An Interview with Special Agent Justin Pierce

Hello Readers!

September is half-over! Football has started! Pumpkin Spice Lattes are in bloom! 

Fall is here. 

Things are going swimmingly over here in SoCal. We're on the other side of the heat wave, and if the earthquakes would just relax a bit, things would be perfect. 

Today's blog is a bit different from anything we've done before. We've got a special treat for you; we were able to land an interview with the protagonist of our latest novel, An Educated Death. That's right, Special Agent Justin Pierce has agreed to sit down and answer some of our questions. 

Below is the transcript of our (fictional) conversation. Please enjoy!

                                                 Interview with Justin Pierce

No pictures of Justin Pierce could be found

Q: Really appreciate you agreeing to speak with us today. Could you tell us your name and occupation?

JP: My name is Justin Pierce, former Special Agent with the Department of Justice, where I worked in a top-secret task force with the Mexican Secret Service in international crime prevention. That's about all I can tell you. 

Q: Former? Why do you say "former"?

JP: I was severely injured in my last operation so I took a leave of absence. 

Q. What happened?

JP: I'm not allowed to talk about it.

Q: Glad you made it out alive. Could you tell me about your childhood? Where did you grow up? What were your parents like? Siblings?

JP:  My father was assigned to the US Embassy in Mexico City as Cultural Attaché. My sister and I were born in Mexico City and registered at the Embassy to establish our American citizenship. We lived there most of our early years. My father was usually traveling throughout Mexico, so we didn’t see him often. I was busy in school and in sports, so I didn’t mind his absence, but my mother and little sister missed him terribly. Eventually my mother and sister moved to San Diego, where my mother’s family lived and where she grew up.

Q: So you remained in Mexico with your father after your mother and sister moved to San Diego?

JP: Yes, I stayed there, but we would occasionally visit and reconnect for holidays or vacations. 

Q: Where did you go to school? 

JP: The Pan-American School. An exclusive bilingual institution in Mexico City. 

Q. What about college?

JP: I went to Georgetown in D.C. I was at their School of International Studies. Both my Bachelor's and Masters are in International Relations and Service. That's how I got my foot in at the DOJ, after my stint in the Marines. 

Q. Why did you join the Marines?

JP: I wanted to serve my country.

Q. Where are you based out of now?

JP: Some years back I was able to buy a nice beach house in Seaview, just north of San Diego. When I can, that's where I go. But my nature of work demands constant travel, so I'm not there as much as I'd like to be. 

Q. Have you ever been married? Do you have a special someone in your life?

JP: Never been married. There was someone special not too long ago, but she lost her life because of me. 

Q. I'm so sorry. What happened?

JP: It's still too raw. I won't be able to talk about it.

Q. Of course, I understand. Could you describe your job for me? 

JP: I can't really get into specifics. But it's a consequential job involving complex operations. And they're quite dangerous. I've lost a number of colleagues to violent deaths on the job. 

Q. Do you have any plans for the future? Anything you're looking forward to?

JP: All I can say is my life has been dedicated to fighting crime, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. 

Q. This one's a little philosophical: Do you think people are born good or bad, or are we all born as blank slates?

JP: That's a good question. Sadly, most of the people I deal with are unquestionably evil. Either as a result of a violent upbringing, or because of unrestrained greed combined with unchecked power. They more they get away with the more entitled they become. But in every case I've seen and studied, that evil was built up over time--not formed at birth.

Q. What do you think is the meaning of life?

JP: I have no idea about some grand meaning. But for me, the simple answer is I'm compelled to help people that cannot help themselves. It gives me satisfaction and pleasure to know that I'm making a small difference. It gives my life meaning.

Q. Have you ever had to kill anyone? 

JP: Yes, unfortunately. It's a feeling no one should have to experience. All I can say is that some people handle it better than others. 

Q. Who's your best friend? What are they like?

JP: I do have one very dear friend who I can always rely on. He's my closest confidant and I am his. We trust each other implicitly and would lay down our lives for each other without hesitation. He is the most gregarious, intelligent, and profound individual I have ever known. He possesses an insight that is invaluable to me. However, I cannot divulge his name for obvious reasons. 

Q. Anything else you'd like to share before we wrap up?

JP: No, I think you've covered it all.  

Q. Thank you, Special Agent Pierce, for speaking with us. 

END

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You can learn more about our latest mystery novel at our website, and you can purchase the book at any online retailer, like Amazon.

That's all for now, readers. 

Until next time,

~2authors