Andrew J Brandt, Author of The Abduction of Sarah Philips
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| The Abduction of Sarah Phillips: A Thriller Available everywhere in paperback and kindle ebook July 19, 2019 |
Today we are interviewing Andrew J Brandt about his thriller novel The Abduction of Sarah Philips.
Describe the plot of your new book, The Abduction of Sarah Phillips, in a few sentences.
It’s a thriller, a kidnapping mystery set in a small Texas town. This young man, kind of in his own world and dealing with his own problems, rescues a girl from her kidnappers, and he quickly finds himself in the crosshairs of men who will stop at nothing to take her back. And, really, the book explores what happens when doing the right thing goes wrong.
Who do you think would most appreciate this book?
Anyone looking for an adventure! There’s a place for quiet, contemplative books, and then there’s room on the shelf for these fast-paced, adventurous reads that leave you wanting more and more at the end of every page.
Tell us about the protagonist, Cameron Davis.
Cameron is a loner, kind of retracted into his shell a little bit. He’s reeling from his parents’ divorce and the life change that goes with that. He’s bullied at school and he has a few friends who really do care about him, but he’s sort of isolated himself from them. It’s only when he finds and rescues Sarah Phillips that he begins to come out of that shell.
Cameron is a loner and a victim of bullying, but must rise to the occasion when he finds Sarah Phillips. How does he find the strength to do what is right?
When we meet Cameron, he’s having a rough day. And even though he’s this loner, isolated kid, he’s still a good kid at heart. When he inadvertently rescues Sarah, he doesn’t hesitate to get help for her. That’s just who he is—the kind of person who, even when dealing with his own problems, still has this desire to help those around him. However, Cameron is not equipped or trained to help in this kind of situation, and things turn south rather quickly for him and Sarah.
Without giving too much away, what can you tell us about the kidnappers?
They’re human traffickers, and they have a rather grim method of taking their victims. We hear all the time about missing children, and with a constant news cycle, it’s easy to forget the details of that. The bad guys in this novel have got their system down to a science and it’s really disheartening.
What interests you about the thriller genre?
I like page-turning action. I like feeling my heart race when I’m reading a good book, and I want my reader to feel the same thing. When you’re reading an Andrew J Brandt novel, I want you to immediately know that you’re in for a ride.
Is there an author that had a major influence on your writing style?
I don’t think I could pin down one specific author, but growing up, I read a lot of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books, so I think that definitely influenced my desire to tell a heart-stopping story. Right now, I really enjoy Chuck Hogan and Dennis Lehane. Lehane is a master of the English language and creates these turns of phrase that leave my jaw slack.
How long have you been writing?
A long time. I have more stop-start stories on my laptop than I’d care to admit. My very first stories were Goosebumps knock-offs when I was around 10 years old. But, I’ve been writing seriously for about two years. I finished my first novel The Treehouse at the start of the year and The Abduction came quick on the heels of that one. I’m taking my time on my next book, but it’s coming together really nicely.
How do you think you've evolved as a writer since when you first started?
As I’ve worked on more projects, they’ve gotten more and more mature with each story. The Treehouse can be read by kids and adults alike. It’s a lighthearted adventure. But with each subsequent release and story, that lightheartedness has kind of dissolved. At the end of the day, I want to leave my readers breathless.
What are your goals as a writer for the next ten years?
Oh, you know, a couple of New York Times Bestsellers, a movie option, a series on Netflix. *laughs*
In all seriousness, I want to write compelling stories that stand the test of time. I want readers who discover me ten years from now to be able to enjoy my books just as much as the readers who follow every release.
How have your readers responded to the book so far?
The advance readers who have read The Abduction so far have really, really enjoyed it! It’s a more mature read than The Treehouse and really explores the negative consequences that our actions can have. Readers, so far, have really responded positively to that.
What do you have in mind for your next project?
I have a couple of things in mind, and a couple of projects I’m actively working on. I like to be two or three projects ahead of release, and I like to work fast. I can’t tell you much, but the one I’m really excited about is another story of mystery about a young woman who vanishes without a trace while hiking.
Is there anything else you'd like potential readers to know about your book?
Not every story has a happy ending.
More Information
Visit the author’s website.
Check out the author’s Amazon page.
