Mark Rubinstein's Blog, page 35
September 20, 2013
A MATTER OF SANITY
Reading newspaper accounts about Aaron Alexis, the Washington mass murderer, it’s abundantly clear he was a highly disturbed man. His hearing voices and complaints about electrical vibrations directed at him from outside his body indicated a specific psychiatric disorder, namely, Paranoid Schizophrenia. He was reportedly seen by mental health professionals at various times and was described as having a volatile temper.
There are chilling reports about Mr. Alexis which bring to mind James Holm...
OMNIMYSTERY NEWS INTERVIEW
Friday, September 20, 2013A Conversation with Suspense Novelist Mark Rubinstein
Omnimystery News: Author Interview with Mark Rubinstein
with Mark Rubinstein
We are delighted to welcome back suspense novelist Mark Rubinstein to Omnimystery News. Mark first visited with us last year after his debut novel, Mad Dog House, was published.
His second book, Love Gone Mad (Thunder Lake Press; September 2013 trade paperback and ebook formats) has just been published and we had a chance to talk with him abo...
OMNIMYSTERY NEWS INTERVIEW
Friday, September 20, 2013 A Conversation with Suspense Novelist Mark Rubinstein
We are delighted to welcome back suspense novelist Mark Rubinstein to Omnimystery News. Mark first visited with us last year after his debut novel, Mad Dog House, was published.
His second book, Love Gone Mad (Thunder Lake Press; September 2013 trade paperback and ebook formats) has just been published and we had a chance to talk with him about his work.
— ♦ —
Omnimystery News: The word "mad" appears in both your books, suggesting they might be part of a series, but both are actually stand-alone novels.
Mark Rubinstein: That's right, both are stand-alone crime/thriller novels, although I'm currently working on Mad Dog Justice which is a sequel to my first novel, Mad Dog House. My second novel, Love Gone Mad is a stand-alone. When I wrote Mad Dog House I intended it to be a stand-alone, but so many people, when reviewing the novel, asked for a sequel, pointing out there was "unfinished business" at the end of the novel. I prefer stand-alone novels since with each one, not only must the situation and conflict be completely new, but I must create new characters. While it can be a challenge to come up with completely new characters, it forces me to keep things fresh and exciting. One of the pitfalls I've encountered in reading series with a recurring character or set of characters, is that in some instances, the characters grow stale. I don't want that to happen to either the people who populate my stories or the stories themselves. Creating new plotlines/situations and "finding" completely new people to live the stories forces me to stretch my imagination and keep things as fresh and exciting as possible.
OMN: You called the books "crime/thriller novels". Can you expand on that for us?
MR: If I had to categorize my novels, I would say they're psychological/suspense, thrillers where ordinary people are faced with life-and-death situations over which they have little or no control. I hope there's some element of cross-over to them because I write in what some people would call a "literary" style. But for the most part, the novels are page-turners with depth. There's the story and the inevitable question, "What happens next?" along with deeper themes underlying the story, all of which I try to convey with some elements of lyricism.
OMN: Tell us something about Love Gone Mad that isn't mentioned in the synopsis.
MR: Love Gone Mad, aside from what's mentioned in the publisher's synopsis, deals with the issue of the fine love between obsessive and all-consuming love and madness. It depicts, among other things, the evolution of deep and abiding love into jealously, hatred and the potential for insanity. It also deals with issues in today's legal system in defining what constitutes a viable psychological defense in the face of murder charges, and how courts and the mental health professions must struggle with these problems. It's a story with forceful narrative drive that also deals with topical issues of the day (think of Jodi Arias, among other prominent headline stories).
OMN: How much of your own personal or professional experiences are included in the books?
MR: Fortunately, none of my own personal experiences are depicted in my novels (I might not be here if that was the situation). However, bits and pieces of my life and the lives of others, as well as fragments of my own experiences are expanded upon in the novels. Actually, anything I write is an amalgam of small bits of myself; pieces of people I've known; fragments of experiences I or others have had; as well as a healthy dollop of fantasy and imagination. I've discovered when writing fiction, that real-life events can rarely be topped when it comes to shock value. Life can truly be stranger than fiction.
OMN: What is the best advice — and harshest criticism — you've received as an author?
MR: The best advice I've ever received as an author is to write, write and keep writing, no matter what. That, along with the advice to read other writers, as been most valuable to me. As for harsh criticism, I've never received harsh criticism. That which I have received as generally been heartfelt and helpful to me as a writer. One thing about harsh reviews: I've learned that some people review novels with some sort of strange agenda in mind, either willfully or otherwise. I received a one-star review from a reader on Amazon who said, "I knew on page 1 that this was not my kind of book so I put it aside." Yet, without having read Mad Dog House this person proceeded to give it a one-star review. You have to learn to take these kinds of things in stride if you're going to be a writer and put your work out there for the public.
OMN: Complete this sentence for us: "I am a thriller writer because …".
MR: I am a thriller writer because … I'm a person who feels things strongly, am, to say the least, pretty emotional, and I adhere to the principle that above all, we all want to be told a story and learn what happens next. It's a residue from each of our childhoods.
OMN: Tell us something about your writing process.
MR: My writing process can vary greatly. I may start with an outline, but a novel is an organic thing … it can grow, morph and take me down a very different path than the one I started on when I began a story. I may deviate from the outline (which is fairly sparse to begin with) so that by page 100 I must change the first 50-60 pages. Or I may have to change the ending I thought I had in mind. I sometimes know exactly where I want to go with the story, but have no idea how I'll get there. Or, conversely, I may be taking one step at a time on the story's journey, but have no idea where it will all end up. It can be a bit anxiety-provoking, but when you come right down to it, it's a journey … therefore, it's an adventure.
OMN: How do you go about researching the plot points of your books?
