JET II - Betrayal

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Q&A with Russell Blake

Q: How does JET II differ from JET?

RB: I think it's got more depth. Same pace, a ton of action, but it goes deeper, is more atmospheric and textural in the descriptions, and a hair grittier. And we learn more about Jet's character as the book develops.

Q: Where is this character going?

RB: I grew up on TV shows like Kung Fu, where David Carradine played a character who was searching for peace, always trying to glide through the world without friction, and yet was forced by circumstance into situations that turned deadly. I sort of have that same vision for Jet. A woman in search of her tranquil spot in the sun, who is constantly driven to revisit the ugly side of herself she tried to leave behind. It's not so much about the destination, as the process.

Q: You've been accused of writing these novels in too cartoonish a manner. How would you respond?

RB: The JET books aren't intended to be deep explorations of the human condition, and are intentionally overblown and bombastic. I'm not going for nuance here. I wanted to write a kick-ass female protagonist who took names and brought the hurt when she had to. This isn't Sophie's Choice. If you want more realism, go buy a Nicholas Sparks book and wait for everyone to die. This is a female Bond. A female Bourne. It's Kill Bill. It's La Femme Nikita. Deal with it.

Q: That's not a very sympathetic response.

RB: That's not a question. 

Q: How do you envision the series developing from here?

RB: I wish I knew. I tend to just go with the flow, the ideas, and follow them wherever they lead. So far, Jet's journey is one of the most fascinating I've written. I'll stop when it stops being so. Until then, I stand in awe of her. If there's ever any reason to hope for big success it's so that you can see your book as a film. I'd give my eye teeth to see JET as a movie. Beyond that? I'll write her as long as I have a compulsion to do so. So far, so good.