Interview with J. Lee, author of The Deadly Deal

Today it gives the Indie Crime Scene great pleasure to interview J. Lee, whose novel The Deadly Deal has its debut on September 12th.

The Deadly Deal is not your first book, but I understand it’s the first book you wrote. What can you tell us about that?

The Deadly Deal was actually written (first draft) seventeen years ago, when I worked in an industry tangential to the FDA. I’d obtained a literary agent and was two weeks away from submitting to publishers when my agent was diagnosed with cancer and soon after passed away. When that happened, I shoved the manuscript in the proverbial drawer. But all these years later, after publishing my first two books, I decided to reread it and got excited by the idea all over again. The FDA approval process has of course changed since, but the premise of the book felt fresh and compelling to me. So the plan at the time was to “dust it off, make a few minor edits,” and pursue publication.  What happened instead was a massive rewrite of the entire thing, including the title.

You graduated from Duke University with degrees in Engineering and Sociology. What made you want to write fiction, especially crime fiction?

There’s something simplistically intriguing about a story that lets the viewer try to figure something out before its conclusion. Call it a mystery, thriller, suspense novel or even in the movies, when the audience gets to play along with the protagonist to help solve the riddle, there’s a connection to and investment in the story that isn’t there otherwise.

When I was in Engineering Physics lab sessions or recitations, or a lecture about Social Psychology, at Duke, my mind would often wander to potential thriller or crime fiction plots. Turns out some things never change.

Tell us about the protagonist of The Deadly Deal, David Centrelli. Who is he and where does he find himself at the beginning of the story?

I wanted David’s character to be an everyday businessman who suddenly got thrust into extraordinary situations he knew he wasn’t equipped to handle. In my previous two books, the protagonist, Ben Siebert, was a former Marine specially trained to handle such situations. Part of the appeal for me while writing The Deadly Deal was acknowledging that David wasn’t. I think that’s a more relatable scenario for most of us. To round him out I added some character backstory and, without question, some character flaws. We all have them, and above all I wanted him to be relatable.

The death of Centrelli’s best friend proves to be murder, and this sets him on a perilous pursuit with ruthless enemies. How much is the ordinary guy, the little guy, like a knight setting out on a quest?

What a great question. David doesn’t handle the conspiracy particularly well at the beginning because he’s meant to be an “everyday Joe” in some regards, and he also struggles to do it alone. That’s where Anne comes in. She gets him to see that in life we really do need others to help us from time to time, even if we’ve been burned before and have developed a hard shell. The contrast between the characters was fun to write because it felt so real, and very relatable, to everyday folks like you and me. David also changes over the course of the book. In the midst of running for his life and trying to figure a complex situation out, he learns a lot about himself, more so than any other character I’ve written.

The times where he has to escape death from people trained to administer it are amongst the most difficult. Ironically enough, making David an everyday businessman turned out to be one of the most enjoyable and challenging aspects of writing the book at the same time. I didn’t have the crutch to lean on that he could just evoke years of Special Forces training to outmaneuver his assailants. Instead, I had to create realistic and believable ways someone without such training could. That’s harder to do than you’d think. 

Certainly there’s the aspect of personal growth and self-reflection he experiences too, as he learns to trust again and realizes he wasn’t living the life he wanted before, but I think if he were sitting here now he’d say simply staying alive was the hardest part. Then he’d give me grief for not arming him with military training.

At the heart of the book is your concern about Big Pharma and what threat it might pose to society and the world. Tell us about that.

The idea for the story came to me not so much as a concern, though I do have several of them, but a fascination. Once I started to learn about the FDA approval process in my old job, my mind couldn’t help but drift into that space of imagining the conspiracy. But the odd part about it was, the more I thought about it, the more realistic it felt. There are checks and balances in place, but they’re really only understood and enforced by a handful of people. And the idea that such controls could be manipulated began as a farfetched, outlandish concept but ended as something that felt like it may have already happened on a smaller scale.