MR: Most research I end up doing is done online. I do try to write about what I know and hence, don't have to do a great deal of research. Then again, what do I know? Psychiatry; psychology; the army medicine; college and medical school; and a fair amount about being in business. But that's not enough. I also know (as do we all) about love; happiness; fear; anxiety; greed; envy; sex; disappointment; and a host of other issues we all deal with during the course of living life. As for exciting topics I've researched: the Russian mob, known as the Bratva; the mafia; restaurants and how they operate; guns, ammo, and other somewhat unsavory topics.
OMN: How true are you to the settings in the books?
MR: My novels are usually set in real places and I try to be faithful to those places in describing them. I do take occasional liberties with them and add whatever touches I need to create more tension and drama.
OMN: Did you come up with the idea for the rather ominous book cover of Love Gone Mad?
MR: A book cover can make or break a book when it comes to sales. I try to have an artist come up with a cover that in some way synopsizes some basic element of the story and conveys a sense of danger, the unknown, or some element of fear/suspense. As for a title, it can come out of the blue. On my web site, I describe in detail how the title Mad Dog House came into being.
OMN: What kinds of books did you read when you were young?
MR: I think every genre of book I read as a child, as a pre-teen and as a young adult (and beyond) has contributed to and influenced my writing. I think my writing is a synthesis — or if you will, a final common pathway — of things I've read, heard, seen, learned, thought and felt throughout my life. Some of my favorite authors over the years have been Edgar Rice Burroughs; Poe; Hemingway; Philip Roth; James Hynes; Jack London; and a bunch of others to numerous to name.
OMN: And what do you read today?
MR: For pleasure, I read suspense, thrillers, mysteries and various literary novels. I've particularly enjoyed novels by Ian McEwan, Benjamin Black, Philip Roth, Don Winslow, Barry Eisler, George Pellacanos, and many other.
OMN: What kinds of films do you enjoy watching?
MR: I'm a great lover of film … of almost any genre movie. Some of my favorites over the years have been The Godfather; Fatal Attraction; When Harry Met Sally; the early James Bond films; Deliverance; Blade Runner, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, and many, many more.
OMN: Suppose your books are optioned for film and the producers ask your opinion on casting. What would tell them?
MR: In Mad Dog House I see Roddy Dolan being played by Clive Owen. I see Kenny Egan played by Adrien Brody and Danny Burns by John C. Reilly.
In Love Gone Mad I could see George Clooney playing Dr. Adrian Douglas (or any other good-looking, strong-featured actor like John Hamm or others; not someone who has a "pretty" look). Megan Haggarty could be played by a red-haired Kate Blanchette.
OMN: What kind of feedback have you received from your readers?
MR: I enjoy any kind of positive feedback from readers, whether it's about the style of writing, the plot structure, the dialogue … whatever. When I get negative feedback, I appreciate that which is constructive and not mean-spirited. I've learned from both kinds of feedback and consequently, am a better writer because of them.
OMN: You mentioned you're writing a sequel to Mad Dog House. What else are you working on?
MR: In addition to Mad Dog Justice I'm working on Assassin's Lullaby. As for non-writing, what's next is just being with my wife, playing with the dogs, walking through the hills near our home (with the dogs, of course), being with family and friends, and always trying to feel there are good and worthwhile tomorrows ahead of us.
We are delighted to welcome back suspense novelist Mark Rubinstein to Omnimystery News. Mark first visited with us last year after his debut novel, Mad Dog House, was published.
His second book, Love Gone Mad (Thunder Lake Press; September 2013 trade paperback and ebook formats) has just been published and we had a chance to talk with him about his work.
— ♦ —
Omnimystery News: The word "mad" appears in both your books, suggesting they might be part of a series, but both are actually stand-alone novels.
Mark Rubinstein: That's right, both are stand-alone crime/thriller novels, although I'm currently working on Mad Dog Justice which is a sequel to my first novel, Mad Dog House. My second novel, Love Gone Mad is a stand-alone. When I wrote Mad Dog House I intended it to be a stand-alone, but so many people, when reviewing the novel, asked for a sequel, pointing out there was "unfinished business" at the end of the novel. I prefer stand-alone novels since with each one, not only must the situation and conflict be completely new, but I must create new characters. While it can be a challenge to come up with completely new characters, it forces me to keep things fresh and exciting. One of the pitfalls I've encountered in reading series with a recurring character or set of characters, is that in some instances, the characters grow stale. I don't want that to happen to either the people who populate my stories or the stories themselves. Creating new plotlines/situations and "finding" completely new people to live the stories forces me to stretch my imagination and keep things as fresh and exciting as possible.
OMN: You called the books "crime/thriller novels". Can you expand on that for us?
MR: If I had to categorize my novels, I would say they're psychological/suspense, thrillers where ordinary people are faced with life-and-death situations over which they have little or no control. I hope there's some element of cross-over to them because I write in what some people would call a "literary" style. But for the most part, the novels are page-turners with depth. There's the story and the inevitable question, "What happens next?" along with deeper themes underlying the story, all of which I try to convey with some elements of lyricism.
OMN: Tell us something about Love Gone Mad that isn't mentioned in the synopsis.
MR: Love Gone Mad, aside from what's mentioned in the publisher's synopsis, deals with the issue of the fine love between obsessive and all-consuming love and madness. It depicts, among other things, the evolution of deep and abiding love into jealously, hatred and the potential for insanity. It also deals with issues in today's legal system in defining what constitutes a viable psychological defense in the face of murder charges, and how courts and the mental health professions must struggle with these problems. It's a story with forceful narrative drive that also deals with topical issues of the day (think of Jodi Arias, among other prominent headline stories).
OMN: How much of your own personal or professional experiences are included in the books?
