Free Sample Chapter of DEADLY TRUST

Visit the Random House Australia Website for a Free sample chapter of my second novel in the Jay Ryan series, DEADLY TRUST.

http://www.randomhouse.com.au/Default.aspx?Page=General&Section=extracts

Release date 02 August 2010 in Trade Paperback and e-book in Australia and New Zealand.

Also coming to Amazon US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Japan (and more) real soon.

http://www.randomhouse.com.au/Books/Default.aspx?Page=Book&ID=9781863256636

Enjoy!

Cheers,

JJ

New Thriller Information

Deadly Trust is my latest thriller and will be released in August 2010.

Former army interrogator Jay Ryan is enjoying the quiet life after leaving the military far behind - or so he thinks. Because old habits die hard and he's quickly thrust back into the thick of things when a disgruntled scientist, backed by the Australian security industry, develops a weapon of mass destruction - a hybrid strain of Anthrax - to be used to create panic in a population apathetic to crime prevention.

Only one batch of Anthrax inoculations can resist the deadly new strain, and it was given to five military interrogators. One of them was Jay Ryan. When the other four disappear, Ryan is the last interrogator left with the antibodies to defeat the deadly Anthrax strain.

Racing against time and hunted by rogue soldiers, mad scientists and an organisation that operates beyond the law, Ryan digs deep into his past for a chance at a future.

In this heartstopping thriller, Jay Ryan wages a one-man war against enemies both known and unseen. There's only person he can trust - or can he? Winning the war may have devastating consequences for the last interrogator …

Cheers,

JJ

New Review for The Interrogator

Thought I'd share a new review for my first book The Interrogator - http://www.ourbrisbane.com/shopping/the-interrogator-reviewed

The Interrogator builds a terrifying realism, displaying all the elements of the classic military thriller - a lot of blood and gore, mysterious and reprehensible undertakings, action aplenty, a touch of romance, intrigue, conspiracy, sexual tension, trickery and betrayal, which ultimately leads to a battle royal between good and evil.

Essential and fundamental elements, from the very beginning to the very end, underpin this military thriller. The ability of the central character to absorb limitless physical pummelling and just get up and get on with it is an unspoken given in the military thriller genre. An assortment of conspiracies make the stakes constantly high proving that the biggest enemy is often a lot closer than you may realise. The one man against the entire conspiracy concept gives you your lone wolf, as with all thrillers.

The main character, Jay, has a dark past and a tortured soul; he is also the keeper of secrets which are kept very well throughout the novel.

Debut author JJ Cooper is a former member of the Australian Army Intelligence Corps, which creates a very authentic feel to the characters and situations in his novel.

Cooper keeps the stakes high by creating many twists and turns and the reader must be able to keep up with each of them to keep track of what is going on. Cooper really does know his subject matter, from body language through to specific phrases and how his characters react under interrogation and this really helps to build a credible plot.

Cheers,

JJ

Sydney Newspaper Reviews for The Interrogator

The Interrogator has been reviewed in a couple of Sydney Newspapers last week.

At last Australia has an action hero we can proudly call our own – Jay Ryan.

Ryan is the protagonist of JJ Cooper’s The Interrogator, an accomplished debut thriller about an Australian soldier whose life is turned upside down by a betrayal from within.

A solid page-turner, it’s a Godsend for commuters looking for the ideal travelling companion. In fact it’s so ideal I almost missed my train stop a couple of times while I was reading it.

Cooper draws heavily on his 17 years’ worth of Australian Army experience as a real-life interrogator to flesh out Ryan’s character.

When we meet Jay, he’s having a bad day. Sadly for him, it’s about to get much, much worse. He’s kidnapped, beaten up, blackmailed, threatened, and tortured – and that’s just in the first few pages.

It’s occasionally hard to separate the good guys from the bad in this racy read that’s full of surprises – to say more is to give too much away – and Cooper does an excellent job of keeping the reader riveted to the page.

The Interrogator sets the scene for an inspired series that would translate well to the small screen, if not the big one.

I’m looking forward to more Jay Ryan adventures.

