The Demeter Code, Third in Series, by Russell Brooks, Best Yet! Check out Ridley Fox and Nita Parris!

Meet Ridley Fox!

“Watch where you’re going, dammit,” snapped the woman. Doctor Nita Parris had bumped the woman’s shoulder as she passed through the revolving door, rushing from the street into the hotel lobby. Parris turned halfway around, raising an open palm. “Sorry.” But she wasn’t. The woman had the audacity to blame her. She was the one texting on her mobile while walking, and in a crowded room on top of that. Her teenage self would’ve cussed her out rudely, or even slapped the phone out of her hand. Not the typical behavior of a woman with a PhD in biochemistry. She could hear her aunt being vexed and breaking out the Barbadian accent. “Why yuh gunnah stoop to she level for? You better than dat.” Those were the days when Parris was quick-tempered and got into a lot of fights—and won them. Even some of the boys didn’t dare trouble her. She’d proven repeatedly that she could stand her ground with them, and even out-sprint them. When she’d wound up in the headmaster’s office—which had been frequently—he’d always ranted on about how bright a future she had, considering that she was one of the school’s top students. He’d pointed out that with her aptitudes she ought to be setting an example. But that was the past. 
She wouldn’t stoop to the level of some self-absorbed socialite. Especially when her asset was eight floors above, fearing for his life. Despite having spent the last five years living in the DC area, she had never been inside any of its hotels—even for an op. To anyone else in the lobby who happened to notice her, she was probably just another twenty-something black woman... 
Observers would likely think that she was either a guest, there on business, or a lawyer meeting a client. Either one was fine by her. Parris scanned the lobby on her way to the elevators. Aside from catching the occasional whiff of perfume or aftershave, she spotted two Wall-Street types, laughing over a beer, through the doorway of the hotel restaurant. On the opposite side, two children were chasing each other around their suitcases while their parents addressed the receptionist...

Parris licked her fingertip and ran it across both eyebrows. “Dewan, you see me yet?”
“I got you.” Dewan Douglas—her newest tech support—answered through her earpiece. He would’ve hacked into the hotel’s closed-circuit television long before she arrived—playing big brother from his safe haven at Langley, Virginia. It helped, but it wasn’t perfect. There were always spots the CCTV was blind to, and a professional would’ve been smart enough to hang out in those areas to avoid being seen. Parris brushed a strand of hair from her jacket sleeve. “Gym fanatic at seven o’clock.” 
“I saw him,” Dewan replied. “He arrived there with some chick, who’s now on her way down from their suite. They’ve been guests for the past four days, so I wouldn’t worry about him.” 
She trusted that Dewan would’ve used face-recognition software, to locate and identify Gym Boy through the hotel’s CCTV archives, and cross-referenced it with the hotel’s guest list. She headed for the elevator, grabbing her cell phone from her belt clip to call her asset, Tim Weyland. “Timothy?”
“Who…who’s this?” “You know who it is. I’m on my way up.” 
“Are you armed? Because I know they’re going to be coming for me with some very big guns.” He spoke fast, so he must be scared shitless. 
“You’re going to have to calm down and let us worry about who may be coming after you.” Parris pressed the elevator button. One of the six doors opened but it was already going down. She did a quick once-over of the three people who walked out. Nothing suspicious. 
“How can you tell me to calm down?” Weyland still spoke at warp-speed. “You’re not the one they’re trying to kill.”

~~~

The Demeter Code

By Russell Brooks

When I read Brooks' first book, and checked out some of his pics on site, I decided that this author could play his own main character! Don't you think?! And who better to play his partner, Nita Parris, fellow Canadian and the beautiful boss of the Forensics Lab on Bones, one of my favorite TV shows!

I was hooked by the first book, but I have to say that The Demeter Code is even better. Brooks has spent a lot of time reading research and his novel reflects this, as well as the reference list and interview information in his acknowledgments section. The topic is, in many ways, scary--one of those concepts that readers immediately realize that this could really happen... The result, therefore, had a world-wide impact--thankfully only in fiction.

Ridley Fox is fun, dedicated, but strong-headed. He wants answers--now. Nita Parris works to keep a balance in the team, but doesn't always succeed. What she does do is watch Fox's back, even when he's doing something, well, stupid, even if there is a good solid reason to do it! 

Tim Weyland was an asset being questioned regarding the whereabouts of Umari, a former CIA informant who had turned. It was Nita who was working with him, but Weyland was not doing what he'd been told and before long, they were both fighting off men who were trying to kill him. Now he was under medical care, hurt in that battle, and unable to help in locating Umari. 

“You kept him alive,” Fox said. “That’s what counts.” If there was one thing Fox admired about Parris, it was her tenacity. Like a pit-bull, once she sunk her teeth into her target she never let go. But he accepted her frustration, keeping in mind that Umari was originally a CIA informant who had turned. Using the skills he’d gained from his training, he had masterminded the bombings of two American Embassies and a cruise ship. While searching for him, the Agency discovered that a local security firm that Weyland worked for—Bismarck Securities—was bankrolling Umari’s activities. Weyland’s job was to hack into networks of Bismarck’s clients in order to test the strengths and weaknesses of their systems. Parris not only recruited him but was also his handler. For the past three months, he’d fed them intel every two weeks.
~~~

