Thanks for asking. While I don’t want to give away too much too soon - and the fact is it’s all subject to change anyway - stay tuned…some announcements may be coming out and a chapter or two may be made available in the near future.
The Deadly Deal contains a strong female deuteragonist. Have you ever considered writing a story with a strong female lead?
I really like the idea. Nikki Benton was also close to being a primary protagonist as someone could be without actually being so in my first two books, and I really enjoyed her character as well as Anne’s in The Deadly Deal. It’s a thought that has certainly crossed my mind….
What made you decide to explore big pharma as a topic in your latest thriller, The Deadly Deal?
I worked in a tangential industry seventeen years ago when I wrote the first draft. The FDA approval process has changed since then, but the premise of the book still compelled me. I knew enough to be dangerous and had a few contacts who helped me get the research right, and when I looked at it many years later I still really liked the storyline and decided (at the time) to “dust it off, make a few minor changes,” and seek publication. What happened instead? Essentially a massive rewrite of the story including the title, even though the overlying idea remained consistent.
Did the idea for The Deadly Deal come before or after your first two novels?
It was first inked before both of my first two published novels. Back then, I’d obtained a literary agent for the story that is now The Deadly Deal and was a few weeks away from him submitting it to publishers when tragedy struck. He was diagnosed with cancer and shortly after passed away. When that happened, I shoved the manuscript in the proverbial drawer. After publishing my first two books, I decided to reread it and just couldn’t shake the idea, so I decided to give it a fresh look.
Have you ever experienced writer's block? If so, how do you overcome it?
Every writer at some point or another does. There are different names for it, and the solution is different for each writer. For me, the best thing to do is start writing something other than a novel. In fact, something I can begin and finish in a single setting. A novel doesn’t offer much short-term gratification. In my case, it’s generally an 80,000-word book that takes much more than one setting to finish, and once I have a firm outline I don’t usually experience “writer’s block.” However, when I am searching for ideas, writing a short story, nonfiction type piece, journal entry or something else has helped the process. The irony is it doesn’t really matter what the piece is, what matters is that I am sitting down at the computer and transferring ideas from my mind to the page.
What’s the hardest part of the writing process for you?
If plotting is my favorite part of the writing process, editing is its necessary evil. I know it makes the book better, and I know it’s something I should look forward to. But by the time I’m into the thick of the editing phase, I’ve already rewritten the story five times and am ready to move on to the next idea. It really helps that my wife, a voracious reader who seeks strong character-driven stories, edits every single page.
What’s the harshest criticism you’ve gotten from readers?
In general, I’ve been told my plots are complicated and it’s hard to follow all the characters. I find truth in that, and I have been trying to apply that feedback to my writing. I don’t want to write plots that are simple or don’t have moving parts, but if it’s not clear enough for people to follow it, that needs to be addressed. That said, the most specific criticism I’ve received really stuck with me. A marine reached out to me shortly after The Hubley Case was published and said, “There’s so such thing as an ex-Marine. Use ‘former’.”
I still have that e-mail. And to this day, it’s one of my biggest writing regrets. I have tremendous respect and appreciation for the men and women in uniform, and to think that I unintentionally rubbed them the wrong way in my writing still gives me pause.
Timelines. Your books are pretty fast-paced. Do you feel that the pace of your books contributes to the tension of the “who-dun-it” aspect?
I hope so; at least that’s the goal. The readers of this genre seek and deserve a story that keeps their interest and makes them want to read more. If the mystery or underlying question of the book is wrapped in layers of boring context, they can and should stop reading it. There are simply too many great stories out there not to. So I hope they find the pace to be fast enough to support what they’re looking for in a “beach” read and give them the chance to unplug from the real world and enjoy a story.
So who or what is Siebert taking on next?
Considering the way The Silent Cardinal ends, there are a few different paths his storyline could go down, and I am exploring them all. He never wanted to be in the mess he found himself in as the premise for both books, so I am thinking through the right way for him to be called back into action that is consistent with his character.
What inspired you to dive into the father/son theme in The Silent Cardinal?
It was a continuation of the relationship that started with The Hubley Case when Ben’s son is attacked. While writing that scene, I wondered what would happen if terrorists ever kidnapped Joe and used it as leverage to get Ben to do their dirty work. And thus, the sequel’s idea was born.
Did you ever struggle with a particular chapter in terms of content, violence, etc.?
In life I tend to avoid conflict, so writing the first two books was a bit of a departure from reality and in most ways was a ton of fun. I will say, however, that the “bathroom scene” in The Silent Cardinal is a bit more graphic than I probably felt comfortable with and still do. It’s not overly grotesque, and I’ve actually had fans tell me it was one of their favorite chapters of all my books because of how “bone chilling” it was. But it’s pretty contradictory to who I am, and it was a struggle to write. I knew it would be, too. I remember knowing before I wrote that chapter that I would have to really vilify the victim…for myself as much as the readers. And that’s the reason for the page of context about what the guy was doing right before the scene takes place…
How did you come up with the premise for, The Silent Cardinal?
