The origin behind the story.
Every story begins long before the first line is written. For The Catalogue, the earliest version wasn’t even a novel—it was a screenplay.
No, really.
The first iteration of this entire world was a screenplay I called Five Deadly Shooters. Picture something scrappy, energetic, and absolutely fueled by my love for old-school martial arts films and stylish action flicks. It was the kind of script you write when you’re younger and hungry to build something fun—even if you don’t yet know where it will take you. Looking back, it feels a little like discovering an old high school sketchbook and realizing the doodles eventually became the blueprint for an entire universe.
But that’s how stories start: with sparks, with half-formed ideas, with the unapologetic joy of creating something because it just won’t leave your head alone.
And that messy, enthusiastic screenplay? It was the first spark that eventually set The Catalogue in motion.
Before the Novel: The Early Screenplay
Long before I ever wrote a word, I kept returning to a film I loved: 5 Deadly Venoms. There was something about its structure—a mysterious roster of fighters, each with their own style, each hidden behind masks of secrecy—that lodged itself in my mind. Not just the kung fu, but the concept of skills catalogued, concealed, and weaponized.
What fascinated me most was the mystery of identities. Who was who? Who could be trusted? How do you track—or control—people with abilities the world doesn’t fully understand?
That question would become the seed of The Catalogue.
NATO, Discipline, and Real-World Layers
The other major influence arrived years later during my time as a military member working with NATO.
In that environment, you witness firsthand how alliances function—not in theory, but in practice. You see the differences in doctrine, culture, priorities, and perspectives. You feel the delicate balance of cooperation and competition.
It made me ask questions like:
- What happens when highly trained individuals are organized under the wrong system?
- How do you maintain control?
- How do you trust people whose training—and motives—you don’t fully understand?
These experiences grounded the story in realism, transforming a once straightforward “skills roster” concept into a world filled with political tension, oversight, secrecy, and the human cost of power.
The Catalogue organization was shaped directly from this: a structure meant to bring order to extraordinary individuals who just so happen to be into international crimes
Writing With a New Baby in the House
While world building and espionage elements were taking shape, life handed me a new lens entirely…I became a new father.
Writing during this time—between bottle warmings, naps, and the haze of sleep deprivation—changed the emotional core of the story. Suddenly, themes of legacy, responsibility, and the future took center stage.
Those quiet moments with my child made me question:
- What do we leave behind?
- How do we protect without controlling?
- What kind of world do we want our children to inherit?
These questions didn’t just influence the story—they deepened it. Characters began evolving in ways I hadn’t anticipated. Their motivations became more personal. Their conflicts more human.
For example, There’s a moment in the book where Parker opens up to Jake about his childhood, and the story takes a very dark turn. He admits that when he struggled with insomnia as a kid, his father would use chloroform to put him to sleep. It’s a disturbing detail, but it came from a surprisingly tender place in my own life.
Now—before you alert the authorities—let me explain.
When my son was just a few months old, he had the same problem most newborns have: he hated sleeping. The only thing that worked was for me to cup his face gently while he lay in his crib. It was sweet… until I realized I was stuck there. Completely immobilized by a six-month-old who refused to drift off unless I hovered like a human sleep spell.
And in that quiet, trapped moment, two thoughts hit me almost at once. First: This is kind of beautiful. This tiny human needed me—literally my presence—to feel safe enough to rest.
And second (because this is exactly how my writer’s brain works): What’s the darker version of this? What happens when a child doesn’t have safety? What if the thing that puts you to sleep isn’t comfort—but coercion?
That flip—from tenderness to its twisted opposite—is where the infamous Parker scene was born.
Where It All Converged
And so, The Catalogue emerged from a mix of creative experiments and real-life transformation:
- A youthful screenplay, Five Deadly Shooters, that sparked the structural idea
- A beloved martial arts classic, 5 Deadly Venoms, that gave the concept its soul
- Real-world NATO experience that grounded the story in political and operational realism
- And the emotional clarity (and chaos) of becoming a new father
What began as a simple idea about uniquely skilled individuals evolved into a story about identity, power, control, and the weight of responsibility.
Thank you for exploring the origin story behind the origin story. There’s something special about sharing the roots of this world with the people who care enough to look beneath the surface.
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“Mitchell’s plot is interesting and carefully crafted, with several points of tension that work together harmoniously.” – Booklife Reviews
“Ty Mitchell’s pacing is near perfect in his propulsive thriller, THE CATALOGUE. Fans of fast-paced thrillers pegged to elite international skulduggery will enjoy this frantic ride.” – IndieReader
“Mitchell delivers a fast-paced conspiracy thriller. No one knows who they can trust right up to the final surprise twist.” – Kirkus Review
“The Catalogue is the type of novel that provides suspense, thrills, plot twists, and understanding of the complexities of the law and the lawless. It is perfectly made to order.” – Julie Porter, Reedsy
“The Catalogue by Ty Mitchell is a wonderful and gripping thriller with the appropriate amount of action, twists, and turns. Ty Mitchell deserves high praise for his writing.” – Reader Views Book Review
