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8 Things about WHEELMAN

(Interviewed on Twitter by Kandi J. Wyatt, author of The One Who Sees Me)  01.18.2016 –

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Question 1: Can you tell us a bit about yourself? How did you find @voxdeipub

Brian: Sure. I grew up in so. KY and met my wife in college. I wrote in graduate school and found @voxdeipub while scouring the web. 🙂

Kandi: What did you write about in graduate school?

Brian: I created a short story collection titled “Baptisms & Dogs” set in the fictional town of Seton, KY. It helped me start (writing).

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Kandi: It sounds interesting.

Martin Jones: Hey Brian, your friendly editor here – just popping in!

Question 2: What is your book about?

Brian: #Wheelman is about a teen seeking his father. He goes on a journey in search of hard answers.

Kandi: So is it a YA or middle grade book?

Heather Huffman: Hey everyone!

Kandi: Welcome! Glad to have you.

Brian: Young Adult

Heather Huffman: I’d say young YA.

Kandi: Awesome!

Martin Jones: Definitely YA, some serious themes tackled here!

Question 3: What led you to write Wheelman?

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Brian: A trip with friends to Mexico in 2011 prompted the book #wheelman. It was a great experience albeit dangerous.

Kandi: Can you share what themes besides #humantrafficking Wheelman tackles?

Martin Jones: I think the impact of a broken home and sin is prominent, together with a fair amount of violence!

Kandi: How was it dangerous?

Brian: Drug cartels and beheadings were reported at that time. It was a tough time to travel near Mexico City.

Kandi: That does make for some interesting travel.

Martin Jones: Another question (for Brian) – are any of the characters based on yourself or people you have met?

Brian: That’s a tough one, Martin… I’d say Teddy resembles my dad just slightly. But most were abstract creations.

Question 4: So you’ve done some traveling. Can you tell us about that?

Brian: I love the open road. It’s what generates new memories. Central Mexico is so beautiful. It needs to be written about!

Kandi: Guanajuato is my favorite place. Although I had fun in San Miguel de Allende

Brian: God’s country, right? So pristine and beautiful! I LOVE San Miguel.

Kandi: Right. I love the colors of the houses.

Brian: And the doors. I’ve never seen so many different types of doors.

Kandi: You’re right. The doors in central Mexico are amazing.

Adam Hopper: How did growing up in a small town like Monticello, Kentucky impact the locations in the book?

Brian: #Wheelman tackles travel to and from some unique places. My hometown molded me into what I am today. I love Ky!

Brian: Hi! @pastortabitha Thanks, Tabitha!

Martin Jones: Do you think #Wheelman has any kind of take-away message for the reader?

Brian: Great Q. #Wheelman does. The importance of valuing family is central! Today, tomorrow, everyday. While we can!

Question 5: Do you have any #travel safety tips for us?

Brian: I knew that one was coming! 🙂 Be cautious. I had great taxis in Mexico (and fun). But there’re always risks

Kandi: That there are. Your book gives you a platform to discuss #HumanTraffickingAwareness.

Brian: Yes. It plays a role in the family reunion elements of #wheelman and it was a difficult subject to study.

Kandi: I bet it was. I know I had difficulty sleeping just after writing a blog about trafficking

Question 6: How did you become aware of human trafficking?

Brian: Drug/human trafficking are prevalent not only in other parts of the world but US- all 50 states #IJM helped me for #Wheelman. It messes with us, as it should. Knowing the world has such intense events happening daily – wakes us up!

Kandi: It makes us realize there is more to life than our happy little corner.

Martin Jones: Without revealing spoilers – we might differ slightly on this but would you say the book has a happy ending?

Brian: You all brought the real Qs. 🙂 Haha. I would say quasi-happy. It depends on the reader’s idea of win vs. lose though.

Kandi: I think that is key to any ending of a book.

Martin Jones: Gotta say I love the title #Wheelman – says so much about the book in a word – both sides of the story #goodevil

Brian: Amen! #Wheelman is to the point. Our team really made it happen.

Martin Jones: Yeah, I wish I could take credit for the title #lol

Brian: You CAN!

Question 7: What kinds of testing of faith have you experienced either while writing or that prompted you to write?

Brian: Learning about trafficking and realizing that all sins are equal … caused me to write more definitely. Scars are lasting.

Kandi: Scars are lasting! Oof. That they are. We can end #humantrafficking

Question 8: If people want to help end #humantrafficking what do you suggest they do?

Brian: Playing an active role in their daily lives, online and in person. We have an opportunity to @endtraffick ing

Kandi: Where can we find you online?

Brian: Online- https://brianltucker.com, Instagram: bltuck2, amazon at: http://amazon.com/author/tuckerb, and even on Goodreads at: Brian L. Tucker

#Wheelman releases Feb 2 on #groundhogday and my father’s birthday! It’ll be on @amazon and other major websites

Kandi: Can’t wait for it. Thanks so much everyone for joining, and congratulations, @thebriantucker

Brian: Thanks again, Kandi J Wyatt! I appreciate your time. Have a great night!

Kandi: Thanks again for the time. I’m off to eat dinner with the family.

 

-End of Interview-

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Hat Fetish.

I have an obsession with hats.

See Figure 1 below for proper em-phasis (on the right syl-lable).

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Call it temporary, and I’ll show you a progression. This is compliments of Facebook and its record-keeping self. (Scary, I know.)

2004: (80s party)

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2005: (Halloween shindig with JT and Adam at Campbellsville University)

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2006: (Residence life at UK and Burger King at 2, 3, or 4 am)

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2007: (Pool table at Casa de Silvers)

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2008: (Honeymoon on the open seas and dry land and Illinois with the Mrs.)

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2009: (Halloween in Monticello at the Pyles’ residence)

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2010: (Mexico and Ohio)

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2011: (Mexico again)

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2012: (Gun range with sister-in-law and Florida and Kentucky)

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2013 – Present:

Is, of course, still being written. The lesson learned from the above images?

I have entirely too many hats and…have worn them all to the best of my ability.

I’d like to thank Facebook for this field study in accessorizing. (Maybe the first one ever completed via social media.)

It has helped me learn 2 very important lessons:

1.) All hats are not created equal

2.) There’s a right time and a wrong time to wear a straw hat. There’s NEVER a wrong time to break out the Viking helmet. EVER.

*The Viking helmet shown above was worn during the Writer’s Residency in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. However, it was also a helmet worn during the cruise of January 2009 and was a great conversation starter.

**The golfer hat above was worn during New Year’s celebrations with friends in Lexington, KY.

 

Do you have a hat that you wear almost every day of the week? What makes this the “go-to” hat?

I know I write this with light-heartedness and humor, but I really do look back fondly on all of these silly excursions and appreciate the times shared with good friends.

May you find any (and all) opportunities possible in 2015 to be yourself and celebrate the “less formal” arenas of your life.

God bless!