Rusty Young (writer): Difference between revisions

Following the success of ''Marching Powder'', Rusty was recruited as a Program Director of the US government's Anti-Kidnapping Program in Colombia. He explained in an interview with ABC Radio presenter [[Richard Fidler]] that the job was so dangerous he had to keep it secret even from close family members.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/conversations/conversations-rusty-young/8739626| title = Where inmates make the rules: Bolivia's cocaine-fuelled San Pedro prison - Conversations - ABC Radio| website = [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]}} </ref> Instead, he told people he worked as an executive in a corporation in Colombia, but alluded to the hazards of the position in interviews. For instance, the UNSW Law website quoted Rusty as saying: "At times it can be dangerous, so they’ve given me a bullet-proof car. I wake up every morning and know I’m a long way from my days at UNSW." Rusty finally revealed his work in Anti-Kidnapping to the Australian ''[[60 Minutes (Australian TV program)|60 Minutes program]]'' in July 2017.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211209/_VPWL-YPYsY Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20181017171211/https://www.youtube.com/watch?has_verified=1&hl=en&gl=US&bpctr=9999999999&v=_VPWL-YPYsY&disable_polymer=true Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite AV media| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VPWL-YPYsY| title = 60 Minutes Australia: Young and crazy (2017) | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

While living and working in Colombia, Rusty interviewed special forces soldiers, snipers, undercover intelligence agents and members of two terrorist organisations: the [[Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia|FARC]] and [[United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia|Autodefensas]].<ref>http://www.colombianobyrustyyoung.com {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref> He was particularly touched by the plight of child soldiers and decided to incorporate their stories into a novel.<ref>http://www.colombianobyrustyyoung.com {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref> In January 2016, the rights to ''Colombiano'', Rusty's second book, were sold by literary agent Simone Camilleri to Random House Australia after a competitive bidding war. ''Colombiano'' was released in August 2017.<ref>http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/rusty-young/colombiano-9780143781530.aspx {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref> and became an immediate bestseller, being the highest selling fiction title by an Australian author in August 2017.