Author Andrew O. Huddleston sits down with Defiance Press to discuss his upcoming novel “The Cherokee Promise: Rebuilding Humanity after the Fall” and his vision of America’s future in the year 2044.
Defiance Press: Andrew, let’s start with your creative process. How do you develop your plots and characters?
Andrew Huddleston: I begin writing with an idea of the topic I’m exploring and the nature of the conflicts and challenges the characters may face as the story develops. I don’t necessarily have everything mapped out from the beginning—I let the characters and situations evolve organically as I move along.
DP: Research is crucial for any novel, especially one set in a future America. How do you approach researching your books?
Huddleston: I read extensively—finding articles, doing some daydreaming, consulting fact-based reference books, conducting interviews, and using internet sources that range from historical details of events to accounts of both triumphs and tragedies, crime and punishment. It’s about building a comprehensive understanding of human nature and how societies function under pressure.
DP: Writing can be emotionally taxing, especially when dealing with heavy themes like societal collapse. How do you handle the emotional impact as you’re writing?
Huddleston: When it gets overwhelming, I have to stop and pull my hands away from the keyboard. I breathe. I’ll cook and enjoy a good meal, then get some rest. You have to take care of yourself to take care of the story.
DP: What’s been your favorite and least favorite part of the publishing journey?
Huddleston: My favorite part is definitely finishing that first draft of the story—there’s such satisfaction in getting the complete narrative down. The least favorite part is the partial or total rewriting and editing process. I always see how poor of a job I did to begin with, which can be humbling.
DP: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Huddleston: I’ve been around many people throughout my life—from family to military service, schools, work, and churches, like most everyone. I’ve admired many, loved some, and watched their natures be either uplifting and successful or discouraging and less successful. The years and events we’ve witnessed have been serious in both our personal lives and our nation’s life. But there’s still plenty of joy to be found—sometimes all that’s required is a smile toward another person.
DP: Tell us about your first published book and what that journey was like.
Huddleston: It was called “Heart and Iron,” a historical novel. There was some satisfaction in seeing my book published in print, though it was through a vanity publisher. I actually rewrote it about twenty years ago—the current unpublished draft is titled “Young Nation.” It taught me a lot about the publishing process and my own development as a writer.
DP: Can you share something about “The Cherokee Promise” that isn’t in the book’s description?
Huddleston: The story actually began with an idea given to me by a son-in-law at the time. He described waking up in bed to another day with this overwhelming feeling of despair, and he asked me to consider writing about that feeling. That seed of existential dread in the face of an uncertain future became the emotional core of the book.
DP: You’ve set your story in the year 2044. Why did you choose that specific timeframe?
Huddleston: I wanted to write about what life could be like if the world became involved in a conflagration that left relatively few survivors, then explore what those survivors might be and do. 2044 is close enough to feel real and immediate, but far enough away to allow for the dramatic changes I’m exploring.
DP: Can you share a brief excerpt that gives us a sense of the book’s tone?
Huddleston: Here’s a passage that captures some of the themes: “This is what our nation has come to. We let it happen because we didn’t think it would. We didn’t think it could. Our arrogance led us to a war that killed most of the people. We allowed these kinds of people to become what they are! It is our fault, and our lives are at stake now—for what they are. We sat down and wallowed in indifference, and now this is what we nourished, but the evil is not in all minds, thank God!”
DP: Finally, share something your readers wouldn’t know about you.
Huddleston: Well, I’ll be a great-grandfather come September, which gives me hope for the future despite writing about such dark possibilities. And I’m a gun owner, not a gun toter—there’s an important distinction there that speaks to responsibility and restraint.
DP: What do you hope readers take away from “The Cherokee Promise”?
Huddleston: I hope they’ll consider what we’re building today and what we might be leaving for tomorrow. The Cherokee in my title represent resilience and wisdom—the ability to survive catastrophe and rebuild with better values. Sometimes we need to imagine the worst to inspire us to create the best.
Andrew O. Huddleston brings decades of life experience from military service to family life in crafting his vision of America’s potential future. “The Cherokee Promise: Rebuilding Humanity after the Fall” explores themes of survival, redemption, and the enduring human spirit in the face of societal collapse.
