Author Tess Gerritsen
Rob Holden: Tess Gerritsen, welcome BACK to ReadersRoom.com. It’s a pleasure to have you with us again this evening.
Tess Gerritsen: It's a pleasure to be here!
Rob Holden: Let's start this off talking about your latest novel, THE MEPHISTO CLUB. Can you tell our readers a bit about it?
Tess Gerritsen: It's the sixth in the Jane Rizzoli/ Maura Isles series. It opens with a horrifying murder on Christmas Eve, with Satanic symbols drawn on the victim's walls. Maura and Jane begin to suspect there is indeed some sort of Satanic element involved, and the trail leads them to a group called THE MEPHISTO CLUB, made up of scholars who've been studying evil for centuries. And
they believe that demons truly exist. Soon Jane begins to wonder if the killer might be one of the Nephilim, who are demons that were first described
in ancient Biblical texts.
Rob Holden: The novel is interesting on a number of levels, but I would like to start with the supernatural elements first -- as these are certainly a
departure from your other novels. What was it that inspired you to move in such a different direction?
Tess Gerritsen: I'm not a big believer in supernatural things. I'm pretty much a scientist at heart. But something I read in an old religious text dating back to around 200 BC, about the Nephilim, got me thinking about the possibility that they were actually correct -- that there IS a sub-group of humans who carry the genes for evil. Or for sociopathic behavior. It would actually verify what the ancient Israelites believed -- but it would give it a scientific basis.
I've always been fascinated by mythology and by biblical lore, and this was my chance to explore stories from the Old Testament, and from religious texts that pre-date it.
Rob Holden: Could you talk about those other texts a bit? I personally found your Afterward to the novel to be absolutely fascinating. Did you spend much time doing research in the ancient Apocryphal texts?
Tess Gerritsen: The texts I'm referring to are The Book of Enoch (around 200 BCE) and The Book of Jubilees (around 150 BCE). Fragments of both were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. But the entire texts survived, translated from the Greek, in Ethiopia. In the 1700's, they were discovered by a Scotsman and brought back to Europe, where they were later translated. They give us a
window into what the ancient Israelites believed, about the world around them, and about the myths of their own origins. In the Book of Enoch, there's a great deal about the Nephilim, who were the offspring of fallen angels and human women. These hybrids were described as evil, as worshipers of Satan, and 9/10 of them were said to be destroyed during Noah's time. But God -- for some reason -- chose to allow 1/10 of them to survive as Satan's worshipers. And they supposedly remain with us till this day, causing violence and grief to humanity. There's also a belief, among those who believe in Armageddon, that the anti-Christ will be a Nephilim. And since they are described as quite tall and charismatic, they are destined to become our leaders. A scary thought, given the turmoil in today's world!
Natalie R. Collins: Wow, that is REALLY fascinating!
Tess Gerritsen: It also gives one a rather paranoid view of the world! I've talked to people who believe they've spotted evil in a stranger's eyes --
that they've recognized something "different' about them. It's not hard to
postulate that some of us are able to recognize the Nephilim!
Rob Holden: Tess, did you find it hard to blend your particular brand of scientific thriller with the -- for lack of a better term -- more mystical
elements of this novel?
Tess Gerritsen: Yes, I found it incredibly difficult, because I did not want to write a paranormal story. I wanted to write a thriller where you, the reader (as well as Jane) isn't quite certain WHICH reality is correct. And by the end of THE MEPHISTO CLUB, I myself was not quite sure which reality was
really operating in the story.
Rob Holden: To be honest, that is one of the reasons I liked it so much.
Tess Gerritsen: I think it may disturb some readers, though, because the ending isn't so neatly wrapped up. But it leaves an opening for many of the new characters to return.
Rob Holden: The book has been out a short time now, and the early returns should be starting to come in. How are your fans reacting to it?
Tess Gerritsen: It's actually been out only three days! So I haven't heard much yet -- only a few readers have emailed me to tell me how much they like it.
