Why ex-military?
Many of my characters are strong, smart women modeled loosely after those I’ve had the privilege of meeting during my lifetime. The same is true about my ex-military characters. I’ve known quite a few real one too. (Sometimes they’re the same). There’s something about people in the military that appeals to me. I’m neither violent nor aggressive as a person, so the je-ne-sais-quoi I like about their personalities is hard to pin down. The order they embrace in their lives both in and out of the service; their skills at decision making, including snap judgments; and their strength and fortitude—all are admirable.
Some people who know me wonder why I have this admiration for people who are serving and have served our country. They know me as basically a pragmatic progressive (that’s in the vernacular now, perhaps a better replacement for “left-leaning centrist”). Maybe some of these people just equate our nation’s military to conservative, even far-right, political views. Dunno. But I do know it’s not true. Many of my older relatives fought in the Second World War. And many of our finest youth enlisted after 9/11. Their political proclivities didn’t seem to matter. And one thing is for sure: my admiration has nothing to do with politics. It has more to do with efficiency, moral fiber, and dedication, just to name a few things.
My son’s godfather was a member of the Colombian Air Force, or FAC, to use the acronym (military-speak is full of acronyms, one of the negatives—this one means Fuerza Aerea Colombiana). An upstanding gentleman, he represented most of what I admire. Exactly what you would ideally want as a godfather for your son—respectable, dignified, honorable, efficient, and a moral person as well. He landed a wounded Mirage on its belly and walked away. He also piloted the Colombian president around in that country’s equivalent of Air Force One. He railed against terrorism long before 9/11. How ironic that his son was killed in that horrible attack! (My very first book, Full Medical, is dedicated to that son who was also like a son to me.)
My son’s godfather never rose to extreme heights in the military echelons of Colombia for a variety of reasons (except in a plane), but one reason was that higher positions were too political. We have that same problem in the US. I admired those military types I knew who were below the political ranks of generals and admirals. (OK, I knew one VIP military man who once was provost of West Point—or whatever they call them there. I admired him too.) All of my characters, at least the protagonists, were in those lower echelons before returning to civilian life.
Mary Jo Melendez and Penny Castro’s military jobs fit well into the plots of their stories as background, so that’s reason enough for them being ex-military. Mary Jo (of the “Mary Jo Melendez Mysteries”) is an ex-USN Master-at-Arms, so it’s natural she goes into the industrial security business. Penny (The Last Humans) is an ex-USN SAR diver, so it’s natural she becomes a forensic diver for the LA County Sheriff’s Department. They are smart female protagonists whose military service is the foundation of their strength.
Dao-Ming Chen and Rolando Castilblanco (from the “Detectives Chen and Castilblanco Series”) are ex-military too. How did they migrate from military special forces to the NYPD? First, they’re both from the NYC area—Chen is from Long Island and Castilblanco is from Manhattan. Second, many cops are ex-military, and there’s good reason for that: cops and firefighters and other first responders (EMTs are often ex-military medics, for example) often look for jobs similar to those they had in the military. In a sense, their military training often prepares them for their tough, civilian jobs.
And then there’s Esther Brookstone (Rembrandt’s Angel). It’s barely hinted in her novel that she’s ex-MI6, but those experiences combined with an interest in art helped lead her to Scotland Yard’s Art and Antiques Division. (More will be made of her MI6 background in the sequel, Son of Thunder.) In case you didn’t know, the “MI” in MI6 means “military intelligence” (yeah, I know, some people call that an oxymoron, but it shouldn’t be applied to those lower echelons, only to generals and admirals who are full of themselves.) Both the CIA and MI6 were connected to the military during World War Two (rather, their precursors), so that straight-laced integrity has been a part of their tradition long before the Cold War and following.
Creating a character with a military background—not members of the high echelons, but the people who do the real work—is advantageous in my mind’s eye because an author doesn’t have to dwell on how prepared they are for their jobs. But it also allows the author to create some interesting flashbacks and background stories too. What do you think?
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Comments are always welcome.
Last man alive? What about last woman alive? Penny Castro, LA County Sheriff’s Deputy and forensic diver, finds she isn’t alone after the apocalypse, though—there are a few others who survived the contagion and now want to kill her. And the remnants of a US government could be the greatest danger for her and the family she’s adopted. The post-apocalyptic thriller The Last Humans has just been released by Black Opal Books in both ebook and print versions and is available at the publisher’s website, online retailers like Amazon and Smashwords and the latter’s affiliated retailers (iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc), and bookstores (if they don’t have it, ask for it!).
“Moore’s books keep getting better with each new effort. The Last Humans follows this trend by combining a familiar theme with a unique story and producing a great book.
The Last Humans does not dwell on the details of the cause of an apocalyptic event, but instead builds some wonderfully deep characters. A strong female lead deals with the aftermath of a biological catastrophe.
I really enjoyed this story and found it difficult to put down. Admittedly, the heroine was extremely lucky, but that did not distract from the tale.
I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy post-apocalyptic and /or action novels.”—Debra Miller, in her Amazon review.
Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!