Sydney Central 30/09/09

This book begins with a bang, literally, heads straight to a nasty interrogation, then never lets the reader go. Jay Ryan is a specialist interrogator who must fulfil a mission for a shady organisation. Cooper's debut novel contains some amazing action sequences and some interesting detail drawn from his own experience as an interrogator in Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite a not entirely satisfactory denouement, readers are in for a ride as they hurtle toward a thrilling climax.

The Daily Telegraph 03/10/09

Queensland Writers Centre Blog Tour

I'm very fortunate to have been asked to be part of the Queensland Writers Centre (QWC) Blog Tour Oct – Dec 09.

The wonderful team at QWC would like to know the following of me:

Where do your words come from?

Experience and imagination. I suppose being an ex-interrogator adds a level of 'authenticity' to my thrillers. Imagination comes into it when I turn my previous life into fiction. Almost all of the interrogators I know are great storytellers - comes in handy for the job. So, although I don't have any advance creative writing courses under my belt, my previous career has certainly helped. Generally, I have a concept for the story and just write. Seems to be working OK so far.

Where did you grow up and where do you live now?

Started out on the north side of Brisbane and that's where I've come to settle now. I've spent plenty of time in other locations during my military career, but there's really no place like home.

What’s the first sentence/line of your latest work?

This is from book two which is about to hit the editing stage with my publisher (so may change). For clarity, I'm gonna cheat and give you the second line as well.

Sixty-four thousand years ago last Monday the final dinosaur succumbed to the ‘extinction’ vogue. Jay Ryan theorised that his legacy continued though through the idiosyncrasies of the habitually annoying employees of Byron Bay’s Road Transport Authority.

What piece of writing do you wish you had written?

I'm always dreaming along these lines so here's a few - Thomas Harris 'Hannibal', Michael Connelly 'Harry Bosch series', Lee Child 'Jack Reacher series', Robert Ludlum 'Bourne series', and I would love to have had my name on the cover of The Da Vinci Code (and the royalty statements).

What are you currently working towards?

Book two is completed and handed into the publisher. Now I'll work on book three to continue the Jay Ryan series.

Complete this sentence… the future of the book is… in the hands of our very talented Aussie authors.

This post is part of the Queensland Writers Centre blog tour of 09. Queensland Writers Centre connects writers with advice, training and professional opportunities. They promote Queensland books and authors throughout Australia.

Book Signing

Recently, I did my first book signing at Angus and Robertson, Brookside, Queensland. I wondered beforehand if I would be able to shift one or two copies. Somehow, I managed to sign 24 copies in a couple of hours and met some fabulous fellow authors who dropped in for support. One, Lynn Priestly, blogged about it - http://lynnpriestley.wordpress.com/

Thanks to Lynn for dropping by and sharing the experience on her blog. Also, thank you to the wonderful satff at Angus and Robertson of Brookside.

Cheers,

JJ

Media Reviews for The Interrogator

Some media reviews for The Interrogator are starting to appear. Here's some:

The Townsville Bulletin

ABC North QLD

Boomerang Books

Cheers,

JJ

Interview at International Thriller Writers

Here's a link to an interview at International Thriller Writers.
http://www.thrillerwriters.org/2009/07/the-interrogator-by-jj-cooper.html

Only two days to go for release.

Cheers,

JJ

Interview at AuthorScoop

I'm very fortunate to have been interviewed at one of the most informative writing sites on the web - AuthorScoop.

Feel free to drop on over and view the '5 Minutes Alone with JJ Cooper' interview.

Thanks,

JJ

More Great Blurbs: Lee Child and Jeff Abbott

I've been very fortunate to have another two brilliant writers read and comment on THE INTERROGATOR.

'Raw, tough, and uncompromising - exactly what a great thriller needs to be.'

Lee Child, International Bestselling Author

'Packed with intrigue and authentic detail, full of twists, THE INTERROGATOR is a memorable debut.'