Natalie R. Collins: As soon as I get past this latest deadline, it's first on my TBR pile, Tess!
Tess Gerritsen: Ah yes, that TBR pile! Mine just keeps getting taller too! What's interesting is how many people I've been talking to who really feel they've seen "them" or spotted "them", by which I mean, people who are frightening to them.
Rob Holden: As you brought up the sort of "open ended" ending, do you see yourself carrying on any of the metaphysical themes you started in THE MEPHISTO CLUB?
Tess Gerritsen: I would really love to do a book starring the members of THE MEPHISTO CLUB -- Anthony Sansone, and Lily Saul, for instance. Whether they're insane or right on the money about the existence of demons, they will certainly continue their hunt for them.
Rob Holden: Okay -- we never do "spoilers" here at ReadersRoom, but I did want to ask about Lily! Where did SHE come from -- I mean as a character, for
you, the writer.
Tess Gerritsen: Lily, for these who haven't read the book, is a woman on the run. She believes that a truly evil being is chasing her, and she has been living in hiding in Italy. When I pictured her, I imagined a feral creature who'd do anything to survive. She's smart, she's fast, and she's desperate. And she's also very educated in the classics, in ancient history, and in
demonology. I loved this character, and I think she's got many battles ahead
of her.
Natalie R. Collins: So is that in your plans, Tess, or just a wish? (Using Lily again?)
Tess Gerritsen: It's a wish! I'll see how THE MEPHISTO CLUB does. Right now I'm working on something a little different, out of the series.
Natalie R. Collins: Oh, can you tell us anything about it?
Tess Gerritsen: It's an historical thriller set in 1830's Boston, during a really horrifying time in the history of medicine, before anesthesia, when people died of really awful things. Add a serial killer to that setting, and it
becomes quite a scary time!
Natalie R. Collins: Wow, it sounds like something that needed a lot of research. How did you do that? What methods did you use. EN
Tess Gerritsen: I've always been interested in the history of medicine, and in particular, in childbed fever, which is something I've researched before. I use the setting of a maternity ward, and medical students as characters, to flesh out the story. Since I'm a doctor, much of the medicine is already under
my belt. The difficult thing is to understand exactly what doctors knew -- and didn't know -- back then. And believe me, there was a great deal of ignorance. To the detriment of many, many patients.
Rob Holden: I would like to talk about Boston for a moment -- and the love affair you carry on with it in your novels. Aside from proximity, what allows you to givethe city the almost physical presence you mange to give it in your
books?
Tess Gerritsen: I go to Boston all the time. It's the closest "big" city to me, and it still intimidates me every time I get down there! But its history is just fascinating. Not just its colonial role in America's birth, but also its role in the intellectual history of this nation. It feels "old" to me, and I
love that sense of walking in the footsteps of great men -- and women.
Rob Holden: I know how you feel -- I think my earliest childhood memory was a "pilgrimage" to the Old North Church one Christmas eve. I was about 5.
Tess Gerritsen: And now that I'm reading so much about the early 1800's and the transcendentalist movement, I feel in absolute awe of the intellectuals of that time.
Rob Holden: Tess, THE MEPHISTO CLUB is, I think, the 6th novel in that series -- and you have mentioned that you are writing your next book outside the series. Do you find writing a highly popular series to be confining -- or is it something that you simply need to take a break from every now and then?
Tess Gerritsen: It can be very confining, and perhaps that's why I feel the need to veer away from it for at least one book. I've put my characters through so much, and I almost feel that Jane and Maura need a bit of a rest! Also, I
really want to explore other topics, and history has always been one of my fascinations.
Natalie R. Collins: Tess, can you talk a minute about some of the backlash you received when you owned up to feeling fearful about your books, and where they land on the New York Times list?
