This month, AmazonEncore (the new publishing imprint of Amazon.com) debuts three new titles to launch its 2010 line-up. Today,
They Never Die Quietly, the novel that
Suspense Magazine has called "not for the faint of heart," goes on sale in both physical and Kindle editions.
The book tells the story of Detective Sami Rizzo, assigned to crack the case of a brutal serial killer whose kidnappings each end in a grisly crucifixion of the victim. Simultaneously, the story explores the tragic, twisted history of Simon, the highly intelligent and deceptively charming villain who, guided by the voice of his dead mother, believes he has been chosen by God to purify the souls of his victims. When Rizzo, wishing to prove herself to her boss and male colleagues, takes a risk that puts her in over her head, she must think and act quickly to outsmart Simon at his own game.
To find out more about what could inspire such a spine-tingling read, we sat down with author Daniel Annechino for a quick interview about his book:
Amazon.com: You spent two years researching serial killer profiling, novels, and news stories to write this book and tried to create a serial killer more evil than any readers had previously encountered. What sources gave you the greatest inspiration for your villain Simon's character?
Daniel Annechino: To examine and understand the psyche and motivation of serial killers, I referenced two nonfiction books:
The Serial Killer Files by Harold Schechter and
The Only Living Witness (Ted Bundy) by Stephen Michaud and Hugh Aynesworth. I also read several novels including,
Red Dragon and
Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris. In reading these books and piecing together the twisted mind of my killer, I tried to imagine what might be the most horrific way to die. Then I watched Mel Gibson's,
Passion of the Christ, a movie that vividly and accurately portrayed the brutality of crucifixion. Thirty minutes into the movie I found the answer I'd been looking for. In spite of the fact that I had great difficulty watching this movie, I knew that I had to go against the grain of my comfort level if I wanted to create a truly evil killer. I could think of no other way so gruesome as to die by crucifixion.
Amazon.com: Were you ever worried that you might be crossing a line with
They Never Die Quietly? Was there anything you rejected as too intense, or a time where you thought, "Oh, I just can't go there?"
Daniel Annechino: There were several scenes carefully reworked because both my agent and I felt strongly they were over the top and much too graphic. When a writer tries to define a character, particularly a villain, the author can't simply use a narrative to illustrate the villain's evilness. The writer must "show" the level of evil through action scenes. Describing a villain with every negative adjective in the dictionary has nowhere near the impact of a scene that "shows" his evil. A writer wants to evoke strong emotions, but doesn't want to risk alienating the reader. So the author is faced with a delicate balance between explicit scenes and discretion.
Amazon.com: It's obvious from your video interview that you are very different in personality and nature than Simon. Which character in the book was the easiest for you to develop?
Daniel Annechino: My main protagonist, Sami Rizzo, was probably the character I could relate to most--not so much as detective, but more as a second generation Italian. Although Sami was a strong-willed, determined character, she still struggled with insecurities. Her relationships with both her father and mother posed great challenges for her, and she survived a troubled marriage. As I developed her throughout the story, I tried to portray a woman with depth of character, integrity, and compassion, but also showed her weaknesses, flaws, and vulnerabilities.
Amazon.com: What's your writing routine and environment like? What do you do to help you write?
Daniel Annechino: I do not have a structured routine. Some days I can't write a meaningful sentence; other days the ideas are pouring out of my head so abundantly, my fingers can barely keep pace with my thoughts. So, I've learned to go with the flow. When the creative juices are flowing, I write my little heart out. When they're not, I walk away and don't force it.
Amazon.com: What's next from you?
Daniel Annechino: My next novel,
Resuscitation is in the works right now. Although I'm only four chapters into the book, I pretty much know where the book is going and how I'm getting there. Because it's a sequel to
They Never Die Quietly, the two main protagonists--Sami and Al--will carry over to the new book. The sequel will be another serial killer novel. Although I didn't think it was possible, I really believe my new villain is even more evil than Simon, my previous villain. His method of killing will push the reader's imagination to new levels of suspense and disbelief.
