NK Chats To… Jason Powell

Hi Jason, thank you so much for joining me today. Can you tell me about your book, No Man’s Ghost and what inspired it?

Hi Laura. Thank you for the invite. No Man’s Ghost is the story of two strangers. The first, Charles Davids: a probationary firefighter, starting his first week in his firehouse after graduating the academy. Charles is excited to be a firefighter but is worried that he may not be completely prepared. Sure, he passed the academy, but he was never really in danger there. What if he can’t cut it in real life?

The second is Alan Johnson, a poor excuse for a husband who gets kicked out of his home by his wife and her best friend for being a poor excuse for a husband. He decides to get revenge by calling in false alarms for fire in his now former apartment every night just to disturb her. If he can’t sleep there, why the hell should she? Alan’s path crosses with Charles’s when eventually he decides that fake fires aren’t enough.

Being a firefighter yourself (which is amazing by the way), did this help you with the themes and subject matter of the novel or did it add additional pressure/level of responsibly to the narrative?

Yes, and Yes. There’s a saying in the fire service that goes, “Let no man’s ghost return to say my training let me down.” When a firefighter is on probation, a lot of pressure is put on them to train and learn and work towards proficiency on the job, because once a call comes in, they’re an important part of the team.

Whatever function they’ll perform on that call is their responsibility alone. That can be an intimidating truth when you’re new. Members with time on the job know that, and it’s a balance trying to show the probie that, yes, you need to take your job seriously because the community and our own families need you to be good at your job, but also, you’re not doing any of this alone. There’s always a team to help you. I think the core of that lesson can be true for life as well.

I wanted to do the fire service justice by showing how important and serious a career it is, but I also wanted to make the story relatable. I think readers will find a lot of themselves and their loved ones in Charles and the other characters. Even Alan.

What’s your typical writing day like? Do you have any writing rituals?

Don’t have one. I work 24-hour shifts at the firehouse that either start at 9am on one day and end at 9am the next; or it starts at 6pm the first day and ends at 6 the next. The days of the week that I work aren’t the same each week, either. If the 24 is busy, when it’s done, I’ll go home and go to bed for a few hours.

There are days when all my morning hours are on the truck and I don’t get time to write until the afternoon. Then there are days when I start my morning at home, and I’ll write until I go to work. On my days off, I write when I’m not tired. I try and devote a minimum of an hour to writing every day, but I don’t decide which hour that will be until the time comes.

From idea to finished book, how long did it take you to complete this novel?

No Man’s Ghost took 9 months of actual writing time. Unfortunately, I lost a good friend of mine at a fire we were fighting in Harlem during that time. For a few months I didn’t do anything productive. But after a while writing, felt like a path to peace, and it served as an enjoyable distraction. So, I started then stopped then finished. The time it took, not including the stop, was nine months.

What was your approach to the research and editing processes? How do you know when you’ve done enough?

Research wasn’t really an issue. I was pretty much writing about my job, in my town. I needed to research school safety protocols for a scene that takes place in an elementary school, but that was easy because I have both friends and family in education. Editing was a challenge. A lot of NMG takes place in the firehouse and I wanted what happens to be true to life. On the other hand, I didn’t want the reader to feel as if they needed to read Fire Academy handbooks to understand what was being said and done. I solved most of that problem by having the main character be a rookie and having more senior members explain things to him (and thus the reader); but I still needed to work with my agent to make some of the conversation and terms used, more comprehensible. I hadn’t realized that I’d forgotten how real people talk.

If collating a playlist for No Man’s Ghost, which songs would you include?

In one scene where Charles and a woman he’s interested in are at a park, there is a band playing in the park singing the song, “On the Sunny Side of The Street.” The song helps sets the scene and is also a metaphor. That would be number one. The rest would all need to be songs that both set a scene and speak to the mood or motives of a character. The song that plays during the scene Alan decides to elevate his revenge, would be Sinatra’s “That’s Life.”

What were the challenges/advantages when writing from dual point of views? What should be considered by the writer if they wish to do this?

The advantages of dual points of view, in my opinion is the same as the advantage of third person over first person: it allows the author to see more than if they were only writing from the vision of two eyes. The challenge is what I would say is the thing that needs to be considered if an author wishes to do it, and that is remaining conscious of each characters voice. They are two different people but the author is the same. It’s no problem to make minor characters sound different because you don’t spend as much time with them. It’s easy to start repeating turns of phrase that aren’t associated with the region and should be specific to the character. Everyone doesn’t say, “Know what I mean?” or “…and stuff like that,” at the end of their series of sentences. That often is a characteristic of a person rather than an area. Unlike, saying “eh” for Canadians, or “right” for Englanders and stuff like that. Know what I mean?

What are you currently working on?

I’m currently working on book 3 in the NMG universe. It takes place three years after NMG and Charles is once again the main character. Several minor characters and one major character from NMG appear also. Book 2 has yet to be sold to a publisher, but a reader wouldn’t need to read the previous books in order, or at all to enjoy or follow the next one.

What is your favourite word? What’s the word you dislike the most?

