When brutal terrorists strike at the heart of Washington, the usual suspects are blamed. But this time, America’s worst nightmare has come true – the terror comes from within. Former ‘black ops’ soldier Jason March is the mastermind behind the vicious attacks.

Only one man has the power to stop March’s bloodlust – the man who trained him – Ryan Kealey. Once an elite but maverick Special Forces officer, Kealey must return to service. His mission – to hunt down his former pupil and end the killing...

Why am I doing this?
Andrew Britton introduces Heart of Betrayal and tells us exactly why he loves being a writer.

Since this novel, my first, was published stateside in 2006, I’ve had the chance to discuss my work with a number of readers, booksellers, and fellow authors. Inevitably, I’m asked the same two or three questions at every event I attend. “How did you become a writer?” typically tops the list, along with “Where do you get your ideas?” and “What’s the best part about being a writer?” I always find these questions difficult to answer, which shouldn’t be the case, really, as I’ve answered them time and time again. But in some ways, my road to becoming a published author was very different from that traveled by other writers, and I suppose that’s worth commenting on.

My age is worth mentioning. I only just turned 26, whereas many authors – perhaps the vast majority – come to embrace the craft at a much later stage in their lives. Perhaps more importantly, Heart of Betrayal (published as The American in the US) was not only my first novel, but my first attempt to write a full-length work of fiction. Most writers work for years on their first book; I finished mine in 14 months. In other words, most authors have years to muse over what’s really pushing them forward. I’m sure that many second-guessed themselves throughout the creative process, particularly when they reached a rough spot. Under that kind of strain, even the most steadfast of heart might start to wonder just why am I doing this? That’s speculation, of course, but here’s the point: those authors had the time, possibly a decade or more, to think it through. With the notable exception of Christopher Paolini (author of the Eragon series), who is just a ridiculously accomplished individual.

That isn’t to say I haven’t considered these questions at length. I’m not exactly sure why I started writing, but I suspect it had something to do with my favorite hobby. I’ve always enjoyed reading. Particularly – and I’m not ashamed to say it – commercial fiction. I’d love to be able to claim a rabid devotion to the classics, but the truth is, I’d rather pick up the latest offering from Daniel Silva or Michael Connelly than A Tale of Two Cities. Nothing against good old Boz, but I epitomize the new (and perhaps lamentable) generation of readers. I have an extremely limited attention span (which sometimes makes me wonder how I can write 450+ pages in the first place), and I instinctively rail against anything I was forced to consume in school. Elmore Leonard once said that anyone who wants to write for a living should commit four hours a day to said craft and four to reading. I don’t always adhere to this advice, but it certainly sounds reasonable. Reading is essential for aspiring authors, as it allows one to subconsciously learn about things like structure, plotting, and pacing, none of which can be taught in a class.

I won’t expound on the second point, simply because a number of other authors have already addressed it so thoroughly on this site. I agree with just about everything Andrew Taylor wrote in his piece regarding the source of ideas. They come from everywhere – but the real challenge lies in forming them, shaping them into a coherent story line. Most authors would say something similar, I suspect, but the third question – “What’s the best part about being writer?” – is something I’d like to share with you, as I think it varies greatly from person to person.

There are many wonderful things about being a published writer. For starters, just being published is an amazing honor. At the risk of sounding egocentric, it means that part of me – or part of my mind, at least – will be around long after I’m gone. It also means that someday, many years from now, my grandchildren will be able to occasionally glance at my book on the shelf while they’re playing their next-generation video games. The best part about writing, however, is having – and using – the opportunity to catch the reader completely off-guard.

When I first started writing, that was my overriding goal, and it’s only become more important to me since then. As far as I’m concerned, the best novels are the ones that you have to set down halfway through just so you can say to yourself, “I can’t believe that just happened.” Those are the books that tend to stay with me – and with others, I think – but sadly, they’re hard to find. I can only think of a few off the top of my head, Kyle Mills’ Sphere of Influence being one of them. Hannibal probably fits the bill as well, though I know a lot of Harris fans were unhappy with the way it ended (I wasn’t one of them). Unfortunately, these books are few and far between, as commercial fiction is becoming extremely predictable. This isn’t because authors are becoming less imaginative – it’s just that they sometimes forget how smart their readers actually are. As a writer, I strive to keep this in mind when I’m setting up my plots, and I do my best to keep the reader on his or her toes. All novelists talk about the importance of the first chapter ‘hook,’ but for me, the last chapter hook is just as important. I don’t feel I’ve done my job unless the reader not only enjoyed my most recent novel, but is eagerly awaiting the next.