with David Khara
We are delighted to welcome thriller writer David Khara to Omnimystery News today.
David's first book in the "Consortium Thriller" series, recently translated from his native French into English, is The Bleiberg Project (Le French Book, April 2013 ebook formats).
We recently had a chance to talk to David about his book.
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Omnimystery News: Tell us why you chose to write The Bleiberg Project as the first of a series.
Photo provided courtesy of
David Khara
David Khara: My choice to write a crime fiction/thriller series comes from the very core of my motivation to become a writer: to write the books I would love to read. Introducing characters, and then digging into their past, motivations and flaws is what real life is about when it comes to knowing who the people around you really are. In the Consortium thriller series, all the characters are developed throughout the books, sometimes becoming someone you never expected them to be. I also find it very pleasant to leave characters and then meet them again, sometimes even waiting eagerly for their return, or fearing they might die in the next book. To me, this aspect keeps readers and authors close, and I cannot count how many times people ask me questions about what's going to happen to Eytan, Jacky or Jeremy. At some point, they became real, and you can't imagine how much I love that.
OMN: The cover calls the book "A Consortium Thriller". Would you agree that "thriller" is the right description for it?
DK: The Bleiberg Project is often seen as thriller, but to me, the more accurate definition would be historical adventure. My other series, "Dawn's Early Lights" (only available in French for now) is more a crossover between crime and paranormal fiction. I don't like genres anyway. I think they narrow the field too much. Think about it, there's a ghost in Hamlet, and a living statue takes Don Giovanni to hell's flames. How then should we categorize these masterpieces? The way I see it, the genre is nothing but a color the author brings to his story. Still, what is common to all my novels is suspense. The aim is to get the reader to dive into a story and its characters, and to get him to turn the pages without even noticing it. I do not care much for marketing issues. A good story is good, be it in fantasy, science fiction or thriller.
OMN: Did you incorporate any element of your own experience or personality into the book or its characters?
DK: That's a tough one. I do not write books to talk about myself so I can't say how much of me is my characters. All I can say is that my own experiences, hopes, ideals or flaws are spread throughout the characters. I find it interesting to use your experiences, what you've learned, and what you've been through. But it is even more interesting to use other peoples' experiences. I spend a lot of time listening to the people I meet, my friends, or my family. I'm like a stealth vampire, sucking the feelings out of those who approach too close. Lots of my friends have recognized themselves in my books. Believe me, no one is safe.
OMN: Tell us about your writing process.
DK: I work from scratch. I mean it literally. Apart from the historical, politics and science, for which I have detailed files, I write without any notes. A plot exists in my mind, from the first to the final page. For instance, when I wrote The Bleiberg Project — the first in the series — I knew what the final sentence of the third book in the series would be. I become quite obsessional and I cannot have any social interactions while writing. It has to come out. It is a bit like emptying a hard drive with no space left on it. Working this way also gives room to the characters so they can take directions I hadn't planned at first. Writing is a lot of work, but it is also a pleasure, a field from freedom, and a journey for my characters.
OMN: What is the best advice you've received as an author?
DK: A friend of mine once told me, "Show, don't tell." I guess it was the best piece of advice I was ever given. So far, and I regret it, most criticism has just been hateful, and there was not much to get out of it apart from "you suck," which is a bit short indeed …
I've learned that sometimes people can have extremely violent reactions for reasons I still can't understand. I never put a gun to someone's head saying, "Buy my books or I'll shoot you." Also, I never claimed I had any talent. I never expected success, nor do I understand it. From these past years, I've learnt some people really like to follow my stories. As long as one person enjoys the trip I'm offering, I'm happy.
OMN: Give us a sample of some of the questions you have received from readers.
DK: Lately, the most recurring question was "Is Eytan going to die in the third book of the trilogy?" If only I was given a dollar each time the question came on the table! It is a real pleasure for me knowing that people show actual concern for this character to whom I'm also attached. That is a nice reward. Also, a lot of people want to know who is the actor I'd like to see portraying Eytan, and that is fun too.
OMN: Speaking of actors, we understand that The Bleiberg Project has been optioned for film. Congratulations! Where are you at in the process?
DK: We are currently in the preproduction stage, and casting is a very exciting part of the process. I do not know if he'll end up getting the part, or accept it when or if offered, but I've discovered an actor perfect to play the main character Eytan a few months after the release of The Bleiberg Project was released in France. I remember watching a TV show called True Blood, and I had the feeling I knew the actors but couldn't tell where from. Suddenly, I pictured him with his head shaved and it became clear. Alexander Skarsgard is the actor I would love to see embody Eytan. I mean, the guy has it all. The height, this threatening look in his eyes combined with friendly, sometimes funny or childish expressions. The only thing missing is a few pounds of muscle, which are easily gained.
For Jeremy's character, I picture Jensen Ackles from Supernatural, which I also discovered after the book's release. This guy would just be perfect.
OMN: What kinds of books did you read when you were young?
DK: As a child, I would read almost anything I could put my hands on. I always had a dictionary nearby to understand words. Learning was my main interest. I read newspapers, scientific books — especially about astronomy — and plays. It reached a point where my mother had to forbid me from reading during lunch. None of my reading back then influenced me directly and I never pictured myself as a writer at any point. It is only now that I realize how much it fed my mind and turned me into what I am.
OMN: What are your interests outside of writing crime fiction?
DK: I have had a pretty busy life, in various fields which all prove useful during my work. I'm interested in economy, history, and from my intensive practice of sports, I've a deep knowledge of various injuries and fractures. This is extremely useful when it comes to writing fight scenes!
I spend some time on my comic book collection, especially Silver Age Marvel, and I must admit I'm a bit of a video-game addict, be it online or offline. I also watch a lot of movies, for both pleasure and work, since my real interest is screenplay writing.
OMN: What authors do you most look forward to reading today?
DK: Actually, there is only one, since I do not have much time to read, and it is Dennis Lehane. I started to read his books far before I started writing, and I literally worship his work on human feelings.
I'm also a big fan of R. A. Salvatore ever since I read the Dark Elf trilogy. This is a perfect example of genre used as a background, with a great deal of humanity. I do not read much crime fiction or thrillers, though I love watching thriller movies. Most of my reading is classics, such as Shakespeare, Dumas, or Poe.
OMN: What's next for you?
DK: Well, I'll start writing the second book of the "Dawn's Early Lights" series, which should keep me busy until September. By then, I hope The Bleiberg Project's movie will reach the next phase. I will also spend more time with my family. Just be David, and leave Khara behind for a while.
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David Khara studied law, worked as a reporter for Agence France Press, was a top-level athlete, and ran his own business for a number of years. Now, he is a full-time writer. Khara wrote his first novel — a vampire thriller — in 2010, before starting his Consortium thriller series. To learn more about the author and his work, visit his author page on the Le French Book website.
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The Bleiberg Project
David Khara
A Consortium Thriller (1st in series)
First published in France in 2010 as Le Projet Bleiberg; translated into English by Simon John
Are Hitler's atrocities really over? For depressive Wall Street trader Jeremy Corbin, absolute truths become undeniable lies overnight. He finds out his long-lost father is dead, he discovers his boss's real identity, and he ends up boarding a plane to Zurich. He has a Nazi medallion in his pocket, a hot CIA bodyguard next to him, and a clearly dangerous Mossad agent on his tail.
What was his father investigating? Why was his mother assassinated? Why are unknown sides fighting over him with automatic weapons? Can the conspiracy be stopped?
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