Fox, in the meantime, was on a similar mission to try to meet with Alghafari, a Syrian arms dealer... Fox would be going in as David Conlon, a mercenary who Fox had to take out. And for which he got chewed out by his superiors--in their work, killers were potential assets! He was accepted by Alghafari, having been willing to do small jobs from time to time, which could mean just about anything. And the first thing he was asked to do was to deliver a package! Which turned out to have everybody chasing after it!

Alghafari slid his empty glass toward Fox and got up. “For identification purposes, you’ll introduce yourself as Thor’s Hammer. Once the delivery is made your fee will be wired to your account.”
In other words, Alghafari would pay him once he’d paid himself. They shook hands and Alghafari and his goons left.
~~~

I had to chuckle at Ridley Fox, alias David Conlon, and now was using the introduction Thor's Hammer! This is just a small sample of the underlying humor in the novel...

In the meantime, one of his line superiors, who was looking to run for a higher office, was out to get Fox out of her hair if she could. Not liking his attitude, but using the psychological assessment that had been made years ago when Fox's fiancee had been killed, as the basis upon which she demanded that he be watched closely...

But now, an entirely new issue came to light. company secrets had been stolen from a company, Sementem. Collins needed money for his family and didn't know what else to do until he'd been approached by a European man to get the information... But it didn't take much time for him to find what he'd done was...deadly...for when he got home he couldn't find his wife and then the lights went out. He'd called her number thinking that was the easiest way to find her...but it had a new ringer playing a different song.

Collins and his wife were killed... The $200,000 he'd been paid had no use now, even though it had been deposited into his account...

And soon autopsies started be done and the bodies were filled with internal holes... And at Camp Iron Eagle in Afghanistan, there had been 13 bodies with the same probably first, results... This became the highest priority...

But a young employee had been blamed. Sparky was her name and Fox had to find her and then took unauthorized action to protect her...and...more... I have to admit I was captured at the end of the book as Brooks mentioned that this novel has his first sex scene in it! So, of course, I had to give you a glimpse if you want to take it before you read the book...LOL There are also other video readings from the book available on the authors utube videos or his site...

“We did autopsies. The lining of their stomach cavities were in terrible shape. They were all porous. I mean, God, I’m talking about dozens of holes. I thought at first that they had been exposed to some new chemical weapon, but that theory was ruled out.” 
“What brought on the allergic reactions?”
“I’m…I’m not sure.” 
“Then tell me what you are sure about.”
 “I…I believe that it may have been something they ate.” Grafton swallowed. “There was a food inspector, or quality control expert—whatever you want to call her—that was snooping around. The head of the dining hall couldn’t stand her, and General Jeansonne thought that she was becoming a nuisance. Jesus, she was only doing her job. They set things up to make her get the blame.”
 “They what?”
“She was set up. It was all a cover-up by the army. She had a nickname. Sparky, I think. She saw all the problems and potential health hazards in the dining halls and in the kitchens. And she cleaned things up. I mean, really cleaned things up.”

~~~

Parris hung up and did a U-Turn, heading back down the road to SR-37. On the way she drove by a sign indicating that sweet corn was for sale. She didn’t think anything of it at first, but something at the back of her mind told her that she should buy some—not for eating, but for a testing comparison to the soil samples she’d collect later on.

“I’m…I’m fine for now,” Parris answered, pausing between words as though she was catching her breath. “I’m getting the hell out of here.” Fox glanced over at Sparks, who was staring back at him. 

She obviously sensed that something was wrong by the tone of his voice. “What happened?” 

