Ten Terrifying Questions with Russel Hutchings

Born in Perth, Western Australia, Russel Hutchings is a former SAS Warrant Officer with over 20 years’ service in the Regiment. Russel has operated in many of the world’s troubled areas and most recently performed the role as a military adviser and provided other information collection services to a US-based company operating in Afghanistan. He draws on decades of experience in the SAS and within the intelligence collection sphere to write the MANTRA-6 series with the utmost of authenticity and credibility, starting with books one: Brimstone. Russel is now retired and concentrating on a writing career in the genre of fast-paced espionage novels.

Today, Russel Hutchings is on the blog to take on our Ten Terrifying Questions! Read on …

Russel Hutchings

1. To begin with, why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled?

I was born in Perth, Western Australia in a suburb not far from Scarborough Beach. As it was, I attended my high school years at Scarborough Senior High School. Having been raised by the beach, my friends and I spent most of the time surfing, that is until I found the sport of Judo and quickly became addicted to the game.

2. What did you want to be when you were twelve, eighteen and thirty? And why?

When my father came back to Australia after the Borneo confrontation in the ’60s, we were driving past Campbell Barracks in Swanbourne – the Home of the SAS. My father, a military man, said to me, ‘Join the army son, but stay away from these guys,’ as he pointed to the SAS Base. I asked him why and he said, ‘These guys are crazy’ … I was five. I asked why and he said, ‘They jump out of aeroplanes with parachutes and do all sorts of dangerous things.’ Well, he should never have told me that … From that moment on, I wanted to be an SAS soldier. So to answer the question, at the age of 12, I still planned to join the SAS. At 17, I joined the army and after completing infantry training, I was transferred to the SAS to attempt their selection course. As it turned out, I was the youngest person to ever be badged as an SAS soldier. It was in the SAS I felt at home … I stayed there for 20+ years.

3. What strongly held belief did you have at eighteen that you don’t have now?

At 18, I believed that our government would stand by its soldiers when they send them off to war to do their bidding. Today, sadly, that is not the case.

4. What are three works of art – this could be a book, painting, piece of music, film, etc – that influenced your development as a writer?

This is a wonderful question. While not inspiring me to write, my favourite piece of art is by Vermeer and is called ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’. I am inspired by the use of Light in this work. As for books … I love the original work by Robert Ludlum and John le Carre. The masterful ways they describe the ‘espionage world’ their novels are set in, greatly inspired my work to be original and as authentic as possible – that is, without crossing the line of the Official Secrets Act!

5. Considering the many artistic forms out there, what appeals to you about writing a novel?

Writing novels takes me to a place that allows me to concentrate purely on that story – void of everything else around me. To some extent it is escapism, it’s exciting and I gravitate towards it. It’s a hard road writing a novel, the plots, twists and turns. One of my favourite tasks in writing is developing the characters. I base most of my characters on real people.

6. Please tell us about your latest novel!

Brimstone is the first in the MANTRA-6 series. At this stage, it is a series of six books – each book following on from the previous.

SYNOPSIS: John Devereaux, an SAS Warrant Officer, is seconded to the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) to do their bidding. Devereaux is handed a mission that will test him to his very core. The Mission: Infiltrate Cambodia via parachute from 37,000 feet in the dead of night and terminate two high-value targets. But not everything goes to plan …

From the jungles of Cambodia to the chaotic streets of Sydney and Bangkok, to the secretive dens of Moscow and the extravagant French Riviera, explosive SAS and ASIS action uncovers a shadowy and powerful organisation, bringing us face to face with the Russian Mafia.

Unbeknown to Devereaux, the Director- General of ASIS, Magnus Webb, is testing him for a far more important role – as the head of an off-the-books clandestine cell buried deep inside ASIS and known only as MANTRA-6.

7. What do you hope people take away with them after reading your work?

I would like to think that the reader, takes away with them the fact that there are people in real life that live in the shadows, take enormous risks, they risk everything so that you can live peaceful lives … People like John Devereaux … they are out there!

8. Who do you most admire in the writing world and why?

I admire three prolific writers: Robert Ludlum and John le Carre for the way they can blend intrigue and masterfully create characters that I feel I know personally after reading their novels. Their craft in my view is unsurpassed. Finally, Dan Brown … his research and methodology is magnificent.

9. Many artists set themselves very ambitious goals. What are yours?

My goal is to provide novels that entertain and thrill the reader. Novels that create a following and create discussion. Novels that open our eyes to the realities of the risk some people take in our name, so we can sleep safely in our beds – and even though we don’t know and will never know who they are … honour them!

10. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Yes. Be true to yourself. Write with an open mind and don’t be blinded by those around you. Look deeper. Finally, write with passion and enjoy the journey.

Thank you for playing!

—Brimstone by Russel Hutchings (Big Sky Publishing) is out now.

Brimstone

MANTRA-6: Book 1

by Russel Hutchings

John Devereaux, an SAS Warrant Officer, is seconded to the Australian Secret Intelligence Service and handed a mission that will test him to his very core – both professionally and personally.

The operationally deniable mission: infiltrate into Cambodia via parachute in the dead of night, alone, and assassinate two high-value targets guarded by two-dozen elite soldiers. From the relentless jungles of Cambodia to the chaotic civilian-filled streets of Sydney and Bangkok, to the secretive dens...

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