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QUESTIONS FROM READERS

ALEMESH@aol.com: I do have a question for Mr. Arvin. When I heard the title of the book, I thought to myself, where have I heard that before? It finally came to me that I was thinking of THE LONG GOODBYE by Raymond Chandler. I don't know if that was a ploy by Mr. Arvin or not. Personally, I would think the book's title would be very hard to come up with. I don't know the process and whether or not the editor works with the author on this or it is solely the author's discretion.

Reed Arvin: My editor and I went through some changes in the quest for a title. It's always a tough thing. You wouldn't believe some of the things we considered. There's something iconic about THE LAST GOODBYE, and I note that Grisham's new book is THE LAST JUROR. Maybe there will be a trend in the opposite direction --- THE FIRST JUROR. Actually, I like that. But believe me, it wasn't easy.

Bookcollector2@aol.com: Why isn't Dallas/Fort Worth on your tour schedule?

Reed Arvin: I love D/FW, and I wish I was coming there. I went to undergrad school at UNT, and spent many a weekend in Dallas playing music. I actually was in the band at the Southern Palace at Six Flags. D/FW is full of wonderful memories to me. But I don't actually set my tour schedule; HarperCollins does that. I think it's good that it's been capped at 16 cities, because if you tour too long it can get in the way of writing.

Bookcollector2@aol.com: How are the movie plans going on your previous book, THE WILL? Are you involved in writing the screenplay?

Reed Arvin: THE WILL is in what's known as 'endless turnaround,' which means it's searching for someone to attach who can actually get a movie made. It's very nearly been greenlighted on two occasions, but things just didn't quite come together. In one instance, the actor who wanted to make it literally lost his clout during negotiations (he dropped a major bomb in theaters). As far as the screenplay is concerned, I think I'll leave that to people who specialize in that. It's such a different idiom.

dashofbasenji@charter.net: What else do you have in store for us?

Reed Arvin: Well, I'm hard at work on a new book, another thriller. I'm excited about it --- it's even more ambitious than THE LAST GOODBYE. I'm writing from the perspective of the prosecuting attorney, because I think that's a little under-appreciated. But I'm also listening to what readers are saying about Jack. Early reports are that people would like to see more of him. We'll see.

DFSn180@aol.com: When is the next book? Do you plan on doing a series?

Reed Arvin: The next book will be soon! I'm writing as fast as I can without compromising what I do. I like Jack very much; he's interesting and I'm curious about what would happen next in his life --- and also in the lives of his friends. I'm really waiting to hear from readers on this.

g_handle@bellsouth.net: I got a distinct feel of "film noir" or Dashiell Hammett/Raymond Chandler in the opening scene and several other places in the book. Was that intentional? Was Mr. Arvin fond of or influenced by these authors of the "film noir" style?

Reed Arvin: The noir quality of the book wasn't really intentional. Writing in first person can give a book that feel, and some of the locations probably lended themselves to that. But I noticed it fairly early on, and decided not to interfere with it. The tone felt right, so I plugged ahead.

MParloff@aol.com: I don't have questions for Reed Arvin personally, but I do have a few questions about the plot. The major ones concern what happened to Michele when she disappeared in McDaniel Glen (and why Jack didn't quiz her about it), and how Derek Stephens managed to manipulate Robinson's research project so that the identified addicts who would be vulnerable to Lipitran became subjects in the research project. The latter point is hastily but not satisfactorily explained.

Reed Arvin: I appreciate your careful reading. Jack notes that Michelle would have been comfortable in the Glen, and would be able to negotiate her own way, at least if she wasn't interfered with. He's back and forth on it --- a part of him feels she's okay, but he's afraid that the gang they spoke with would have hunted her down. He learns she was able to get out when she leaves a message for him. By the time they see each other again, so much has happened that it doesn't come up. At any rate, while writing I didn't find myself feeling the need to clarify it.

Ralston gets addicts onto the Lipitran test by trading pharmaceutical grade heroin for their participation. But I think you make a good point --- I would like to have spelled that out a little more. It's always difficult to spell out every detail in thrillers, especially as so much is revealed at the end, when things are accelerating to the conclusion with a great deal of force and pace. I felt satisfied with Dr. Robinson's explanation, so I left it at that. But I greatly appreciate readers who read with great attention to detail.

MTK12345@aol.com: I'd like to ask Mr. Arvin who he would cast to play the roles of Jack, Michele, Nightmare, Blu, Stephens and Ralston.

Reed Arvin: Ha! I love this question. I once talked to an editor who suggested thinking of specific actors when writing, because it helped flesh them into real people. I thought that was interesting, but I haven't actually tried it. I think Halle Berry would be SPECTACULAR as Michelle. Kevin Spacey would be nicely creepy as Stephens. Ralston --- Denzel with hair color? Jack --- hmmm . . . if you get any ideas, let me know.

ndcontractor@yahoo.com: Why the use of Johnny Cash quotes?

Reed Arvin: Johnny Cash was the ultimate old school, outlaw country singer, which meant Jack would like him very much. Cash died after the book was finished, and I considered changing to another singer or possibly referring to him as 'the late' Johnny Cash. But I decided to keep things as they were. Call it a kind of homage.

reenie_leonard@msn.com: Will we see more of Jack Hammond?

Reed Arvin: See above --- we'll see.

stephejl@mail.stclair.k12.il.us: I'd be most interested in knowing who he reads and where he finds the inspiration/basis for characters and plot.

Reed Arvin: Who I read --- mostly nonfiction, although I'm a great fan of Somerset Maugham for tone. Nick Hornby for his 'anti-style' style. A Hornby book is like a conversation. Mark Danielewsky (HOUSE OF LEAVES) simply for rethinking the novel in ways I hadn't thought possible.

For inspiration, I'm not sure what to say. I start a book with the first line, and end with the last. I don't plot things out in advance, so I'm just as surprised as the readers by what happens. I think inspiration is just the process of creating one day, one word at a time. And lots of rewriting!

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