“I must’ve rattled some cages down here,” said Parris as her breathing became more under control. “Because the men who just pulled me over weren’t State Troopers.”

Whew! This intriguing bio-terrorism thriller becomes horrifying, just because of the premise upon which the story is based... It definitely surpasses the first two, but that comes down to the research and hypothesis upon which it is based. The basic characters, including Dewan, their computer expert, are exciting to see in action and do keep readers happy in their work against the enemy, but, for me, the terror came when considering the "what if" reality of Brooks' latest! The story is provacative, fascinating and down-right scary... Sure glad Ridley and Nita are on the job! Highly recommended!

GABixlerReviews

Prior to becoming a writer, Russell Brooks considers himself fortunate that he had the opportunity to be an Indiana Hoosier Track Champion and Canadian Track Team member in both the 100 and 200 meters. It was during Brooks's travels across Canada, the United States, and Europe, that he came up with his story ideas and came up with outlines for his future thrillers which he would later writer. His BS in Biology from Indiana University helped him to write his first spy thriller, Pandora's Succession,followed by the short story collection Unsavory Delicacies. The latest addition to the spy series is The Demeter Code. So far, it appears that this series is far from over. The standalone thriller, Chill Run, was released afterwards. What makes Brooks's spy series unique is rather than focus on plots which strictly revolve around political matters—both domestic and international—Brooks is more creative by combining stories that are literally ripped from the headlines and weaving them with hardcore science and producing the most non-predictable plots imaginable. As a result, Brooks's works have been compared to those of a young Michael Crichton, Robert Ludlum, and even Dean Koontz. Although his goal is to keep readers in suspense by writing edge-of-your seat and page-turning thrillers, he may occasionally dash off a short story, entertain viewers with dramatic readings, or play his violin. Russell Brooks currently lives in Montreal, Quebec. If you want to be kept up to date on Russell Brooks's activities—which include new releases, touring locations, speaking engagements and contests, please sign up to the mailinglist. If you have any comments or suggestions, please email Russell at: russellbrookswriter@gmail.com

Unsavory Delicacies by Russell Brooks Links First and Third Novels With Cool Back-fill Fun Info...

The nerd—who was American—finished off the last of his Crème Brûlée and stared at her like a drooling dog as though he’d never been on a date with a woman before. She knew that the right shade of eye-liner and glossy lipstick, paired with her black hair flowing onto a sexy red dress would’ve been a turn-on for him. Then again, based on the amount of dandruff that stood out on his worn burgundy-colored cardigan and his clip-on tie, Monique doubted that White had ventured beyond fast food restaurants. And he had a slight pot belly to show for it. For fun she flirted with him, even though he was way out of his league.

Old Montreal, Quebec “So what do you have for me?” Monique Beauvais said to Curtis White, speaking with a French-Canadian accent. He sat opposite her at the round table for two by the window in one of the most talked about gourmet restaurants in Old Montreal. She chose this spot for its romantic décor, impressive wine cellar, and its distinction of being in a building that dated back to the nineteenth century. Outside on Rue Saint Paul, a car or two crept by on its narrow cobblestone surface, followed by a horse-drawn cart—one of several that were popular among tourists—surrounded by buildings dating back as early as the 1600s. For that reason, Hollywood movie studios chose to film in this area when they wanted to mimic cities such as Paris, London, or Moscow.