MR: Fortunately, none of my own personal experiences are depicted in my novels (I might not be here if that was the situation). However, bits and pieces of my life and the lives of others, as well as fragments of my own experiences are expanded upon in the novels. Actually, anything I write is an amalgam of small bits of myself; pieces of people I've known; fragments of experiences I or others have had; as well as a healthy dollop of fantasy and imagination. I've discovered when writing fiction, that real-life events can rarely be topped when it comes to shock value. Life can truly be stranger than fiction.
OMN: What is the best advice — and harshest criticism — you've received as an author?
MR: The best advice I've ever received as an author is to write, write and keep writing, no matter what. That, along with the advice to read other writers, as been most valuable to me. As for harsh criticism, I've never received harsh criticism. That which I have received as generally been heartfelt and helpful to me as a writer. One thing about harsh reviews: I've learned that some people review novels with some sort of strange agenda in mind, either willfully or otherwise. I received a one-star review from a reader on Amazon who said, "I knew on page 1 that this was not my kind of book so I put it aside." Yet, without having read Mad Dog House this person proceeded to give it a one-star review. You have to learn to take these kinds of things in stride if you're going to be a writer and put your work out there for the public.
OMN: Complete this sentence for us: "I am a thriller writer because …".
MR: I am a thriller writer because … I'm a person who feels things strongly, am, to say the least, pretty emotional, and I adhere to the principle that above all, we all want to be told a story and learn what happens next. It's a residue from each of our childhoods.
OMN: Tell us something about your writing process.
MR: My writing process can vary greatly. I may start with an outline, but a novel is an organic thing … it can grow, morph and take me down a very different path than the one I started on when I began a story. I may deviate from the outline (which is fairly sparse to begin with) so that by page 100 I must change the first 50-60 pages. Or I may have to change the ending I thought I had in mind. I sometimes know exactly where I want to go with the story, but have no idea how I'll get there. Or, conversely, I may be taking one step at a time on the story's journey, but have no idea where it will all end up. It can be a bit anxiety-provoking, but when you come right down to it, it's a journey … therefore, it's an adventure.
OMN: How do you go about researching the plot points of your books?
MR: Most research I end up doing is done online. I do try to write about what I know and hence, don't have to do a great deal of research. Then again, what do I know? Psychiatry; psychology; the army medicine; college and medical school; and a fair amount about being in business. But that's not enough. I also know (as do we all) about love; happiness; fear; anxiety; greed; envy; sex; disappointment; and a host of other issues we all deal with during the course of living life. As for exciting topics I've researched: the Russian mob, known as the Bratva; the mafia; restaurants and how they operate; guns, ammo, and other somewhat unsavory topics.
OMN: How true are you to the settings in the books?
MR: My novels are usually set in real places and I try to be faithful to those places in describing them. I do take occasional liberties with them and add whatever touches I need to create more tension and drama.
OMN: Did you come up with the idea for the rather ominous book cover of Love Gone Mad?
MR: A book cover can make or break a book when it comes to sales. I try to have an artist come up with a cover that in some way synopsizes some basic element of the story and conveys a sense of danger, the unknown, or some element of fear/suspense. As for a title, it can come out of the blue. On my web site, I describe in detail how the title Mad Dog House came into being.
OMN: What kinds of books did you read when you were young?
MR: I think every genre of book I read as a child, as a pre-teen and as a young adult (and beyond) has contributed to and influenced my writing. I think my writing is a synthesis — or if you will, a final common pathway — of things I've read, heard, seen, learned, thought and felt throughout my life. Some of my favorite authors over the years have been Edgar Rice Burroughs; Poe; Hemingway; Philip Roth; James Hynes; Jack London; and a bunch of others to numerous to name.
OMN: And what do you read today?
MR: For pleasure, I read suspense, thrillers, mysteries and various literary novels. I've particularly enjoyed novels by Ian McEwan, Benjamin Black, Philip Roth, Don Winslow, Barry Eisler, George Pellacanos, and many other.
OMN: What kinds of films do you enjoy watching?
MR: I'm a great lover of film … of almost any genre movie. Some of my favorites over the years have been The Godfather; Fatal Attraction; When Harry Met Sally; the early James Bond films; Deliverance; Blade Runner, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, and many, many more.
OMN: Suppose your books are optioned for film and the producers ask your opinion on casting. What would tell them?
MR: In Mad Dog House I see Roddy Dolan being played by Clive Owen. I see Kenny Egan played by Adrien Brody and Danny Burns by John C. Reilly.
In Love Gone Mad I could see George Clooney playing Dr. Adrian Douglas (or any other good-looking, strong-featured actor like John Hamm or others; not someone who has a "pretty" look). Megan Haggarty could be played by a red-haired Kate Blanchette.
OMN: What kind of feedback have you received from your readers?
MR: I enjoy any kind of positive feedback from readers, whether it's about the style of writing, the plot structure, the dialogue … whatever. When I get negative feedback, I appreciate that which is constructive and not mean-spirited. I've learned from both kinds of feedback and consequently, am a better writer because of them.
OMN: You mentioned you're writing a sequel to Mad Dog House. What else are you working on?
MR: In addition to Mad Dog Justice I'm working on Assassin's Lullaby. As for non-writing, what's next is just being with my wife, playing with the dogs, walking through the hills near our home (with the dogs, of course), being with family and friends, and always trying to feel there are good and worthwhile tomorrows ahead of us.
September 13, 2013
Why Crime-Thriller Fiction
I’m occasionally asked why I write crime-thriller novels.
They always say write what you know, but I prefer to write what I love. And they always say, write the kind of book you would love to read. So, I write crime fiction.
But as a psychiatrist and novelist, I think there’s more than that when it comes to crime thriller fiction .
While the range of human emotions and experiences can be tapped in virtually any genre, there’s something about crime novels that makes them compelling.