Jeff Abbott, International Bestselling Author

Thank you, gents. It is an absolute thrill that you both (like Lisa and Jeremy) took the time to read my novel. And, the brilliant comments you have provided have far exceeded any expectations. Cheers,

JJ

A Couple of Very Cool Blurbs

'With a rip-roaring plot that bursts from the gate and never lets up, a tough-as-nails hero in Jay Ryan, and an insider's knowledge of military intrigue. JJ Cooper is going to have some of the big guns looking over their shoulders with this fire cracker debut. THE INTERROGATOR has everything a fan of military thrillers could want - heart-pounding action, chillingly real detail, and a stunning conclusion that will leave them wanting more from JJ Cooper.

Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of DIE FOR YOU.

'JJ Cooper's The Interrogator is an absolute cracker of an action thriller, a pulse-pounding journey into the darkest corners of international espionage and politics in the company of the utterly compelling Jay Ryan. Prepare to stay awake all night reading it, and all the next wondering how much might be true.'

Jeremy Duns, author of FREE AGENT.

JJ

Advance Review for The Interrogator

The first advance review is in. And, I'm over the moon.

Please check it out here - http://www.austcrimefiction.org/node/5069. Maybe leave a comment to give your support.

Thank you in advance.

Kind regards,

JJ

Interview for The Interrogator

Oops, I forgot to post the link to an interview of me. Here it is. Enjoy.

http://bookaddiction.blogspot.com/2009/02/author-of-interrogator-interrogated.html

JJ

Cover: The Interrogator

It's here.

Five Quick Questions with Grant McKenzie

Grant McKenzie's debut thriller, Switch, has been highly praised by the likes of Lee Child, Ken Bruen and David Hagberg (to name a few).

How far would you go to save the ones you love?

Would you commit murder?

Sam White is a failed actor turned night security guard who walks the empty corridors of a local mall, dreaming of a life he never achieved. But when he arrives home one morning to find his house a burnt-out shell with the bodies of his wife and daughter inside, he knows he would do anything just to have his old life back. His prayers are answered when he receives a phone call from a man who claims that the bodies removed from the fire don’t belong to his family. His wife and child are alive and Sam can still save them. But first, he must complete a few 'simple' tasks.

Pursued by the police, Sam joins forces with Zack Parker a plastic surgeon whose life has been ripped apart by the same sadistic kidnapper. As they race to save Sam's family, they are plunged into the labyrinthine underworld of Portland, Oregon, and the dark smuggling tunnels that run beneath the city.

But time is running out. To save his family, Sam must consider whether he is prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice ...

Grant has kindly agreed to join us and answer five quick questions.

What's one thing we may not know about Grant McKenzie?

In between novels, I like to create one new painting. I find the process of delving into the visual/design part of my brain helps to refresh my imagination palate for the next book. Although most of the paintings are simply intended to hang on my own walls, I have at times paid more bills through selling my artwork than with my writing. Although, being a debut novelist, you can understand how easily this was accomplished.

What television show would you like to make a guest appearance on?

I would actually love to appear on Coronation Street. Having been born in Scotland, I grew up on this long-time British soap. When I moved to Canada in my teens, I lost track of it for a time, but rediscovered it when working the late-night, dead-body shift at my first newspaper job. Now my wife, daughter and I are regular Corrie addicts. I even have a plot for my guest appearance. You see, it’s the return of Curly Watts. Curly has written a thriller about his time as a FreshCo Store Manager when his obsessed ex-girlfriend tried to kill him (remember that?). He returns to Corrie as part of a book tour and I get to be the other author he’s touring with. Then, and here’s the fun part, Claire falls for me and we begin an affair, but Ashley (her butcher husband) finds out. One night, I get tricked into meeting Ashley at his butcher shop. I never walk out. The meat pies never tasted so good ;-)

What's your greatest sporting moment?

At a curling bonspiel, it came down to the wire. The two worst teams were pitted against each other. I was the skipper and it was the final end. My team had left me with two scoring rocks against the competition’s one. I knew there was no trophy for second worst. I took a deep breath, grabbed my last rock, and went into a controlled slide. The rock was fast and true. I slammed into both our scoring rocks, clearing the target of everything but the competition’s lone rock. And with a mighty roar we held our trophy high. The skunk award for worst curling team. I still have it somewhere, although I think the skunk broke off.

What's your ideal holiday destination?

