You get the idea. Rumors abound. Little proof is given. But if you wanted anything spectacular and near-mythical in proportions, you would sprinkle red mercury on it. The Deus Ex Machina of speculative science.
While researching this substance, I came across a passing reference to it being the source of anti-radar paint for the Soviet equivalent of the stealth bomber. It was a quick reference, and no real details were given. But it inspired me.
Of course, I couldn't have the Russians be the bad guys. Not at the moment. When I'd started writing this book, we were already having some bad relations with the Russians, and I didn't want to feed into that. Maybe later. For now, it was just too cliché.
But the Nazis …
Ok, also a bit cliché. But there was greater historical weight and gravitas associated with these fascist lunatics, and I wanted to touch that a bit. And, true, Nazis are getting a lot of reference in the world right now, but I felt like that was all the more reason to talk about real Nazis. Actual Nazis aren't really sitting in a restaurant in DC, just trying to have a peaceful meal with their family. They are, of course, frozen zombies waiting to thaw and resurface to consume humanity and continue the will of the Führer. Duh.
I've written Nazis into this series before, in tiny doses. I made a mention of the fact that the Nazis were historically scouring the world looking for any hint of power, particularly arcane and supernatural power. They loved the Vikings, too. So, it fit to have part of The Coelho Medallion tied to a ship manifest from a Nazi vessel carrying stolen Viking artifacts. Prove it didn’t happen.
The thing about thrillers is that Nazis are inevitable. No good thriller writer gets through his or her career without at least mentioning them. Most—maybe all—thriller writers eventually feature them prominently in a book.
This was my turn. In part, at least.
It probably won’t be the last time, either. There’s too much to mine there. Too much absurdity and atrocity. Too much overlap with the really interesting bits of world history and mythology.
The tough part is avoiding the clichés.
I kind of clichéd a bit in this book, I'll admit. But it became necessary. I wanted the isolation of an underground Antarctic base, and c'mon … who but Nazis would really bother to build that? And don't say "researchers," because they get their own above-ground research stations that look like giant metal caterpillars.
The base became a metaphor, which was lovely. It stood in for the relationship and the challenges faced by Dan Kotler and Gail McCarthy. The isolation, the danger, the secrets. I named the friggin' U-boat Abigail. I’m shameless.
But it was perfect. It was exactly what I needed, to make the whole thing play out once and for all.
Then there was Gail’s death.
There's something sneaky going on there if you pay close attention.
Is Gail really dead? Yes.
Or … no … ok, yes, she's dead. I'm almost certain of it.
But it happened off camera. What a cheat.
It needed to, though. I'm sorry, but it did. Because for the past two years I've written in Dan Kotler's world, and Gail McCarthy has always tagged along, making herself known in every book, keeping the home fires burning, like a dutiful wife from the 50s, but with the rebellious freedom of a liberated woman from the 60s. Gail lived almost entirely off camera, influencing and sometimes outright controlling Dan Kotler's life from the ether. So, she had to die offscreen.
She died as she'd lived. An influence on Kotler's life, but not wholly the center of it. A tale told in shadows.
Kotler is stronger than he thinks, but he is definitely stronger than Gail thought he was. Everything in him that she saw as a weakness was the greatest strength imaginable. We got to see his strengths and weaknesses more clearly because Gail showed them to us, and she mostly showed us by influencing his story without even being present for it.
Those two characters were such alarming parallels to each other.
Because Gail’s story was also shaped by Kotler, who was, weirdly, also “off screen” through most of it. We don’t follow Gail directly (yet … who knows what future tales might unfold?), but we do know how much Kotler influenced her life indirectly. She admitted it, over and over. Mostly by her obsession with him.
Surely, with all of the resources she had at her disposal, Gail McCarthy of all people could have found the Abigail without the help of Dan Kotler. She, the most independent and strong of independent and strong women, absolutely did not need some man to give her the keys to world domination. She kept coming back to Kotler because, well, he was Kotler. He was hers. She saw it that way, and Kotler kind of saw it that way, too.
Because Kotler didn't exactly need her in his life either. The guy has it all, doesn't he? Wealth, intelligence, multiple PhDs, a sweet gig with the FBI, a world-traveler lifestyle, and the pure pursuit of his own interests. And sure, he's been a bit of a womanizer. Even his relationship with Evelyn Horelica eventually ended because he wouldn't be tamed. And yet, Gail …
She never tried to domesticate him. I think that was the key. That's why he became, well, obsessed with her. He couldn't ignore her. He knew her well enough to predict her moves easily, if he'd bothered. And yet he never turned on her and never walked away from her. Not until the very end, when she forced him to choose between her and who he really was.
There’s some mean psychology at work there.
But that’s the end. That’s the final note for Gail. She sort of got what she was after, but like most selfish intentions it blew up in her face. Literally and figuratively.
