June 11 Gem

2) Tell us more about Hawk and the Standing and Ready SEAL team.
Black Cell is based loosely on the very, very covert and totally denied-to-have-existed Red Cell from the SEAL teams. I wanted my teams to have different color coded cells for different covert operations/different targeted areas of the world. Black Cell is the ‘highest’ level, meaning most dangerous and incommunicado. Well, what do you expect? Hawk runs one of the teams!

3) Will you write another book with Stash and Lena?
No idea. I never say no, because I don’t know. They probably will make guest appearances but I really don’t want past characters from other books to take over a story, UNLESS there is good reason ;-). You do remember Hawk and Stash kind of look alike, don’t you? I have this suspicion…that one day…hmm…well, think of the possibilities!

4) Tell us more about the Commandos, the one with Alex Diamond, with the hint of some guy named Jed, that were mentioned in INTO DANGER.
Again, I based this on research. I used the SOG team model from the Vietnam War. SOG stands for Studies and Observations Group and was the most secret elite U.S. military unit. I wanted a covert team that was more up-to-date, so created a special team of nine commandos. Alex is #1. Jed is #9. The numbers are their roles, not their positions. #1 starts. #9 ends. They are the main guys in the COS Commando books but they do seem to have a penchant of appearing in the other books and chew up scenery and basically make waves.

5) It is exciting to know there will be an Asian heroine! Tell me more about Nikki and why did you choose Asian? Do you go into her background or is she just Asian in Facing Fear?
I’m excited too! Nikki is very special to me. I was absolutely intrigued by her story and her Asian background plays a very important role in FACING FEAR. There are Chinese myths and cultural beliefs that will clue the reader in about the mystery surrounding Nikki. I hope you will find her interesting too.
In the Crossfire series, Vivi in Protector is half-Asian and so is Kit-Ling in Warrior.