Partly, I think crime novels are so popular and gripping because the events they describe could actually occur. With some variation, the experiences they describe could happen to any of us. The chance you’ll encounter a ghost, be transported to another planet, or have some paranormal experience is really quite remote. Sci-fi and dystopian novels truck in pure fantasy, which is fine, but basically, these events don’t seem to be within the realm of possibility (at least for now).
However, you could very well be the victim if some thug’s violent intentions, or end of being the target of extortion or threats. Any of us could unwittingly run afoul of the law, or become embroiled in some criminal enterprise while unaware aware of the snake pit into which we’ve fallen. These events can actually happen. One look at a newspaper or watching the evening news on TV makes that very clear.
In other words, crime novels tap into the prospect of the possible which makes them ever more compelling and frightening. These things could actually occur.
But more than fear or the possibility of evil drives the popularity of these novels.
Greed, lust, avarice, revenge, cowardice, nobility—all run rampant in crime and thriller novels. Yet, it’s vicarious, so the tension, anxiety, and outright fear occur to someone else—not to us. We can live it through a character’s experiences, not own. That makes it tolerable—even enjoyable. We can pull back from the tension or horror anytime we want.
Of course, there’s the page-turning, heart-racing element of suspense. Will this brilliant and bold bad guy (who we admire, despite his crimes) really get away, or be brought to justice? (think of The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth). Will this flawed detective or FBI agent prevail, despite his or her shortcomings? Will a thriller novel’s protagonist survive the horrendous experiences described in the book?
Many characters in thriller fiction are larger-than-life. (Think of Jack Reacher in any Lee Child novel). If they’re well-developed, they draw the reader inexorably into their spheres. The reader is “there” amidst the danger, pulse-pounding exploits, or the nerve-racking chase to a rocket-driven conclusion.
Think of the power of Vito Corleone in The Godfather, the tenaciousness of Harry Bosch in Michael Connelly’s novels, or the daring exploits Ben and Chon in Don Winslow’s novel Savages. Consider the stealth and patience of Barry Eisler’s John Rain, a master assassin; or the characters in Get Shorty, or virtually any novel written by the Dickens of Detroit, Elmore Leonard. Consider the characters of Mystic River, by Dennis Lehane (which was also a great Clint Eastwood-directed movie). How about the cunning brilliance of Thomas Harris’ Hannibal Lecter? (He’s even in Wikipedia).
You can’t help but love some, hate others, and even fear some of them. The best of them have become American icons.
Maybe it all boils down to basics—the good versus evil dichotomy of human existence.
I just love crime thriller novels. I love reading them and writing them.
Mark Rubinstein,
Author, Mad Dog House and Love Gone Mad
They always say write what you know, but I prefer to write what I love. And they always say, write the kind of book you would love to read. So, I write crime fiction.
But as a psychiatrist and novelist, I think there’s more than that when it comes to crime thriller fiction .
While the range of human emotions and experiences can be tapped in virtually any genre, there’s something about crime novels that makes them compelling.
Partly, I think crime novels are so popular and gripping because the events they describe could actually occur. With some variation, the experiences they describe could happen to any of us. The chance you’ll encounter a ghost, be transported to another planet, or have some paranormal experience is really quite remote. Sci-fi and dystopian novels truck in pure fantasy, which is fine, but basically, these events don’t seem to be within the realm of possibility (at least for now).
However, you could very well be the victim if some thug’s violent intentions, or end of being the target of extortion or threats. Any of us could unwittingly run afoul of the law, or become embroiled in some criminal enterprise while unaware aware of the snake pit into which we’ve fallen. These events can actually happen. One look at a newspaper or watching the evening news on TV makes that very clear.
In other words, crime novels tap into the prospect of the possible which makes them ever more compelling and frightening. These things could actually occur.
But more than fear or the possibility of evil drives the popularity of these novels.
Greed, lust, avarice, revenge, cowardice, nobility—all run rampant in crime and thriller novels. Yet, it’s vicarious, so the tension, anxiety, and outright fear occur to someone else—not to us. We can live it through a character’s experiences, not own. That makes it tolerable—even enjoyable. We can pull back from the tension or horror anytime we want.
Of course, there’s the page-turning, heart-racing element of suspense. Will this brilliant and bold bad guy (who we admire, despite his crimes) really get away, or be brought to justice? (think of The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth). Will this flawed detective or FBI agent prevail, despite his or her shortcomings? Will a thriller novel’s protagonist survive the horrendous experiences described in the book?
Many characters in thriller fiction are larger-than-life. (Think of Jack Reacher in any Lee Child novel). If they’re well-developed, they draw the reader inexorably into their spheres. The reader is “there” amidst the danger, pulse-pounding exploits, or the nerve-racking chase to a rocket-driven conclusion.
Think of the power of Vito Corleone in The Godfather, the tenaciousness of Harry Bosch in Michael Connelly’s novels, or the daring exploits Ben and Chon in Don Winslow’s novel Savages. Consider the stealth and patience of Barry Eisler’s John Rain, a master assassin; or the characters in Get Shorty, or virtually any novel written by the Dickens of Detroit, Elmore Leonard. Consider the characters of Mystic River, by Dennis Lehane (which was also a great Clint Eastwood-directed movie). How about the cunning brilliance of Thomas Harris’ Hannibal Lecter? (He’s even in Wikipedia).
You can’t help but love some, hate others, and even fear some of them. The best of them have become American icons.
Maybe it all boils down to basics—the good versus evil dichotomy of human existence.
I just love crime thriller novels. I love reading them and writing them.
Mark Rubinstein,
Author, Mad Dog House and Love Gone Mad
Why Crime-Thriller Fiction?
I’m occasionally asked why I write crime-thriller novels.
They always say write what you know, but I prefer to write what I love. And they always say, write the kind of book you would love to read. So, I write crime fiction.