“We already discussed this. I don’t want to take too much time,” White replied as the sound of screeching tires and a blasting car horn outside their window caught his attention. Monique glanced out the window in time to see someone pulling out of a tight parking spot and cutting off a taxi, whose driver still managed to miraculously hang onto his cell phone. White turned back towards her and straightened his thick glasses that sat crookedly on the bridge of his nose. “I don’t like the idea that we’re meeting out in the public like this. Everyone can see us.”

~~~

Unsavory Delicacies:

Revenge is Best Served...Unsavory

By Russell Brooks

Three short stories, quickly read, can still hold a punch--especially when Russell Brooks has written them. At least two of the stories carry through and give readers further background to bridge between Pandora's Succession and his latest The Demeter Code, which will be covered in my next article.

It is very clear that Ridley Fox will do anything and everything to defeat all those who were involved in killing his fiancee... He's gone uncover in Creme Brulee, as a man, Curtis White, who is selling secret documents  Monique works for the Arms of Are and she has a back-up sniper scheduled to take White out as soon as she pretends to send his payment electronically to his account. So, finished with their meal, she heads for the restroom, but instead goes out the door to head home...

Hearing a shot before she gets to her car...
But readers who have already read the first book, know that Ridley Fox may go down once in a while, but he always finishes what he starts... Monique finds that out in a surprising and very cool ending when she meets the man with whom she really had dinner...







Ok, first off, the next story, To the Last Bite, is a bit creepy... And I wasn't quite sure whether Ridley was actually one of the characters... he does have a need for revenge so readers will be able to figure out which man could be Ridley... LOL...

Dennis Kirby is a food critic--you know, a reviewer of the food at restaurants. Kirby was a long-time newspaper writer and was well-known and believed by his readers. In fact, a bad review often resulted in the restaurant closing...and most of Kirby reviews were bad...

But he had just finished an excellent meal at a new French restaurant and was thrilled to be able to write a good review in a very long time.

When the waiter took away his dessert plate, Kirby asked to speak to the owner. When the owner came, Kirby saw the beads of sweat on his foreheadglisten from the ceiling lights.
“I’m afraid to ask,” said the owner. “But how did you like your meal?”
“Words cannot describe how excellent the service was.  As for the meal…Priceless.” Kirby smirked as he watched the owner collapse in the chair opposite him, wiping his forehead with a handkerchief. The man fanned himself with his hand.
“Please excuse my shock and awe, sir. I…I…”
“Ought to be happy. I understand that the first international film festival will be coming to town next summer. Am I correct?”
The owner nodded. “Then I expect you’ll be seeing more famous celebrities dine in your restaurant in the months to come.” Kirby raised his wine glass. “To your continued success.”
“Merci,” said the proprietor...
~~~
“Anyhow,” Kirby said. “I just wanted to meet you in person and thank you for the excellent meal, Mister—”

"You can call me Oliver. Thanks. This means a lot coming from you.”

“You’re welcome. As you’ve probably noticed I had to unbuckle my belt. I simply had to enjoy every last bite.” He loved to quote the title of his column.“Which is much more than I can say about most restaurants I’ve critiqued.”
Oliver’s eyebrows widened. “Every last bite?”
“Every last bite,” Kirby repeated with a nod. “I’m embarrassed to ask you this, but what is the recipe? I mean, how did you prepare this meal? The veal and liver were… I cannot describe it.”
“Ah, I cannot tell you that, sir. I’m sure you understand.”
“Yes, yes. Of course. Chef’s secret recipe.”
“Precisely,” Oliver answered.
~~~

The Food Critic went back to his office to write his report before deadline, and also tried to call his girlfriend Stella to see if she wanted to join him for dinner. Finishing some odds and ends, he tried to reach Stella, but decided he'd have to go alone to dinner. A dinner which, in his opinion, was not worth eating... He left, dropping his napkin on top of the food... Guess that was a bad review coming up... 

But when he got home, not knowing what he was going to eat, he was pleased to  welcome the chef into his home. He explained that he was so glad that he'd enjoyed the meal at his restaurant that he fixed another special dinner for him... Kirby asked him to share, so the chef joined him in a glass of wine, enjoying the time he spent with the Critic...

St. Petersburg, Russia Ridley Fox and two other CIA operatives—all under the guise as government inspectors—drew stares from restaurant patrons on both sides of the aisle. Fox looked around among the crowd. He heard wine glasses clinking collectively followed by cheers in one area. Then there was applause for the band as they ended one of their renditions of an old Chuck Berry classic. But Fox didn’t see Maksim Antanov—the owner of the establishment and the son of St. Petersburg’s most powerful crime boss. He led his two colleagues towards the Maître D’raising a fat palm to Fox. 

“Please state your business.” He said in Russian. 

Fox recognized him as Efim Volsky, Maksim Antanov’s personal bodyguard who was clearly well versed at identifying people that had no intention of sitting down to eat. Fox already had the folded document in his hand. Being fluent in several languages, Fox answered him in Russian as he handed him the letter and flashed his fake inspector’s badge. “My name is Yuri Petrov, veterinary inspector for the Rosselkhoznadzor. We have a warrant to search the premises.” 

“For what?” Volsky snapped, snatching the paper from Fox and holding it close to his face to examine it. Fox realized that the bodyguard needed reading glasses. He just chose not to wear them in front of him in order to appear tough. 

But Fox knew that was all Volsky had going for him—the appearance. “Our department has reason to believe that meat was illegally purchased by this establishment,” said Fox.

 “Ridiculous! How dare you make such accusations…” 

“Sir, I strongly advise that you do not make a scene. I’m sure your patrons wouldn’t want to leave here and spread the news of our visit to the 

whole neighbourhood. Word of mouth can be the best and the worst publicity. Wouldn’t you agree?” Volsky grunted. “Wait here.” 

Fox watched Volsky storm away, catching the attention of the patrons, some who then stared back at Fox and his colleagues. Fox didn’t stare back at them; he just waited for Antanov to greet him. The restaurant, although a popular hangout for St. Petersburg’s elite—including criminals—was just a pastime for Antanov. His construction firm was the major front for his criminal activities.

