Ten questions for Joseph Badal
Before becoming the author of 16-award winning suspense novels, Joseph Badal took a fifty-year detour in banking and the military. His story is a fantastic example of never giving up on your dreams..
Please tell us about your debut novel.
The Pythagorean Solution was released in hard cover in 2003, and then re-released in paperback in 2005. Placed on the Island of Samos, the largest of the Greek Islands in the Aegean Sea, the book was inspired by historical events that occurred during and after WWII. While stationed in Greece with the U.S. Army, I learned about a scheme perpetrated by the Nazi governor of Greece, by which he extorted huge amounts of gold and other valuables from the Greek Jewish community. It is an international thriller that features exotic locations, a hero that the average reader can relate to, a courageous young woman, an arch-villain, a corrupt Swiss banker, international intrigue, underwater dive scenes, and a love story for the ages. This story germinated in my imagination for over thirty years and became the catalyst for the beginning of my writing career.
I’ve read that only 4% of the people who start a novel, finish writing it. Why do you think you beat the odds?
I wanted to be a writer/storyteller from an early age, but was diverted from that goal for a variety of reasons. Fifty years had passed by the time I decided to write my first novel. That was fifty years of a festering desire to do what I had always wanted to: write a book. When I finally began the process of writing, I had so much pent-up passion driving me that I can’t even imagine not having finished the project. Not having had any formal education about the writing process, I discovered that I didn’t have a clue about structuring a novel. I thought that all a writer needed was to tell a good story and the discipline to put it on paper. Was I wrong! But, fortunately, I had the passion to keep going. I attended classes worked with a superb editor, read books about writing, etc. Looking back on my experience, I believe that most people never finish a novel for two primary reasons. First, they don’t realize that the process of writing is hard work. When they discover just how difficult writing a novel can be, they abandon the task. Secondly, too many people begin the process without having the requisite passion to complete it. Writing is not just a “job.” It must be driven by passion. Without that passion, it becomes nothing but hard work.
3. Was your debut novel the first book you wrote? (Any prior efforts hiding on your hard drive?)
My debut release, The Pythagorean Solution, was the first book I wrote. Although I had a number of other stories vying for my attention, once I started The Pythagorean Solution, I committed to finishing it. I worked on the manuscript for almost four years, submitted it to contests (none of which I won), hired an editor, was picked up by an agent (who couldn’t sell the story), sold an option to a film producer, and finally, without an agent, sold the manuscript to a publisher.
4. What helped you become a better writer? Any books or resources you found helpful?
That’s a good question. On reflection, there have been many influences that made me a better writer. I read hundreds of books in the thriller genre that informed me about how great fiction is constructed. The works of Robert Ludlum, Elmore Leonard, John le Carre, James Clavell, and many others helped me immeasurably. I learned valuable lessons by attending classes taught by authors like Parris Afton Bonds. “The Writer’s Journey,” by Christopher Vogler contributed immensely to my understanding of how a great story should be told. Finally, I mentioned above that I hired an editor early on in my writing career. That editor, who I dubbed The Attila the Hun of editors, took on the task of making me a better writer. He didn’t care about my thin skin. He helped me better understand the profession of storytelling.
5. What was your process like getting an agent?
I worked with an agent who kept trying to get me to put romance in my thrillers. After a couple years of arguing the point, I fired her. Then, Tony Hillerman, who read the manuscript of “The Pythagorean Solution,” sent me an email that, in part, read, “I love it.” Then, without my knowing what he had done, Tony called his agent and told her: “You need to represent this guy.” That’s how I got my agent.
6. How did you celebrate when you learned your book would be published?
When I learned that my first book would be published, I called my wife and gave her the good news. She was as ecstatic as I was. We went out to dinner that night, talked about what might come next in my new career, and fantasized about things like New York Times Best Seller lists, movie deals, etc.
Debuting soon. Available for pre-order!
7. What was the most exciting moment involving the publication of your debut novel? (The moment you first saw the cover? The call when you learned when it was being published? When you cashed your advance check?)
There were so many highs around the publication of my first novel, that it’s difficult to identify any one event that stood out above all others. Of course, the publishing contract I received was exhilarating. The first box of books the publisher sent me was another high point. The first time I saw my book on a bookstore shelf left me with a feeling of pride and accomplishment. Another high point was when I traveled to Greece and Turkey and spotted translated copies of my first book in bookstores.
8. What’s your best advice for someone who wants to be published?
I frequently speak to writers’ groups. The advice I give to aspiring authors is multifaceted. First, I tell the audience that it’s never too late to start the process of becoming published. I was 59 when my first book was published. I also advise writers to hone their craft. That telling a good story is not enough. Their work must be crafted correctly. Finally, I tell aspiring authors that they should never share their work with anyone until it is ready for prime time. In other words, they need to edit, edit, edit.
9. What are you currently reading? Or, what's one of the best novels you've read lately?
I am currently reading two books in which I am completely engrossed. One is Ross King’s “Brunelleschi’s Dome.” The other is “Red Notice,” by Bill Browder. Both are non-fiction books, which read like thrillers. I highly recommend them to both fiction as well as non-fiction readers.
10. What are you working on now? Any projects coming out soon?
The last year has been eventful. Being sequestered because of COVID-19, has given me even more time to write and promote. Blackstone Publishing released the audiobook of “Ultimate Betrayal,” a stand-alone thriller narrated by Tom Avitabile in April. My 17th novel, “The Carnevale Conspiracy,” the 7th in my Danforth Saga series, will be released on July 20. I just finished the 4th book in my Lassiter/Martinez Case Files series, which will be released by Suspense Publishing in 2022. I am presently about a third of the way through the 4th book in my Curtis Chronicles series, “Soulless.”