Somewhere warm and sunny with a sandy beach and a shade umbrella, but more importantly, money in the bank and the bills paid so I can actually relax and enjoy the moment.

How many comments to this blog post would I need to have you read and comment on my first thriller, The Interrogator?

Absolutely none. I would be honored.

Thanks, Grant. Please check Grant's website for all of the details of Switch.

JJ

If you enjoyed this interview, why not have a look at my other interviews with Will Lavender, Kelly Curtis, Lisa Unger, JA Konrath, Laura Benedict, Ed Lynskey, Luke Devenish, Karen Dionne and Michelle Gagnon.

Five Quick Questions with Michelle Gagnon

Michelle Gagnon's thriller, Boneyard, has been praised from the likes of Jeffery Deaver, Douglas Preston, James Rollins and Cornelia Read (to name a few). This novel follows her highly sucessful debut, The Tunnels.

'A mass gravesite unearthed on the Appalachian Trail puts FBI Agent Kelly Jones at the head of an investigation that crosses the line—from Massachusetts to Vermont, from wealthy vacationers to poor transients, from a serial killer to a copycat nemesis. As darkness falls, another victim is taken. Kelly must race to save him before he joins the rest…in the boneyard.'


Michelle has kindly agreed to join us and answer five quick questions.

What's one thing we may not know about Michelle Gagnon?

I have dual citizenship: US and Ireland.

What television show would you like to make a guest appearance on?

Burn Notice, no question. There are “better” shows, but BN seems like it would be the most fun.

What's your greatest sporting moment?

I set the JV State High Jump record in RI my freshman year of high school, and it was only the third time I did the event. Apparently the record still stands, although if it doesn’t I don’t want to know about it.

What's your ideal holiday destination?

Hawaii, either the Big Island or Kauai.

How many comments to this blog post would I need to have you read and comment on my first thriller, The Interrogator?

Depends on the quality of the comments and the moral fabric of the commentors. Kidding. Not many, just depends on my own time constraints.

Thanks, Michelle. Please check Michelle's website for all of the details of Boneyard and The Tunnels.

JJ

If you enjoyed this interview, why not have a look at my other interviews with Will Lavender, Kelly Curtis, Lisa Unger, JA Konrath, Laura Benedict, Ed Lynskey, Luke Devenish and Karen Dionne.

Five Quick Questions With Karen Dionne

Freezing Point is the debut thriller for author, and Backspace co-founder, Karen Dionne. The new release has been praised by the likes of David Morrell, Douglas Preston, Gayle Lynds and John Lescroart (and many more).

'As he faces the frozen behemoth of a giant iceberg, environmental activist Ben Maki sees Earth’s future. Clean drinking water for millions, waiting to be tapped from the polar ice. The Soldyne Corporation backs Ben’s grand philanthropic vision for a better today—while making its own plans for a very profitable tomorrow.

Rebecca Sweet lives for the cause—an eco-terrorist who will do whatever she must to protect the earth. And Ben Maki’s ideas have set her on the path to war…

All of them will be drawn into a battle between hope and helplessness, power and pride. But they are about to discover that deep within the ice waits an enemy more deadly than any could imagine—an apocalyptic horror mankind may not survive.'

Karen has kindly agreed to join us and answer five quick questions.

What's one thing we may not know about Karen Dionne?

I'm ranked #11 in the world at the expert level for Minesweeper. Sad, but true. Do you have any idea how many hours it's taken me to achieve that level of expertise? I'm told Lee Child is also a Minesweeper addict, and you don't see *his* name on that list. On the other hand, his name is on a dozen novels, and mine is on only one . . .

What television show would you like to make a guest appearance on?

Law & Order. Man, I love that show. Such terrific writing. I think I'd make a great mother of a serial killer. I raised four kids; I have that beleaguered, patience-of-a-saint look down pat.

What's your greatest sporting moment?

The time I spelled "quartz" on a triple word square. What? Scrabble's not a sport? It is the way *I* play, bub.

What's your ideal holiday destination?

Anyplace between the 25th parallels. I lived for 30 years in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. I've had enough snow and cold.

How many comments to this blog post would I need to have you read and comment on my first thriller, The Interrogator?