~~~

Ridley was on an undercover case in Russia in Shashlyk and Morozhenoe,  where he planned to meet with Maksim Antanov, who was an important member of the Mob...But before he was through, he had found out way more information than he'd ever thoughts... Good thing, because he'd need it in the future!

Each of these stories were uniquely told with interesting characters who know how to find and use unsavory actions to get what they want. Even though there is a touch of horror, I had more fun than fear...LOL Enjoy and prepare yourself a little for the next book! Review coming...

GABixlerReviews

Russell Brooks Hosting Contest with Latest Novel Coming Tomorrow!

Author contest! 

Details as follows:

1. Every person that leaves a comment with their email address (Important) is automatically entered in the draw. 

2. To be sure that the contest is fair and impartial, Clinton (my cat) will select the 10 winners for a free eBook copy of CHILL RUN.

The contest will run from Sunday November 27, 2011 to December 1, 2011 at 9PM. The winners will be announced via my blog and my page on YouTube the same evening. http://russellparkway.blogspot.com/2011/11/win-free-ebook-copy-of-chill-run.html 

For those of you who read Pandora's Succession and, like me, would be prepared for a similar, new thriller...
You're in for a real surprise...and a treat...once you adjust to the story line. I admit that at first, as I started to read about "sexual doms" I didn't know what was coming, but soon I started to smile, laugh, and imagine just how an idea like this could be born--our world thrives on such things after all!
For Eddie Barrow wanted to become a published author. His first novel had been sent out and rejected so far, but he was still optimistic, even though his family had never supported his chosen profession, other than one aunt, and had never even asked to read any part of his manuscript. Eddie had left home because of the constant turmoil and lived with his best friend. However, Corey was going through a major depression because he had tried out for a Canadian idol contest and had been judged and publicized across the world as the world's "worst"... (You can see how readers are quickly smiling and feeling sympathy for the characters!)
Behind on the rent, Eddie first loses his girl and his job. And Corey hasn't been able to pay for his share of rent for months. After having dinner at home and getting even more negative feedback, he had left swearing he'd never returned. Perhaps if none of Eddie's financial troubles had happened, Corey's girlfriend, Jordyn, wouldn't have introduced an idea to him. In doing so, she identified herself as a fem dom, while quickly explaining that there was no sex involved in the activities. She suggested that Eddie act as a dom and, perhaps with a little whipping and smacking around, his client would be pleased and he would be paid big bucks.
Eddie was extremely hesitant, but finally agreed to meet with a woman who was supposedly a CEO of a major corporation. But, their plan was to have the press be notified, break it up--and, of course, Eddie would gain lots of notoriety as a "sex scandal" broke! Reluctantly, Eddie agreed.
I had to share all of this because the circumstances was just too good, not to pull me in. By this point, I was hooked and hoping Eddie could get through this without too much pressure.
But before he left that hotel room, his "client" had been murdered...
Eddie and Corey quickly decided they had to turn themselves into the police and explain what had happened. That is, until Eddie saw them all already on the news...
Eddie, Corey and Jordyn wind up on the run...Though the chase is hot and heavy, Eddie knows that if they don't try to solve the case, and gain sufficient evidence, they will never be free...but the twists and turns seem to be ending, only to start over!
Russell Brooks has given us another great ride--thrills galore, but this time, with a very sympathetic wannabe novelist as the main character, together with two close friends who support him throughout. Loved the characters, the concept, and the thrills of this Chill Run! Highly recommended!


Book Received Via
Facebook Reviewers Roundup




GABixlerReviews

Review During Blog Tour - Russell Brooks! Pandora's Succession!

Pandora’s Succession



By Russell Brooks

Russell Brooks has created a first novel that is just waiting to be turned into an action movie! I’m wondering if he even might be looking to play the main character, Ridley Fox! Pandora’s Succession moves quickly into non-stop action that pulls you in to an exciting tale you will totally enjoy!

