His assignments have taken him all over the U.S and the world, but a badge and gun never replaced his passion for books and writing. He now resides in the American Southwest, and when he’s not hunting down very bad men, he’s hard at work on his next book.His debut novel, The Far Empty, was published in 2016.
Scott applied the Page 69 Test to his new novel, This Side of Night, and reported the following:
The Far Empty introduced Joe Garrison, a hard-charging DEA supervisor. He has a small but significant role in that book, appears again briefly in High White Sun, before making a full return in This Side of Night, where he’s a viewpoint character for the first time. At page 69, we learn that he’s coming down to Murfee to meet with Sheriff Chris Cherry; ostensibly to talk about a series of bloody killings on the Rio Grande, although Chris – and America Reynosa – suspect there’s more to it. A lot more. Garrison’s arc across the novels is interesting; he’s the perpetual outsider who can’t escape Texas. Two of Garrison’s agents were wounded and killed in Murfee, and Chris was severely there wounded too. Now, neither man can move past the blood that’s been spilled in that small Texas town, and although they’re not friends, they’re probably the closest thing they have. I’ve often been asked if I’m Chris Cherry, but I’d say there are far more similarities between Joe Garrison and me than any other character in my books. However, I wouldn’t say this particular scene is representative of the book as a whole, since so much of the overall narrative is about America Reynosa coming to grips with her own complicated legacy in Murfee.Visit J. Todd Scott's website.
The Page 69 Test: High White Sun.
My Book, The Movie: High White Sun.
My Book, The Movie: This Side of Night.
--Marshal Zeringue
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