Colin T. Nelson
"When I was 10 years old, staying with my grandmother for Christmas vacation, she gave me a copy of The Hound of the Baskervilles. I was hooked on mysteries! I have had nine novels published, a collection of short stories, and have had several of my short stories published in local crime anthologies." |
Tell us about the featured book. What is it about, and why did you choose to write this story?
In 2016, several American diplomats in Havana suffered a sudden, excruciated pain from an unknown source. They described it as an intense “metallic grinding” sound in their heads. It left them debilitated and, for some, with permanent serious injuries. The U.S. government’s defense and scientific experts couldn’t determine what caused the injuries. They called it “the Havana Syndrome.” To this day, the mystery remains unsolved.
After visiting Cuba, I thought this true mystery was intriguing enough to write a compelling story---set in an exotic environment.
My protagonist, Pete Chandler, is assigned to enter Cuba in order to find an artist who holds a clue to solving the mystery. Pete discovers more than he expected and is thrown in between powerful forces that, ultimately, want to kill him.
Tell us a little about your writing process. What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book? What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
I write mystery/thrillers. That means, I need a hook, a compelling situation, to launch the story. And I also know, roughly, how the story will end before I begin writing. I outline extensively. As Mary Higgins Clark once told me, “you work backwards in plotting a mystery from the end to the beginning.”
Each chapter is outlined similarly: from the end to the beginning. I use a 3-ring paper (Yes, paper!) note book. Each chapter gets a page in the notebook as I follow a template that I developed. I also prepare a “flow chart” of the plot and character development.
I do extensive research because besides trying to tell a compelling story, I want to educate my readers about the location, the technology used, and the political/cultural aspects of the setting.
Of course, I use the Internet for research, but I also interview experts and local people and actually travel to the locations. I try to convey a true sense of how a place feels, smells, and sounds.
My biggest challenge is always to bring life and growth to the main character. Minor characters seem easier to make real.
Are there any writers or authors who have influenced your writing? If not, who are some of your favorite writers?
This is a tough question for me as there are so many authors who have influenced my writing. Being a musician myself, there are also musical performers who also inspire me in ways like, pacing, rhythm, and creating emotional impact.
I also believe authors should read material that is as broad in content as possible. So, here’s my short list:
Walter Isaacson (biography), Doris Kearns Goodwin and Barbara Tuchman (history), Ken Follet, John Grisham (his early books), Stephen King (his early books), Sara Paretsky. Early in my life, the Sherlock Holmes stories hooked me on mysteries.
Has a library or librarian impacted your life or your writing life?
During elementary school our librarian, Miss Fulford, pulled me aside one day. She was tall, gray, had her hair in a bun, wore long dresses, and tie-up shoes. Clacking her buck teeth, she told me I couldn’t read any more non-fiction books. Instead, I must read fiction for the next three months. It worked. She was correct and I’m grateful for her direction.
When you’re not writing, what do you like to do in your spare time?
When not writing, my greatest passion is music. I play the saxophone in a jazz group (for 25+ years) and play sax and keyboards in a Bob Dylan tribute rock band (for 15 years). We perform regularly in the metro area. I returned to the piano a few years ago (my first instrument at age six) and work daily to recover those lost skills. All of these activities are immensely satisfying and fun.
I also bike (e-bike) 4-5 times a week, snowshoe, swim, and walk to keep active.
Favorite place to go in Minnesota?
My favorite places are bike trails. By far, Minnesota has more dedicated bike trails than any other state. My wife and I also travel extensively around the world. Around here, I go to music venues in the Twin Cities. For some reason, the Cities attract some of the best musicians, writers, artists, and actors here along with multiple venues to showcase their talent.