So while I wouldn’t say a great deal of the story is specifically based on my time in the industry, I would say the book wouldn’t have happened without it.

You have used your own experience working for the FDA to write about the pharmaceutical industry. How far is the story based on fact and what can you tell us?

All of the above notwithstanding, The Deadly Deal is not based on a true story. It is purely a work of fiction, though it is inspired by knowledge of the industry I obtained in my old job.

The plot is crucial in what has been described as a “twisty” thriller. How do you set out to write? Do you plan or make it up as you go along?

There are some writers who have the uncanny ability to freewrite from the beginning and produce an integral, impressive and intriguing story that keeps the educated reader guessing and wanting more until the very end. The truth is, I’m just not one of them. I can only envy them.

Because I outline every novel I write, I certainly know the major plot twists and storylines from the start. But part of the fun for me is leaving enough wiggle room in the outline to make a few changes as I go.

All that said, an outline definitely has its benefits. In fact, I rely on it to make sure I keep sight of the overall story, introduce the right twists at the right time, effectively utilize red herrings, avoid predictable characters, introduce hints without blowing it, and try to do it all in a suspenseful manner. So as much as I might envy those who can do it all off the top of their head, I’m very thankful for my outlines.

Why does the story of Big Pharma and its ramifications continue to fascinate readers - and writers?

That is an interesting question, and I believe the answer is twofold:

First, it’s an industry that touches most everyone in some way. We have connection to it on a personal level as individuals and, even more importantly to many, our families. It touches us whether we want it to or not.

But secondly, it’s also esoteric. What I mean by that is a lot people don’t understand it. They take medicine because their doctor tells them to and read newspaper articles about drug XYZ because that’s what’s on the page, but the entire process that led to those drugs and articles is foreign to them. And the fact something so important is also so unknown drives intrigue.

So how did I try to factor in that fascination as a writer?  Well…

The first part didn’t require much from me as a writer to utilize.  It’s intrinsic and pervasive today that Big Pharma has a connection to most of us. For the second part, I used research. A lot of research. It starts with understanding the interplay of forces, actions and characters in the story. In this case: How does the FDA approve drugs? What process and controls go into verification? How does the government’s separation of powers ensure it acts in the best interests of the people? What about the development process? How do drugs go from an idea to a tangible product? And how does insurance fit into all of this? We all know it affects the pocketbooks of both companies and consumers, but when does that start and how does it work?

It’s common to say people should “write what they know” and this is where it best applies. In my case, I’d worked at a company involved with the regulatory process. So while I needed to verify what had changed over twenty years, I did have a baseline. I knew some people who still worked in the space. I also have a family member on the cutting edge of medical research who graciously let me pick his brain.

You can Google “FDA Approval Process” and get a lot of information, more than enough to provide the level of detail I did in the book, but it’s incredibly helpful to have a baseline and rely on experts in the field going in. And for every paragraph of research that made it into the book, there were five pages of notes that never saw the light of day.

Between its connection to folks and complexity in general, let’s be honest, there’s a lot to be intrigued about with Big Pharma. I just hope people liked way The Deadly Deal spins it.

Is this novel a standalone or part of a series, and what different challenges do those present?

This novel is a standalone with new characters, etc.  However, I’ve published two other mystery/suspense novels, The Hubley Case and The Silent Cardinal, which were a series together.

You have won both the NYC Big Book and Best Book Awards for your earlier works. How has that affected you as an author at the beginning of your career?

My immediate reaction was that it was very flattering. I’m glad people have enjoyed my earlier books and it certainly felt rewarding (and relieving!) to see that they resonated so well with independent reviewers.

On another level, it inspires me to keep working hard to write stories that people will enjoy and connect with, and I sure hope The Deadly Deal resonates similarly with people who give it a chance as well.

Are you an indie writer and how have you dealt with the publishing industry during your career?

I am an indie writer, and I love it. I’ve been writing for twenty years and my first publication was five years ago.

