Fade to Blue by Hank Scheer
I'm happy to join iRead Book Tour's with a debut novel
involving bio-tech and fast paced action. I also have an interview with the
author but be aware the second question does contain a small spoiler so if you
have not read the book you may want to skip that question. One reason I love
iRead Book Tours is they always include a giveaway on their tours. You can
enter at the bottom of the post!
About the Book:
Will Dr. Brenalen's unauthorized experiment lead to a cure
for Alzheimer's, or will it be used for bioterrorism?
Biotech researcher Sarah Brenalen is frustrated by her
boss’s dismissal of her controversial theory, so she secretly injects lab mice
with experimental Alzheimer’s drugs of her own design. Sarah is stunned when
one of her experiments goes horribly wrong. But Marcel and his international
cabal are intrigued. Sarah's brain-destroying T-3 formulation could be just
what they need.
Fade to Blue is a high-tech, fast-paced, cat-and-mouse game
played for keeps. What Marcel didn't count on is that two can play this game.
Review:
It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel. It has great
characters, non stop action, threats of mass destruction and so much more.
Sarah wanted to help find a cure for Alzheimer’s when one of her experiments
goes wrong. When the wrong people find out about her mistake, they want to use
it. Sarah is on a desperate trip to protect everyone she loves and also tens of
thousands of others.
I had a very hard time putting this book down. I love
stories about bio weapons so this boo love caught my attention right away. The
authors writing style had me engaged from start to finish. I absolutely loved
Sarah. She is a strong resourceful character who you can’t help but marvel at
what she is capable of. Highly recommend!!!!
Interview with the author:
In Fade to Blue, your
protagonist works at an Alzheimer’s research facility. How did you come up with
that idea?
Shortly before I started writing Fade to Blue, my father was
diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. I decided to make Sarah a pharmacologist
who’s working on a cure. And as a tribute to my father, I created Kendrick
Perkins, a physicist who succumbs to the disease.
Did Fade to Blue
change over the course of writing?
Yes. My first version featured a 37-year-old man whose brain
is ravaged by early-onset Alzheimer’s. I wrote eighty pages about him before
realizing his saga was a diversion from the main story. I wound up deleting his
character altogether—along with a year’s worth of writing.
Also, I had Sarah becoming a victim of her own creation.
After much thought, I decided to write a happier ending.
Did you ever get
writer’s block? If so, what helped you overcome it?
I realized I couldn’t write in the morning or afternoon. I
had to drink two glasses of wine to be productive. It was only after dinner and
wine that my mind got creative.
What was your favorite
travel spot?
Indonesia. My wife and I went there in 1998 after the
dictator Suharto was overthrown. We were surrounded everywhere we went. “Are
you from CNN?” we got asked countless times.
“No,” we’d reply. “We’re steelworkers from the United
States. We came here to learn about Reformasi,” the popular term used to describe
their newly won freedom.
As far as cities, Paris is my favorite. Since a lot of Fade
to Blue takes place in Paris, I went there three times to make sure I got all
the scenes and descriptions right.
Describe a scary
moment from your life.
I was at a concert in Santiago, Chile during the Pinochet
dictatorship. Soldiers burst into the venue, forced everyone outside, and made
us stand with our hands against a wall. After checking everyone’s ID, they
loaded a few men into a military vehicle and drove away.
“Why were they arrested?” I asked a Chilean friend.
“They’re on the junta’s enemy list. We’ll never see them again.”
Meet the Author:
Hank Scheer's writing journey began during a work break when
a coworker said, "Hey, let's write a short story." They were working
for a steel mill in Pittsburg, California, so brainstorming ideas became a fun
way to pass the time.
At one point the following week, after the manufacturing
process caused a computer to crash, Hank had his idea: an evil scientist
creates a drug that destroys a person's brain.
Now it was a simple matter of plotting the story and writing
it. Fade to Blue is the result of three trips to Paris, France, and long
weekends spent driving around the San Francisco Bay area.
It doesn't involve steelmaking, but the science is just as real and the potential for trouble exponentially more terrifying.
Hank is now retired and lives in Martinez, California. He enjoys writing and recording music, world travel, biking, downhill skiing, and supporting other working people fighting for a better world.
Thank you so much for your very thoughtful review. Much appreciated.
ReplyDelete