Paul Triger and Frank Ryder are two characters with different focuses in their investigations. While Triger delves into the abnormal,  Ryder hunts down despots. The only common ground: both have a Special Forces background. I decided, rightly or wrongly, to use my formal name: Michael John Woodhams(M J Woodhams) instead of Mike Woodhams as for my previous books to separate the Frank Ryder series and hopefully the start of a new Paul Triger series.

When writing  ‘Encounter’ I felt it might be a good idea to pursue the science fiction genre, but keep it on a contemporary theme. I wanted to explore the prospect of an invasion by aliens on the level of current day politics and the shadowy world of espionage. Humankind is moving slowly towards becoming an interstellar species  currently exploring space with robotic machines and soon to have bases on the moon and Mars from which to blast further out into deep space to reach for the stars. Perhaps we are not alone. Thousands, if not millions, of exoplanets are out there capable of supporting life as we know it. Who is to say that others, far more advanced than ourselves, have not already come to Earth.

How would you describe your writing style?

I would say it’s mostly in the realm of thriller. The stories are exciting, fast paced and yet grounded in real world events and current military practices.

What inspires you to write about espionage?

They say write about what interests you and what you know. I’ve travelled quite extensively and make a point of keeping up with what’s happening in the military and supporting agencies around the world.

What do you think sets your writing apart from other writers in the genre?

Well first of all I always strive to be as authentic as possible. Much of my work is heavily researched to ensure it’s accurate as some of my audiences are actually in the services. This means I really need to stay up to date with language, processes and procedures. The other benefit of this research is that new audiences to the genre are going to get educated along the way with medical and military terminology and also about some really cool gadgetry they’ve never heard of!

What’s next for the Frank Ryder series?

I’ve just completed the new instalment of the series, it’s called ‘Encounter’. Stand-by for some fresh Frank Ryder action.