Diana talks to Gabriel Kron, author in a very unusual genre, International Crime Techno Thriller!

Hello Gabriel. It is lovely to meet you. I have come up with some unusual questions for you today!

Thank you Diana, you are my very first author interview, so I hope I can answer your questions and hopefully provide some entertainment.

What is the genre you are best known for?

I want The Locke Cipher to become best known for being a Thriller.  Specifically an International Crime Techno Thriller, if there is such a sub-genre. (Wow!)

If your latest book - The Locke Cipher -   was adapted into a TV show or a film, who would you like to play the lead role?

Oh this is a fun one. After doing a virtual casting I’m thinking of Jude Law for Daniel Bateman. But I think he is busy with Captain Marvel right now.

What made you choose this genre?

I didn’t choose the genre or really even think too much about it until after the story had been told. This meant that when it came to categorising The Locke Cipher for publication, I had to think hard, compare it to others and listen to my beta readers.

It was definitely a thriller, but what kind of thriller. The research spanned many subject matters from the history of electrical engineering, fringe science, espionage, hacking, politics, whiskey (do you know how expensive some whiskies are?), methods of suicide, effects of gun shot injuries, police jurisdiction and even German language. If you’re a writer then you know what I mean.

In the end, and only recently, it became apparent that The Locke Cipher was an International Crime Techno Thriller.

How do you get ideas for plots and characters?

From the same place I dream.

When my four kids were young I used to tell them stories about a dream fairy called Twonkle, who delivered dreams to children in the form of dream crystals. There were tree-houses, dream academies, dream crystal factories and dream caves. One of the special dream crystals was called an astral projection crystal.  There were creatures, dramas, giants, flying, other fairies, evil fairies, and no adults.

I told these stories nearly every night for years, making each story up on the spot until my kids were either asleep or ready for sleep, or I fell asleep.

The point is, I learnt to let go and not fear not knowing what was next and let the story tell itself.

Characters in The Locke Cipher I decided to name after my group of friends on an on-line forum called the OTG.  I initially did this for ease, with the intention of changing them later when the first draft was done and anyone else read it.

However, I email my manuscript to myself after each session as a backup and on one particular night I accidentally sent it to the whole of the OTG forum and everyone got it as an attachment. After an embarrassed apology and some explanations, those named had read the unfinished draft copy and encouraged me to continue with a few members wanting new updates as I wrote them. So the names stuck.  As for their personalities, they grew as I told the story.

Favourite picture or work of art?

Hubble deep field.

Part of Hubble Deep Field HD sourced from Google.

If, as a one off, (and you could guarantee publication!)  you could write anything you wanted, is there another genre you would love to work with and do you already have a budding plot line in mind?

Beyond the Daniel Bateman series, I have a Heist story that is burning to be told and a coming of age college drama about cheating in a final exam.

Was becoming a writer a conscious decision or something that you drifted into (or even something so compelling that it could not be denied?) How old were you when you first started to write seriously.

I was so never meant to be a writer. I wanted to tell stories but through the medium of film. I had a plan, join the BBC and become a cameraman. Trouble was, I was too young and although technically well qualified I had failed O level English twice. First with a grade U and then with an F. My English was beyond rubbish.

Luckily, I was in a musical band and the drummer’s mum offered to teach me English. So after school I’d go round their house and sit at the kitchen table reading broadsheet newspaper articles out loud. Ann taught me as though I were a foreigner and when I re-sat my exam I passed with a grade B.  I also began to enjoy reading and was beginning to devour Stephen King and James Herbert. And I  began to write. Short stories at first, and then novels, screen plays, stage shows and even had ideas for radio plays. I wish I had kept all those attempts. (I wish you had, too.)

Marmite? Love it or hate it?

LOVE IT

Do you have any rituals and routines when writing? Your favourite cup for example or ‘that’ piece of music...??

I would like to, but as a debut indie author, I have learnt to write when I can. But once I sit down to actually write, I like to have a strong coffee at hand as I upload the story into my brain and begin reading the previous days writing.

As for music, has to be something by Hans Zimmer or similar and be instrumental. Interstellar is a phenomenal soundtrack, as is Inception. But once engrossed in the writing and story, I won’t even notice when the music ends and it goes silent.