But as a psychiatrist and novelist, I think there’s more than that when it comes to crime thriller fiction .
While the range of human emotions and experiences can be tapped in virtually any genre, there’s something about crime novels that makes them compelling.
Partly, I t...
September 4, 2013
Writer to Writer: A Conversation With Jane Velez-Mitchell on Exposed: The Secret Life of Jodi Arias
Jane Velez-Mitchell is a two-time Emmy award winning television journalist, a bestselling author, and the host of her own program on HLN. She is featured frequently in the media as an expert on high-profile court cases, appearing on CNN, MSNBC HLN, TRU TV and other national television outlets.
In 2010, her HLN show garnered a third Genesis Award from the Humane Society of the United States. Ms. Velez-Mitchell has won two other awards for her program, Celebrity Justice.
She is the author of non-...
September 3, 2013
Library Journal Review
It's such a pleasure to receive a great review from one of the giants of the industry. Here's Library Journal's review of LOVE GONE MAD.
Rubinstein, Mark. Love Gone Mad.
Thunder Lake. Sept. 2013. 352p.
ISBN 9780985626860. pap. $12.99.
Divorced heart surgeon Adrian Douglas is living a comfortable but lonely life after leaving his job at Yale two years ago to work at Eastport General. Everything changes after a chance cafeteria encounter with attractive RN Megan Haggarty. Adrian is instantly smitten and begins a seemingly idyllic relationship with Megan, but he soon learns that even the most perfect woman can have some secrets.One of Megan’s biggest secrets is ex-husband Conrad Wilson, a hulk of a man who takes possessiveness to a whole new level. Anonymous threats and vandalism against the couple soon escalate to life-threatening encounters, and Conrad is the prime suspect. As Adrian and Megan’s relationship grows, the rage in Conrad intensifies, with all of his negative energy channeled toward them. VERDICT Rubinstein’s second foray into the fiction arena (after Mad Dog House) is an intense thriller that promises readers surprising twists, heart-pounding suspense, and a bird’s-eye view into both the mind of a madman and a dizzyingly realistic account of how it feels to be stalked as prey.—Mary Todd Chesnut, Northern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Highland Heights
Rubinstein, Mark. Love Gone Mad.
Thunder Lake. Sept. 2013. 352p.
ISBN 9780985626860. pap. $12.99.
Divorced heart surgeon Adrian Douglas is living a comfortable but lonely life after leaving his job at Yale two years ago to work at Eastport General. Everything changes after a chance cafeteria encounter with attractive RN Megan Haggarty. Adrian is instantly smitten and begins a seemingly idyllic relationship with Megan, but he soon learns that even the most perfect woman can have some secrets.One of Megan’s biggest secrets is ex-husband Conrad Wilson, a hulk of a man who takes possessiveness to a whole new level. Anonymous threats and vandalism against the couple soon escalate to life-threatening encounters, and Conrad is the prime suspect. As Adrian and Megan’s relationship grows, the rage in Conrad intensifies, with all of his negative energy channeled toward them. VERDICT Rubinstein’s second foray into the fiction arena (after Mad Dog House) is an intense thriller that promises readers surprising twists, heart-pounding suspense, and a bird’s-eye view into both the mind of a madman and a dizzyingly realistic account of how it feels to be stalked as prey.—Mary Todd Chesnut, Northern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Highland Heights
Book Launch for LOVE GONE MAD
I’m thrilled to announce that my new novel, Love Gone Mad, has officially launched and can be purchased online at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com and bookstores in your neighborhood. It’s available in soft cover and also as an eBook.
One thing that a writer needs to do, if he’s to keep publishing his work, is to sell his books. So what follows is a great review from Library Journal. I’m hoping this will encourage you to go to your local library and suggest that they purchase a copy. Of course,...
August 30, 2013
The Lost Weekend
Seeing the patient from psychiatry’s perspective
August 30, 2013
Joe was a 30 year old man I evaluated in the context of his lawsuit.
One Friday evening, after everyone had gone home, he was working late at his Manhattan office. At 7:00 PM, he went downstairs to smoke a cigarette. Heading back to the office, he entered the elevator alone. Between the 30th and 31st floors, the elevator came to a sudden stop. He pushed every button, but the doors failed to open. No one respond...
August 27, 2013
A Conversation with M.J. Rose
Writer to Writer: A conversation with M.J. Rose
M.J. Rose is the international best-selling author of thirteen novels and three non-fiction books. Her most recent novel, Seduction, has received rave reviews from USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and many others.
Ms. Rose launched her publishing career in 1998 when she self-published her first novel, Lip Service. Traditional publishers rejected it, uncertain about a novel that did not fit a distinct genre. So, she set up a website where readers could download the book, and began promoting it online. The novel was chosen as a selection by the Literary Guild/Doubleday Book Club and became the first e-book to be published by a mainstream publisher.
The rest is history.
Ms. Rose’s recent novels focus on reincarnation and other supernatural phenomena. The Recreationist, the basis for the Fox television series Past Life, was followed by The Memorist, The Hypnotist, The Book of Lost Fragrances and now, Seduction.
How did you make the transition from advertising to writing novels?
When I was in advertising, I did a great deal of work on television commercials. A co-worker and I wrote a screenplay which led to a few more screenplays and some were optioned by production companies. I was advised to move to California, but didn’t want to make the move. I decided to use another form of storytelling, so I wrote a novel.
Your last few novels, particularly The Book of Lost Fragrances and Seduction have dealt with reincarnation; the importance of the past; the collective unconscious and the power of memory. Can you share some of your thoughts concerning the importance of the past and memory?