This question made me laugh. It’s a good one. I don’t know if I have a favourite word. I’d have to think more on that. The word I dislike the most is “unacceptable.” Because it’s usually a nonsense word. How can something be unacceptable? If I tell someone I didn’t or won’t do something and they say, “that’s unacceptable,” how does anything change anything? How will it make what should have be done, done? How will it make me do it? It won’t. It’s silly. I don’t like it.

Which fictional world would you like to visit and why?

Another great question. The first thought that came to my mind is the world of Harry Potter. But starting after book 5 when Voldemort is known to have returned. I would like to see how the magical people navigate their lives in comparison to the muggles. The magical folks are all afraid and know that there’s reason to be. But the muggles who have less ability to protect themselves don’t know that there’s any danger, even if they can feel it. I’d like to witness that. Does this make me a loser? (NK – no, it doesn’t. I now want to see that too). 

Would you rather (just for fun)  –

Have the ability to see into the future or be able to visit the past?

Future for greedy reasons. Tonight’s lotto numbers.

Have the ability to move things with your mind or read minds?

Move things. I don’t want to know what people don’t voluntarily tell me.

Sing or dance to your favourite song for the rest of your life?

Sing. I don’t dance. And you all should appreciate that.

Have money or power?

Money. I’m good with the control I already have.

Have an endless summer or winter?

Summer. I hate the numbness of the cold.

Drink tea or coffee?

Tea. Hate the taste of coffee. Love the smell.

See the movie or read the book first?

*Laughs out loud*

Read a Paperback or eBook?

Paper. Not really a fan of unnecessary screentime.

Would you rather have magical powers here on earth or live in a magical place without powers?

Wow. Cool questions. The first. I’d be a superhero.

*****

My verdict on No Man’s Ghost – 

It’s an FDNY firefighter’s first – and possibly last – week on the job…

Charles Davids is a probationary firefighter working his first week out of the academy. For Charles, quietly battling his lack of confidence is a daily challenge as his new officers coach him on life as a New York City firefighter. The men love to tease and prank the new guy, but when it comes to drilling and training, they’re clear that the job is no joke. As is said in the fire service: “let no man’s ghost return to say my training let me down.”

Unfortunately for Charles, his first week is the same week that Alan Johnson, an unstable and soon-to-be-ex-husband, gets kicked out and comes up with the idea to report fake fires at his wife’s apartment every night. Alan laughs at the thought of her being awakened nightly by sirens and horns – if he can’t sleep in their apartment, why the hell should she? But after days of crying wolf, Alan decides that fake fires aren’t enough…

Set on the hot summer streets of NYC and building to a fiery conclusion, No Man’s Ghost is a vibrant and thrilling look at the people who keep a city safe – and the ones who want to watch it burn.

*****

Charles is about to graduate from the Fire Academy and join the FDNY as a Probationary Officer. He soon realises that there is a lot to learn but there is also a family to be found within.

Alan loses his job and is kicked out his apartment by his wife. He is rock bottom. He decides to call in fake fire calls for his old home. However, there comes a point where this isn’t enough.

When I got approached to review this book, the premise immediately caughht my attention. I have to admit, me being a fan of the TV show, 9-1-1 was one of the things that drew me to this debut novel from Jason Powell who, when he isn’t writing books, is a firefighter with the FDNY.

‘This novel instantly drew me in’, is a phrase I do use a lot but there is no other way to describe what happened when I started reading No Man’s Ghost. The reader is thrust into the action and the plot doesn’t really let go until the end.

Told from the point of view of a variety of characters, it means that we can get to know Charles and the people around him. It wasn’t long before I grew attached to these characters who felt relatable and realistic. Getting a glimpse into Alan’s perspective and the motives behind his behaviour, we see how his decisions affect the people surrounding him. I did seriously want to give him a piece of my mind all the way through. However, he is a good study in how toxic masulinity is taught and can take hold. The author has done a good job at shining a light on that issue, as well as the dangers Firefighters put themselves in on a daily basis.

Charles is a really likeable protagonist and I wanted him to succeed. The decision to make him a Probationary Officer was a clever one as it meant information could be given to the reader without it making the story too overwhelming. The knowledge Jason Powell has about his book setting brings an incredible credence to the plot and the respect he has for his work shines through. This novel certainly gave me a renewed gratitude for our emergency services.

No Man’s Ghost is a high octane, exciting story that had me completley immersed. I really hope that we soon get book two in this series. If this novel is Powell’s debut novel, I can only get excited at what comes next. In case you’ve not realised, I loved this book.

(Thank you to Spark Point Studio for providing a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review). 

No Man’s Ghost was published by Datura Books and is available to buy on Amazon UK, Waterstones, Amazon US and Barnes & Noble.

About Jason Powell –

Jason Powell is a FDNY firefighter and author whose work has been published in Slate, and numerous online writing outlets.

When he isn’t at the firehouse or at a desk, he can be found out in New York City with his backpack full of snacks, or lost in the pages of a novel. Find him online at

Say hello to Jason on his website and on Instagram.  

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.