Todd Ewing, author of Madame President, is interviewed by All Right Magazine.
Here’s the interview.

1. Your book is Madame President. Would you describe this a thriller? What other books would you compare it to? What authors inspired you?

In a way, yes. It’s also a political mystery. All Three presidential candidates have a major scandal, which means we have three different mysteries. I can’t compare Madame President to any other book. Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, Tom Clancy, John Grisham, Dale Brown.

2. In the description it says "A terrorist group is in America, patiently waiting to attack, making 9/11 look like child’s play. An American politician is lurking in the shadows, pulling the strings." By "pulling the strings," do you mean that one of the fictional candidates is in league with the terrorists?

One candidate is linked to a terrorist group, yes. This candidate believes teaming up with terrorists is the only way she can save Americans from themselves and the Republican Party.

3. One of your characters is former President Clint Hilliard, who appears to be a thinly-veiled Mr. Bill Clinton. Could you describe this character and what role he plays in the story?

Clint plays a small role in the book. He turns on his own wife, because he wants to lead the United Nations. If his wife becomes president, that can’t happen. So, he stuns the world by endorsing the Republican nominee.
With Clint, it’s all about him. He wants to build a legacy of helping the world, and he believes leading the United Nations will do that. Plus, he wants to be the Antichrist, wants to declare war on God, and he’s willing to run over his own wife to get that thrill.

4. In one excerpt of Madame President, Clint Hilliard turns on his wife, who is herself running for our nation’s highest office. What gave you the idea to have them turn on each other?

I heard a rumor Bill Clinton wanted to become the secretary-general of the United Nations. It just hit me. What if Bill worked to sabotage Hillary’s campaign, so he could get what he wanted? That’s where the idea came from. Clint is more of a moderate. His wife is a liberal. So, they really don’t get along much at all. He doesn’t want to be the First Man. Clint wants something a lot bigger.

5. Give readers a rundown of the other characters they will meet in the book? Who are the good guys (and gals), and who are the bad guys (and gals)? Is this a classic story of good and evil, or are there gray areas?

Kylie Keyes is the first black Republican nominee for president, the vice-president of the United States. She becomes the National Security advisor in 1980, Secretary of State in 1988-1992 and again in 2001. In 2004, she becomes vice-president. When she is eighteen, celebrating graduation from college, she’s gang raped by four teenage boys. One of them gets her pregnant. During the election, she finds out she has breast cancer. Liberal black groups viciously attack her, even worse than Clarence Thomas. Kylie doesn’t want to be president. The Presidency wants her. She gets caught up in a scandal over forty years old, and she’s afraid it will come out, afraid she’ll let her supporters down. She’s been through a lot of trials and tribulations, but she’s very strong and courageous.

Governor Lynnette Hilliard is the governor of New York and Democratic nominee. She is a piece of work. Laced with scandals, Lynnette is power hungry, has a hot temper, was raised in a dysfunctional home, has the personality of a razor blade, wants to save children and wives from bad husbands and fathers. It was a lot of fun creating this character, and I know everyone will enjoy this character too.

Governor Jesse James Jefferson is the governor of Tennessee and is the nominee for president of the Moderation Party, which is the new third Party for moderates. Jefferson knows Lynnette very well. It’s almost like Dick Morris running for president against Hillary Clinton. While Kylie takes the high road, Jefferson attacks Lynnette relentlessly. He’s being blackmailed by his wife. If he wins the White House, his wife becomes the real president. His Party is involved in a scandal Jefferson knows nothing about, which threatens his presidential bid. He’s not attractive, but his personality and strong beliefs on border security and cutting wasteful spending helps him get votes.

Nash is the head of security for Lynnette’s campaign. It’s his job to make sure her scandals don’t destroy Lynnette’s presidential bid.
Yes, this is a classic story of good and evil.

6. How does Madame President address the War on Terror? And how does it address Domestic politics?

Kylie has been fighting terrorists since 1980. All three candidates talk about how they’d win the war in Iraq, the War on Terror. Kylie and Jefferson talk about how we ignored terrorism during the 1990’s, which led to 9/11. Kylie also explains how terrorists are more dangerous than the Soviet Union back during the Cold War. It also leads to Iran and North Korea, how they can sell nuclear warheads to terrorists, if we don’t stop them. Where are the weapons that were supposed to be in Iraq? Kylie wants to find them. Lynnette claims they never existed, even though everyone knows they had them. Jefferson also points out Clint pardoned a terrorist who was involved in 9/11.
On the domestic front, the big thing is strengthening our borders. Terrorists, pretending to be baseball players from Mexico, easily enter California from Mexico illegally. A Mexican terrorist, who is linked to bin Laden, easily enters Texas from Mexico, goes to Washington DC and kills over a hundred American politicians. This wouldn’t happen if we strengthen our borders.
7. Some of the background of this book is based on historical fact. Could you explain to readers how much of a history lesson they will get with Madame President?

My book reminds people that going back to the 1990’s is a very bad idea, even without 9/11 and the War on Terror. When something good happens, we should repeat it. If something bad happens, we should never do it again. 9/11 happened because terrorists easily entered our country illegally. Over six years later, we still have open borders. It’s just a matter of time before something worse than 9/11 happens, because we let history repeat itself in a negative way. What happens if terrorists go after our Stock Market, like in my book? In one of my future books, terrorists, who have teamed up with American liberals, betray these liberals by blowing up Hollywood with suitcase nukes. Something like this will happen in the future, if we don’t wake up.

8. Is this book a warning about the future? Since the setting is essentially in the present, is there a sense of urgency that readers should feel as they turn the pages?

Yes, my book is warning about the future. We need a strong leader in the White House in 2009. Going back to the Carter/Clinton years is a very bad idea. Open borders need to be closed. It will come back to haunt us someday.
Yes, there is a sense of urgency. Our borders should have been closed years ago. If I was bin Laden, I’d have plenty of sleeper cells in America, because coming to America illegally is so easy. Like in my book, some of these terrorists might be from Mexico.
9. Hollywood has obviously stopped making patriotic movies. Can Madame President help fill that entertainment void?

I believe so. They’d probably turn it into a liberal movie, starring Hillary Clinton. The right producer would have to produce it.

10. How can readers buy a copy? In what formats and at what prices is it available?

They can buy an autographed copy of my book off of my myspace page. www.myspace.com/madamepresidentbook My trade paperback book is $13.00. The E-book is only $1.00. My email address is: tjewing@iwon.com. I can email anyone, if they want to send the money through snail mail, which only costs $12.00. I’m donating 10% of everything I make from my book to the Sean Hannity Freedom Concerts next year. Thanks for reading my interview. God bless! Todd Ewing