Hey there word nerds!
Today I am thrilled (pun intended) to have Joseph Finder on the show!
Joseph Finder is the New York Times bestselling author of thirteen previous novels, including the international bestseller Killer Instinct, which won ITW’s Thriller Award for Best Novel in 2006. Two novels—Paranoia and High Crimes—have also become major motion pictures. Today we’re talking about his new book, The Switch.
The Switch begins with a very relatable premise: a simple mix-up at airport security. This small event leads to a case of mistaken identity that throws an innocent man into the crosshairs of sinister government secrets. In this interview, Joseph and I discuss the craft elements behind creating a realistic suspense novel and how to create a likeable antagonist.
In this episode Joseph and I discuss:
- What to include when writing a mistaken identity story.
- How to craft an unlikeable character that is relatable to readers.
- How to keep a story gripping when the audience knows more than the character.
- How to use dual point of view to craft a sympathetic antagonist and protagonist.
- How to create a sense of reality in a suspense novel.
Plus, Joseph’s #1 tip for writers.
About Joseph Finder
Joseph Finder is the New York Times bestselling author of thirteen previous novels, including Guilty Minds, The Fixer, Suspicion, Vanished, and Buried Secrets. Finder’s international bestseller Killer Instinct won the International Thriller Writer’s Thriller Award for Best Novel of 2006. Other bestselling titles include Paranoia and High Crimes, which both became major motion pictures. His latest novel The Switch is available now. He lives in Boston.
To connect with Joseph check out his website at www.JosephFinder.com
The Switch
The last time you went through airport security, did you make sure the laptop you picked up was actually yours? If you’re like me, you probably scooped it up and ran to your gate without thinking twice. But what if you got home and discovered that you had the wrong computer—and that the one you grabbed contained classified government information?
In The Switch, Joseph Finder puts the reader squarely in the shoes of a man who finds himself in the crosshairs of government secrets and ruthless political ambition. The Switch seamlessly combines Finder’s suspenseful, whip-smart brand of thriller with an “everyman” protagonist—a man whose daily life probably resembles yours.
The Switch also taps into a timely, ongoing national conversation about the line between privacy and national security, when just earlier this year, Wikileaks released thousands of documents describing secret new hacking tools the CIA employs to break into users’ computers, cell phones, and even smart TVs. This is Joseph Finder at his best: a ripped-from-the-headlines thriller that is just one mishap away from happening to you.
If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase DIY MFA makes a small commission at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!
Link to Episode 158
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Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!