Tess Gerritsen: It's probably something I shouldn't have confessed to in public! But the truth is, I never stop feeling as if I'm on the verge of failure. I don't think there's any level of success I could achieve where I wouldn't feel this way. But it astonishes other writers to hear this -- they suppose that
a NYT-bestselling author has it made in the shade, when really, we're just as
insecure as when we started off in the biz. I've seen it from the bottom,
and I know how hard it is to advance in the book business. I guess people just
didn't think I had the right to express my anxieties!
Natalie R. Collins: This was a pivotal moment for me, and I think it's so important for other writers to realize that the pressures and anxiety and
insecurities do not end. To see you be open and honest about it was so
refreshing. And it was something that OTHER people, especially the
unpublished needed to hear.
Tess Gerritsen: Yeah. That we're all, every one of us, screaming bundles of nerves. And if you aren't, maybe you don't have the anxiety to really succeed. As my husband often tells me, "If you were more Zen about this, you wouldn't be where you are."
Natalie R. Collins: Exactly.
Rob Holden: I guess I have to be the bad guy -- well, at least the mean interviewer -- here and ask how you dealt with it?
Tess Gerritsen: How I deal with the anxiety? I just live with it. No other choice. And my poor husband has to deal with it, too!
Natalie R. Collins: Are you implying I'm not mean? I can be mean! Just ask my kids.
Tess Gerritsen: You do need fire in the belly to make it as a writer. Not the writing part, but the marketing and the promotion, etc. Just look at Joe Konrath. That man has fire in the belly, and he is promoting the heck out of his books. He's going to succeed.
Natalie R. Collins: Yes, Joe is dauntless. I don't know how he does it. And marketing and promotion is the hardest part of all of it. I hate it. SO, Tess, what is your favorite part of the business?
Tess Gerritsen: My favorite part of the business is definitely not the marketing! Although I do like meeting readers, I often feel like a traveling saleswoman, and for someone who prefers to sit alone in an office, it can be a real ordeal. My favorite part of the business is the daydreaming, the
plot-spinning. That's why I got into this -- to write! Not to run around
the country begging people to buy my books. But it's what you have to do
these days.
Rob Holden: And speaking of the traveling saleswoman, you are touring heavily for THE MEPHISTO CLUB. Where are some of the places you will be, and how can our readers find out the others?
Tess Gerritsen: You can always check out my tour schedule by looking at my website, www.tessgerritsen.com. Among the places I'll be visiting are New York, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Lexington, and Dayton. Plus many places in New England.
Natalie R. Collins: I thought you were going to try to come see me here in Utah, Tess!
Tess Gerritsen: If you visit the website, you'll also find a reader's guide to THE MEPHISTO CLUB, with a lot of interesting information about the historical background to the story, including lore about the Nephilim, and about Adam's first wife, Lilith.
I have yet to go to Utah! I hope I make it one of these days!
But I don't know how my biblical themes would go over there!
Natalie R. Collins: You and me could hang together.
Rob Holden: Who knows how anything would go over in Utah!
Tess Gerritsen: As long as I can find somewhere to get my martini!
Natalie R. Collins: I know ALL the right spots for that!
Rob Holden: But we LOVE our Utah readers!
Natalie R. Collins: Do we have Utah readers? Hi Mom!
Tess Gerritsen: I will promise to behave.
Rob Holden: Okay -- before the cocktails hit the fan, I think its getting to be time to wrap this up.
Tess Gerritsen: I've had a great time -- many thanks for the great questions!
Rob Holden: Tess, I would like to thank you for being our VERY first chat four years ago, and coming back to see us today. Is there anything you would like to say to your fans who might read this chat at ReadersRoom.com?
Tess Gerritsen: I'd encourage them to look deeper into the ancient religious texts such as Enoch and Jubilees -- they'll no doubt be as fascinated as I am. Oh, and read THE MEPHISTO CLUB!
Rob Holden: Tess Gerritsen, thanks for joining us here today, and all the best with all your future projects!
