Q & A with author Mark P.J. Nadon
Genre-Hopping: Confessions of a Restless Thriller Writer
Q: “Why are you writing in multiple genres? Why not stick with military thrillers?”
A: It would be sage advice to stick with the same genre as an author. But I write the stories that I want to write in the world that I think the story is best suited to. The military genre isn’t my first choice to write in, it’s just the first story that spoke to me that I felt was ready. I read some books in the genre, but not many. Maybe one in ten books and most of those are from Tom Clancy or Lee Child (if you consider that a military thriller). You might find there is a lot of military aspects in the book, but if you read military thrillers, you’ll realize my book was on the very light side. Usually you’re learning more about weapon selection, the threat is global terrorism often against an entire country with larger stakes, etc. I chose to skirt multiple genres in The Genesis Project.
The genre I read the most and enjoy the most is fantasy and dystopian, even better if they’re mingled together. A world not quite our own and people with a mysterious, unexplained power, who often must conquer their own inner turmoil while trying to save their town / family / world is definitely my favorite. Brandon Sanderson, George R.R. Martin and Terry Brooks are among some of my favourite writers. Of course I can’t discount Stephen King and the series I loved most from him, The Dark Tower, which is set in a Dystopian world.
I have two new novellas coming soon, currently titled Monsoon Rendezvous and Cognitive Breach. They are both a bit more on the action / adventure / mystery side than military, although there are soldiers and high stakes that involve the military. I don’t know that I would have written these stories if not for the Kickstarter Campaign that hit the stretch goals. Still, it was a lot of fun to write both of them and many of you who supported the Kickstarter will receive one of them, along with two short stories. They will also all be for sale this fall 2024 everywhere books are sold.
My next novel, also coming this Fall, is called The Collective. It is book one of the Armageddon’s Descendants trilogy. I think this is the best book I’ve written to date and I’m excited to get it out into the world. But it’s a post-post apocalyptic fantasy story (technically Dystopian) that follows a kidnapped boy and his family’s journey to bring him home. There is no real mention of the military.
Watch for the Kickstarter coming soon! The plan is for the Kickstarter to offer a special edition hardcover with silver foil, ribbon and dust jacket.
