We are delighted to welcome author Sally Fernandez to Omnimystery News today.
Sally's fifth novel and the first in a new series is Climatized (Dunham Books; October 2016 trade paperback and ebook formats) and we recently had the opportunity to spend some time with her talking about it.
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Omnimystery News: Climatized introduces a new series character. Tell us a little more about her.
Photo provided courtesy of
Sally Fernandez
Sally Fernandez: Maxine Ford best represents my fantasies of one day becoming a secret agent, and in some ways she is my alter-ego. She debuts as the female protagonist in the new "Max Ford Thriller" series where she takes on the Washington elite as a private investigator. Immediately, she finds herself in the cauldron of mystery, murder, and mayhem. Max first entered the scene in Noble's Quest, the second book in "The Simon Tetralogy" as the trusted deputy director for the States Intelligence Agency where she worked side-by-side with Noble Bishop, the director. And while her character continued to develop, this new series provides Max challenging avenues to strut her stuff fully.
She is intelligent and attractive, but her determined nature and formidable mouth will shape her persona. She also possesses a life-changing backstory that will slowly ooze out, allowing the reader to become increasingly enchanted by her dynamic character. Yet, at all times Max remains believable, not a sci-fi super being, but someone you could sit down and chat with over a glass of wine. And even though a few of the male characters from the prior series will reemerge, Max's antics will hold center stage.
OMN: Your previous series books featured a male lead. Why choose a female for this spin-off? And how hard is to find the right voice for your characters?
SF: As a female author, I immediately started off with the challenge of creating seven distinct male characters that would keep the reader engrossed and gin them up for the next book. It wasn't until the second book that I even contemplated a female counterpart to Noble Bishop. So introducing Max, was easier in a sense; she had my voice. But a new challenge arose. It was to create the interplay between she and the various male characters going forward. It was important not to have Max overshadow others and always play the dominate role. Equally important for Max was to harness her vulnerabilities, all to keep it realistic. If done well, the gender of the author should be immaterial … The Sixteen Pleasures and Memoirs of a Geisha are perfect examples.
OMN: Into which genre would you place your books?
SF: All of my novels are fiction with a blend of political suspense, thriller, mystery and now a woman sleuth. Aside from the broader labeling, it does lend itself to a wider audience. When developing my plots, I'm cognizant of the various techniques to write a page-tuner, one that would appeal to all readers seeking those features.
OMN: How much of your own personal or professional experience have you included in your books?
SF: Francis Bacon said, "Truth is hard to tell, it sometimes needs fiction to make it plausible." This statement became the impetus for my plots, therefore most of the events are factual and weaved into a fictional plot. I have used my knowledge of technology to some degree, as well as my international travels in the storyline. Oftentimes, I have used a location and real characters where I shared experiences. My overall style of writing, however, is to engender the question, "What if?" The reader is left with the challenge to sort out what is real and what is fictional.
OMN: Describe your writing process for us.
SF: In the course of writing a book, the plot for the next book begins to gel. Invariably, I come up with a beginning and end, although they may be modified later, but not to any great degree. Then I let the story develop starting with chapter one. As I create new chapters I name them as I go along, which might actually be the chapter title I eventually use in the publication, or I might assign a temporary title and change it later. This gives me the flexibility to add chapters in between or to reorganize the chapters as I move forward and keep track of the content … cut and paste was a marvelous innovation. But mostly, my novels read like a movie, so in essence I write reel-to-reel as it rolls forward in my mind.
With regard to the characters, I keep track of the total image to include ages, personal appearance, and physical locations, to keep my new characters that emerge fresh and unique. And depending on the complexity of the plot, I may create a timeline to ensure accuracy in timing and sequence.
OMN: Where do you most often find yourself writing?
SF: My writing environment is interesting. I have an office in my home in the United States and another in my home in Florence, Italy. While my locations may somewhat inspire aspects of my plot, they primarily provide a quiet haven for creating. Then there comes the hotel room somewhere in the world, when my husband and I need a change of venue. My plots are of a political nature and tend to make their way out of Washington D.C., but I do use my travels to add an international component. But wherever I write, my routine is the same; a morning workout to clear my head, which prepares me for six to seven hours of steady writing and/or research. At the end of each day, I'm greeted with a glass of wine from my husband, who is also my editor. That's when we discuss the current status of the book, what I am working on, what he was editing, or what is in the offing.
OMN: How do you go about researching the plot points of your stories? Have you come across any particularly challenging topics?
SF: I collect enormous amounts of information on the specific subject matter before I begin writing to become familiar enough with the facts to be able to weave them into the plot. And because I tend to write in a stream of consciousness, I try not to get bogged down with superfluous research, so I leave annotations in the narrative to go back later to embellish. It may be the same day or once the storyline is completed. But at some point in the process, I use the Internet to triple check my facts especially in the instance where a person is quoted. I actually make every attempt to find a YouTube video to hear the person speak the words. I used this method heavily in "The Simon Tetralogy."
The fourth novel, Redemption, was by far the most challenging. In that novel my characters set out to debate the policies that were having a negative effect on the economy, for example: healthcare, immigration, carbon and medical taxes, minimum wage, and government spending. The research was intense.