I’ve published two mystery/suspense novels, The Hubley Case and The Silent Cardinal, which have won some awards and been fairly well received, and have this third one coming in September, The Deadly Deal. All with the same publisher and all in similar genres.

Business has always been my day job; writing has always been my passion. In a lot of ways, my books have served as a creative outlet to balance a workday filled with numbers and customers and presentations, and I do truly enjoy both. Time is limiting, however; and my goal is to be in a situation where my wife and I can consider the possibility of me writing for a living. I’m not there yet, but I will be.

You have stressed the importance of multiple viewpoints in The Deadly Deal. How do you handle that and avoid fragmentation of the narrative?

Having multiple perspectives and putting the reader in the head of different characters helps me as the author facilitate the connection to the reader trying to “figure it out.” I love to give readers different things to think about, consider, and try to piece together as they turn the pages. And the outline helps keep me honest to the plot while I do.

 

But I’ll balance that with the fact that I’ve been told my plots are complicated and it can be hard to follow all the characters I use. I find truth in that feedback, and I have been trying to apply it to my writing. I won’t write simple plots that don’t have moving parts, but if it’s not clear enough for people to follow, it needs to be addressed. Finding that delicate balance is both the challenge and the fun for me.

You also have a day job. How do you balance that with writing and family life?

Honestly, the balancing act takes a lot of effort from me on a daily basis, and I often struggle. Between a loving family (wife and two small children, ages six and eight) on top of a full-time job that consumes fourteen hours a day and often involves travel as well as various social activities, religious commitments, and the day-to-day aspects of everyday life, it has become more important than ever to me to never lose sight of my work-life balance. Writing is my passion. I do it because I love it, and it helps balance me out, but it’s also a big commitment. And I consciously work hard to not let it take priority over my family or my job, because that’s putting food on the family table and needs to come first. How? Well, I do my best with the aid of a rigorous schedule.

Generally speaking, I write early in the morning before the house and most of the Western Hemisphere is awake. I target two hours each day but am happy with ninety minutes. Then I shift into Dad mode for a bit before heading into the office with breakfast and some games. Because my wife is such a good mom who stays home with our kids, I’m able to focus on the job all day before heading home for dinner and family time without worrying about them. Once the little ones are in bed, I return to my writing for a few minutes but often times I’m too tired and end up closing my eyes in front of the TV. It’s become the routine that we are used to, but it’s not without its sacrifices and consequences. As a result, I try very hard to hold myself accountable to ensuring that balance is really right for the family and me, and as long as it continues to be, I will try to honor it every single day.

What are your plans after The Deadly Deal is launched? Will there be a sequel?

 

I’ve been asked often if the Ben Siebert series will continue. Considering the way The Silent Cardinal ends, there are a few different paths Ben’s storyline could go down, and I am exploring some of them. 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 he could be called back into action that is consistent with his character.

 

And as for a sequel to The Deadly Deal, David’s everyday aspect would be a fun character to somehow intermix with Ben, but I would have to make sure it was done in an interesting and realistic manner. Thanks for the idea!

Which comes first for you - plot or character? Or are they both important?

I don’t make the plot fit my characters; I make my characters fit the plot. The reason for this is in my mind is because if I have the plot, I have some baseline around which to think about the characters. Without it, I would never be able to hone in on who each character really is, because I wouldn’t know what really matters for the story I’m trying to write. I suppose another possible explanation is that I’m just better at plot development than character development. It feels more natural, and like there’s a proper order to things when I do it that way.

At the end of the day, there’s no single recipe. It really does come back to each author doing it his or her own way. But I like to focus on plot, sometimes at the possible expense of character development, and I use outlines, multiple perspectives, etc. to try to balance it all.

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About J. Lee:

J. Lee is the author of The Hubley Case, The Silent Cardinal, and The Deadly Deal. He graduated from Duke University with degrees in Engineering and Sociology, and lives in the western suburbs of Chicago with his family. To learn more about him or his award-winning novels, please visit www.jleethrillers.com.

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