with Larry S. Kaplan
We are delighted to welcome author Larry S. Kaplan to Omnimystery News today.
Larry's most recent novel of suspense is When the Past Came Calling (June 2014 trade paperback and ebook formats) and we recently had an opportunity to talk a little more about the book with him.
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Omnimystery News: Introduce us to the lead character of When the Past Came Calling. And what is it about him that appeals to you as a writer?
Photo provided courtesy of
Larry S. Kaplan
Larry S. Kaplan: The lead protagonist in my stand-alone novel is David Miller, a 39-year-old personal injury lawyer. David appeals to me as a writer because he is an ordinary man, placed in extraordinary circumstances, who must continuously adjust to the unexpected. David is an "everyman". Introducing him to bizarre situations and perplexing events, and witnessing his reactions and conduct while he attempts to solve a seemingly inexplicable mystery, provided me as a writer with great challenges and satisfaction.
OMN: You mention that this book is a stand-alone. Is there any reason why you wouldn't want him to recur in a sequel?
LSK: I chose not to write a recurring character because I felt that if my "everyman" protagonist were to pop up again in another book or story, it would diminish the uniqueness of the situations, people and events that he encountered in my stand alone story.
OMN: We categorized your book as a novel of suspense. Would you agree with that label?
LSK: My book is a suspense/thriller. I think the disadvantage in labeling it as such is that — as with most thriller/suspense novels — there is much more to the story and the characters than thrills and suspense. My story has a romance thread running from its beginning to its end, and it is also a mystery. But I appreciate that a book needs to have some type of category label so that the potential reader can find it when searching for books by category.
OMN: Tell us something about When the Past Came Calling that isn't mentioned in the synopsis.
LSK: The book explores the science of inherited memories and whether the experiences of our ancestors may be coded in our DNA.
OMN: How would you tweet a summary of the book?
LSK: It is 1989 and a key government scientist has gone missing. Personal injury lawyer David Miller must revisit a sea of old memories to help solve the riddle.
OMN: How much of your own personal or professional experience have you included in the book?
LSK: Most of the characters in the book are based, at least partially, on people I know. The book also uses many real events.
OMN: Tell us a little more about your writing process.
LSK: My writing process begins with a plot outline. I rarely know the end of the story when I prepare the plot outline, so I leave myself enough room to take the storyline in several directions, from the beginning through the end. I then create chapter synopses as I begin to fill in more detail. Usually, these synopses will change substantially, especially the ones towards the end of the story, as I actually begin the writing process and let the story develop as I write. My expected cast of characters expands as I write the story. Sometimes, relatively important characters only come into being as a result of letting the story develop as I write and were not characters I had in mind when beginning the writing process.
OMN: Where do you usually find yourself writing?
LSK: Usually I like to write at my laptop computer in my office at work. I am a lawyer, so I must be prepared for distractions from work.
OMN: How do you go about researching the plot points of your stories? Have there been any particularly challenging or exciting topics you've come across?
LSK: I fact-check my books by doing internet research. The most challenging topic I researched was the John F. Kennedy assassination. There are countless conspiracy theories expounded on the internet. I needed to develop a theory that made logical sense in light of undisputed facts and hope that I accomplished that.
The most exciting topic I researched was the topic of inherited memories, and whether it is possible that the experiences of our ancestors are coded in our DNA.
OMN: How true are you to the settings of your books?
LSK: My books are set in a real place. I take few to no liberties with my setting and try to be true to the geography and local environment. The setting is very important to the characters because my books tend to include ethnic characters who are associated in real life with the settings that I choose. The geography is important to the plot because the action scenes seem more realistic when I stay true to the real geography.
OMN: If we could send you anywhere in the world to research the setting for a book, all expenses paid, where would it be?
LSK: I would travel to Germany because I would like to do a time-travel book involving World War II and the Holocaust.
OMN: What are some of your outside interests? And have any of these found their way into your books?
LSK: I enjoy playing the piano and writing songs. The protagonist in When the Past Came Calling is a former high school rock and roll band member, which I was when I was in high school.