One thing that is very clear about Ben is that he doesn’t want to be involved in international espionage or domestic terrorism. He’s not employed by the CIA, FBI, or military and he doesn’t want to be. So, the premise was created based on what the situation would have to look like in order for him to get involved.
In The Hubley Case, Siebert was all over the map with regards to FBI and CIA jurisdiction. Can we expect more of the same in The Silent Cardinal?
Yes, in fact a bit more. In this story not only is there collaboration between the FBI and CIA, but when things turn very personal for Ben, he goes renegade for a while. This further blurs the lines because as the FBI tries to locate him, he is still in contact with his trusted CIA source to stop the threat.
The Silent Cardinal seems like it has a lot of moving parts. Is it realistic?
It is on several fronts. First, whenever there have been legitimate terrorist threats to the USA, different members of the intelligence community have come together to solve the problem and reach out to individuals who can help. Next, the concept of an individual (e.g. a special ops person, data specialist, etc.) being both an asset and a liability at the same time is hardly novel. Often times it’s that shade of grey about people that keeps people intrigued. And finally, when someone’s child is at risk, you can’t predict how he or she will react. What Siebert does is – I imagine – what many fathers in his place would say they’d do if they were him, but it also lends itself to some debate. Was he justified? Does he have the right? These are difficult questions to answer when you’re not in that spot, but part of the goal of the book is to make people wonder what would I do?
What was the best part about writing a sequel?
I thought it would be not having to come up with backstories from scratch, but it turned out to be putting snippets in the sequel that a) were not truly necessary to understanding The Silent Cardinal but b) also gave folks who’d read The Hubley Case an extra nugget. There are a few arcs and tiebacks, character traits and quips in The Silent Cardinal that those readers told me they enjoyed. That was really fun.
How did it feel bringing ex-marine Ben Siebert back for another conspiracy in The Silent Cardinal?
It was great. I had actually started down a different path when I got several letters from fans of The Hubley Case asking me if Ben would come back. Writing The Silent Cardinal was that much more rewarding to be able to do so.
What was the hardest part about writing a sequel?
For me – and you could get a variety of answers depending on the author, genre and book – it was figuring out how to give the right amount of context around the characters that was revealed in the first book. I believe that any sequel should be able stand alone. In other words, you shouldn’t have to read book 1 in order to completely understand and enjoy book 2. But since the characters already have a history, readers of book 2 need some context that was covered in book 1, and I found it challenging to walk the line between not repeating myself yet still giving those who hadn’t read book 1 what they needed.
Is The Silent Cardinal a sequel to The Hubley Case?
Yes, it has many of the same characters and takes place two years after The Hubley Case. But while it would logically make sense to read The Hubley Case first, you certainly don’t have to. The Silent Cardinal was written to be standalone, meaning you could read it first and still enjoy the story.
Why did you decide to write a sequel?
It actually started with the fans. I got a lot of notes from people asking me if they’d see these characters again, specifically Ben Siebert, Tom Fedorak and Nikki Benton. Originally my next novel was not going to be a sequel, but I got enough inquiries that it inspired me to think about what these characters might be up to and what that story might look like.
Was it hard to write a sequel?
Harder than I imagined. At first I thought it’d be easier because much of the characters’ backgrounds had already been developed. But finding the balance between making The Silent Cardinal independent of The Hubley Case while also not regurgitating much of what was in The Hubley Case was challenging for me. I wanted those who’d read The Hubley Case to get more insight to the characters they already liked, while also introducing those characters to new readers in a meaningful way. I imagine that’s a common goal for writers who have a series…and I credit them – it’s a lot harder than it looks.
What attracted you to crime thrillers?
There’s something simplistically intriguing about a story that lets the viewer try to figure something out before its conclusion. Call it a mystery, crime thriller, suspense novel or even a movie, when the audience gets to play along with the protagonist to help solve the crime, I feel there’s a connection to and investment in the story that I don’t get otherwise.
With all the deadlines and time-sensitive activities in your plot, how do you keep the dates clear in your head as you write?
The physical act of keeping track of what happens when is not as difficult as you might think. Simply print out a calendar that shows the dates of a given month that match the days you need. For example, let’s say you need two people to meet on February 6th and it must be on Saturday because the meeting occurs at the Saturday Farmer’s market. I would print out the February 2016 calendar and use that as my reference, populating the events on the page. Then you have a visual one-page reference tool for the entire plot.
The real challenge goes back to the rigor of the outlining process. The first (and most critical) step is to understand when the key events of the plot occur relative to each other. From there, simply fill in the days on your paper calendar. And use a pencil.
Do you have any regrets about your award-winning debut, The Hubley Case?
Great question, thanks for asking. There’s always room for improvement in my writing and The Hubley Case has no shortage of answers from which to choose. But the example that immediately comes to mind was actually brought to my attention by a fan. The fact is, there’s no such thing as an “ex-Marine” to a Marine. Once you dedicate yourself to that greater cause, you’re a Marine for life. Period. The fact that Ben (in a few instances) refers to himself as an ex-marine is both inaccurate and something I wish I could change every time I read it.
To that fan (and any others who may have caught it/been bothered by it) – rest assured, the word “ex” doesn’t exist in The Silent Cardinal or any other book I am writing.
