Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Political Intrigue with Mike Lawson

INGRID THOFT

A few years ago, I went to Portland, OR to receive the Spotted Owl Award for the Best First Mystery by a Pacific Northwest Writer, compliments of the Friends of Mystery.  It was lovely to get the award, of course, but equally exciting was the opportunity to meet writer Mike Lawson who was accepting the Best Mystery award that same year (for the second year in a row).

Mike lives in the Seattle area and is also a member of the Seattle7Writers organization.  Our paths have crossed in the ensuing years, and it's always a treat to catch up with him.  Mike writes two series, both of which are set in the halls of power amid the political intrigue in Washington, D.C.  His latest book, House Witness, came out in February, and I'm thrilled to have Mike give us the scoop.

INGRID THOFT:  Tell me about your main character, Joe DeMarco.  What inspired you to write a character who is a fixer for a corrupt politician?

MIKE LAWSON:  Actually, the DeMarco series started with the setting as opposed to the character.  I wanted to write a thriller series using Washington D.C. as a launch point for the novels because D.C. is a “target rich” environment for a writer.  There’s always something going on there that’s intriguing, criminal, and convoluted. (Now more so than ever.)  With that in mind, I wanted a protagonist that wasn’t a cop or a detective—there were already too many good cops and detectives in fiction that I couldn’t compete with—so I came up with DeMarco, a fixer for a powerful politician.  Making the politician a corrupt one wasn’t a stretch, obviously, since it seems as if one gets indicted about every other day.
 


IPT:  Where do you find inspiration for your plots?  Do you draw on your experience working as a nuclear engineer for the Navy?
  
ML:  Almost all my books have been inspired—not sure “inspired” is the right word—by some real-life event or circumstance.  The idea for House Rules came from an article I read in the "Washington Post" about the no-fly zone around D.C.  House Blood was sparked by a story in "Vanity Fair" about drug companies doing so-called clinical trials in third world countries.  House Justice was based, in part, on the reporter who outed the CIA agent, Valerie Plame, and was jailed for refusing to name her sources.  

My latest book, House Witness, came to me when I heard a guy on the radio talking about a man being arrested for murder and then tried four years later.  Four years!  It occurred to me: Gee, what can possibly go wrong when it takes four years to bring a case to trial?  My next thought was: What if someone made it her job to make things go wrong? 

Only one of my books was has had anything to do with the navy job I used to have, and that was The Second Perimeter.  The story was actually based on an incident at Los Alamos where the Chinese were accused of stealing a classified computer disk.  I’m a little leery, by the way, about writing about my experiences having to do with navy submarines and aircraft carriers; I don’t need NCIS agents showing up at my door asking why I’m writing about classified matters.  My navy/government background, however, has been very helpful when dealing with the D.C. institutions I often write about.

IPT:  I also love your series featuring former DEA agent Kay Hamilton.  Can you explain the inception of that series?


ML:  The Kay Hamilton series came about in a really odd way. There’s a television producer in LA who loves the Emma character in my DeMarco novels, and he called me one day and asked if I’d like to develop a script with a strong female protagonist for a TV movie.  I said sure, wrote the screenplay, which never got produced, but after the screenplay was finished it was really easy to write my novel, Rosarito Beach.

Rosarito Beach was intended to be a one-and-done stand alone, but when Penguin saw it, they said they wanted a series.  Which, of course, I agreed to; no writer turns down a two-book deal.  Rosarito Beach was also optioned for a television series—a long, sad story I won’t go into.


IPT:  What has surprised you most about being a published author?

ML:  I love writing, and there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing.  And I’ve been extremely fortunate when it comes to my agent, my various editors, and to have been published by great houses like Doubleday, Penguin, and in particular, Grove Atlantic.  So although I really have nothing to whine about, I’ve been surprised by, and somewhat dismayed by, the amount of time, effort, and money that has to go into self-promotion.  My fantasy has always been to become a famous author-recluse like J.D. Salinger—but, of course, no one cares if you’re a recluse unless you’re really famous.

  
  
IPT:  Is there a wannabe book lurking in the back of your brain, something you would write if you didn’t have to consider agents, editors, and fans? A romance?