OMN: What is the best advice — and harshest criticism — you've received as an author? And what might you say to aspiring writers?
LSK: The best advice I have received as an author is to write about a subject that I am personally familiar with. The harshest criticism that I have received is that at times, the exposition in my stories becomes overdone, at the expense of action. I have learned that less is best when it comes to backstory fillers that will ultimately not play a part in the story outcome. The advice I would give to aspiring authors is to do whatever it takes to complete your book, even if it means leaving unresolved plot or subplot issues or failing to develop all of the characters as originally intended. It is so easy to get discouraged when the inevitable writer's block hits — and it will — that the most important thing to keep in mind is to get to the finish line. You can always go back and tie up all the loose ends.
OMN: Complete this sentence for us: "I am a thriller novelist and thus I am also …".
LSK: I am a thriller novelist and thus I am also detail-oriented. In order to create the necessary elements of suspense, a thriller novelist must be able to create and keep tabs of a multitude of facts, many of which seem unnecessary to the story when first introduced, but which will play an integral role in the ultimate resolution of the plot.
OMN: How did When the Past Came Calling come to be titled? And were you involved with the cover design?
LSK: One of the key moments in the protagonist's journey into his own past is when, as a sixteen year-old, he sees a mysterious girl standing beneath a willow tree. He enters the woods guarded by the willow tree where he will encounter her. The cover design is intended to evoke that critical moment in the story.
OMN: What kinds of feedback have you received from readers?
LSK: I have received very positive feedback from readers regarding the plot twists and turns. I set out intending to create a believable maze of plot puzzle pieces and I enjoy when I hear from readers that they were fooled and mesmerized until the very end of the story.
OMN: Suppose your book were to be adapted for television or film. Who do you see playing the key role?
LSK: I think the lead character would be played well by Matt Damon. He has an everyman quality about him that would work well if he were to play the role of David Miller.
OMN: What kinds of books do you enjoy reading? And do you think they've influenced how and what you write today?
LSK: I enjoy reading the works of 19th century authors such as Tolstoy, Dickens and Wilkie Collins. Although they are not mystery writers (other than Collins), I admire the way in which they develop their characters through dialogue and action. I am very mindful of the importance of character development in the stories that I write because of the influence from these great authors of the past.
OMN: What about books by modern authors?
LSK: I do read series fiction and my favorite characters are detectives who have seen better days and who have serious character flaws and bad habits such as can be found in the books by Nelson DeMille, Martin Cruz Smith and Jo Nesbø.
OMN: Create a Top 5 list for us on any topic.
LSK: Top 5 favorite books:
1. David Copperfield;
2. War and Peace;
3. Great Expectations;
4. The Woman in White; and
5. Lolita.
OMN: What's next for you?
LSK: I am contemplating a time-travel story involving World War II and the Holocaust.
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Larry S. Kaplan specializes in creating thrillers and mysteries in the context of historical events. His novels utilize his over 35 years of experience as a seasoned trial lawyer to create plotlines that feel real and characters who are unforgettable.
For more information about the author, please visit his website at LarrySKaplan.com and his author page on Goodreads.
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When the Past Came Calling
Larry S. Kaplan
A Novel of Suspense
Settling in for a routine day at the office in 1989, high school memories are the furthest thing from David Miller's mind. But when an unexpected phone call interrupts the personal injury lawyer's midafternoon slump, he is surprised to hear from Michael Eisenberg — a former debate partner who went on to become the US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.
But Michael isn't just calling to chat. He's working with the FBI on a high-stakes case: investigating the disappearance of a revolutionary government scientist — one whose bio-evolutionary research could turn Darwinism on its ear, and pose a threat to national security. The main suspect? Cult leader Philip Montgomery, who happens to have a strong connection to David's past.
If David hopes to help crack the case, the attorney has to delve into a sea of old memories, revisiting people and places left behind long ago. One such person is former best friend Benny Friedman, who has clearly gone off the deep end. Obsessed with the JFK assassination, he insists he has evidence that Oswald wasn't acting alone. But as David's old memories continue to surface, a startling deception comes to light — uncovering the truth in a most unexpected way.
