Interview with Dale Brown

JONATHAN LOWE:  Welcome, Dale.  First off, can you tell us how long you were in the military, and what you flew?

DALE BROWN:  I spent eight years in the Air Force, and I flew B-52 Bombers, and the FB-111 Bomber.

LOWE:  What in your military background led you to become a writer?

BROWN:  Well, I wanted to be a writer first, actually.  I wrote a column for the Penn State University newspaper, and I did freelancing for many years.  So I think I've always wanted to be a writer and a flyer, and I was lucky enough to do both as a career.

LOWE:  Do you still fly?

BROWN:  Yes.  As a private pilot, I have a Cessna 421 that I fly on business and for personal things.

LOWE:  Now, you write about Dreamland a lot.  What is Dreamland, and how does it differ from the infamous Area 51?

BROWN:  Well, we never really called it Area 51.  Dreamland is our nickname.  There is a classified air base in south central Nevada, just north of Las Vegas.  It's a regular Air Force base, and about two thousand people work there.  Their main offices are actually out at Nellis Air Force base, and some of them commute on a 727 to this classified base from Nellis.  You can't find it on any map, but there are lots of satellite photos of the base.  It's small, but it has movie theaters, a bowling alley, and a commissary.  But if you're there it's because you're specially assigned, and they do research and development on new weapons systems.

LOWE:  Have you been there?

BROWN:  No, but I've talked to many folks who have been there, and I've done exercises out there at the Red Flag range.  The base is actually in the middle of a series of bombing ranges in the desert there.  The Red Flag exercises are meant to give pilots their first ten combat missions, with the theory being that if you survive your first ten missions, you're likely to survive your combat encounters.  The restricted area in the middle is where you can't fly, where it's restricted from the surface to infinity, and we're told that's where the base is, which from satellite photos looks just like any other Air Force base.

LOWE:  John Nance reads his own aviation mysteries for Brilliance Audio.  I'm wondering, do you get the chance to at least listen to your own audiobooks, and if so, what do you think of the medium?

BROWN:  I absolutely love the medium.  I listen to them all the time.  I usually get them on CD, or download them onto my PDA.  I think it's important for authors to find a good reader who's compatible with your material, and how you think they should perform it.

LOWE:  You've got a good one there with Richard Allen.

BROWN:  I've been lucky to have a bunch of good ones.  I like David McCallum.  I got to watch Joseph Campanella to do one of my books, and he was just terrific.  It was amazing just to watch him.

LOWE:  What is your new novel "Plan of Attack" about?

BROWN:  It's about a limited nuclear attack against the United States.  It's not a terrorist action or an accident.  It's an actual attack, and I developed a scenario in which the Russian president, who was in "Air Battle Force," is frustrated due to the decreasing power of the Russian state and military, and the way America is throwing its weight around, and so he decides to mount a very limited attack in which the United States won't feel that the nation is in jeopardy.  Minimal civilian casualties, little fallout, low yield weapons, with the idea that if he can convince the President that's all he'll do, the United States won't retaliate.

LOWE:  That's an interesting scenario.  Of course people are paranoid now about any radiation, even food irradiation.  Like a dirty bomb would probably make parts of Manhattan unlivable forever.  Do you think an incident like that, what you're postulating, could change the view of using limited nukes?

BROWN:  In general, the view has changed regarding using limited nuclear weapons.  That's an option now, with the Bush administration.  This came about because of the Afghanistan conflict, with the maze of tunnels and caves where the Taliban were hiding, and the high risk to U.S. soldiers.  So Bush made it clear that he was ready to use limited nuclear weapons to penetrate deep where conventional weapons don't work.  So I think we're already committed to doing that.

LOWE:  What about neutron bombs, which leave buildings intact and don't destroy an area with radiation so it can never be used again?

BROWN:  They are viable weapons, and from a military standpoint, they are great weapons.  But it's like a terror weapon, so the political decision to use one would be difficult to make.  Because the Russians and others fear such weapons because they would aid invasion, where you could just kill the Army, and then take over.

LOWE:  Where do you think the biggest threat to us comes from, and what can we do about it?

BROWN:  I think the biggest threat comes from these rogue states like North Korea, Iran, and from Pakistan.  I think what Pakistan has done over the past few years has been most damaging.  Because they were our ally, and at the same time they were giving nuclear information to our enemies...to North Korea, to Iran.  I'm encouraged by the level of cooperation we're getting from Libya, and we have special operations guys on the ground in Pakistan now, closing in on Al-Qaeda.  North Korea has nuclear weapons and delivery systems, which are a serious threat, of course, and I think we could probably take North Korea if we wanted to, but the close proximity to the South Korean capitol makes this dicey.  If we don't cut off the head quickly, North Korea could retaliate and kill millions of people.  But I truly believe that the whole regime there will collapse on itself, given time.  The people are afraid of stepping out of line, and the military is all about getting what it wants from the government, but this situation can't last forever.  It'll fold.

LOWE:  Who is your main audience, military men?  I take it you don't get many little old ladies at book signings.

BROWN:  No, I write male fantasy, and what appeals to anyone who who likes action and adventure.  Mostly retired military, both men and women.

LOWE:  Any movie deals in the works?

BROWN:  Not yet.  The creative side tends to bump into the budgeting side, so that's where the problem arises.  Producers really like my books, but they give it to the guys doing the budget, and eyebrows get raised.  But one of these days they'll get a big name attached to one of my books, and the funding will come, along with a good director.

LOWE:  What's next for you?

BROWN:  I really enjoy writing screenplays, and producing other projects.  We have something going with Atari now.  And in Hollywood, there are a lot of exciting opportunities.  Things move fast there, with a lot of creative people, although there's something of a herd mentality operating, where you have to be the first one to do something, and then everyone follows.

LOWE:  No risks, just sequels?

BROWN:  (laughs) Right.

LOWE:  I think that's the case with anyone holding a checkbook, unfortunately.  Thanks, Dale.  Look forward to hearing from you again.

Note: Recommend his ARCTIC STORM RISING.