Jeffrey Seay is a former NCIS agent and the author of The Jihadist List. He says he’s only been serious about writing for a couple of years, but has realized the importance of telling a story, not just having something to say. For this interview, Seay discussed the story behind The Jihadist List.
The Jihadist List takes form
Seay believes any message a writer wants to make should develop naturally through the characters. For that reason, he found himself walking a fine line while writing The Jihadist List. “With the former administration’s constant negatory response to domestic Islamic terrorism, I had to develop a story arc that allowed me to address the issue as a natural flow through the plot line. I didn’t want the third person narration becoming a character with its own rant.”
In the end, Seay says he accomplished his goal of blending his message into the story. “On the surface, The Jihadist List is just a pulp fiction thriller. However, if you peel the onion back a bit, it could be described as a not-so-subtle dissertation on the intent of Islam and how it plays against western Judeo-Christian values and the warped acceptance narrative of today’s progressives. Sort of.”
The idea for the story began after the November 2009 Fort Hood shooting spree by Major Nidal Hasan. Seay said he was familiar with the case and knew why Hasan was charged with murder and not terrorism. As a result, he wanted to explore the notion of an Islamic terrorist radicalizing young Muslim converts and having them enlist in the U.S. military.
Seay said he went into the project with only the kernel of a story. “I knew how it would start and I was fairly certain how it would end. The details, however, didn’t reveal themselves until my fingers started working the keyboard.”
Researching Islam
During his research, Seay immersed himself in the nature and values of Islam. “It wasn’t difficult to find and assimilate the source material. There’s somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, and the message of Islam in the Quran, the Sunna and Hadith are widely published. The eye-opener and mind blower, when you get to the heart of the religion, is the openly declared demand by true believers that all nations are to follow Sharia. By choice or by force it makes no difference. The conversion or the slaughter of the infidel is the imperative.
“The real corker for me, though, has to do with these truisms still being marginalized, obfuscated, rejected or simply ignored by a western media obsessed with its own narrative.”
The coolest job on the planet
Describing himself as ordinary, Seay said the only exception to the description would be his job as an NCIS agent. “In extraordinary times, in dicey overseas locations, and with people ranging from the exemplary to the irredeemable, I can claim participation in missions critical to Navy and Marine Corps operations and national security. Being an NCIS Special Agent was truly the coolest job on the planet.”
Unfortunately, Seay won’t talk about his NCIS days other than to say, “My response is another overused bromide: I wish I could tell the story, but it’s still classified.”
Book & a Latte Contest
What: This month, Jeffrey is giving away two soft cover copies of “The Jihadist List” and I’m adding two $5.00 Starbucks gift cards. Two random entries will be chosen as winners. Each winner will receive a book and a gift card.
How to enter: Choose one or more of the options below. Each option gives you an additional chance to win.
Who can enter: This contest is only open to continental US residents over 18 years of age.
Winners: Selected winners must claim prizes within 72 hours of notification. Verification of entries: All winning entries are subject to verification.
sounds like a great book
I would love to read this
Thanks for the giveaway. I would like to win this.
This sounds like a really interesting read! Also, great interview! Thanks for the giveaway
I would like to win this!
A very interesting interview! Thank you for sharing!
I usually drop a note on these type of posts with “sounds great, can’t wait to read” but I honestly can’t do that this time. I’m not certain that I want to read this book. A part of me says yes, so I can see how arguments for the author’s beliefs are presented but another part of me doesn’t want to read a book that posits another religion as being inherently against Judeo-Christian values – especially when I feel like those who are for Judeo-Christian values really mean Christian values. While I’m sure the author’s experiences as a NCIS agent gives him an insight regular citizens may not have, I am wary about the author’s bias.
Hi Riahnona, and thanks for the comment. I understand your concerns about reading this one. This is a very sensitive subject for many people—especially in the current highly charged political climate we’re living in.
Sounds intriguing! Thanks for the chance to win!
Sounds like a very good book. I could do with a latte right now 🙂
I am so glad to have read this interview. I kind of feel I know a little bit more about what motivates your stories.
Thank you for sharing this book with us
I imagine being a former NCIS agent really added authenticity to this book.
i am interested in learning about the jihadist
Sounds like a good one… putting it on my list!
Cheers~
Kelly Braun
I love thrillers.
Enjoyed the post and have added the book to my list.
This sounds very interesting. I would love to read it.
This was a wonderful interview, with frightening details (and not the NCIS details – which I agree, sounds most definitely like a very cool job) about something we’d do well to educate ourselves about, rather than shrieking about notions that are secondary to the primary (terrifying) issue. Thanks for a great interview and for letting us know about a book that sounds like it would be completely engrossing.
Thanks Michelle, I agree with you, there are some very serious issues in play here.
WOULD ENJOY THIS BOOK I AM SURE
This sounds like an interesting read, great post. Would be nice to know more about Islam.
interesting job
What he meant to say was: If I tell you I’ll have to kill you.
interesting interview.
thanks.
This would be a very interesting book to read.
Sounds like a great read!
Anyways enjoy reading your blob posts.
I just love the authors that you have featured I would of never found this book without you bringing it to us . I thank you for doing this and love your books in print !
This is definitely an author I will read. I like his viewpoint. Thanks for finding him for us, Terry!
Sounds like a very intriguing book.I finf the history of the jihadist movement fascinating.I would love to read this book!
This looks like an interesting and timely thriller series. It will go on my to-be-read list.
I would love to read this book — I am still trying to understand today’s Islam, Sharia, etc… Back in college, I took a seminar on the Middle East, and in one of my classes we had a Saudi student who said that America was evil and corrupt because it let women leave the house. We also had a very strong feminist in our class who took issue with him, and he would not even acknowledge her or look at her. The professor had to intervene…
How odd that he would come to an evil and corrupt place for his education!