Thrillers includes a wide range sub-genres. Primitive, by Mark Nykane, explores the world of environmental terrorism. Mark flourished in his career as an on-camera investigative correspondent for NBC, often toiling in undercover assignments, and winning four Emmys and an Edgar for his achievements. He learned the world of environmental threats firsthand.In Primitive, Sonya Adams, a maturing model, is kidnapped by a neo-primitive cult sequestered in the remote beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Cult members call their compound Terra Firma, and want to draw attention to their doomsday environmental message, which is based on a terrifying government document that they've obtained. They want to use Sonya as their spokeswoman in podcasts, assuming that her beauty and presence will enhance their chilling message.
Surrounded by majestic mountains and picturesque forests, Sonya is outraged by what is done to her, and fights for her life against her kidnappers. But she also faces dangers unknown to her from big energy companies and the government, which collude to try to silence her along with her kidnappers. The heroine's only hope might be her estranged daughter, Darcy, who is determined to rescue her mother, requiring a hunt akin to tracking down Islamic militants. But Darcy, in turn, is stalked by a ruthless bounty hunter, Johnny Bracer, who plans on following the young woman to her mother so he can claim a huge reward.
We asked Mark a few questions about himself and his writing:
If you were stranded on a desert island, what one book would you like to have with you and why?
I would want the latest, most definitive history of the world, hopefully heavy in natural science and cosmology. Why? Because I could learn while I am stranded.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what one character from your book would you like to keep you company and why?
I would choose Darcy because she has a spirit much like my own: curious, a fighter, relentless. I know your readers will think it must be sexual attraction. Truly, that's not the case..
That said, Darcy is an attractive young woman. [Editor: h-m-m]
Who is your favorite thriller character in the genre?
I know it's always diplomatic to point to the characters created by other authors when you're asked this question, but the blunt truth is that my favorite characters are the ones who have come to life for me and changed me as much as they've changed one another on the page. So with that in mind, I'd have to say that my favorite characters are Sonya and Darcy in Primitive, because they have such a conflict-ridden relationship, yet they're both profoundly affected by the deep feelings that they hold for each other - and by the tumultuous events that quickly overtake them. But I also love Ashley Stassler and Diamond Girl in The Bone Parade. Again, it's probably the relationship between the two of them that captivates me most. They are both extraordinarily willful characters who come up against each other continually. Diamond Girl utterly shocked me - and readers, too, I should add - time and again.
How does writing thrillers compare to the process of being an on-camera network investigative reporter?
Writing thrillers is fascinating. It keeps me thinking all the time. Even my darkest characters become my friends, revealing secrets about themselves at the oddest - and not always the most convenient - times. I can't count the number of times I've had to discreetly pull out my notebook to jot down the latest utterances of a character, or to record a passage that has just come to me. But that's what I love about writing - it's all-consuming quality. In the case of reporting, after 15 years it became boring, even working undercover, which as an investigative reporting I did quite often. I became blasé about the business, and when you're dealing with the worst the world can offer, that state of mind is not a safe one to find yourself in.
What intrigued you with the characters in Primitive?
In my writing, the characters come first. In Primitive, I was fascinated with primitive sub-cultures in the world. That's the world of Terra Firma. Sonya Adams is emblematic of consumer culture - a middle aged model. But this didn't strike me till after she appeared as a character. Then it was obvious why she was there. The juxtaposition of her with the Terra Firmans fascinated me. What could primitive sub-cultures do to force their views on the world? I try to paint the picture of these two very different views of the world, allowing the reader to determine who is right and who is wrong.
In North America we see a fair number of neo-primitive subcultures. If you see flyers for workshops teaching Stone Age skills, you can bet you have some neo-prims nearby. I think the interest in neo-primitivism is growing at the far fringes of environmentalism, though you see similar kinds of concerns among religious fundamentalists of all stripes who see the end of the world coming. These groups often mean well, and some try to hold themselves to great ideals, but sometimes their messages are communicated by unfortunate characters who can make life miserable for everyone around them.
What research did you do for Primitive?
Diligent research is the backbone of my work, as it was when I was an investigator. After I have immersed myself in books, blogs, and wherever else I find the data I need to mine, I put it all aside and begin writing. My understanding of the subject matter then shapes my characters. For Primitive, I did a great deal of reading on climate change.
Who do you read in the thriller genre?
John le Carré's is at top of list my list. I have read everything that he has written, at least in fiction. Steig Larsson appears to have left us a fine trilogy. I loved The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and I'm on line in my house to read the second in his series. I also enjoy Thomas Harris, Colin Harrison, and Richard Price, though clearly with Harrison and Price we're straddling the genre. Speaking of straddling, I'm also a huge fan of the darker novels of Ian McEwan, which contain what we might, if we stretched the parameters to the breaking point, call "thriller elements." In addition, I enjoy a lot of mainstream literary fiction - for example, by Donna Tartt, Tom Perrotta, Cormac McCarthy, and Jane Smiley. I read widely. I also adore Joan Didion and Tom Wolfe. Kem Nunn's a terrific author; if there were any justice, he'd be at the top of the lists. I've become a fan of late of the Aussie Tim Winton. I've read all of T.C. Boyle. Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones struck me as absolutely riveting because of the tension that she generated. I could go on. How about Sue Miller and Carolyn Chute? Are they amazing or what? I better quit.
What is your process from "writing idea" to "it's on the bookshelves"?
The process varies from book to book. In general, the characters come first. In Primitive, I was fascinated with primitive subcultures in the world. The juxtaposition of the subculture of the environmentally obsessed Terra Firmans with consumer culture made a rich background for my story. I tried to let readers make their own determinations about who's right and who's wrong, trusting that their opinions would shift as the story unfolded, and then perhaps shift again. We live in a world of shades of grey.
Cym you live on a lake in rural Texas, what could be a more primitive sub-culture?
Do you have any other works in progress?
I just completed the manuscript for another environmental thriller, this one centered on post-apocalyptic climate collapse. It is entitled Burn Down the Skies.
Are you looking for an Al Gore endorsement?
That would be great. Can ITW arrange this?
Cym Lowell is an aspiring thriller writer. His next novel is in the hands of his agent (Brenden Daneen of Fineprint Literary in New York) and on its way to publishers. Cym is also an international tax lawyer with expertise in cross-border money movement, and a shelf full of professional treatises on these scintillating subjects.
