I set out to write something big.
The inspiration was there. I had taken meticulous notes from a few of my favorite authors at the time. Brown, Steinbeck, Rollins—the way they build suspense and paint detailed pictures of the cities of the world. The way they spin a web of anxious intensity that gives their readers a reason to stay up until the wee hours of the night, clutching at the pages with anticipation.
The idea was there. I wanted to write a story of thieves, the likes of which I’d seen in films like Point Break and The Usual Suspects. Gritty. Loyal. Imperfect. And, of course, the mysterious nature of secret societies and fringe scientific theories tugged at my wandering imagination. Eventually it all came together in a patchwork of suspenseful action scenes with the echoes of an old Le Carrè spy novel.
The Medina Device began as a story of three former Green Berets who’d returned from the battlefield and now quenched their thirst for adventure by knocking over casinos and banks. The original working title was The Huntsmen’s Club. And the device? I actually had no idea what the damn thing was when I began drafting. It was basically just a McGuffin.
With the help of Ashley LaChance, my editor in Canada, the plot line was ironed out and a ton of re-writes were done to the characters and their backgrounds. I renamed the manuscript and the plot diagram was tightened. And after two months of extensive research in physics, magnetism, the time-space continuum and learning the theoretical framework in which particles are replaced by one-dimensional objects, The Medina Device became a thing—and its power would ultimately surprise even its author.
Work continued on the manuscript through the better half of 2019. I worked closely with editor Jason O’Toole, Ireland’s foremost expert on true crime, the mob and basically all things Dublin. We began bouncing ideas around to sharpen the dialogue and give the characters more personality. Jason is actually the one who came up with Special Agent Steve Brodsky’s penchant for using Spanish slang and Rand Kershaw’s drive and willingness to never give up.
In the end, I wanted this novel to be a tale of good versus evil, but most importantly, the responsibility that comes with ultimate power. I wanted the story of Cameron Lyle to be one of sacrifice and salvation. His character embodies the heart and bravery that is instilled in our favorite literary heroes; the determination of Tom Joad, the fearless tenacity of Beowulf, and the brilliant instincts of James Bond. He’s a father who carries the weight of the world on his shoulders—in his dreams he hears the pleas of the innocent and the desperate cries of the oppressed. This is what drives him.
The Medina Device itself is a metaphor for power and corruption—an ideology that makes people do things they would otherwise never do. It’s the temptation of greed, the impulse to give in to the evil that lurks inside us, and the crown jewel to which men will kill each other for. And in the wrong hands, the device brings to the surface our deepest, darkest fears.
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. The Medina Device is an exciting adventure with some wonderful characters, and I can’t wait for you to meet them.
~ T.J. CHAMPITTO