Natalie R. Collins: Thanks for coming, Tess!
Tess Gerritsen: It's a pleasure to be here!
Rob Holden: Let's start this off talking about your latest novel, THE MEPHISTO CLUB. Can you tell our readers a bit about it?
Tess Gerritsen: It's the sixth in the Jane Rizzoli/ Maura Isles series. It opens with a horrifying murder on Christmas Eve, with Satanic symbols drawn on the victim's walls. Maura and Jane begin to suspect there is indeed some sort of Satanic element involved, and the trail leads them to a group called THE MEPHISTO CLUB, made up of scholars who've been studying evil for centuries. And
they believe that demons truly exist. Soon Jane begins to wonder if the killer might be one of the Nephilim, who are demons that were first described
in ancient Biblical texts.
Rob Holden: The novel is interesting on a number of levels, but I would like to start with the supernatural elements first -- as these are certainly a
departure from your other novels. What was it that inspired you to move in such a different direction?
Tess Gerritsen: I'm not a big believer in supernatural things. I'm pretty much a scientist at heart. But something I read in an old religious text dating back to around 200 BC, about the Nephilim, got me thinking about the possibility that they were actually correct -- that there IS a sub-group of humans who carry the genes for evil. Or for sociopathic behavior. It would actually verify what the ancient Israelites believed -- but it would give it a scientific basis.
I've always been fascinated by mythology and by biblical lore, and this was my chance to explore stories from the Old Testament, and from religious texts that pre-date it.
Rob Holden: Could you talk about those other texts a bit? I personally found your Afterward to the novel to be absolutely fascinating. Did you spend much time doing research in the ancient Apocryphal texts?
Tess Gerritsen: The texts I'm referring to are The Book of Enoch (around 200 BCE) and The Book of Jubilees (around 150 BCE). Fragments of both were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. But the entire texts survived, translated from the Greek, in Ethiopia. In the 1700's, they were discovered by a Scotsman and brought back to Europe, where they were later translated. They give us a
window into what the ancient Israelites believed, about the world around them, and about the myths of their own origins. In the Book of Enoch, there's a great deal about the Nephilim, who were the offspring of fallen angels and human women. These hybrids were described as evil, as worshipers of Satan, and 9/10 of them were said to be destroyed during Noah's time. But God -- for some reason -- chose to allow 1/10 of them to survive as Satan's worshipers. And they supposedly remain with us till this day, causing violence and grief to humanity. There's also a belief, among those who believe in Armageddon, that the anti-Christ will be a Nephilim. And since they are described as quite tall and charismatic, they are destined to become our leaders. A scary thought, given the turmoil in today's world!
Natalie R. Collins: Wow, that is REALLY fascinating!
Tess Gerritsen: It also gives one a rather paranoid view of the world! I've talked to people who believe they've spotted evil in a stranger's eyes --
that they've recognized something "different' about them. It's not hard to
postulate that some of us are able to recognize the Nephilim!
Rob Holden: Tess, did you find it hard to blend your particular brand of scientific thriller with the -- for lack of a better term -- more mystical
elements of this novel?
Tess Gerritsen: Yes, I found it incredibly difficult, because I did not want to write a paranormal story. I wanted to write a thriller where you, the reader (as well as Jane) isn't quite certain WHICH reality is correct. And by the end of THE MEPHISTO CLUB, I myself was not quite sure which reality was
really operating in the story.
Rob Holden: To be honest, that is one of the reasons I liked it so much.
Tess Gerritsen: I think it may disturb some readers, though, because the ending isn't so neatly wrapped up. But it leaves an opening for many of the new characters to return.
Rob Holden: The book has been out a short time now, and the early returns should be starting to come in. How are your fans reacting to it?
Tess Gerritsen: It's actually been out only three days! So I haven't heard much yet -- only a few readers have emailed me to tell me how much they like it.
Natalie R. Collins: As soon as I get past this latest deadline, it's first on my TBR pile, Tess!