I promise I won’t tell them the answer to this, but when you are writing, who is more important, your family or your characters?

Shhhhhh, I can’t answer that because my characters are family.

Other than writing full time, what would be your dream job?

Working in film production behind the camera, or just being allowed to be creative. Those that know me, know I make my own furniture etc, in a particular style.

Coffee or tea? Red or white?

Proper strong filtered coffee, or real tea.  Whiskey isn’t red or white, it’s golden. 😂

How much of your work is planned before you start? Do you have a full draft or let it find its way?

In my head I live with the overall story for a long time before I begin to write it down. I then plan four or five chapters ahead usually, blocking out the major points in CAPITALS and inserting flashes of dialog and action I see them.

I then go back and expand the capital lettered outlines into a sentence for each paragraph. I carry on going over and over until it reads in the way I want.

If you had free choice over the font your book is printed in, what font/fonts would you choose?

I do have free choice and I choose either Times New Roman or Arial………. Never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever Comic Sans. (Phew! You have made me very happy!)

Imagine that you could get hold of any original source document. What would it be? 

The original global temperature data-set that was “accidentally” deleted.

Have any of your characters ever shocked you and gone off on their own adventure leaving you scratching your head??? If so how did you cope with that!?

Oh yes all the time and I think that’s a huge privilege to the story teller when it happens. It happened in Locke a few times especially with one of the major plot twists that actually made me sit back with my hands on my head and say “Oh my god! It’s you!”.  As the story teller, I can only hope the reader feels the same.

How much research do you do and do you ever go on research trips?

Soooooooo much research over such a long time for Locke that will extend into several of the planned series.  But it is important with research to let it sink in and become part of the story naturally. With Locke, there was a lot of historical research on key scientists and inventors as well as locations used where if I hadn’t already been then would spend a good while on Google Maps 3D, and Google Earth.

I hope to do actual location research in person for future books.

Are you prepared to go away from the known facts for the sake of the story and if so how do you get around this?

In The Locke Cipher I touch on some very volatile subjects where real facts are ignored in real life anyway. Readers have said they’ve felt compelled to go and fact check what I’ve written, but none have yet to find where I’ve bent the truth for the device in the story to work.

Do you find that the lines between fact and fiction sometimes become blurred?

I avidly get angry at politics where there are no lines between fact and fiction any more.

Have you ever totally hated or fallen in love with one of your characters?

All of them.

What do you enjoy reading for pleasure?

I’d love to dazzle everyone with someone historically great, but I like fast paced thrillers like Da Vinci Code, Alex Cross, Jason Bourne, Jack Reacher……. I think it shows in my own writing.

What drink would you recommend drinking whilst reading your latest book?

Glenlivet 25 year old single malt.

Last but not least... favourite author?

That changes, but right now it’s Lee Child. I should read more.

About the author:

Gabriel Kron grew up and worked in London through the London race riots and IRA bombings of the 80's and 90's. Having trained as an Engineer with the Ministry of Defence, he joined the computer industry working for large US merchant banks before changing direction completely and becoming a full time Martial Arts Instructor, teaching internationally including presidential bodyguards and police.

About the book:

" If you like a Jason Bourne style of reading, then I strongly recommend this for you. Matthew Reilly readers will also find this a very appealing read...." 5* Amazon review. 

International Crime Thriller that takes the reader into the conspiracy behind technology suppression and how our technology loving main character has to fight for his life against powerful, highly influential forces. When Daniel Bateman learns of a working Lockridge device left over from WWII Nazi Germany, he's soon on its trail. But there are powerful forces that will stop at nothing to suppress technology that would solve the world's energy crisis. Soon the hunter becomes the hunted as Daniel is accused of multiple murders, wounded and on the run. Can his friends and survival instincts buy him enough time to publicly disclose the Lockridge and expose those hell-bent on suppressing it. In the fight of his life, the only secret, which will save him, is hidden in the Locke Cipher. 

"...It's original, it's exciting and it's chillingly plausible. Its greatest strength is that Kron can really tell a story. He grabs you from the start and pulls you into an intriguing web of international crime and conspiracy." 5* Amazon review.

© Diana Milne January 2017 © Gabriel Kron 2017