Conversation with the Authors of "DEVIL WIND", Runners-up for Fiction for 2011 Sharp Writ Book Awards

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CONVERSATION WITH LINDA REID and DEBORAH SHLIAN, THE AUTHORS OF "DEVIL WIND", Runners-up for Fiction for 2011 Sharp Writ Book Awards

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF, HOW AND WHEN YOU STARTED WRITING?

We're both physicians and authors.  Deborah wrote poetry and plays in elementary through high school, then worked on her  college newspaper before heading off to medical school. While practicing medicine in Los Angeles, she wrote a number of nonfiction books and articles before turning to fiction, using the mystery/thriller genre to tell medically related stories.

Linda has been writing since childhood—her work has been published in the Washington Post, Baltimore Sun, Tribune International, Woman's Day, and the Los Angeles Times.

Linda was a staff writer for the TV series "Family Medical Center" and met Deborah at UCLA. A partnership was born.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE YOUR NOVEL?

The complex relationship between fathers and daughters was a natural step for Sammy

as she has matured and begun to explore the reasons behind her fear of intimacy and

commitment. It also served as a springboard for relating another father-daughter story

involving her former nemesis Police Chief Gus Pappajohn.

Living in Los Angeles right before Y2K seemed a perfect backdrop for a story that also

deals with how fear can be used to manipulate. The earthshaking events at the turn of

the millennium were critical in shaping our future as a country—we wanted to focus on

the political upheavals as we transitioned from the complacent dot-corn world of the '90s

into the era of terror in the 'OOs, through a "what if scenario i.e. what if a rogue CIA

operative decided to take advantage of the fears of an impending apocalypse to stage a

"terrorist attack"?

HOW DID YOU USE YOUR LIFE EXPERIENCE OR PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

TO ENRICH YOUR STORY?

While working as a physician in Los Angeles for 25 years, Deborah had a taste of the

Hollywood scene working as a medical writer for Dr. Art Ulene of NBC's Today Show

and selling a screenplay developed from one of her medical mystery/thrillers. Linda

practiced medicine in DC and Los Angeles, and has worked extensively in television and

radio in Washington and Hollywood, and brought those experiences to bear to capture a

gritty realism in our story. We certainly included experiences from our medical lives at

UCLA in our LA Medical Center hospital scenes.

ANYTHING AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL IN YOUR NOVEL?

As Medical Director of Primary Care for the UCLA Student Health Center, Deborah

helped the team develop emergency preparedness for the hospital and clinics. Linda

worked as a coordinator for emergency preparedness as Director of the Klotz Student

Health Center at Cal State Northridge--in Northridge, CA, site of the devastating 1994

earthquake. These experiences helped to bring a life-like picture of emergency

prevention and management procedures common to Southern California. Also, working in hospitals in LA, we've both dealt with celebrity patients-mirroring the

experiences of Dr. Reed Wyndham and his colleagues.

ARE ANY CHARACTERS BASED ON PEOPLE YOU KNOW?

Sammy has elements of both Deborah and Linda, but is much more courageous and

dynamic than either of us were at her age—or are now. Gus is loosely based on Linda's

father, and Reed has elements of Deborah's beloved doctor husband Joel.

WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOUR NOVEL IS MORE PLOT DRIVEN OR CHARACTER

DRIVEN?

Both. Intriguing, fascinating characters and an exciting, well-stitched plot. A perfect

balance.

Also, in our story, the city of Los Angeles itself is an important character and a scenic backdrop for our plot.

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE OR MOST SYMPATHETIC CHARACTER? AND WHY?

Sammy Greene, of course—advocate for truth and justice, seasoned with love and

compassion. A soldier for good, but not someone without flaws and vulnerabilities.

WHO IS YOUR LEAST SYMPATHETIC CHARACTER? AND WHY?

Albert Miller. A soldier for Machiavellian manipulations—willing to sacrifice innocent

people to achieve his political aims.

WHAT PART OF WRITING YOUR BOOK DID YOU FIND THE MOST CHALLENGING?

Weaving all the threads together. We had several exciting stories scattered across

Southern California-getting all the players to meet as the clock strikes midnight

December 31, 1999 took planning and coordination. Our characters had to keep

moving, and so did we.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE THAT READERS WILL TAKE AWAY FROM YOU BOOK?

Love is all we need. And honor is what we should strive for as a great expression of

love.  We also hope they'll enjoy seeing Sammy Greene grow and look forward to the next

book in the series.

HOW DO YOU DIAL UP THE TENSION TO KEEP YOUR READERS ON THE EDGE

OF THEIR SEATS?

We're following our characters as they race to save their lives—there's little time to stop

and smell the roses—we have to keep up with them, panting all the way. We tend to

write in relatively short scenes-just like In a movie- which helps to move the plot along

faster and keeps readers turning the pages.

WHAT WRITERS HAVE INSPIRED YOU?

Michael Crichton, Robin Cook.

WHAT IS THE WRITING PROCESS LIKE FOR YOU? 

We plot the books together in person or by phone, then assign scenes. We each write,

then pass the work back and forth for numerous re-edits. After 2 books, we have

created a third voice that we both write in—or actually, Sammy talks in that voice, and

we listen.

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE ABOUT WRITING THAT YOU'VE EVER

RECEIVED?

Write what you know. As humans, we share common emotions and perspectives. If it's

real to us, it'll resonate for our readers.

WHAT IS THE WORST PIECE OF ADVICE ABOUT WRITING THAT YOU'VE EVER

RECEIVED?

Write what you know. Limiting our imaginations only to our experiences isn't critical.

The best writing takes us beyond "what is" to "what if”.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU? ANY NEW BOOKS IN THE PIPELINE?

We're working on book 3 in the Sammy Greene Thriller series that will take Sammy to

Nashville and the Grand Old Opry, as well as to the luscious shores of Greece.

ANY FINAL WORDS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR NOVEL,

OR LIFE IN GENERAL?

We hope readers will enjoy Devil Wind and spending a few thrilling days with Sammy

Greene and her friends.

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