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Please welcome my special guest, award-winning medical thriller author Rudy A. Mazzocchi, whose novel, Equity of Fear was just released by Twilight Times Books. Equity of Fear is the second installment in his Equity series. Besides being an author, Mazzocchi is a medical device and biotechnology entrepreneur, inventor, and angel investor, with a history of starting new technology ventures throughout the U.S. and Europe. He’s been privileged to have the opportunity to see the newest innovations in healthcare and work with some of the most brilliant researchers, scientists and physicians in the industry. He has helped pioneer new companies involved in cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, neurosurgery, ophthalmology and even embryonic stem-cell development, and has been the recipient of many technology and business awards, including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in Healthcare and the Businessman of the Year Award.
In this interview, Mazzocchi talks about his inspiration for the novel, about his protagonist, and about what it means to be successful, among other things.
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Q: Congratulations on the release of your latest book in The EQUITY Series, EQUITY of FEAR. What was your inspiration for it?
A: EQUITY of FEAR is the second novel in The EQUITY Series, following the award-winning thriller, EQUITY of EVIL. These bold, controversial thrillers combine both business and medical science based on true events and/or current technologies under development. They not only inform the reader about life-changing innovations that could positively effect each one of us, but also reveal the dark and often frightening aspects of these technologies that can be manipulated to control our minds and souls. Society needs to prepare for how to best deal with such new innovations.
Q: Tell us something about your protagonist that my readers won’t be able to resist.
A: Frank Moretti is the dedicated research scientist who strives to see his inventions improve the quality of life in (potentially) millions of patients all over the world. He’s a bit awestruck when he’s promoted to be the C.E.O. of the rapidly growing U.S. Company that has supported and funded his life-long ambitions. As a first-time C.E.O., Frank is a compassionate and sincere businessman who gets duped by other foreign businessmen who have different motives on how to utilize his technology. The other key driving force in Frank’s life is his relationship with his teenage son, who eventually becomes a heart-wrenching pawn in business negotiations. A pawn until things take a turn for the worse….
Q: What was your creative process like during the writing of this book and how long did it take you to complete it? Did you face any bumps along the way?
A: Unlike EQUITY of EVIL (“EOE”), which took three years to write, edit and publish, EQUITY of FEAR was completed in about 14 months. I believe this was possible because I was so tuned in to the editing process of EOE that I didn’t want it to end. The early success of EOE energized that creativity and I
didn’t hit any bumps until the proverbially ending. Fortunately, that bump stimulated me to create another interesting twist at the end.
Q: How do you keep your narrative exciting throughout the creation of a novel?
A: One of my editors continually challenges me to minimize the narrative used in my books. Proper point-of-view (POV) has become a primary focus when creating these manuscripts. We focus on having the characters tell the story, through their eye, through their actions and dialog. The reader is best to judge how successful this effort has been.
Q: What is your writing schedule like and how do you balance it with your other work and family time?
A: Great question! I’m still trying to figure that out. I basically write whenever I can find the time. Often it is during long trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific flights, or during late evenings in my hotel room. I flew over 300,000 miles in 2012 for ‘m involved with. Otherwise, its early morning (before the start of my day), or late nights when family members are tucked in for their beds.
Q: How do you define success?
A: I think this definition is ever changing. After releasing my first novel, I deemed it successful the minute I realized someone, a stranger, actually paid to read my book! Then I found myself defining other indicators of success; i.e. monthly sales or number of good reviews. Somewhat unfortunately, I’ve now set higher expectations and want to see both or either book reviewed by a reputable media source such as the New York Times or Chicago Tribune.
Q: What advice would you give to aspiring writers whose spouses or partners don’t support their dreams of becoming an author?
A: I couldn’t imagine not having the support of my wife. My only advice would be to get them involved in the process. Writing fiction is actually a very fun and creative thing to do. Sit down with a glass of wine, turn off the television and share a few stories. If they’re a part of the process, they’ll appreciate
your dreams, and share in your success.
Q: Anything else you’d like to tell my readers?
A: I sincerely hope that this particular genre, “medical thrillers” eventually drops the qualifier medical. These are stories that touch on science and technology that impacts each and every one of us…elements that we all should be able to relate to as living, breathing humans on the planet Earth. I can appreciate a good mystery or crime novel, but it’s often tough to relate. I truly hope that these types of novels become more mainstream and the preferred thriller genre when a reader is looking for a gripping novel in which to lose themselves.
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