A
thriller novel must be exciting, a real page turner, a book that readers just
can’t put down. A successful thriller must start with a bang, build excitement,
create tension, and finish with a bigger bang.
After
writing a university textbook and a cookbook to learn about the publishing
world, which was a lot more complex than I had ever dreamed, I decided to try
my hand at fiction writing. During my day job as a fashion executive I had
traveled to 32 countries and spent countless hours on airplanes reading . . . reading
. . . reading. I had become infatuated with suspense/thrillers so I decided to
try my hand in the genre I had been enraptured by for many years.
I
found a real challenge in writing thrillers. My goal was to create fiction with
content. I wanted my readers to become engrossed with my characters, scenes,
and plot and after reading my novels, come away with a newer and better
understanding of important factors in our complex world. Many things in life
are not black or white, true or false, right or wrong. Much of what we accept
as fact is based upon theories, claims, beliefs, and the level of science and
technology at the time. One misquote, misinterpretation, or misread can confuse
fact and fiction. What is accepted as fact today doesn’t always stand the test
of time. A good example is the Shroud of Turin.
My
first novel, UNHOLY GRAIL, is based
upon broad research into the facts, legends, myths, and even conspiracy
theories relating to Christianity and Judaism. A trip to Vienna, Austria and
the South of France presented great insight into Fr. Berringer Saunier who had
somehow amassed great wealth and built a beautiful church and villa in the
small village of Rennes-le-Château high in the Pyrénées. Through reading over
60 books on the various theories and philosophies, I learned that a lot of the
historical “facts” that were presented in many documents and books were passed
on through “oral tradition.” If you’ve ever played whisper down the line,
remember what bizarre results came out of the mouth of the tenth person in
line.
To
keep the thrill alive in UNHOLY GRAIL,
I created a Fordham University theology professor, Fr. Joseph Romano, who
receives an anonymous call offering him a secret Gospel written by James, the
brother of Jesus. When he arrives at Grand Central Station to meet the
mysterious caller, a shot rings out, bedlam erupts, and Fr. Romano is thrust
into a centuries-old conspiracy that threatens the very sanctity of the church.
My
second novel, SIROCCO, is a bioterrorism
thriller. As usual, I did way too much research. I visited bio-research labs
and met with experts in biotechnology, pharmacology, and medicine to provide
valuable insight into the potential dangers of bioterrorism. I researched
government agencies and again read many books relating to the potential dangers
of bioterrorism. I studied Islam and interviewed Muslim businessmen from small,
medium and large cities in the Middle East to try to understand how a religion
could be used as a foundation for terrorism. Like with most religions, I found
it was based upon how the Koran was interpreted and presented to the followers.
The words from any pulpit can be distorted to meet the speaker’s objectives.
To
keep the thrill alive, I had to start with a bang. Brett Reynolds, an attorney
representing the pharmaceutical lobby, is summoned to Washington for an urgent
meeting by Homeland Security to investigate a threat by a Middle Eastern terrorist
group, Sirocco, to unleash a bioweapon at the heart of the United States. With
a bioterror looming that could devastate the U.S., Brett learns of his
brother’s death in a bizarre murder/suicide. As the plot unfolds he discovers
connections between his brother and the terrorist threat. His investigation
leads him on a harrowing chase that ends in a deadly confrontation with Sirocco
and a chilling climax in the Oval Office.
I
write for the thrill. What in a novel gives you the thrill of reading?