Tess Gerritsen: Ah yes, that TBR pile! Mine just keeps getting taller too! What's interesting is how many people I've been talking to who really feel they've seen "them" or spotted "them", by which I mean, people who are frightening to them.
Rob Holden: As you brought up the sort of "open ended" ending, do you see yourself carrying on any of the metaphysical themes you started in THE MEPHISTO CLUB?
Tess Gerritsen: I would really love to do a book starring the members of THE MEPHISTO CLUB -- Anthony Sansone, and Lily Saul, for instance. Whether they're insane or right on the money about the existence of demons, they will certainly continue their hunt for them.
Rob Holden: Okay -- we never do "spoilers" here at ReadersRoom, but I did want to ask about Lily! Where did SHE come from -- I mean as a character, for
you, the writer.
Tess Gerritsen: Lily, for these who haven't read the book, is a woman on the run. She believes that a truly evil being is chasing her, and she has been living in hiding in Italy. When I pictured her, I imagined a feral creature who'd do anything to survive. She's smart, she's fast, and she's desperate. And she's also very educated in the classics, in ancient history, and in
demonology. I loved this character, and I think she's got many battles ahead
of her.
Natalie R. Collins: So is that in your plans, Tess, or just a wish? (Using Lily again?)
Tess Gerritsen: It's a wish! I'll see how THE MEPHISTO CLUB does. Right now I'm working on something a little different, out of the series.
Natalie R. Collins: Oh, can you tell us anything about it?
Tess Gerritsen: It's an historical thriller set in 1830's Boston, during a really horrifying time in the history of medicine, before anesthesia, when people died of really awful things. Add a serial killer to that setting, and it
becomes quite a scary time!
Natalie R. Collins: Wow, it sounds like something that needed a lot of research. How did you do that? What methods did you use. EN
Tess Gerritsen: I've always been interested in the history of medicine, and in particular, in childbed fever, which is something I've researched before. I use the setting of a maternity ward, and medical students as characters, to flesh out the story. Since I'm a doctor, much of the medicine is already under
my belt. The difficult thing is to understand exactly what doctors knew -- and didn't know -- back then. And believe me, there was a great deal of ignorance. To the detriment of many, many patients.
Rob Holden: I would like to talk about Boston for a moment -- and the love affair you carry on with it in your novels. Aside from proximity, what allows you to givethe city the almost physical presence you mange to give it in your
books?
Tess Gerritsen: I go to Boston all the time. It's the closest "big" city to me, and it still intimidates me every time I get down there! But its history is just fascinating. Not just its colonial role in America's birth, but also its role in the intellectual history of this nation. It feels "old" to me, and I
love that sense of walking in the footsteps of great men -- and women.
Rob Holden: I know how you feel -- I think my earliest childhood memory was a "pilgrimage" to the Old North Church one Christmas eve. I was about 5.
Tess Gerritsen: And now that I'm reading so much about the early 1800's and the transcendentalist movement, I feel in absolute awe of the intellectuals of that time.
Rob Holden: Tess, THE MEPHISTO CLUB is, I think, the 6th novel in that series -- and you have mentioned that you are writing your next book outside the series. Do you find writing a highly popular series to be confining -- or is it something that you simply need to take a break from every now and then?
Tess Gerritsen: It can be very confining, and perhaps that's why I feel the need to veer away from it for at least one book. I've put my characters through so much, and I almost feel that Jane and Maura need a bit of a rest! Also, I
really want to explore other topics, and history has always been one of my fascinations.
Natalie R. Collins: Tess, can you talk a minute about some of the backlash you received when you owned up to feeling fearful about your books, and where they land on the New York Times list?
