There have always been stories about "terrors from the deep" but a new thriller puts a twist on this long-standing genre. Amidst the ice storm that swept over New England, ITW contributing editor Cathy Clamp sat down to talk with Jeremy Robinson about his January release, Kronos. Admittedly, the "talk" was by email, and the author was without power, typing the first part of our conversation on his cell phone---it being the only link to the outside world.
There haven't been a whole lot of good "terror from the deep" stories in that region for a long time. Was there a particular event that made you think of this plot, or do you just have a twisted mind that can't help but think of such things?
Good terror from the deep novels are indeed hard to find. As a huge fan of the genre I'm even more picky than most. So when I set out to write my own deep sea story I wanted it to be as original as possible. So we start with a story akin to Moby Dick where Atticus Young, the main character is out for vengeance against the mystery creature that swallowed his daughter whole. But it's what he discovers during his quest for vengeance that turns the story its head, and I've been told by the producer/director of the Jaws documentary, The Shark is Still Working, "totally reinvents the genre." It took me a few days to come up with the twist, but when I did I knew it was right, and very exciting. So I think it was more of a conscious effort of coming up with a twist, than a twisted mind...though I've been told my mind is fairly twisted.
A couple of your quotes mention "high-tech." Tell me a little more about the techie nature of the plot that might make readers drool.
The high-tech in Kronos comes in the form of a mega-yacht called the Titan. It is part pleasure yacht, part battleship, featuring advanced weaponry, systems, and security, including a submersible that zips through the water like a fighter jet--and is just a lethal. All this is put to the task of hunting down the creature that swallowed Atticus's daughter.
What sort of research did you have to do that you didn't expect to do--whether about the ocean or the mechanical aspects of the book?
I had to do a lot of research about New England history including more than 200 recorded sightings of Kronos (the creature) known locally as the New England Sea Serpent. I also had to research a variety of oceanography topics, military weapons and Navy SEAL information. But that was all expected. What I hadn't counted on was the Titan. It's a pleasure yacht decorated with ancient relics from around the world including a T-rex skeleton whilst hosting an arsenal making it a match for any U.S. Destroyer. The variety of subjects and disciplines I had to research to make this conceivable was an unexpected challenge.
I didn't realize there WAS an existing legend about Kronos. What parts of the legend did you use, and what part did you twist?
I used and referenced as many actual sightings as I could (there are 200 reported sightings by sometimes up to 200+ people at once). I also kept most of creature's characteristics faithful to how they have been reported. That said, there are variations in how it's described most notably in its size, but I went with the consensus on most items. The twist for the creature comes in the form of things we don't know based on the historical reports: where it lives, what it eats, etc...basically what goes on beneath the water. I also managed to track the creature back through history finding its first recorded sighting, six thousand years ago. What's funny is that I grew up in Beverly MA, the creature's backyard (reports place it in the Gulf of Maine between Nova Scotia Canada and Cape Cod Massachusetts) and I had never heard of the creature before researching this book. It blew my mind. I would have LOVED this growing up on the ocean. And I hope this helps expose this amazing local legend to a new generation.
What totally surprised you about the research?
I think I'm always happily surprised when my research supports any theories I've worked up. That was the case with Kronos. I had this huge, "what if...and then..." but wasn't sure if it could be conceivable. I was happy to find out through my research that it all made sense.
What's something you'd like readers to know about the books that might not have made it into your "letter to the reader?"
Be prepared for something different! One of my goals as an author is to surprise my readers. With Kronos I have accomplished that more than any of my previous novels. This is the novel M. Night Shyamalan might have come up with if he wrote deep sea thrillers. Steve Alten, the author of the New York Times bestselling deep sea terror MEG series said it best, "Moby Dick meets James Bond thriller with an amazing twist!"
Are you planning a tour for the launch, or contests or such on your website?
Most of my marketing takes place online. There is already a very cool trailer for Kronos, which can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf1KpKSgGe4 . I have already begun a series of radio interviews. TV interviews are being scheduled around the country and I currently have three book signings for the book scheduled in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. More are in the works and I HOPE to have a signing at the New England Aquarium. It would be the perfect setting.
Anything you'd like to talk about?
Kronos has all the things thriller fans love--a mix of action, guns, explosions, intensity, monsters, history and science, but what sets Kronos apart is the twist. I'm really pleased with how Kronos turned out.
Contributing editor and USA Today bestselling author Cathy Clamp has co-authored nearly a dozen award winning paranormal romantic thrillers for Tor Books with C.T. Adams, along with multiple short stories and outdoor articles for magazines and anthologies. The duo's next urban fantasy thriller, MAGIC'S DESIGN, under a new joint pen name of CAT ADAMS hits the shelves in February, 2009. She and her husband live in the Texas hill country where they raise goats--which (usually) keeps them out of trouble.
