Have you ever had writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it? I’ve never experienced writer’s block in the sense of no words coming to me. I have experienced moments (and by moments, I mean months) when I didn’t know what comes next in the story, or how to move my plot from point A to point H. I know such a moment is upon me when I start writing witty and engaging dialogue that does not serve any purpose in the story, except to be witty and engaging., I now recognize it as hitting a plot snag.

When I see three or four pages of this, I recognize that a plot snag, stop writing and start working through possible scenarios in a methodical fashion. If I’m diligent about it, I come up with an answer in short order.

The other type of “block” I’ve experienced is a lack of desire to write because external circumstances push the writing to a lower priority. The only cure to this condition is forcing myself to write. It’s similar to my lack of enthusiasm for exercise — if I just force myself to walk into the gym, I’ll exercise and enjoy it, and it’s the same with writing. Once I open the draft document and write a couple of sentences, I’m back in my novel’s world and happier for it.

What genre are you most comfortable writing? Hands down, suspense, capers, and thrillers are my genres. I love reading them, I understand their construction, and I find them a great vehicle to explore serious and complex issues in a non-preachy and entertaining manner.

How did you develop your plot and characters? The characters are based on composites of people I know. My protagonists came to me almost pre-formed. I just knew who they were, their background stories, and their responses to different situations. As to the plot, I knew the beginning and the end, but didn’t outline the full story. Instead, it felt like the characters did their own thing, and I just reported on what they were up to. Only in the last couple of chapters, where everything had to be resolved, did I step in with a detailed list of plot points that needed to be addressed.

Who designed your cover? Christine Van Bree designed my cover (http://christinevanbreedesign.zenfolio.com/). I couldn’t have asked for a more professional, talented or dedicated designer. The only complaint I can think of is that she provided me with too many excellent concept choices and it made picking the winner very difficult!

Can you tell us about your main character? Olga Mueller is a lawyer who’s ready to stop being one. She works for one of the most prestigious law firms in the world, and her area of concentration is pharmaceutical patent litigation. But she has grown tired of putting blinders on and concentrating only on the patent questions, when she knows that the drugs these patents are protecting may be dangerous.

She is smart, impetuous, some say childish in her hope for justice, willful, and craves excitement. A chance encounter with Benedict Vickers, the brother of the scientist who invented the diet drug at the center of the plot, offers her the chance to leave her secure job and experience the thrill ride that she so desperately wants, and she readily takes it.

How much of the book is realistic? I think of the book as heightened reality. Much of what I describe is absolutely true (the descriptions of litigation and life in a big firm, for example), but certain periods of time have been compressed for dramatic effect, and the chase scenes are a necessary plot device and a nod to the genre.

How long have you been writing? I started writing fiction on November 1, 2010. POISON PILL is the first piece of fiction I’ve written (not counting any stories I wrote as a pre-teen), and it began as a National Novel Writing Month (www.nanowrimo.org) novel. For those unfamiliar with NaNo, it’s an organized challenge in which you commit to write a first draft of a novel (50,000 words) during the month of November.

On the nonfiction front, however, I’ve been writing for decades. I authored scientific and legal academic papers, and drafted countless legal documents, such as briefs.

What’s your favorite place in the entire world? My favorite place in the entire world is the airport terminal from which I’m flying to a place I’ve never been. It doesn’t matter how dingy or boring it is, how bitter the coffee is in its coffee shop, or how early or late the time of day is — my excitement level is through the roof and I can’t wait to fly to the next adventure.

Have you started to write another book yet? Yes, I’m currently writing the sequel to POISON PILL. It’s working title is BUYING ON MARGIN. The same protagonists, Olga Mueller and Benedict Vickers, will be employing similarly borderline-illegal methods to reach a just result. Also just like POISON PILL, this story involves multiple international locations: Italy, St. Maarten, Peru, possibly South Africa.

In parallel, I’m working on another legal suspense novel that isn’t part of the Mueller/Vickers series, and I’m starting research on a couple of other novels, all generally in the suspense/thriller genre.

It’s the drug of the century, a miracle weight loss compound worth billions, invented by Jon Vickers shortly before his death. So why is Jon’s brother Benedict risking his inheritance, his brother’s legacy, and even his own life to keep the drug from the market?

And why is Olga Mueller, a jaded lawyer Benedict met by chance while traveling to Istanbul, willing to help?

Can they take on a powerful venture capitalist and a ruthless top-tier law firm and win? Or even survive? In a world where money rules, does truth stand a chance?

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Genre – Legal Thriller

Rating – PG

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