What sets you apart from other writers?
My writing reflects a fusion of many passionate interests. I have traveled worldwide. I love bicycling. I am fascinated with mystical elements and places, technology, science, and history - ancient and otherwise.

But probably more importantly, I'm fascinated with the human condition. I may write with the fast pace of a thriller for one novel, as I did in "The Phoenix Society," but I turned to mystery in "The Burren Weeps," which is set in Ireland. Still, what comes through most prominently in my writing is the universal -- concepts that apply to all of us. Whether it's a space station, the dusty plains of Israel, a twisting road in Sonoma, we all have common concerns. For example, in The Phoenix Society, the protagonist, Jason, like most of us, is caught up in his career and his self-absorption leads to his initial dilemma, which leads to his horrific - and premature - encounter with The Phoenix Society.

You mentioned that movies have had an impact on how you write.
Yes, I'm a bit a movie addict. I usually watch about ten movies a week, analyzing the tone, setting, story line, how the visual elements add or detract from the movie, and other aspects that make one movie compelling and another a yawner. Movies have taught me a lot about compelling plot lines, and I often write a screenplay about the story before actually setting it down as a novel because the characters, and how they relate, is critical to a good story. The discipline of screenwriting, which is mostly dialog, gives added reality to my characters. Story structure also shows up cleanly in a screenplay.

Who are your heroes, and how have they influenced your writing?
Ira Levin and Dean Koontz have had the greatest impact on me. What fascinates me about Ira Levin is his ability to take an idea that has seized his imagination and plot the right genre to tell the story. He is equally compelling in horror ("Rosemary's Baby") and comedy ("No Time for Sergeants").

Dean Koontz is often billed as the master of the suspense novel, also crosses genres. His particular sense of life allows him to mix positive human values with quirky original characters and then wrap those characters in an amazing variety of plots - from realistic to fanstastic. His comedic sense nicely contrasts with his ability to create exquisite suspense - relieving stress at critical points in his narrative.

I have drawn from their examples in all my works, but particularly in "The Phoenix Society," where, like Koontz, I am placing believable characters into a fantastic situation, and like Levin in "Rosemary's Baby," I keep a nightmarish quality about it long into the story, where the main characters are doubting their senses and the clues they see around them.

What is at the core of "The Phoenix Society," then? It sounds like it's not just any thriller.
No writer would say 'this is just another thriller,' but many books are too predictable. Mine is character-driven, the plot unfolding based on the lead characters' desires and motives. I began with an initial predicament created by several characters conflicting motives and then let the characters create the story, trying to ensure that each one stayed consistent to his or her world view. I believe that my characters managed to create quite an amazing story, with twists and turns as they reacted to events.

One source of inspiration for your novels is that you have bicycled in exotic locales throughout the world. What is so invigorating about this for you? How does bicycling help you set the stage for a novel?
Bicycling for me is meditation. It fires my mind to explore all manner of character and plot pathways to a climax. My readers can expect to see a bicycle ride as an important plot element in every one of my books.

One of the things I, as an author, find so compelling about bike riding is the accessibility to people. Bicycling through a town or countryside allows me to interact with an incredible range of character types. My bicycle touring in Ireland helped enrich my first novel, "The Burren Weeps." Having two Irish grandmothers helped a lot as well - I have always had a passion for Ireland and things Irish. My locales were accurately drawn because I rode every mile I described in that novel.

In "The Phoenix Society," I visualized one hair-raising downhill ride with a cyclist pursued by a demon-like being while bicycling down the road that is depicted in the story.
Many of your novels have strong female protagonists ("The Burren Weeps," "Murder Among the Scrolls"). Even when you use a male protagonist, as in "The Phoenix Society," you pair him with a strong female character. Why is that a common theme for you?
The character of Beth O'Hara in "The Burren Weeps" began as a writing assignment. The moment I breathed life into her, she began evolving into a multi-faceted heroic woman. That set the stage for everything that occurred in the novel.

Women in jeopardy have always been a popular plot element. For me, part of the reason why this is appealing is the often greater challenge a woman must face to overcome adversity. Is she really being stalked? Can she be trusted to take on a 'man's' job? How can she overcome great physical danger? Women can also more easily express their vulnerability, making for a more engaging character. Strong women as characters in a novel expand and enrich the plot options a writer can take. And, of course, I have my own wife as a living, breathing role model demonstrating the complexity and strength of a fully actualized woman!

Your novel represents many strengths as a writer, including crisp dialogue and believable settings. But your characters are what really stand out.
As I mentioned previously, my writing is character-driven. I think most successful novels are. A tricky plot may be remembered in certain situations, but over the course of fiction, it is the finely-drawn characters that will be remembered the most. When I create a new character, I often don't know where he or she will take me at first. As I get to know the character better, I create a history - one that starts long before the action in the novel. I also act out what the character is doing and try to add at least one personal quirk that stamps the character as unique.

What is it about "The Phoenix Society" that you found fascinating to write and revise and revise almost 250 pages?
I wanted to see how to get Jason out of his predicament, the first one of his own making, the other a result of the changes in him. I also enjoy the villains. We all have a dark side, and writing about villains is one way to deal with it in a safe, intelligent manner. In fact, I like exploring the dark side so much; I have three villains in "The Phoenix Society" - three irredeemable villains. About the main antagonist, Curt Wagner, I wanted to know, "Why would a doctor do what he did?" He has developed a drug that could be life-enhancing, but it turns out to be quite deadly and uncontrollable. It's a little bit of a Frankenstein concept, but drawn from what is happening in society today. The barriers Wagner was up against, such as the well-known difficulties of getting FDA approval for drugs that can have an impact on quality of life - or life and death - are real ones that often lead to tragic results when frustrated intelligence turns it focus elsewhere.

Why do you do write?
I'm driven. I can't not write. When I write, I am not aware of the passing of time. Sometimes I'm interrupted by my stomach growling, and I realize I haven't eaten in eight hours. I have a hyperactive imagination, so I am always doing "what if" scenarios. If it's a movie, I'm editing it. If it's a book, I'm editing it. It's not something I turn off and on.
Writing is also great fun. I love creating characters, putting them on an adventure, going with them. I love being surprised by the quirks and turns in their personalities as time unfolds. I'm never bored when I'm writing.