Russ Brooks as Ridley Fox???

Ridley Fox was a former JTF2 member (equivalent to SEALs) who had planned on getting out when he married Jessica. That had been two years ago, before the same group that now had captured him—the Arms of Ares, had killed her. He wasn’t sure whether he had been tricked or not—he was supposed to be there in Chechnya to help a scientist working for Ares and his wife to defect. In return Gregor Stechine would help put this group out of business! And Ridley wanted that more than anything else!

But something had happened and now his wife was here, to help him for he had been captured and imprisoned. She was also claiming that she had been the one who had contacted him, not her husband!
Both Gregor and Sveta were microbiologists who had been used to create weapons of terrorism to be sold by the criminal organization Ares. Her husband was now dead and Sveta had been afraid to contact regular agencies since she knew Ares members had infiltrated them. But now, they had created a microbe called Pandora so powerful that small amounts of it introduced into an area would cause as much damage as a nuclear bomb, except it would only kill the people! She claimed there was no defense against Pandora!

And it would be very dangerous to use normal methods to escape since Pandora was nearby...

For some the desire for money is all that is needed to choose sides. Valerik had been a former KGB operative and had no conscience about doing anything that was necessary to complete his job. And the “white-haired man” who had become his superior was no different than the rest as they discussed what needed to be done now that Ridley Fox had escaped and might have some knowledge of what was happening in the Groznyy, Chechnya lab. But for others, even money is not the absolute for choosing to go against the world. His mole in the CIA would have to be contacted by the white-haired man to find out what was happening! He had to know more...for The Promise!

Ridley worked alone most of the time but found that at least one CIA operative had been placed where it was most important, but neither Ridley nor Nita Parris knew about the other. Other than the heroic efforts of Ridley and Nita and their exciting endeavors to prevent Pandora's use, I found most intriguing the activities of the three villains who, though working together, had such diverse goals that, in the end, that diversity was part of their downfall!

Pandora’s Succession is so jam-packed with edge-of-seat action and adventure that the reader won’t even have time to slow down to take a drink of that tea cooling on your nearby table. Seriously, this is one of the best action books that I’ve read in a long time...and, like I said, would highly nominate it to be made into a movie—it has what it takes! Terrorism, traitors, killers with “causes,” biological warfare, top-thriller action for the hero to win, and peril to the world! Thankfully, it’s fiction!
Readers, not only do I highly recommend it...but if you’re an action fan like I am...don’t you dare miss this one!

Book Received Via
Facebook’s Reviewers Roundup Group

G. A. Bixler

Don't  miss book announcement and author interview posted immediately before this review!

Book Reader's Heaven Welcomes Russell Parkway on Blog Tour!

Book Reader's Heaven is delighted to welcome Russell Parkway on his Blog Tour to announce his Debut Novel, Pandora's Succession. Russell, could you tell us a little bit about yourself--Where are you from?

Montreal, Quebec

When did you start writing? When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?

When I was in high school. In high school I had several ideas that stayed in my head constantly. It became a distraction because I’d be accused of daydreaming when in fact I was playing scenes of a potential story in my head. One day I decided to write them down on paper until I had a novel.

Your first book was very ambitious, don’t you think? How long did it take you to write it?

It was a lot of hard work because of all of the research that went into it. I didn’t take any writing classes either, most of what I learned was from trial and error until I got to know my writing coach, Victory Crayne, back in September 2008. She coached me through the last two rewrites of Pandora’s Succession. From the day I first started writing to today we’re going back 22 years, and that mostly because of dividing my time between school, track and field, and music.

Where do your ideas and subjects come from?

My ideas come from all over the place, but mostly from scientific journals and news events. I don’t go out “looking” for an idea, that doesn’t work for me. Instead I’ll just read several articles or I may overhear a conversation or catch a blurb. After going through that, a “What if… ” scenario pops into my head.

Your book is full of action with a lot of detailed information—how did you learn so much about guns and details of events you describe?