Now, having completed my fifth novel, Climatized, I can say that it was equally challenging, but has also turned out to be the most exciting topic; climate change. My research was an unexpected education as I delved heavily into the science behind the causes of global warming. I also altered my style slightly incorporating a few real-life experts in my fictional plot unbeknownst to them. One happened to be a bestselling New York Times author and the others where NASA Apollo Space Team scientists and members of The Right Climate Stuff research team. After the manuscript was completed, I decided out of courtesy, to contact these experts and offer them a copy of the manuscript for the purpose of fact-checking to substantiate my research. I'm proud to say that the scientific data I weaved into my plot was spot on and I received their full acclimation and endorsement. This experience has impressed upon me the significance of consulting with experts, although my research has been judged impeccable thus far.
OMN: You mentioned that locations inspire aspects of your plots. How true are you to these locations?
SF: I often use a location and real characters where I've shared experiences, but I also will use a location, hotel, restaurant, or street where I've never ventured. In both cases, I believe it is crucial that these places be described accurately to add to the realism. Thanks to the Internet and satellite maps there is no reason not to make them as real as possible. Because of my reel-to-reel writing style the reader always has a clear vision of the local scene.
OMN: How have your books come to be titled?
SF: I have been incredibly fortunate as the title for each novel popped into my mind almost as quickly as the plot itself, which is also true for the chapter titles. Brotherhood Beyond the Yard is a story about a group of Harvard scholars who formed a brotherhood, the yard being the Harvard Yard, as the quad is known. This brotherhood became crucial in the sequel, Noble's Quest, where Noble Bishop is on the hunt for the notorious terrorist Simon Hall. The Ultimate Revenge is about Simon seeking his revenge on the US by attempting to destroy the nation's power grids. The final book in "The Simon Tetralogy" is Redemption, but who's redemption: the brotherhood, the president, or Noble? Climatized is about climate change and the dispute as to the causes. Thus far, I have yet to ask for suggestions or have market tested the titles. Although, I do check Amazon to see if there are similar titles, but knock on wood … they appear to be catching attention.
OMN: Suppose Climatied was to be adapted for television or film? Any thoughts on who might play the lead roles?
SF: Great question! As I said my novels are written as if they are a movie. In fact, my publisher once said that I could have saved 50,000 words by just writing the screenplay … but that would only stymy my creative fun. So Climatized, the movie, would star Megan Boone as Max. Currently, she plays Elizabeth Keen in Blacklist. One time she dyed her hair blond, resembling Max. Now she is back to being brunette, but her attitude is Max all the way. Noble Bishop, played by Matt Damon, has been with me the longest and will continue to play a major role, intellectually and romantically with Max. Major Stan Stanton, Max's ex-lover who remains a friend, is played by Mark Wahlberg and Jackson ("Jax") Monroe, Max's associate, is played by Denzel Washington. Naturally, it would be an all-star cast.
OMN: What's next for you?
SF: Climatized, as the first novel in the new "Max Ford Thriller" series, says it all … another book. I have several plots tossing around in my mind, but for certain I will soon begin the sequel. However, the buzz around this current book is opening up several other possibilities. Because of receiving support among the experts, I have received several offers for book signings following the presentations of these established authorities in the area of climate change, at universities, foundations, etc. And back to the movies, where the manuscript is currently being pitched. What's next? Possibly a dream come true.
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Sally Fernandez, a novelist of provocative political thrillers, wasn't always twisting facts with fiction. Heavily endowed with skills acquired in banking, she embarked upon her writing career. Fernandez' focus on computer technology, business consulting, and project management, enhanced by business and technical writing, proved to be a boon. Her books of fiction also reflect the knowledge garnered from her business experiences, while living in New York City, San Francisco, and Hong Kong.
A world traveler, Ms. Fernandez and her husband, also the editor-in-residence, split time between their homes in the United States and Florence, Italy.
For more information about the author, please visit her website at SallyFernandez.com and her author page on Goodreads, or find her on Facebook and Twitter.
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Climatized by Sally Fernandez
A Max Ford Thriller
Publisher: Dunham Books
Maxine Ford, having resigned as deputy director of the States Intelligence Agency, soon needed an outlet for her innate sleuthing capabilities. It only made sense that she would be destined to establish her own investigative firm. Naturally, her stellar clients would be among the Washington elite, including senators, members of the various congressional committees, along with other high profilers inside the beltway.
In her first case, Max is hired by the wife of a prominent Senator to determine the cause of his untimely death. It leads her to discover that three world-renowned scientists had been killed days before they were scheduled to testify before the late Senator's investigative committee. Meanwhile, a fourth scientist has gone missing. Max determines he is the key to unearthing the motives behind the deaths.
Following the many twists and turns, Max and her associate, Jackson Monroe uncover a powerful organization responsible for the killings. The challenges to the global warming "cottage industry" heats up putting into question the alleged science behind the widely accepted climate change dogma. Cogent evidence is provided to the president, forcing him to make a crucial decision — to cover up a diabolical plot — or bring down a multi-trillion-dollar world-wide economy.
— Climatized by Sally Fernandez
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