What
inspired you to become an author?
The New Reality is actually based upon real life events, and it
was these events which piqued my interest in writing. While in medical
training, I saw how “gene therapy” directly led to the untimely death of many
young patients. What happened in each instance was that the virus that was used
to insert a “healthy gene” killed the person outright or caused a life-threatening
leukemia-like disease. So back when this occurred about 15 years ago, I asked
myself, “What would happen if that virus that caused these kids’ deaths got
loose?” It was a reasonable question because basically the virus the scientist
used causes the common cold and is easily transmittable.
So what The New Reality does is takes it one step further. The
virus basically gets loose and causes an instant pandemic that modern medicine
has absolutely no answer for. Because of the world-wide economic debt and the
declining healthcare system, no country is economically or scientifically
prepared to handle this new, deadly disease. The main character in the book,
Alex Pella, along with a few colleagues set off to find a cure for this
mysterious disease. Guided by an ancient code concealed within the Hebrew
version of the Bible, they must traverse ancient lands and solve a biblical
riddle in order to save humanity from its own self-inflicted destruction. All
the while, they must fend off an elite foreign military unit sent to stop them
at all costs.
Which
is your favorite genre to write?
I enjoy writing fictional
thrillers because I enjoy reading them. I love to have my heart pounding and
fingers tingling, eagerly awaiting to turn the next page. Plus, this genre has
unlimited artistic potential. I can incorporate any of my interests such as
history, medicine, politics and science and create endless thriller novels
based upon these topics.
Is
there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
I wrote The New Reality more than just to
entertain the reader. I really wanted to create a novel with substance, like
(Brown's) The Da Vinci Code or (Crichton's) Jurassic Park. These
books not only tell a fantastic story, but they also make the reader think.
In The New Reality, I have included such
hot-button contemporary topics as genetic manipulation, gene therapy,
unprecedented economic debt, and the rise of big government, combining them
with more esoteric subjects such as the Bible Code and the mysteries hidden in
the Book of Revelation. Hopefully, these subjects will resonate with a wide
audience and create awareness of issues that have serious consequences for
generations to come.
Is
the book, characters, or any scenes based on a true life experience, someone
you know, or events in your own life?
The truth is that fact is much more interesting than
fiction. As a physician, I encounter patients with exotic diseases, see
illnesses that have yet to be identified, and have the pleasure meeting new and
exciting people on a daily basis. Plus, every time I turn on the news I am in
disbelief or amazement about what is going on in the world.
Taking all these experiences into account, I wrote The New Reality to reflect our current
society and highlight some of its major problems. Plus, I use real life
experience to make every page of the novel as realistic and authentic as a
fiction novel can be.
If
you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
James Rollins has influenced me more than any other
writer. The way he researches his novels, his writing style, and the subject
content in his books all completely captivate me. If I could become half the
writer he is, I would consider it a great honor and success.
What
book are you reading now?
I am reading Timeline
by Michael Crichton. I recently bought the book on sale for 1 cent (Plus 4
dollars shipping) on Amazon. Because
I enjoyed many of Crichton’s other works like the Jurassic Park series, I picked it up for a quick read. However,
after about 50 pages into the novel, I quickly realized that this book dwarfed
all of his other novels in excitement, style and suspense. As I finish it, I
can honestly say that this was one of the best works of fiction that I have
ever read.
What
books are in your to read pile?
As my reading pile grows by the day, my wife
encourages me to invest in a Kindle or Nook. However, I enjoy the feel of a
novel and simply like holding it in my hands. With regard to the names of the
books at my bedside, they are too numerous to recall. However, authors like Dan
Brown and James Rollins are the most frequent in this pile. Though I enjoy
these popular writers, I also have a few lesser known, independent novelists in
the mix. Just because they don’t have a big publisher, doesn’t mean their work
is any less exciting.
What
is your current “work in progress” or upcoming projects?
I am in the process of writing a sequel to The New Reality. Like the first book, I
plan to highlight hot topic, current events in the sequel in order to make the
read educational, provocative and exciting all in one process. The outline for
this sequel and the final book in The New
Reality trilogy have already been written. However, I just need to sit down
and start writing before the hot topic issues emphasized in these novels become
history.
Do
you have to travel much to do research for your books?
The farthest I traveled is the basement of my house.
Though The New Reality takes place
all over the world, I did exhaustive research on the internet to learn as much
as I could about the places that I wrote about in my novel. However, I would
have certainly enjoyed traveling to all the places I wrote about in my book.
Maybe one day I will follow in the footsteps of my main character Alex Pella
and treat myself and my family to a New
Reality world tour.
Do
you have any advice for other writers?
Most tips would be considered a cliché. However,
they become clichés because they hold definite truths within them. My favorite
cliché is Never Give Up. The honest
truth about becoming a published author is that rejection is part of the
process. However, an aspiring author must believe in their work and learn from
these rejections in order to not only become more adept as a writer but to
finally see their work published. It’s a long and difficult road, but in the
end, it is well worth all of the effort.
The New Reality
Alex Pella Series
Book 1
Stephen Martino
Genre: Medical Political Thriller
Publisher: Light Messages
Date of Publication: May 15, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-61153-074-2 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-61153-075-9 (ebook)
Number of pages: 326
Book Description:
Author Stephen Martino delivers an action-packed medical thriller in a heart-stopping race to save humanity.
In the year 2080, a deadly retrovirus is inadvertently released upon the planet. Facing financial ruin and catastrophic loss of life, the world’s nations turn to acclaimed neuroscientist Alex Pella and NIH expert Marissa Ambrosia.
Assembling a team of experts, the scientists begin an international search for the cure while fighting off a foreign elite military unit sent to stop them at all costs. Guided by a code concealed within the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, the scientists must traverse ancient lands and solve a biblical riddle in their quest to save humanity from its eminent destruction.
Drawing from both our nation’s politically charged environment and the worldwide economic crisis, The New Reality follows Alex Pella on a journey that projects a frightening path for human existence in the twenty-first century.
Book Trailer: http://www.martinoauthor.com/trailer/
About the Author:
Stephen Martino holds an M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and is a neurologist in New Jersey. When he is not working, he can be found with his five children doing homework or cheering them on at a soccer field, basketball court, or dance recital. Martino is a member of the Knights of Columbus, a Cub Scout den leader and is an active public speaker, helping to educate the local community and healthcare professionals on the signs, symptoms and treatment of stroke. THE NEW REALITY is his first novel.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MartinoAuthor
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1 comments:
Thanks for having me on your web site.
Best,
Steve Martino
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