Hey,
Jude, how’s it going?
Huh? Are we on the air
already?
I
first met Jude Hardin on a boat in Seattle. We had both been invited to a
Thomas and Mercer’s writing conference, which was also a meet
and greet for authors. Read Lee Goldberg’s summary of our weekend HERE. Somehow Jude and I got talking about serial
killers and we had an instant connection. We both figured anyone on the boat
that day, including the two of us, could be serial killers. Is that how you
remember it, Jude?
I just remember being
really hungry, and not getting to eat much because I spent the entire lunch
period talking to some really cute blonde about thrillers. Was that you?
The
moment I returned from Seattle, I read Jude’s short story, RATTLED. It’s 32 pages. I loved
every word. I raced through it with a smile on my face. Nicholas Colt, a
private investigator, makes the mistake of picking up a hitchhiker! Don’t do
that people! Never pick up a hitchhiker. On the other hand, maybe that would
make for a great romance novel: A woman who has hit rock bottom picks up a
dangerous looking hitchhiker because she figures she has nothing to live for. The hitchhiker is dark and dangerous, complete with
knife hooked to his belt, and so begins their road trip. She falls in love, of
course! That’s how I get my ideas. They randomly pop into my head. I’m not going to ask Jude where he gets his
ideas because he talks about that HERE. Instead, let’s talk about Jude’s past
vocations: fence installer, pizza delivery man, convenience store clerk,
freelance journalist, film extra, professional drummer, bartender, avionics
technician, carpet cleaner, chemical plant supervisor, substitute teacher, and
registered nurse.
Wow! Can you tell us which of these jobs you liked best? I
believe you told me you played the drums with Stephen King’s band…or maybe I
imagined that.
Yes, Steve and I are old
pals. Not Stephen King the author, of course. Stephen King the heating and air
conditioning technician. We’ve been talking about getting the old band back
together, and this time we’re going to get SERIOUS.
But really, my favorite
out of all those jobs would have to be film extra. You get to goof off all
morning, and then you get to have lunch with Bill Murray, and then you get to
goof off all afternoon. And they pay you for it!
Jude is a naturally funny guy. He is the king of puns and jokes on
Facebook. For example, here are a few examples:
My friend
lost his strongbox in a poker game. It was a safe bet.
My friend
wanted to try the craps tables in Vegas, but he said they looked a little dicey.
Jude’s
latest: A man walks into a bar...a few minutes
later he's taken to the hospital to be checked for a concussion. One of his commenters had a funny reply: A Priest, a
Minister and a Rabbi walk into a bar. The bartender says, "Is this some
kind of joke?"
Okay, Jude. What’s up with the jokes? Do you have a zillion joke
books laying around or do you make these up yourself?
I steal them from
Stephen King. The HVAC guy. He’s a real corker!
Ha! How
many books have you released with Thomas and Mercer?
Four. And you want to
know something really wild? There are intersecting streets in Seattle with
those exact same names. Thomas and Mercer. Talk about a coincidence!
But yeah, four books,
and the experience has been quite positive overall. Especially the free food
and booze they gave us at the conference!
T&M published four
of the seven titles in my Nicholas Colt series: CROSSCUT, SNUFF TAG 9, KEY
DEATH, and BLOOD TATTOO. Each one is available in ebook, paperback, and audio.
Do
you still self-publish, too?
Absolutely. I guess I’m
what they call a hybrid author. And I want to make it perfectly clear that
there’s a big difference between hybrid and GMO. Enough said about that.
My self-published books
include COLT, SYCAMORE BLUFF, and BAD NURSE, all thrillers.
Self-publishing is a lot
of hard work, but I enjoy being in control of the process from start to finish.
And you can’t beat the royalty rates!
What
are you working on now?
A near-future short
story called “A Time for Dying.” I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not as
cheerful and upbeat as it sounds. You’ll just have to trust me on that for now.
When that’s finished, I’m going to start working on something that might
actually sell. Like cupcakes. I understand they’re very popular at the moment.
And
now, what we’ve all been waiting for, Jude Hardin’s newest release, iSEAL, the first in a series.
A civilian contractor
for the Department of Defense has created an implantable brain-computer
interface that will make the fiercest warriors on the planet exponentially
smarter, faster, and deadlier.
Codename: iSEAL
After years of
painstaking research, the device is finally ready for human trials.
Desperate to be
reinstated as a Special Forces candidate, Nathan Brennan reluctantly volunteers
for the study. Four weeks as a lab rat and his military career will be back on
course.
Unfortunately, by the
end of day one, he finds himself on the run from the police, the CIA, and a
mysterious criminal mastermind named Oberwand.
With no memory of his
past, and with little hope for a meaningful future, Brennan must utilize every
weapon in his binary arsenal just to stay alive.
I
can’t wait to read iSEAL!! Thanks for being a good sport and answering my
questions, Jude. Do you have anything you would like to add?
Just that you’re one of
the coolest people I’ve ever met, and that it was super generous of you to
feature me and my work here on your website. Thanks so much, Theresa!