Buy the book on Amazon.
Like the author on Facebook.
Follow the author on Instagram.
Follow the author on Twitter.
Describe the plot of your new book, The Abduction of Sarah Phillips, in a few sentences.
It’s a thriller, a kidnapping mystery set in a small Texas town. This young man, kind of in his own world and dealing with his own problems, rescues a girl from her kidnappers, and he quickly finds himself in the crosshairs of men who will stop at nothing to take her back. And, really, the book explores what happens when doing the right thing goes wrong.
Who do you think would most appreciate this book?
Anyone looking for an adventure! There’s a place for quiet, contemplative books, and then there’s room on the shelf for these fast-paced, adventurous reads that leave you wanting more and more at the end of every page.
Tell us about the protagonist, Cameron Davis.
Cameron is a loner, kind of retracted into his shell a little bit. He’s reeling from his parents’ divorce and the life change that goes with that. He’s bullied at school and he has a few friends who really do care about him, but he’s sort of isolated himself from them. It’s only when he finds and rescues Sarah Phillips that he begins to come out of that shell.
Cameron is a loner and a victim of bullying, but must rise to the occasion when he finds Sarah Phillips. How does he find the strength to do what is right?
When we meet Cameron, he’s having a rough day. And even though he’s this loner, isolated kid, he’s still a good kid at heart. When he inadvertently rescues Sarah, he doesn’t hesitate to get help for her. That’s just who he is—the kind of person who, even when dealing with his own problems, still has this desire to help those around him. However, Cameron is not equipped or trained to help in this kind of situation, and things turn south rather quickly for him and Sarah.
Without giving too much away, what can you tell us about the kidnappers?
They’re human traffickers, and they have a rather grim method of taking their victims. We hear all the time about missing children, and with a constant news cycle, it’s easy to forget the details of that. The bad guys in this novel have got their system down to a science and it’s really disheartening.
What interests you about the thriller genre?
I like page-turning action. I like feeling my heart race when I’m reading a good book, and I want my reader to feel the same thing. When you’re reading an Andrew J Brandt novel, I want you to immediately know that you’re in for a ride.
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| Author Andrew J Brandt. |
Is there an author that had a major influence on your writing style?
I don’t think I could pin down one specific author, but growing up, I read a lot of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books, so I think that definitely influenced my desire to tell a heart-stopping story. Right now, I really enjoy Chuck Hogan and Dennis Lehane. Lehane is a master of the English language and creates these turns of phrase that leave my jaw slack.
How long have you been writing?
A long time. I have more stop-start stories on my laptop than I’d care to admit. My very first stories were Goosebumps knock-offs when I was around 10 years old. But, I’ve been writing seriously for about two years. I finished my first novel The Treehouse at the start of the year and The Abduction came quick on the heels of that one. I’m taking my time on my next book, but it’s coming together really nicely.
How do you think you've evolved as a writer since when you first started?
As I’ve worked on more projects, they’ve gotten more and more mature with each story. The Treehouse can be read by kids and adults alike. It’s a lighthearted adventure. But with each subsequent release and story, that lightheartedness has kind of dissolved. At the end of the day, I want to leave my readers breathless.
What are your goals as a writer for the next ten years?
Oh, you know, a couple of New York Times Bestsellers, a movie option, a series on Netflix. *laughs*
In all seriousness, I want to write compelling stories that stand the test of time. I want readers who discover me ten years from now to be able to enjoy my books just as much as the readers who follow every release.
How have your readers responded to the book so far?
The advance readers who have read The Abduction so far have really, really enjoyed it! It’s a more mature read than The Treehouse and really explores the negative consequences that our actions can have. Readers, so far, have really responded positively to that.
What do you have in mind for your next project?
I have a couple of things in mind, and a couple of projects I’m actively working on. I like to be two or three projects ahead of release, and I like to work fast. I can’t tell you much, but the one I’m really excited about is another story of mystery about a young woman who vanishes without a trace while hiking.
Is there anything else you'd like potential readers to know about your book?
Not every story has a happy ending.
More Information
Visit the author’s website.
Check out the author’s Amazon page.
Buy the book on Amazon.
Like the author on Facebook.
Follow the author on Instagram.
Follow the author on Twitter.
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