| James Rollins July 2010 Author of the Month |
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Once again, Suspense Magazine has gotten the distinct honor to sit down with the super-
author of “The Last Oracle”—among many others—James Rollins and find out how
things are going with him.
James always has something in the works and this year is no different. This is a man on
a mission: to continually bring top-notch stories to the masses that continue to enthrall
and entertain us beyond our imaginations.
Sit back, relax and enjoy the interview:
Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): Since we last talked “The Last Oracle” came out. What
has happened recently?
James Rollins (JR): Has it been that long? Then we have some catching up to do. Last
year, three books debuted: the first of a middle-school series of archaeological thrillers “Jake
Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow”, the hardback release of “The Doomsday Key” along
with the winter release of a stand-alone thriller, “Altar of Eden”. So it was a busy year. This
year is a game of catch-up, along with a couple of film projects in the pipeline.
S. MAG.: How much longer do we have to wait ‘til we see one of your books on the big
screen?
JR: As mentioned above, there are a couple film projects in the works—one finished, one
still to be completed—but unfortunately, I’m not at liberty to talk about them yet. I can say:
one is tied to the Sigma series.
S. MAG.: What is the last book you read for fun?
JR: Lee Child’s “61 Hours”. Next up: “The Passage” by Justin Cronin.
S. MAG.: What is the most asked question you receive from your fans?
JR: That would be the dreaded “where do you get your ideas from?” I think most authors fear
this question because we simply don’t know and probably we’re a little nervous to analyze that
too closely. Fearful that if we look too intently at the process, it will evaporate.
S. MAG.: What is the weirdest or most unusual thing that has happened at a book
signing?
JR: I love weird and unusual. More please. But probably the most head-scratching moment
was when my publicist asked me to demonstrate how to neuter a dog using a stuffed animal.
They filmed it, but never aired it. I personally think they only filmed it to use it as blackmail.
S. MAG.: What is the one technology based item that you can’t live without now?
JR: My laptop. Working day-after-day in my office with my desktop gets claustrophobic
after a while. The laptop frees me to write on the run. I’ve written parts of novel during
hiking trips, on dive boats and on five of the seven continents. It’s how I recharge my
batteries and get truckloads of inspiration.
S. MAG.: Which one of your books would you like to go back and rewrite?
JR: That’s tough. I’ve certainly re-read some of my old novels and groaned at a line here and
there. But would I want to rewrite a novel? No, none of them. After spending a year writing a
novel, the stories become concrete. It would take a jack hammer (mentally) to take one of
them apart. Plus I have so many new ideas and projects bobbling around in my head that I
don’t want to look back over my shoulder. When it comes to writing, I’d rather look forward
than backward.
S. MAG.: Do you have an old novel written that has not been published? If so, will it?
JR: No. I was one of those very lucky authors who sold their first novel. So nothing in the
closet, except lots of short stories and shoe boxes full of rejections.
S. MAG.: What does the future hold for James Rollins?
JR: Writing and more writing, of course. Beyond that, I’ve got some exciting new projects in
the works. But first I’ve got to house-train the new dog.
Suspense Magazine would like to thank James Rollins for freely giving of his time once
again. We can’t wait to see what’s on the shelves next! To learn more about James and
his books, please visit his website at http://www.jamesrollins.com/.
author of “The Last Oracle”—among many others—James Rollins and find out how
things are going with him.
James always has something in the works and this year is no different. This is a man on
a mission: to continually bring top-notch stories to the masses that continue to enthrall
and entertain us beyond our imaginations.
Sit back, relax and enjoy the interview:
Suspense Magazine (S. MAG.): Since we last talked “The Last Oracle” came out. What
has happened recently?
James Rollins (JR): Has it been that long? Then we have some catching up to do. Last
year, three books debuted: the first of a middle-school series of archaeological thrillers “Jake
Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow”, the hardback release of “The Doomsday Key” along
with the winter release of a stand-alone thriller, “Altar of Eden”. So it was a busy year. This
year is a game of catch-up, along with a couple of film projects in the pipeline.
S. MAG.: How much longer do we have to wait ‘til we see one of your books on the big
screen?
JR: As mentioned above, there are a couple film projects in the works—one finished, one
still to be completed—but unfortunately, I’m not at liberty to talk about them yet. I can say:
one is tied to the Sigma series.
S. MAG.: What is the last book you read for fun?
JR: Lee Child’s “61 Hours”. Next up: “The Passage” by Justin Cronin.
S. MAG.: What is the most asked question you receive from your fans?
JR: That would be the dreaded “where do you get your ideas from?” I think most authors fear
this question because we simply don’t know and probably we’re a little nervous to analyze that
too closely. Fearful that if we look too intently at the process, it will evaporate.
S. MAG.: What is the weirdest or most unusual thing that has happened at a book
signing?
JR: I love weird and unusual. More please. But probably the most head-scratching moment
was when my publicist asked me to demonstrate how to neuter a dog using a stuffed animal.
They filmed it, but never aired it. I personally think they only filmed it to use it as blackmail.
S. MAG.: What is the one technology based item that you can’t live without now?
JR: My laptop. Working day-after-day in my office with my desktop gets claustrophobic
after a while. The laptop frees me to write on the run. I’ve written parts of novel during
hiking trips, on dive boats and on five of the seven continents. It’s how I recharge my
batteries and get truckloads of inspiration.
S. MAG.: Which one of your books would you like to go back and rewrite?
JR: That’s tough. I’ve certainly re-read some of my old novels and groaned at a line here and
there. But would I want to rewrite a novel? No, none of them. After spending a year writing a
novel, the stories become concrete. It would take a jack hammer (mentally) to take one of
them apart. Plus I have so many new ideas and projects bobbling around in my head that I
don’t want to look back over my shoulder. When it comes to writing, I’d rather look forward
than backward.
S. MAG.: Do you have an old novel written that has not been published? If so, will it?
JR: No. I was one of those very lucky authors who sold their first novel. So nothing in the
closet, except lots of short stories and shoe boxes full of rejections.
S. MAG.: What does the future hold for James Rollins?
JR: Writing and more writing, of course. Beyond that, I’ve got some exciting new projects in
the works. But first I’ve got to house-train the new dog.
Suspense Magazine would like to thank James Rollins for freely giving of his time once
again. We can’t wait to see what’s on the shelves next! To learn more about James and
his books, please visit his website at http://www.jamesrollins.com/.
| Suspense Magazine's Review on “Altar of Eden” Writing plots and intricate characters that virtually reach out to snare like tentacles, Rollins continues to stagger us with his mind- blowing style in the introduction of his stand- alone thriller, “Altar of Eden”. Beautifully crafted and set in the backcountry of Louisiana, it only takes a small squint of the eyes to see the landscape unfurl as Rollins' words progress. When veterinarian Lorna Polk is summoned to the scene of an abandoned shipwreck, she couldn’t have prepared for the shock when she encounters an individual from her painful past and a vessel crammed with exotic animals. Each, a slightly unnatural version of a recognizable beast has an obvious and extraordinary intelligence. These animals— now orphans of the storm— are an incredible find even after the collective realization that a modern day monster, a female jaguar with the teeth of a saber tooth and a hungry cub, is on the loose. As the mission morphs into a hunt for the beast, the company that stands to lose all is taking no prisoners and leaving no evidence. They will not allow anyone to discover the truth behind their life’s work even while it threatens the very fabric of our world. Teeming with creativity, Rollins' mix of the wide- ranging worlds of suspense and science equal a perfect cocktail to satisfy anyone’s literary palette. |