Again, it was all in the research. I also read a few books on how to write novels. I was fortunate to be surrounded by some excellent people that offered to help. I knew of the importance to be as accurate as I could in describing either an event, a location, or an incident because I knew that potential readers would be current and former government agents, people in the military, martial arts enthusiasts, scientists or people with a strong background in science, aside from avid readers of the thriller genre. I consulted with Belgian martial arts expert, Wim DeMeere, who helped me to write the fight scenes. After I started promoting Pandora’s Succession online by posting a few chapters, a reader—Jim from California—wrote me and informed me that my protagonist, Ridley Fox, was using the wrong sidearm. He recommended that he not use a Ruger but the Hechler and Koch. He sent me pics and explained the specs to justify why the HK was a more likely weapon that Fox would carry. He had me convinced and I changed the weapon immediately. My brother, Randy, is in the Canadian military and he helped me with various military aircraft. I wasn’t fortunate to interview any assassins or spies so I had to pick up some things from reading Barry Eisler’s novels, who’s also a former CIA agent. Former CIA director George Tenet’s biography also helped me with regards to references.

Well, I for one, am certainly happy that you didn't interview any real assassins and are alive, here and well to talk to us! But it sounds like you did have good professionals helping. What is the basis of your novel’s title?

Pandora comes from Greek mythology. Succession comes from the term, Ecological Succession. If you know about the Greek myth and about Ecological Succession, then you’d have an idea what Pandora’s Succession is about.

Hmmmm, Russell, so I have to be a mythology fan to understand your title...maybe you'll give us more info at another time for those who are not familiar...LOL Your book includes many variables that creates an action-packed thriller...frankly, do you think you can “top” this, your first novel?

LOL. I hope so, otherwise I’d be a one-hit wonder, which I don’t want. Seriously, I believe that I’ll top this novel because I’m still in the process of developing my author’s voice. There were a few things that I wanted to do with Pandora’s Succession, but based on the advice of my writing coach, I had to leave them out because the story would’ve been too long. For example, an original draft had Pandora’s Succession begin in the Canadian Arctic rather than outside of Groznyy, Chechnya. However I was recommended to cut the entire chapter, not because it wasn’t good, but because my protagonist, Ridley Fox, was not in it. Rather it was the antagonist whom, according to my coach, readers might mistake for the protagonist; may not like the character and not buy the book. In other words, since this is my first novel and I’m unknown, there are certain things I should hold off. Until I become better known, my name will be able to sell the novel before the story.

By that, perhaps, I can assume you might be considering a series with Ridley Fox...I hope so because I enjoyed him very much. Does writing come natural to you or is it something that you had/have to work on?

I’d have to say that the writing was something that I had to work on. The ideas came more naturally.

Does your story/subject change direction after you have begun writing it?

Pandora’s Succession changed tremendously. When I first wrote it in high school it didn’t even have the same characters. The plot wasn’t even the same. The book matured along with me and I had to accept what I could include in the story and what I needed to cut. In the last few years the story has been more consistent.

Well, I certainly was impressed with your writing...and you can tell that your ideas flow freely--there was much to consider in your book and you certainly gave us many villains to "hate!" Do you see your future writing coming from your life or from other people?

If anything there’s more of a chance that I’ll be writing more about other people than myself. My blog, The Big Picture, is comprised of essays in Op-Ed format where I comment mostly about social injustice. One of my essays, “Why does Vancouver not deserve to host the 2010 Winter Olympics” was published by the National Post in their online Op-Ed section. I got a lot of praise for it. But I also pissed off a lot of people that didn’t approve of my pointing out the reality of the struggles that Canadian amateur athletes faced before the Olympic games were awarded to a Canadian city. This was even though I was speaking from personal experience of having competed for Canada on a few occasions. I literally became an enemy of the state with that essay. But I won’t apologize for setting the record straight.

Well, congratulations on your nonfiction writing efforts (and am wondering whether that is why you are writing under Russell Brooks)...Who were the people or person that inspired you to write?

There were a few, such as my family, close friends that gave me their electronic typewriter as a gift when I was 12 when they learned that I was writing a novel. But I have to give special mention to my 6th grade teacher, Ms Bédard (back in those days, first names of teachers were classified (lol)). One day I decided to write a mystery short story. Ms Bédard saw it on my desk one day as she walked by, asked me what it was, and read it out loud to the class. I was surprised when she led the class in applause. She wrote me a note saying that one day she hoped one of my detective novels would get published. It was one of the nicest things a teacher has ever done for me and I still remember that day as though it was yesterday, right down to the location in the classroom where I was sitting and where she stood when she read my story.

That is indeed a wonderful memory for you...it shows the very real potential that teachers play to influence our young people! Sooooo, How many different drafts of a manuscript did you go through before you published?

