Mike Garrett - Justice, Vengeance, and Unforgettable Characters

Author Mike Garrett is an entrepreneur, real estate investor, former professional soccer player and coach. More recently he has ventured into the world of writing and released his first novel in late 2024. He currently lives in Florida with his wife, Tina, but they also spent many years in Kalamazoo, Michigan before moving south a few years ago. He grew up in suburban McLean, Virginia which is just outside of Washington, DC. But he was also able to spend a lot of time out in the country in nearby Wardensville, West Virginia where his parents were from. Reflecting on this dual lifestyle of McLean and Wardensville, he notes: "Best of both worlds." In Northern Virginia, he enjoyed many opportunities that were available growing up in the shadow of DC. Soccer emerged as his big passion that eventually materialized into a professional career. However, in the small town of Wardensville and a family farm property nearby, he would spend time with relatives and enjoy hunting, hiking, snake-catching, and as he says, "working my ass off with my dad and Grandpap putting in fence posts and stringing up barbed wire!"Hunted is his first novel. As our Author of the Day, he tells us all about it. Please give us a short introduction to what Hunted is about.A man who is living his best life, a perfect life, has it all taken from him in an incredible tragedy. He is lost in grief and then is thrust into a deadly game of survival. Kidnapped and hunted for sport, he must confront his captors and his own mortality in a quest for vengeance and justice.Hunted is an intense survival thriller that explores themes of justice, vengeance, and morality. What inspired you to write this story?I have been asked this a lot! It is hard to say where the plot came from. I had an idea, couldn't get it out of my head and began to write it! It all flowed from there.The concept of humans being hunted for sport has been explored in literature before. How did you put a fresh spin on it?Well, a lot of us probably read "The Most Dangerous Game" in school. But this is very, very different. Contemporary setting, multiple points of view, including the FBI, a county Sheriff, several villains, many locations, etc.Grief is a significant driver of Tony’s life. How did you approach portraying loss and its impact on a person’s psyche?Quite a few readers have asked me about this and how I wrote this part. Some suggested that perhaps I envisioned myself in this tragic situation to put myself in a frame of mind to write it.... which is true, I did. Hasn't every parent or spouse had that worry at some point? The rest of the family is late, and they start to worry: Oh, no did they have a car accident? Are they ok? Especially in the pre cell phone age!Tony Green is a former military soldier who’s forced to rely on his survival instincts. Did you draw from real-life experiences to shape his character?I am not ex-military, but have hunted some, been around guns my whole life, enjoy hiking and climbing mountains, have taken a bit of karate - so I had a solid basis for implementing those elements in the book.Many readers compliment the book’s realism, especially the geographical descriptions. How much research did you do for setting and survival elements?Many of the locations where key events occur are real places that I know and have been too. It was a natural for me to use them and combine a bit of research as needed to have it be as accurate as possible.Were there any scenes that were particularly difficult to write, whether due to their emotional weight or action complexity?Emotional? Yes, there are parts even now that I can tear up a bit when I discuss them. Do all authors do that? I don't know....but I do. I met with a local book club that read "Hunted" a few days ago. I was asked about a few of the emotional scenes, I got choked up as I answered!The villains in Hunted are ruthless, and readers seem to love hating them. What went into crafting such compelling antagonists?They are easy to dislike based upon what they do together, but each is introduced to the readers in their primary setting first. And that was a glimpse into their character or values. Or should I say lack of values? Most readers had an opinion on them from then on. The good vs evil was becoming clear at that point, the villains were evil. But some might say the lines were slightly blurred later on.Do you see Tony as an anti-hero, or is he ultimately a force for justice?Tony is a force for justice. He resists the vigilante approach and seeks justice for the men that were killed. He doesn't mourn the villain's demise, but personally wrestles with the morality of what to do when he hunts them down.Your background includes playing and coaching professional soccer. Did any of your experiences in sports influence your writing style or approach to high-stakes storytelling?Not sure where that part of my history fits this! But I have told a lot of stories over the years - some were even true! But never wrote a novel and actually was starting on a soccer book and just took a right turn and spit this novel out. After sixteen months and a lot of editing that is!Did any of the characters surprise you as you wrote them? Did anyone take on a bigger role than you originally planned?Yes, Derrick. I first wrote Derrick as a bad guy, thug. My editor and I discussed that perhaps I missed an opportunity with him to make him more. So, I added a bit more to him and also tweaked his interaction with the Hunters during the hunt. He is a deeper character now and fits better into the flow of the plot as it unwinds.What was the biggest challenge you faced while writing Hunted, and how did you overcome it?To be honest, the biggest challenge was time. I never had writers block. Just a lack of time as I am an owner / board member for a business. I work from home and was continually not sticking to a writing block I had scheduled due to doing my real job stuff. Finally, I decided to get up even earlier (sometimes at 4 am and after a cold plunge!) and use a writing device that did not have email or internet for less work distractions. This helped me complete the final third or so.Some readers are hoping for a sequel. Do you have plans to continue Tony’s story?I have several plot ideas for multiple follow ups with Tony.... And or the other main characters. I really like Santi and the Sherrif as well. I think they could all carry a book if the plot had depth like Hunted.What advice would you give to aspiring thriller writers who want to create a suspenseful, fast-paced novel?Don't quit your day job but get writing! I think too many people talk about doing things but never get around to it. I have been fortunate to do a lot of things in my life, not because I am better at stuff than others....rather because I have not been afraid to fail!