I'll make it easy for you, JJ - just one. As long as the commenter is male, between the ages of 18 and 35, unmarried, cleanshaven, works as a stockbroker, and lives in England.

Thanks, Karen. Please check Karen's website for all of the details of Freezing Point.

JJ

P.S If anyboby happens to know a clean-cut-English-male-stockbroker between the age of 18 and 35, ask him to drop of by and comment.

If you enjoyed this interview, why not have a look at my other interviews with Will Lavender, Kelly Curtis, Lisa Unger, JA Konrath, Laura Benedict, Ed Lynskey and Luke Devenish.

Five Quick Questions with Luke Devenish

Empress of Rome: Den of Wolves is the debut novel for Luke Devenish. It is 44 BC and the rival powers of Rome are driving the republic to a violent end. A soothsayer foretells that the young Tiberius Nero, if he is wed to his cousin, the darkly beautiful Livia Drusilla, will sire four kings of Rome. Fuelled by ambition, Livia devotes her life to fulfilling the prophecy. No crime is too great when destiny beckons. So begins a murderous saga of sex, corruption and obsession at the dawning of the age of emperors. Narrated by the 100-year-old slave Iphicles, DEN OF WOLVES brings to life the great women of imperial Rome - Livia, Julia, Antonia and Agrippina - women who relied on their ambition, instincts and cunning to prosper.

Luke has kindly agreed to join us and answer five quick questions.

What's one thing we may not know about Luke Devenish?

When I was sixteen I won the 2nd Annual (and last ever) Channel Seven/Western Mail Young Writer's Award back in Perth, where I grew up. It was a big deal. I entered with a play I wrote called 'Murder is Gauche', which was a juvenile piss-take on all things Christie. Clearly it was a very slim field that year because I won first prize, which was a trip to Sydney to attend a two week course at Film School. Photographers coming to my school was something of a tip-off regarding my win before the actual announcement was made - as was the sight of the normally austere Deputy Principal Mr Hopkins nearly wetting himself with excitement. No one EVER won ANYTHING at my school, so I was latched onto as a poster boy. On the day of the prize giving ceremony I assembled with the other place-getters and all our proud parents and teachers at Curtin University. This award was such a big deal that then Premier Brian Burke was coming along to make a speech and give out certificates. At least, he was coming along in theory... The minutes turned into hours and the Premier still hadn't shown up. But I didn't care. I just sat in the front row in a grinning daze. Finally Burkie burst into the hall, gasping and puffing, swathed by his cronies. He made a very hasty and somewhat incoherent speech and then shook my hand for the photographers. His grip was rather moist - like a fresh baked muffin. Then he was out of there at light speed and it was all over. I went off to Sydney and had a marvellous time, even though the Film School was in North Ryde and I never saw the Harbour Bridge until the taxi took me back to the airport. I was so terminally adolescent that I never wrote anybody any thank you letters for the kindness that was shown to me. What an ingrate! Not long after that, the Young Writer's Award folded. Not long after that, the Western Mail folded. And just a few short years after THAT, Premier Brian Burke himself folded in a welter of ignominy and scandal. The moral to all this is that if any writer feels they are but weak and insignificant, think again. My juvenile writing and adolescent thoughtlessness combined to bring down a newspaper and a government. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

What television show would you like to make a guest appearance on?

Well, 'Mornings with Kerry-Anne', obviously. People tell me she she plays champagne binge drinking games with you afterwards. And if you're really lucky you get to join her in a chorus of 'I Am What I Am'. It's the promise of that sort of thing that got me into this writing game.

What's your greatest sporting moment?

I'm a past master of quiet and dignified suffering in the name of humiliation and so many such moments have been enjoyed upon the sporting field. I can't catch, can't throw, I run like a girl and I deserved all the rocks that were chucked at me by disgusted school mates during my formative years. In primary school I got myself seconded into the so-called 'chess club' on Friday afternoons just so I could get out of it. I had mixed success - I can't play chess for nuts either. In Year Eight I developed tendinitis in my Achilles heel (God knows how) and rejoiced when it got me out of footy and cricket. I kept up that fake limp for six months. When I was in Year Eleven a very good friend was made captain of the red faction for our school swimming carnival. The backstroke lacked competitors so she thought it'd be funny to put me in it. I'd never swum backstroke in my life but was too nice to let her down. Not only did I come last in the event, but I came last in the next race too - they started it while I was still in the pool. All of these things hardened my character nicely, thanks. Ideal for anyone who writes for a living.

