Interview with Conrad Brasso, Author of Torching the Crimson Flag

What can you tell us about your new release, Torching The Crimson Flag?

Very exciting to be releasing this book on International Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Did you know that MANY children are trafficked by submarine? That’s what my first book in the series exposes. The second one exposes a ring in the Middle East that operated out of Lybia. And this new book exposes a network that operates through shipping companies.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I have traveled to ninety-nine different nations. After seeing firsthand that children were being trafficked, I felt I couldn’t just stand by and say nothing. I’ve always loved writing and was a Journalism major in college. I decided to take my expertise and create a fictional series that hopefully, will make a difference.

What’s on your top 5 list for the best books you’ve ever read?

I love the genre I write in. So I’m kind of a junky for Vince Flynn (Enemy of the State and Transfer of Power), Nelson DeMille (The Charm School was my favorite), Lee Child (The Killing Floor and Die Trying).

Say you’re the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask

I’d love to sit down with Daniel Silva. Honestly, I’d like to more about his life and the heart he writes with. There is a real passion for his stories that comes through in his writing and I’d love to tap into that and hear how that passion has evolved over the years.

What’s your favorite thing about writing?

When I write, I don’t plot much out. I just sit down and write. There’s a tension that comes from wondering how everything will connect and it’s like a drug when it all starts coming together. I can’t type fast enough because the ideas are flowing faster than my fingers. I live for that moment as a writer. I loved acting when I was in school. What I realized as a writer is that I get to act through every character in my book. Something about that is not only gratifying but gloriously interesting.

What is a typical day like for you?

I get up, let me kids know how much I love them, spend some quality time with my wife and then disappear into my office. Doing that preliminary family part is important because I’m often engrossed in writing and they don’t disturb me. It also reminds me of why I write. Many children don’t have the luxury of love that my kids do. That thought often motivates me.

What scene from Torching The Crimson Flag was your favorite to write?

The White House translator is the most protected person on the planet. He has served several presidential administrations and has sat in on hundreds of sensitive meetings with world leaders. I loved writing the scene when he was taken. Obviously, there are many global leaders who are nervous about what will happen to him. It sets the stage.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Never stop learning.

Conrad Brasso is the author of the new book Torching The Crimson Flag.

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