Tell
us a little about your latest or upcoming release.
The New Reality is actually based upon real life events, and it
was these events which piqued my interest in writing. While in medical
training, I saw how “gene therapy” directly led to the untimely death of many
young patients. What happened in each instance was that the virus that was used
to insert a “healthy gene” killed the person outright or caused a life-threatening
leukemia-like disease. So back when this occurred about 15 years ago, I asked
myself, “What would happen if that virus that caused these kids’ deaths got
loose?” It was a reasonable question because basically the virus the scientist
used causes the common cold and is easily transmittable.
So what The New Reality does is takes it one step further. The
virus basically gets loose and causes an instant pandemic that modern medicine
has absolutely no answer for. Because of the world-wide economic debt and the
declining healthcare system, no country is economically or scientifically
prepared to handle this new, deadly disease. The main character in the book,
Alex Pella, along with a few colleagues set off to find a cure for this
mysterious disease. Guided by an ancient code concealed within the Hebrew
version of the Bible, they must traverse ancient lands and solve a biblical
riddle in order to save humanity from its own self-inflicted destruction. All
the while, they must fend off an elite foreign military unit sent to stop them
at all costs.
Are
you a mom (or parent)?
Yes, I’m a parent of five kids—4 girls and one boy. The
oldest now is 15 and the youngest is 5. My son is number four in the mix, and
he is 9. Plus, besides the kids, I have one dog I adopted from a shelter. And
to be honest, my little mutt is the best one of the entire bunch.
If
yes do you find it hard to juggle writing and parenting?
My kids are really my life outside of work. Between
helping them with their homework, taking them to games or practices, watching
their sporting events or dance recitals, and being a den leader, there is
little time left to pursue any hobbies. However, I would not trade what I am
doing for anything. Fortunately, my kids are not morning people while I am. Plus,
I am blessed with the ability to wake up and feel refreshed. It is in those
early morning hours when I do most of my writing.
Have
you ever based your book or characters on actual events or people from your own
life?
The truth is that fact is much more interesting than
fiction. As a physician, I encounter patients with exotic diseases, see
illnesses that have yet to be identified, and have the pleasure meeting new and
exciting people on a daily basis. Plus, every time I turn on the news I am in
disbelief or amazement about what is going on in the world.
Taking all these experiences into account, I wrote The New Reality to reflect our current
society and highlight some of its major problems. Plus, I use real life
experience to make every page of the novel as realistic and authentic as a
fiction novel can be.
Is
there a theme or message in your work that you would like readers to connect
to?
I wrote The New Reality more than just to
entertain the reader. I really wanted to create a novel with substance, like
(Brown's) The Da Vinci Code or (Crichton's) Jurassic Park. These
books not only tell a fantastic story, but they also make the reader think.
In The New Reality, I have included such
hot-button contemporary topics as genetic manipulation, gene therapy,
unprecedented economic debt, and the rise of big government, combining them
with more esoteric subjects such as the Bible Code and the mysteries hidden in
the Book of Revelation. Hopefully, these subjects will resonate with a wide
audience and create awareness of issues that have serious consequences for
generations to come.
What
would your readers be surprised to learn about you?
Despite being 43 this year, I feel as if I’ve never
really grown up. I could have the most stressful day, full of important
decisions and life or death situations, and come home and laugh just as hard as
the kids while watching Sponge Bob. Plus, I enjoy playing Nerf, Laser tag or
any sports with the kids. Also, I can be found outside on the driveway drawing
with chalk with the littler ones, riding scooters down the roads or running the
neighborhood during a game of manhunt. I believe that your age numerical age
should not hinder you from feeling like a kid.
Of
all the characters you’ve ever written, who is your favorite and why?
There a few main
characters in the book, each with their own unique personalities, flaws and
quirks. However, my favorite character is Alex Pella. Both cunning and
charismatic, he heads a neuroscience company called Neurono-Tek. Although
successful, Alex yearns for something more out of life. He finds that sitting
behind a desk and going through the daily grind of life long lost its novelty.
And that’s why I like him; I think many of us can relate to this feeling.
Though we all have achieved some modicum of success in our lives whether at
home, work or in the community, life finds a way of moving a little too
quickly. Just like Alex, many of us want to find something that will change the
monotony of our lives or find a way to bring greater meaning to it or to
others.
If
this book is part of a series…what is the next book? Any details you can share?
I am in the process of writing a sequel to The New Reality. Like the first book, I
plan to highlight hot topic, current events in the sequel in order to make the
read educational, provocative and exciting all in one process. The outline for
this sequel and the final book in The New
Reality trilogy have already been written. However, I just need to sit down
and start writing before the hot topic issues emphasized in these novels become
history.
What
book are you reading now?
I am reading Timeline
by Michael Crichton. I recently bought the book on sale for 1 cent (Plus 4
dollars shipping) on Amazon. Because
I enjoyed many of Crichton’s other works like the Jurassic Park series, I picked it up for a quick read. However,
after about 50 pages into the novel, I quickly realized that this book dwarfed
all of his other novels in excitement, style and suspense. As I finish it, I
can honestly say that this was one of the best works of fiction that I have
ever read.
What
is in your to read pile?
As my reading pile grows by the day, my wife
encourages me to invest in a Kindle or Nook. However, I enjoy the feel of a
novel and simply like holding it in my hands. With regard to the names of the
books at my bedside, they are too numerous to recall. However, authors like Dan
Brown and James Rollins are the most frequent in this pile. Though I enjoy
these popular writers, I also have a few lesser known, independent novelists in
the mix. Just because they don’t have a big publisher, doesn’t mean their work
is any less exciting.
The New Reality
Alex Pella Series
Book 1
Stephen Martino
Genre: Medical Political Thriller
Publisher: Light Messages
Date of Publication: May 15, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-61153-074-2 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-61153-075-9 (ebook)
Number of pages: 326
Book Description:
Author Stephen Martino delivers an action-packed medical thriller in a heart-stopping race to save humanity.
In the year 2080, a deadly retrovirus is inadvertently released upon the planet. Facing financial ruin and catastrophic loss of life, the world’s nations turn to acclaimed neuroscientist Alex Pella and NIH expert Marissa Ambrosia.
Assembling a team of experts, the scientists begin an international search for the cure while fighting off a foreign elite military unit sent to stop them at all costs. Guided by a code concealed within the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, the scientists must traverse ancient lands and solve a biblical riddle in their quest to save humanity from its eminent destruction.
Drawing from both our nation’s politically charged environment and the worldwide economic crisis, The New Reality follows Alex Pella on a journey that projects a frightening path for human existence in the twenty-first century.
Book Trailer: http://www.martinoauthor.com/trailer/
About the Author:
Stephen Martino holds an M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and is a neurologist in New Jersey. When he is not working, he can be found with his five children doing homework or cheering them on at a soccer field, basketball court, or dance recital. Martino is a member of the Knights of Columbus, a Cub Scout den leader and is an active public speaker, helping to educate the local community and healthcare professionals on the signs, symptoms and treatment of stroke. THE NEW REALITY is his first novel.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MartinoAuthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7792201.Stephen_Martino
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2 comments:
Thank you for having me on your web site!
Sounds like a really good book to pick up. I’m in the middle of “Hypocrisy” by D.M. Annechino; it’s a medical thriller about cancer research. His website, www.dmannechino.wordpress.com has more insight into the book. It'd be great to read another medical thriller after I finish this one, so thanks for the review and book idea.
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