The end.
In the tradition of thriller novels throughout history, I've left just the subtlest of outs, tiny little paths in the darkness through with Gail could, potentially, navigate and reappear. I don't intend to do that. But then, we've already established I'm discovering these stories as I go. So, who knows?
But I can say with zero doubt that this particular thread is done. We’re at the end of that tale. It ended cold and barren, just like the landscape upon which it took place. But with a hint of warmth. Some validation, there at the end. I couldn’t resist.
So, what’s next for Dan Kotler? Who is this mysterious “figure?” What is it in Kotler’s past that could possibly come back to haunt him?
We'll see. I have ideas for this. I intend to shove my hands into a few of the cracks that have opened up along the way, particularly regarding Kotler's past, and I'll pull that gap as wide as I can. We'll get to peek inside together.
Until then, I have more books on the board, some of which have nothing (ok, very little) to do with Dan Kotler and Agent Roland Denzel. Fun stuff, that I'm hoping you enjoy as much as I did. Be on the lookout.
Otherwise, thank you for being here. I do this work because I love it. I'd do it with or without an audience. But because you're here, it makes it all the more rewarding and satisfying. I appreciate the emails and the messages on social media, the kind reviews on Amazon and elsewhere. Thank you for all of that.
God bless you. We will chat again.
Kevin Tumlinson
Sugar Land, Texas
November 14, 2018
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About the Author
Kevin Tumlinson is an award-winning and bestselling novelist, living in Texas and working in random coffee shops, cafés, and hotel lobbies worldwide. His debut thriller, The Coelho Medallion, was a 2016 Shelf Notable Indie award winner.
Kevin grew up in Wild Peach, Texas, where he was raised by his grandparents and given a healthy respect for story telling. He often found himself in trouble in school for writing stories instead of doing his actual assignments.
Kevin's love for history, archaeology, and science has been a tremendous source of material for his writing, feeding his fiction and giving him just the excuse he needs to read the next article, biography, or research paper.
Connect with Kevin:
kevintumlinson.com
[email protected]
Also by Kevin Tumlinson
Dan Kotler
The Brass Hall - A Dan Story
The Coelho Medallion
The Atlantis Riddle
The Devil's Interval
The Girl in the Mayan Tomb
The Antarctic Forgery
Citadel
Citadel: First Colony
Citadel: Paths in Darkness
Citadel: Children of Light
Citadel: The Value of War
Colony Girl: A Citadel Universe Story
Sawyer Jackson
Sawyer Jackson and the Long Land
Sawyer Jackson and the Shadow Strait
Sawyer Jackson and the White Room
Think Tank
Karner Blue
Zero Tolerance
Nomad
The Lucid — Co-authored with Nick Thacker
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Standalone
Evergreen
Shorts & Novellas
Getting Gone
Teresa's Monster
The Three Reasons to Avoid Being Punched in the Face
Tin Man
Two Blocks East
Edge
Zero
Collections
Citadel: Omnibus
Uncanny Divide — With Nick Thacker & Will Flora
Light Years — The Complete Science Fiction Library
YA & Middle Grade
Secret of the Diamond Sword — An Alex Mystery
Wordslinger (Non-Fiction)
30-Day Author: Develop a Daily Writing Habit and Write Your Book In 30 Days (Or Less)
Watch for more at kevintumlinson.com/books
Keep the Adventure Going!
Read the Next Dan Kotler Archaeological Thriller Now
★★★★★ “Half way through I was waiting for Harrison Ford to leap out of the pages!”
—Deanne, Review for The Coelho Medallion
★★★★★ “Kevin has crashed onto the action-thriller scene as only an action-thriller author can: with provocative plot lines, unforgettable characters, and enough adrenaline to keep you awake all night.”
—Nick Thacker, author of Mark for Blood
★★★★★ "Move over Daniel Silva, James Patterson, and Dan Brown."
—Chip Polk, Review for The Atlantis Riddle
★★★★★ "Move Over Indiana Jones, there is a New Dr. in Town!”
—Cycletrash, Review for The Coelho Medallion
★★★★★ “[Kevin Tumlinson] is what every writer should be—entertaining and thought-provoking.”
— Shana Tehan, Press Secretary, U.S. House of Representatives
★★★★★ "I discovered Kevin Tumlinson from The Creative Penn podcast and immediately got his novel, Evergreen. I read it in like 3 seconds. It's the most fast-paced story I've encountered."
—R.D. Holland, Independent Reviewer
★★★★★ "Comparison to Clive Cussler is a natural, though Tumlinson's 'Dan ' is more like Dan Brown's Robert Langdon than Dirk Pitt."
—Amazon Review for The Coelho Medallion
FIND YOUR NEXT FAVORITE BOOK AT
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