Behind the Story: Justin Walker

Justin Walker was created for the first novel I wrote. I intended for The Wolverine to be a thriller. Unfortunately, it wasn’t very thrilling. Or, to use a technical writing term, it sucked. Needless to say, it wasn’t published. Despite the results, the experience of writing the novel was valuable.

In The Wolverine, Justin was a teenager aspiring to be the kicker for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team. Though he had never played football, Justin walked onto the practice field and told the coach that he was the team’s next kicker. When the coach replied he didn’t recall recruiting a Justin Walker, Justin smiled and said, “I’m here to correct that mistake.” Justin won the job and became the youngest football player in school history.

When I began The Intellectual Bodyguards series, Justin’s character was a natural fit. He was smart, courageous, and confident, which were exactly the traits I wanted in the hero. I wanted him to have a partner, and Pratik Shah was a logical choice. In The Wolverine, Justin and Pratik became friends and roommates. As a result, much of the character development in The Wolverine serves as the backstory for the two characters.

I used myself as a model for Justin’s character, and I gave him many of the positive traits I developed in my youth. Justin is athletic and scholarly. He is adventurous and inquisitive. In short, he is the person I could have been if I had known then what I know now. I essentially created a more perfect version of myself.

Some readers have commented that Justin seems wise beyond his years. He is certainly wiser than most people his age (and even most people who are older). However, wisdom is not gained simply by living a long time. Wisdom is gained through independent thinking and the active pursuit of truth. Justin has achieved his wisdom through his own intellectual efforts. And that is an achievement that is possible for anyone who embraces a philosophy of reason.