BookLife Talks
with Ed Mitchell
In Black Camel, the fifth book in the
Gold Lust series, Mitchell uses his mili-
tary background to bring readers a
thriller that follows a counterterror-
ism team as it hunts down an assassin
sent by al-Qaeda.
How did the Gold Lust series come to
be?
As a young captain in the Army, I
watched terrorist bombers appear in
the Middle East. I concluded it would
be a bad day for America if we ever
faced a terrorist general as skilled as
our generals and admirals in conduct-
ing war. To help warn of that danger, I
set out to write a thriller. That decision
sent me on a decades-long journey.
Being a novice writer, I decided that
instead of publishing that book first, I
would schedule it as my third thriller.
But the 9/11 attack occurred before its
release, proving my premonition. Also,
after the Twin Towers fell, the FBI
began warning the public to watch for
and report possible follow-up attacks,
several of which were explored in my
manuscript. So, I knew I couldn’t pub-
lish that book and shifted to warning
about ballistic missile terrorism and released Gold
Fire. Now, I give presentations to interested groups
about terrorist vulnerabilities in the U.S.
Has your writing process changed from the first
book to this fifth entry in the series?
My first thriller, Gold Rush 2000, won the National
Publishers Freedom Award. However, I learned from
a few readers that I had violated one of the five
taboos of writing for today’s readers. Subsequently,
I’ve become very adept at keeping readers reading,
even those who hold opposing views on politics, reli-
gion, violence, excessive sex, and harming animals.
That last one got me. Don’t harm an animal that
readers fall in love with! So, I adjusted one scene in
Gold Rush 2000 when I released the e-book version
with the title Gold Lust.
Your experience in the military and counterterror-
ism helps keep your series grounded in realism.
What advice would you give to an author who
wants to write these types of thrillers but has no
background in the material?
One answer comes from Col. S.F. Baker,
who commanded Task Force 5-16 dur-
ing the war in Iraq. He provided a blurb
on the back cover of my third thriller,
Gold Fire. “If you want to get any closer
to the battle lines on the War on
Terrorism—enlist!” But assuming most
writers won’t do that, read Gold Fire,
The Destiny Relic, and Black Camel as
examples of three realistic scenarios
and capture the modern technology of
today’s warfare. Also, do a ton of
research and assess target sites before
weaving your story threads. Start “in
action” on page one. Watch out for
taboo writing. Also, deliver an uplift-
ing ending. But don’t ask your friends
for “feedback.” They’ll want to encour-
age you to write and won’t tell you
about the warts in your writing. Ask
them, “What worked and didn’t work
for you in my writing?” Then you’ll get
the truth about what needs fixing.Who is your ideal reader and why?
My ideal reader would be my wife,
but she passed away in my arms, and
that caused me to take a long break
before I released last year’s thriller,
The Destiny Relic. Otherwise, my ideal reader is
anyone who likes a mix of realistic threats, surpris-
ing twists you can’t predict, action, and suspense,
along with two love stories. My fans enjoy the chal-
lenges overcome by Maida and Nolen Martin and by
FBI agent Cholo Cantera and Sarah Tiller. But better
than my word are the gold-star reader reviews on
my website.Should readers expect a book six on the horizon?
Yes. Meanwhile, Black Camel, the fifth book in the
series, will be released as an e-book and as a trade
paperback in March 2020. Order the e-book at your
favorite e-bookstore, and order autographed copies
from my website: booksbyedmitchell.com.For more, visit booklife.com/mitchellQ&A SPONSORED