Pandora's Succession took about 15-19 rewrites. So much has changed in terms of technology that I had no choice but to change things. For example, the internet and cell phones didn’t exist when I started writing. Even the publishing industry has changed tremendously over time. The story I have now, had it been written the way it was back then, would’ve fallen in the science-fiction category.

Very good point, especially for those authors that have written stories in the past and pull them out from files...lots of catching up to do on technology alone! What has been your favorite story/subject that you have written about and why?

In February of this year I wrote an essay titled, “I was fired for voicing my opinion. I guess I should’ve shut up.” This was about former CIA agent, Valerie Plame Wilson, and her husband, Joe Wilson. I recommend her autobiography to everyone. Anyone that has the courage to stand up for their rights, especially when they’re alone, deserves every form of recognition possible. I also did a video blog about her book on The Russell Show.

Hmmm, I like that! I've have to tell you why I was fired once for wanting to actually "work" on my job...But that's another day...What kind of environment do you prefer when you’re writing?

I’ll either write at home or in a coffee shop. I like writing on the train or the plane when I’m travelling.

What tips do you have for aspiring writers?

Be patient. It’s very important NOT to rush into writing or publishing without conducting proper research. Depending on how serious you are with your writing, I strongly recommend that you research any literary agent or publisher you may want to do business with. If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Visit the Preditors and Editors website. They research everyone in the publishing business and list which ones are recommended versus the people that you ought to avoid.

Keep reading. It’s important to keep up to date with the changes in the publishing industry. And most importantly be passionate about what you do. Your own passion will drive you to do all of the necessary things that you need to do in order to become a successful published author.

I especially like your feelings about being passionate. Frankly, Russell, your first novel demonstrates the driving passion you have and I can only see you getting better and better in the future! Where do you see yourself and your writing in 10 years?

I’d like to eventually write screenplays. My dream was to write a screenplay for the next Superman movie. I have some ideas I believe Superman fans would like. If given the chance I’d love to present them to Warner Bros. I wouldn’t mind co-writing a script with Quentin Tarantino and acting alongside Uma Thurman and Samuel L. Jackson. Okay, that one’s a little out there, lol, but there’s no harm in dreaming big.

Hey, dreams are the beginning...Frankly, I love Samuel L. Jackson, especially in my favorite movie, The Long Kiss Goodbye...and I can see Ridley Fox gaining a lot of training and experience from an older character played by Jackson... In fact, I'm already seeing your book as an action movie! So just keep on dreaming big! What do you do when you get stuck in writing?

I play my violin. My best ideas come when I’m not sitting in front of the computer and thinking about how to write a scene or come up with a plot.

Cool, a man of many talents!  Have you ever wanted to quit? What did you do when that thought struck you?

No. I’m the person that likes to finish what they start. The day that I think of quitting something is the day that it’s time to move onto something else.

What are you working on now?

I’ll be doing everything possible to get my name out there so even after the virtual book tour ends I’ll actively be promoting Pandora’s Succession until Christmas 2010 and beyond...

What projects do you have for the future?

I have an untitled crime/mystery novel that I’m finishing right now. If all goes well I’d like to have it available sometime by Winter 2011. I’m currently outlining the sequel to Pandora’s Succession.

It looks like from some of your pictures, that you have some other interests in your life besides writing—tell us about those activities...

I was on the Canadian Track team and represented Canada at the World University Games in Palma di Mallorca, Spain in 1999. I was also the top sprinter at Indiana University while I studied for my BS in Biology. I play the violin, and once played four other instruments while I was in high school. I mostly sing right now in my church choir (I responded to a dare where I sang and posted it to YouTube. It’s in my blog under the Russell Show). I’m also active in an online poetry group called: The Artist Lounge, and I regularly participate in their radio show every Sunday as the resident poetry recitor. I started my own show on YouTube called: The Russell Show, where I’ve expanded on what I do on The Artist Lounge. Recently I’ve started promoting other authors by reciting excerpts from their novels. So far I’ve done this for JA Konrath and Cherish D’Angelo.

Can we find you anywhere online? Where?

I’m Russell Parkway on myspace and facebook. I’m AuthorRussell on Twitter. My website is http://www.russellparkway.com/.

Russell, thank you so much for allowing me to talk with you here at Book Reader's Heaven. Next up is my review of Pandora's Succession! Which I thoroughly enjoyed! Best wishes for the remainder of your Blog Tour and marketing efforts!