I’ve always been fascinated by how the past impacts the present. For the first half of my career as a novelist, I wrote psychological suspense mysteries. I wanted to be a therapist but was told that while I was a fine diagnostician, I would be a terrible therapist because I wanted to solve everyone’s problems. So I wrote four novels about a New York City sex therapist. I then decided to write something historical because I was so interested in the past. I had an idea of writing novels that brought together the past and the present. I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of reincarnation. I learned that many brilliant people were interested in reincarnation, including Carl Jung. I’m a big Jungian. So I began writing novels involving theories integrating past and present, even if the past element in the novel took place 500 or 1,000 years ago. They say every writer really just writes about one thing over and over. I guess my one thing is how the past impacts the present.
Is that how you feel about your own life and the lives of people you know?
I think so. I think that people can change. I’ve known people who have changed in therapy. I recall reading that those who do well in therapy tend to be people who would do well without therapy, too. They’re bright; well-read; and educated. They also tend to be optimistic. However, on a certain level, you must live with your past. But your response to it can change.
Of course, when I’m writing, I’m simply trying to tell a story. I use the past as a trope. It’s a fascinating way to explore someone’s character and identity, trying to imagine who they might have been in the past, and how that might have affected them.
You mention exploring someone by imagining who they might have been in the past. Is there anyone you would love to have been?
I’ve never thought about that. I went to a past life therapist in my 20s because I was writing a screenplay about reincarnation. There was only one time when I was hypnotized deeply enough that I saw myself walking on a rocky path. I looked down and saw my shoes. They were the kind Pilgrims wore. That was the extent of my past life memory. Of course, that could be something I made up. We’re capable of spinning amazing tales; after all, we’re writers. So I don’t know if I ever actually had a past life memory.
When I read Seduction, I felt you captured the voice of Victor Hugo exquisitely. You must have done an enormous amount of research for the novel.
I’d read about Victor Hugo believing in reincarnation and about his getting involved in séances to reach his dead daughter. I’d always known that one of the books in this series would involve Victor Hugo as the element of the past. I did a great deal of research about him and his having spent three years on the Isle of Jersey. He was writing Les Miserables at the time.
When I sat down to write the book, I just couldn’t write. I suddenly realized I had taken on the most insane task in my life. Victor Hugo was one of the greatest novelists of all time. And I was going to write a novel in which one third of it would be him telling us about his séances in his own voice. I was worried it would be seen as an amazing kind of hubris to think I could write like Victor Hugo. After a few months of not being able to write, I called my agent and said I couldn’t do it. I wanted to change the book and buy back the contract from the publisher. My agent came up with the idea of reading Hugo’s letters because they were probably written in a more ordinary voice than his novels. I wouldn’t be trying to write in the voice of a great French novelist if I read these more prosaic letters.
I read ten or fifteen letters of his. But I still couldn’t write a word of the novel. Then, the strangest thing happened. I accidentally knocked over an antique jar of pens on my desk; one of the pens fell onto my laptop. I looked at it and had a flash.
I uncapped the pen and pulled out an unlined journal I’d bought in France. I dipped the pen in some ink, turned off the light, and began writing in natural daylight. I wrote in the voice of Victor Hugo, the way he wrote: with pen, ink and paper. The voice was there. I wrote 120,000 words, by hand, in journals. It was the first time I wrote a novel by hand.
In a Jungian sort of way, I felt I’d tapped into the collective unconscious and Victor Hugo’s spirit. I must say, that when I typed the handwritten manuscript into the computer, I didn’t remember writing any of the Victor Hugo part.
Reading Seduction, I was struck by the prominent role of olfaction—scents, fragrances and memories. Can you tell us a bit about that?
The olfactory center is next to the memory center of the brain. When you smell something, you can remember the moment in a far more clear and vivid way than when you see or hear it. Perfume was always in my life: my mother and grandmother were very loving. They also brought perfume back from Europe. I remember as a girl trying to make perfume from eucalyptus leaves. It really came together for me when I was in advertising and got involved with a campaign for a new fragrance. I became involved with the entire process of making a perfume, and no pun intended, it got under my skin.
When I began researching reincarnation, I learned, among other things, that the word perfume actually means through smoke. The ancient Egyptians believed the soul left the body and travelled on the smoke of incense to the afterlife. So perfume and spirituality were intrinsically connected. The more I read, the more involved I became.
When I write, I’m very conscious of the five senses. I now use them unconsciously; but I focused very consciously on them early in my career. I use them to create and experience characters. Various writers have different ways of exploring and creating characters. My first instinct is to describe what is seen, heard, tasted, felt and smelled.
Conventional wisdom says a writer should stay with a specific genre for commercial and other reasons. Your novels have been characterized as thrillers, paranormal novels, as Gothic, suspense and as historical thrillers. How have you managed to blend genres so successfully?
I just write the novels I want to read. It’s hurt my career from a commercial point of view but not from a critical perspective.
If you want to be a successful commercial novelist, I wouldn’t recommend doing what I did. But I decided early on, that the day I felt the pressure to mold what I was writing to make my books commercially viable, I would go back into advertising. I didn’t want to write for the market, because that’s what you do in advertising, where you get paid really well. I’d written three books about a New York City sex therapist. I felt that if I continued writing about that, it would get very stale for me. Everyone said I was making a terrible mistake; people loved the books and I was told I had a chance to make a franchise out of this character.
I felt I couldn’t do it any longer. I’ve been very lucky: I wrote what I wanted to and have had publishers who have published my work. But the downside is I don’t have a genre-specific following. The readers who loved the sex-therapy books didn’t follow me into the metaphysical suspense novels, while those who enjoy what I now write aren’t interested in my earlier work.
You mentioned you like writing the novel you want to read. Whom do you enjoy reading?
There’s C.W. Gortner. I love Kate Mosse’s books. Another is Kate Forsythe, an Australian writer. I love Lee Child’s Jack Reacher books; Barry Eisler’s John Rain books; Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon novels. I enjoy reading Carol O’Connell; Allison Richmond; Daphne Du Maurier; F. Scott Fitzgerald and many others.
