Pike Logan is the main character in a series of sixteen bestselling thrillers by Army Veteran Brad Taylor. The 17^th novel in the series, “The Devil’s Ransom” was just released. The series features asymmetric warfare missions practiced by Pike Logan and the extra-legal “Task Force”.

Brad served 21 years in the US Army, 8 years as a member of Delta Force. He serves as a security consultant on asymmetric threats for various agencies when he is not writing. He never had an interest in the military but when his father warned him he would have to join the military if he flunked out of school, Brad began exploring the Army and liked what he saw.

When Brad was courting his future wife he told her he was going to become a Special Forces operator and write a book. His last posting was as an instructor at The Citadel, which gave him time to pursue the second goal. He shares some of the challenges he experienced trying to get published and advice for other aspiring authors.

The Pike Logan series is extremely well researched. Brad and his wife travel to the locations that will be the settings for his novels.  Brad says that “being on the ground” often inspires him to add elements to the story that he originally hadn’t considered. “I can’t describe the culture if I don’t immerse myself in it.” In one case, a hotel charged him $75 for a hamburger and a coke. THAT hotel got blown up in Brad’s next book.

Despite serving at the tip of the spear for so many years, Taylor emphasizes that we must not overlook the contributions of the “average grunt’.

Brad and his wife are ambassadors for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

TAKEAWAY: Brad says one of the greatest challenges in writing a series is character progression. “The human condition is always evolving, my characters must do the same.”