What's your ideal holiday destination?

Well, my other half and I had a very jolly couple of weeks in Amsterdam a couple of years ago and we would go back there at the drop of a hat. We had a hotel room with big, wide windows where you could sit on the sill and look down on the Herengracht canal for lots of people watching, Netherlands style. We were there in high summer when it doesn't get dark until midnight and then gets light again at 4.00am, so we lost all sense of time. Amsterdam is a very beautiful city and we did a lot of walking, eating and art consuming - which is a passion we share. We were NOT there for sleaze, but half way through the holiday we discovered the difference between those delightful establishments called Coffee Houses and those equally delightful dens of iniquity called Coffee Shops. In the former you get coffee and cakes. In the latter you get hydroponically grown products with names like 'Scud Missile' and 'AK47'. "When in Amsterdam..." we naively cried as we bought some. Then we cried again - like babies, really - when our consumption of this product caused us to lose all sense of reason and direction in our efforts to find the hotel when all the canals now looked the same and, what's more, everyone wanted to kill us. NEVER. AGAIN. Or at least until our next visit, when we probably will have recovered to some extent.

How many comments to this blog post would I need to have you read and comment on my first thriller, The Interrogator?

Oh, probably none. I like the cut of your jib already, JJ. Just TRY to stop me commenting.

Thanks, Luke. Please check Luke's website for all of the details of Empress of Rome: Den of Wolves.

JJ

If you enjoyed this interview, why not have a look at my other interviews with Will Lavender, Kelly Curtis, Lisa Unger, JA Konrath, Laura Benedict and Ed Lynskey.

Nothing To Lose by Lee Child

I finally got my hands on Nothing To Lose by Lee Child. And now I give myself a lttle kick for waiting so long. I justified not rushing out to buy it this time by concentrating on my WIP. But, I just had to put it aside and dive into the latest book by my favorite thriller writer.

At the speed of a thousand startled Gazelles I ploughed through Nothing To Lose. As usual, I just couldn't put down the page-turning adventures of Jack Reacher. I don't want to give away any spoliers, but I just want to add that I enjoyed the couple of slight 'flaws' creeping in for the main character.

I'm a big fan of Mr Child's style of writing, in particular when his books are written in the third person point of view.

Another great read.

JJ

The First Chapter

I've had a few questions lately along the lines of - 'how important is the first chapter?', 'how do you know where to start the book?' and 'should I give the background information for the story up front?'.

The first chapter is where the author has the opportunity to grip the reader's attention. Get them involved so they know that this is a story that won't be putting down real soon. The first chapter should introduce your main character/s in a situation of conflict. And that situation should announce the theme of the book.

The first chapter should start just before a major scene or the build up to one. For example, in my first book the main character finds himself on the wrong side of his favoured skill, interrogation. I introduced the main character in a situation of conflict and in a seemingly impossible circumstances that he needs to escape from.

A lot of first-time writers want to start their book with background information that they think the reader would need to know. I tend to think this is because authors spend so much time developing their character/s that we want to impart all of that information to our reader straight away. Not necessary. A paragraph here or there throughout the book in the narrative or through dialogue can fill in the gaps on background information that value-adds to the story.

The first paragraph needs to captivate or hook the reader. Give them something that spikes their interest to keep on reading. Last thing we want to do is bore the reader - that applies to the whole story, but to do it in the first paragraph can lose a lot more potential readers. I also think it is important to introduce the main character into the first paragraph. It lets the reader know who they are dealing with for the rest of the book. It gives them an initial visual that will shape their perceptions along the journey.

First chapters take time to get right. Don't be afraid of spending the extra time on this part of the book. We need to get it right for our readers. So, no backstory or flashbacks (and please no dream scene straight away), introduce your main character in a sitaution of conflict and make sure we hook the reader right from the start.

JJ