Tess Gerritsen: It's probably something I shouldn't have confessed to in public! But the truth is, I never stop feeling as if I'm on the verge of failure. I don't think there's any level of success I could achieve where I wouldn't feel this way. But it astonishes other writers to hear this -- they suppose that
a NYT-bestselling author has it made in the shade, when really, we're just as
insecure as when we started off in the biz. I've seen it from the bottom,
and I know how hard it is to advance in the book business. I guess people just
didn't think I had the right to express my anxieties!
Natalie R. Collins: This was a pivotal moment for me, and I think it's so important for other writers to realize that the pressures and anxiety and
insecurities do not end. To see you be open and honest about it was so
refreshing. And it was something that OTHER people, especially the
unpublished needed to hear.
Tess Gerritsen: Yeah. That we're all, every one of us, screaming bundles of nerves. And if you aren't, maybe you don't have the anxiety to really succeed. As my husband often tells me, "If you were more Zen about this, you wouldn't be where you are."
Natalie R. Collins: Exactly.
Rob Holden: I guess I have to be the bad guy -- well, at least the mean interviewer -- here and ask how you dealt with it?
Tess Gerritsen: How I deal with the anxiety? I just live with it. No other choice. And my poor husband has to deal with it, too!
Natalie R. Collins: Are you implying I'm not mean? I can be mean! Just ask my kids.
Tess Gerritsen: You do need fire in the belly to make it as a writer. Not the writing part, but the marketing and the promotion, etc. Just look at Joe Konrath. That man has fire in the belly, and he is promoting the heck out of his books. He's going to succeed.
Natalie R. Collins: Yes, Joe is dauntless. I don't know how he does it. And marketing and promotion is the hardest part of all of it. I hate it. SO, Tess, what is your favorite part of the business?
Tess Gerritsen: My favorite part of the business is definitely not the marketing! Although I do like meeting readers, I often feel like a traveling saleswoman, and for someone who prefers to sit alone in an office, it can be a real ordeal. My favorite part of the business is the daydreaming, the
plot-spinning. That's why I got into this -- to write! Not to run around
the country begging people to buy my books. But it's what you have to do
these days.
Rob Holden: And speaking of the traveling saleswoman, you are touring heavily for THE MEPHISTO CLUB. Where are some of the places you will be, and how can our readers find out the others?
Tess Gerritsen: You can always check out my tour schedule by looking at my website, www.tessgerritsen.com. Among the places I'll be visiting are New York, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Lexington, and Dayton. Plus many places in New England.
Natalie R. Collins: I thought you were going to try to come see me here in Utah, Tess!
Tess Gerritsen: If you visit the website, you'll also find a reader's guide to THE MEPHISTO CLUB, with a lot of interesting information about the historical background to the story, including lore about the Nephilim, and about Adam's first wife, Lilith.
I have yet to go to Utah! I hope I make it one of these days!
But I don't know how my biblical themes would go over there!
Natalie R. Collins: You and me could hang together.
Rob Holden: Who knows how anything would go over in Utah!
Tess Gerritsen: As long as I can find somewhere to get my martini!
Natalie R. Collins: I know ALL the right spots for that!
Rob Holden: But we LOVE our Utah readers!
Natalie R. Collins: Do we have Utah readers? Hi Mom!
Tess Gerritsen: I will promise to behave.
Rob Holden: Okay -- before the cocktails hit the fan, I think its getting to be time to wrap this up.
Tess Gerritsen: I've had a great time -- many thanks for the great questions!
Rob Holden: Tess, I would like to thank you for being our VERY first chat four years ago, and coming back to see us today. Is there anything you would like to say to your fans who might read this chat at ReadersRoom.com?
Tess Gerritsen: I'd encourage them to look deeper into the ancient religious texts such as Enoch and Jubilees -- they'll no doubt be as fascinated as I am. Oh, and read THE MEPHISTO CLUB!
Rob Holden: Tess Gerritsen, thanks for joining us here today, and all the best with all your future projects!
Natalie R. Collins: Thanks for coming, Tess!
1 Comments:
Yes, you do have Utah readers. *waving*
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