BookView Review

Welcome to BookView Interview, a conversation series where BookView talks to authors.

Recently, we interviewed Michael Ray Ewing about his writing and his recently released book, Lightning, a tight, propulsive SF thriller that grabs you from the start and never lets go (Read the review here.).

How did you decide on the title, Lightning?  

Writers write about what they know, and I’ve been struck by lightning twice, both times while mountain biking on top of South Mountain, outside of Phoenix. Both strikes happened in the summer when powerful monsoon storms roll into the the Valley of the Sun. I tried to get off the mountain both times before the storms arrived, but was not successful. The first time, lightning struck a spindly Palo Verde tree nearby and knocked me off my bike. I found myself lying in the dirt with my ears ringing. The second time, it struck a nearby boulder above me on a ridge. Electricity snaked back and forth across my handlebars. I veered off the trail and crashed into a mesquite tree.

How important is it to write about what you know?  

I incorporate technology in all my books because I work on some of the world’s most advanced grid computing networks. In Satan’s Gold, the computer network FedNet is based on Bell Lab’s network, where I worked. In another role, I was in charge of the financial servers interfacing with hundreds of banks involving hundreds of millions of dollars. Could I have stolen the money? Yes. Did I? No. Because I have interviewed FBI agents for my novels, and I do not want them after me. My freedom is more important than money.

In my novel, Lightning, the main character owns a bike shop. I don’t own a bike shop, but I spend a lot of time in bike shops because of all the crashes I’ve had while mountain biking. The only thing I break more than my bikes is myself, unfortunately. 

How often do you base your characters on real people? 

Most of my characters are combinations of people I know or have met. The character Dixie in my novel, Satan’s Gold, is loosely based on a private detective who worked with the FBI. The character Bruce Lambert in Satan’s Gold is based on a retired FBI agent who specialized in investigating white-collar financial crimes.

What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book? 

I always have more ideas than time. I write them down and let them simmer as I mentally work on outlines. Then I try to come up with compelling characters, because they are as important as the plot. The antagonist is extremely important because it gives the protagonist something to do. Researching how to do something, such as breaking into the Federal Reserve–as the antagonist does in Satan’s Gold–involves interviewing people (like the FBI) or trying to figure out how I would work out the details of the heist, based on my professional background. For the novel Lightning, I interviewed my wife, a physician. I also interviewed her for my novel, Satan’s Gold. When a character is injured or genetic manipulation is part of the story line, it’s quite handy to have a in-house consultant.

How often do you read? 

I read constantly. I work on massive engineering computing grids, so I am continually conducting research. At home, I surround myself with books.

What are common traps for aspiring writers? 

The most important thing you can do in life is to do what you enjoy. If you want to exercise, for example, but dislike jogging, then you shouldn’t jog, as you won’t exercise for long. If you like writing, then you will find yourself writing. But if it is difficult or a chore, then I guarantee you will have problems. 

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be? 

Do a better job of outlining. If you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t end up where you want. I cut more material out of Satan’s Gold than ended up in the book.

Have you read anything that made you think differently about fiction? 

The first time I read the book, Dune, I finished it and then immediately started over and reread it. But the book that completely changed my life is Catch-22. I’ve never read a book like it and probably never will again.

Is writer’s block real? 

Yes. Which is why you do what you enjoy. If you enjoy writing, then writer’s block is much easier to deal with. But if writing is work, even if it started as something you enjoy, then look out.

How hard is it to establish and maintain a career in fiction writing? 

It is challenging to get anyone to read anything these days. They’re too busy watching TikTok.

What in particular attracted you to this genre? 

I’ve written thrillers and science fiction. I’ve written a romantic comedy. I’ve written mysteries and crime novels. For Lightning, I combined them all. One of the main characters is a genetically engineered dog, which was inspired by my conversation with someone who trains service dogs. I never knew it was so difficult and time-consuming. I joked that maybe one day scientists will genetically engineer dogs to make the process easier. I filed the conversation away, and it eventually became a book.

Would you rather read a book or watch television? 

I rarely watch TV.

Which character was most challenging to create and why? 

It’s not easy to write characters who sound distinct from one another. Capturing how a character thinks, their internal monologue, is the key to convincing the reader that the character is real.

In Lighting, there are three very different characters. It took a great deal of effort to make that happen. Of all the characters I have ever written, Victoria Stewart is my all-time favorite, but she was incredibly difficult to write. Her mother committed suicide. Narcos crucified her father. She’s trying to keep her ranch while fighting the men who killed her father and blew her up in her truck. She struggles to decide whether to buy food or diesel fuel. But worst of all, she wonders if she’s nuts because she’s somehow tuned into a psychotic party line that she shares with a killer. While other characters in the book have outer threats, Victoria is, in a sense, in greater danger because the threat comes from within.

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