If you could have dinner with any writers or historical figures from any time in history, who would they be?
I would love to have Ayn Rand there because she’s so controversial. I would want her to talk about the things she doesn’t believe, and expose the Tea party for what it is. I would want Beethoven, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jung, maybe Greta Garbo so I could learn some of her secrets. I think that would make for a great dinner party.
What would you be talking about?
I think we’d discuss how truly horrible our culture has become. There’s so little innovation now, and we might talk about why so many people whine a great deal.
What advice, if any, would you give young writers today?
Writing is an art and publishing is a business. And it’s a very broken business right now. I would tell every young writer a few things:
First and most important: write because you love writing, and for no other reason.
The press has made lots of noise about self-published writers, some of whom were created by companies wanting to encourage people to self-publish so they could become part of their business model. Now, Amazon is great—I love Amazon and owe them a great deal for helping my career. Amazon has helped level the playing field, and the company did direct marketing for some self-published authors to show how their books could become successful. The press picked up on this—making it look like it was easy to become a very successful self-published author. The truth is, it’s incredibly difficult if you’re starting out. I would advise young writers not to read the press.
You should only write if you can accept that you might reach only a few readers, one at a time; and that might be all you ever accomplish. You have to love the process of writing. The process is incredible. Writing is such an amazing and magical experience. If you can’t love that, the rest of it is just too hard.
What’s coming next from M.J. Rose?
I’m finishing a novel called The Collector of Dying Breath. It will be out in April. It features Jac L’Etoile again. As for the past, it’s about Catherine de Medici’s perfumer whom she brought with her from Florence to France. In the present, Jac goes to Barbizon, France where she gets involved with a woman who has collected a series of bottles that hold dying breaths. Is there or is there not, a formula by which a dying breath can be reanimated?
Henry Ford and Thomas Edison believed the soul leaves the body in your dying breath. Thomas Edison’s dying breath is in his house, on display there. When I read about it, I became fascinated with this concept; namely, what would happen if you could reanimate a person through a dying breath?
Mark Rubinstein
Author of Mad Dog House and Love Gone Mad
M.J. Rose is the international best-selling author of thirteen novels and three non-fiction books. Her most recent novel, Seduction, has received rave reviews from USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and many others.
Ms. Rose launched her publishing career in 1998 when she self-published her first novel, Lip Service. Traditional publishers rejected it, uncertain about a novel that did not fit a distinct genre. So, she set up a website where readers could download the book, and began promoting it online. The novel was chosen as a selection by the Literary Guild/Doubleday Book Club and became the first e-book to be published by a mainstream publisher.
The rest is history.
Ms. Rose’s recent novels focus on reincarnation and other supernatural phenomena. The Recreationist, the basis for the Fox television series Past Life, was followed by The Memorist, The Hypnotist, The Book of Lost Fragrances and now, Seduction.
How did you make the transition from advertising to writing novels?
When I was in advertising, I did a great deal of work on television commercials. A co-worker and I wrote a screenplay which led to a few more screenplays and some were optioned by production companies. I was advised to move to California, but didn’t want to make the move. I decided to use another form of storytelling, so I wrote a novel.
Your last few novels, particularly The Book of Lost Fragrances and Seduction have dealt with reincarnation; the importance of the past; the collective unconscious and the power of memory. Can you share some of your thoughts concerning the importance of the past and memory?
I’ve always been fascinated by how the past impacts the present. For the first half of my career as a novelist, I wrote psychological suspense mysteries. I wanted to be a therapist but was told that while I was a fine diagnostician, I would be a terrible therapist because I wanted to solve everyone’s problems. So I wrote four novels about a New York City sex therapist. I then decided to write something historical because I was so interested in the past. I had an idea of writing novels that brought together the past and the present. I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of reincarnation. I learned that many brilliant people were interested in reincarnation, including Carl Jung. I’m a big Jungian. So I began writing novels involving theories integrating past and present, even if the past element in the novel took place 500 or 1,000 years ago. They say every writer really just writes about one thing over and over. I guess my one thing is how the past impacts the present.
Is that how you feel about your own life and the lives of people you know?
I think so. I think that people can change. I’ve known people who have changed in therapy. I recall reading that those who do well in therapy tend to be people who would do well without therapy, too. They’re bright; well-read; and educated. They also tend to be optimistic. However, on a certain level, you must live with your past. But your response to it can change.
Of course, when I’m writing, I’m simply trying to tell a story. I use the past as a trope. It’s a fascinating way to explore someone’s character and identity, trying to imagine who they might have been in the past, and how that might have affected them.
You mention exploring someone by imagining who they might have been in the past. Is there anyone you would love to have been?
I’ve never thought about that. I went to a past life therapist in my 20s because I was writing a screenplay about reincarnation. There was only one time when I was hypnotized deeply enough that I saw myself walking on a rocky path. I looked down and saw my shoes. They were the kind Pilgrims wore. That was the extent of my past life memory. Of course, that could be something I made up. We’re capable of spinning amazing tales; after all, we’re writers. So I don’t know if I ever actually had a past life memory.
When I read Seduction, I felt you captured the voice of Victor Hugo exquisitely. You must have done an enormous amount of research for the novel.
I’d read about Victor Hugo believing in reincarnation and about his getting involved in séances to reach his dead daughter. I’d always known that one of the books in this series would involve Victor Hugo as the element of the past. I did a great deal of research about him and his having spent three years on the Isle of Jersey. He was writing Les Miserables at the time.
