, which I hope you like just as much. It's called BURIED SECRETS, and should be out in August, if all goes well.
Best of luck on your own books, and hope your weather is better than ours,
Joe
 

I became an instant fan after reading PARANOIA on my Kindle and quickly bought and read all other three novels available for the Kindle back-to-back. Since then I've been waiting for the rest of your works to be available on the format. It was brilliant to expand your audience by briefly offering PARANOIA free on Kindle but it seems odd to then not embrace the Kindle for all your books then. I would love to keep buying them and the price point isn't the issue -- I just don't read paper-based books anymore. Will your older stuff be coming to Kindle any time soon? And will your next new novel be available on Kindle? Thanks.
J.S.

Dear J.S.,
Thanks for the kind words! The short answer to your Kindle question is, I don't know. St. Martin's, my current publisher, has the rights to my older titles, and has announced plans to bring them back into print at some point, but I don't know when; publishing to Kindle seems like a no-brainer to me, but it's a decision made above my level.
As soon as it happens, I'll announce it on the website and through my newsletter.
I'm very flattered by your enthusiasm, and really appreciate your taking the time to write.
All the best,
Joe Finder
 

I just discovered your books about a month ago. Love 'em. Keep up the good work. I just finished PARANOIA and I believe you should put Adam back to work at Trion and let him move on to his next assignment. If you do, don't forget Alana. He needs that girl.
Thanks, B.

Dear B.,
Thanks for the kind words! I think I put Adam through enough in PARANOIA, but if you liked him, I hope you'll like Nick Heller, the series character I launched in last year's book VANISHED. Nick will be back for more in a second book, and I hope to keep him around for a while.
All the best,
Joe Finder

I picked up KILLER INSTINCT, and enjoyed so much that I read COMPANY MAN and PARANOIA - all this week. Hope you can write more quickly than I can read; at this rate, I'll burn through the rest by mid-March. If only you could write at the pace I can read! Thanks for the sleep deprivation - enjoying it!
- A. 

Dear A.,
If only I could write at the pace you can read! Thanks very much for the kind words. At the moment I'm hard at work on BURIED SECRETS, the sequel to VANISHED, which will be be in stores late this summer. Hope you like that one just as much. 
All the best,
Joe Finder

I also would like to thank you, last August my wife told me to pick a book to read for our vacation. I am embarrassed to say the last book I read was on my honeymoon in 1998. Ten plus years and 2 kids later, it seems I never found the time to pick up a book. I picked up this copy of VANISHED and I am happy to say it rekindled a joy of reading within me, in the last 12 months I have 26 novels. I normally would not write a letter like this, but I just wanted to say thank you and say I am really looking forward to reading BURIED SECRETS.
- B.H.

I just wanted to thank you for putting your books on CD. I'm blind and wouldn't be able to read them otherwise. I just finished POWER PLAY. It was a great book I finished it in one day. I also like that you do author interviews after the book. It gives us readers insight into how and why you write. Looking forward to the next book.
Sincerely, J.E.

Dear J.,
Thank you so much for the kind words, and for taking the time to write. I'm delighted that you enjoyed POWER PLAY. It's been very important to me to make all of my titles available to the visually impaired, and in fact, the VANISHED launch party was a benefit for MAB Community Services, the nation's oldest social service organization for the blind.

It means a great deal to me that you're enjoying my books, and I'm so glad you let me know.
All the best,
Joe Finder

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