When I sat down to write the book, I just couldn’t write. I suddenly realized I had taken on the most insane task in my life. Victor Hugo was one of the greatest novelists of all time. And I was going to write a novel in which one third of it would be him telling us about his séances in his own voice. I was worried it would be seen as an amazing kind of hubris to think I could write like Victor Hugo. After a few months of not being able to write, I called my agent and said I couldn’t do it. I wanted to change the book and buy back the contract from the publisher. My agent came up with the idea of reading Hugo’s letters because they were probably written in a more ordinary voice than his novels. I wouldn’t be trying to write in the voice of a great French novelist if I read these more prosaic letters.
I read ten or fifteen letters of his. But I still couldn’t write a word of the novel. Then, the strangest thing happened. I accidentally knocked over an antique jar of pens on my desk; one of the pens fell onto my laptop. I looked at it and had a flash.
I uncapped the pen and pulled out an unlined journal I’d bought in France. I dipped the pen in some ink, turned off the light, and began writing in natural daylight. I wrote in the voice of Victor Hugo, the way he wrote: with pen, ink and paper. The voice was there. I wrote 120,000 words, by hand, in journals. It was the first time I wrote a novel by hand.
In a Jungian sort of way, I felt I’d tapped into the collective unconscious and Victor Hugo’s spirit. I must say, that when I typed the handwritten manuscript into the computer, I didn’t remember writing any of the Victor Hugo part.
Reading Seduction, I was struck by the prominent role of olfaction—scents, fragrances and memories. Can you tell us a bit about that?
The olfactory center is next to the memory center of the brain. When you smell something, you can remember the moment in a far more clear and vivid way than when you see or hear it. Perfume was always in my life: my mother and grandmother were very loving. They also brought perfume back from Europe. I remember as a girl trying to make perfume from eucalyptus leaves. It really came together for me when I was in advertising and got involved with a campaign for a new fragrance. I became involved with the entire process of making a perfume, and no pun intended, it got under my skin.
When I began researching reincarnation, I learned, among other things, that the word perfume actually means through smoke. The ancient Egyptians believed the soul left the body and travelled on the smoke of incense to the afterlife. So perfume and spirituality were intrinsically connected. The more I read, the more involved I became.
When I write, I’m very conscious of the five senses. I now use them unconsciously; but I focused very consciously on them early in my career. I use them to create and experience characters. Various writers have different ways of exploring and creating characters. My first instinct is to describe what is seen, heard, tasted, felt and smelled.
Conventional wisdom says a writer should stay with a specific genre for commercial and other reasons. Your novels have been characterized as thrillers, paranormal novels, as Gothic, suspense and as historical thrillers. How have you managed to blend genres so successfully?
I just write the novels I want to read. It’s hurt my career from a commercial point of view but not from a critical perspective.
If you want to be a successful commercial novelist, I wouldn’t recommend doing what I did. But I decided early on, that the day I felt the pressure to mold what I was writing to make my books commercially viable, I would go back into advertising. I didn’t want to write for the market, because that’s what you do in advertising, where you get paid really well. I’d written three books about a New York City sex therapist. I felt that if I continued writing about that, it would get very stale for me. Everyone said I was making a terrible mistake; people loved the books and I was told I had a chance to make a franchise out of this character.
I felt I couldn’t do it any longer. I’ve been very lucky: I wrote what I wanted to and have had publishers who have published my work. But the downside is I don’t have a genre-specific following. The readers who loved the sex-therapy books didn’t follow me into the metaphysical suspense novels, while those who enjoy what I now write aren’t interested in my earlier work.
You mentioned you like writing the novel you want to read. Whom do you enjoy reading?
There’s C.W. Gortner. I love Kate Mosse’s books. Another is Kate Forsythe, an Australian writer. I love Lee Child’s Jack Reacher books; Barry Eisler’s John Rain books; Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon novels. I enjoy reading Carol O’Connell; Allison Richmond; Daphne Du Maurier; F. Scott Fitzgerald and many others.
If you could have dinner with any writers or historical figures from any time in history, who would they be?
I would love to have Ayn Rand there because she’s so controversial. I would want her to talk about the things she doesn’t believe, and expose the Tea party for what it is. I would want Beethoven, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jung, maybe Greta Garbo so I could learn some of her secrets. I think that would make for a great dinner party.
What would you be talking about?
I think we’d discuss how truly horrible our culture has become. There’s so little innovation now, and we might talk about why so many people whine a great deal.
What advice, if any, would you give young writers today?
Writing is an art and publishing is a business. And it’s a very broken business right now. I would tell every young writer a few things:
First and most important: write because you love writing, and for no other reason.
The press has made lots of noise about self-published writers, some of whom were created by companies wanting to encourage people to self-publish so they could become part of their business model. Now, Amazon is great—I love Amazon and owe them a great deal for helping my career. Amazon has helped level the playing field, and the company did direct marketing for some self-published authors to show how their books could become successful. The press picked up on this—making it look like it was easy to become a very successful self-published author. The truth is, it’s incredibly difficult if you’re starting out. I would advise young writers not to read the press.
You should only write if you can accept that you might reach only a few readers, one at a time; and that might be all you ever accomplish. You have to love the process of writing. The process is incredible. Writing is such an amazing and magical experience. If you can’t love that, the rest of it is just too hard.
What’s coming next from M.J. Rose?
I’m finishing a novel called The Collector of Dying Breath. It will be out in April. It features Jac L’Etoile again. As for the past, it’s about Catherine de Medici’s perfumer whom she brought with her from Florence to France. In the present, Jac goes to Barbizon, France where she gets involved with a woman who has collected a series of bottles that hold dying breaths. Is there or is there not, a formula by which a dying breath can be reanimated?
Henry Ford and Thomas Edison believed the soul leaves the body in your dying breath. Thomas Edison’s dying breath is in his house, on display there. When I read about it, I became fascinated with this concept; namely, what would happen if you could reanimate a person through a dying breath?
Mark Rubinstein
Author of Mad Dog House and Love Gone Mad