ML:  Yes, there is.  Right now I’m working on a book that’s unlike anything I’ve done before.  Not a thriller, not a mystery.  It’s sort of a comedy—I’m thinking Tom Hanks in the lead role—Are you listening, Tom?—and it deals with today’s divided, caustic political environment.  I’m not sure the book will ever see the light outside my laptop, but I’m plugging away at it in between my other books.  


Mike will be stopping by today to answer your questions.  He's also giving away a copy of House Witness.  Just comment to enter!



In House Witness, the twelfth novel in the Joe DeMarco series, Mike Lawson puts his likable protagonist on the trail of a different kind of fixer―one whose job is to influence, and sometimes disappear, witnesses in seemingly airtight criminal cases.

Minority Leader of the House and DeMarco’s long-time employer John Mahoney has kept more than one secret from his wife over the years, but none so explosive as this: He has a son, and that son has just been shot dead in a bar in Manhattan. Mahoney immediately dispatches DeMarco to New York to assist prosecutor Justine Porter, but with five bystanders willing to testify against the killer―rich-boy Toby Rosenthal―the case seems like a slam-dunk. That is, until Porter begins to suspect that someone is interfering with those witnesses, and that this may be connected to a pattern of cases across the country. Is there someone who is getting witnesses out of the way when the fate of a wealthy defendant is on the line?


Mike Lawson is the award-winning author of fifteen novels.  He has been nominated five times for the Barry Award and has twice won Friends of Mystery Award.  The twelve books in his Joe DeMarco political thriller series revolve around a character who is a fixer for a semi-corrupt politician.  The first of the three books in his Kay Hamilton series, "Rosarito Beach", was optioned for television.  Prior to turning to writing full time, Mike was a nuclear engineer employed by the Navy and he lives in the Northwest.

52 comments:

  1. Definitely sounds intriguing. I can see how political fixer would be a wonderful profession for a main character.

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    1. LIke I said in response to Ingrid's questions, I need a character that I could place in the DC environment, and making DeMarco a political fixer gave me a lot of room to roam when it came to future plots.

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  2. What an intriguing idea . . . with all the political shenanigans, there ought to be lots of fodder for stories. I’m looking forward to reading “House Witness” . . . .

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    1. Joan, you've got that right. These days, everytime I turn on the news, it seems I have an idea for another book. This latest thing - the "sex coach" arrested in Thailand after she's photographed with a Russian Oliagarch and who claims to know about Russians meddling in the election - well, I can see possibilities.

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    2. I can't wait to read that book!

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  3. You have definitely selected a target rich area in DC, especially these days! How difficult (or not) is it to set your books so far away from your home base?

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    1. It's not that difficult to set the books in DC because I lived there for several years and worked there, and with the navy job I used to have, I traveled back and forth to DC several times a year. I still go there occasionally when I'm researching the books. One fun thing was a national public radio tour I did where I was interviewed in some of the places where the books are set, like DeMarco's office in the subbasement of the Capitol, the Tomb of the Unknown soldier, DeMarco's favorite bar in Georgetown - also my favorite bar.

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  4. I've enjoyed several of the books in your series (and am reminded I need to read more). I was struck by your use of the term "semi-corrupt" to describe Mahoney. Isn't that like being semi-pregnant, you is or you isn't? Or does it presume that to be a politician one must be at least a little corrupt, and given that premise, Mahoney isn't half-bad?

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    1. Actually, the only reason used the term semi-corrupt - which I probably shouldn't have - was that I was trying to make the point that Mahoney's not all bad. Every once in awhile, as self-centered and dishonest as he is, he occassionaly does the right thing. But you're right, semi-corrupt is like semi-pregnant. (Also, I like the fact that he's corrupt. Not only is that realistic considering the nature of so many politicians, it allows me to embroil the guy in things an honest man wouldn't normally do.)

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  5. What an interesting life you've had, Mike... and then to be able to write about them! And to Jim's point, "semi-corrupt" makes a whole lot more sense to me than "semi-pregnant." Uh, speaking from experience.

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    1. It has been interesting, both the naval reactors job I once had and the writing career I now have. Life today seems particularly good. Right now I'm in Tucson for the Tucson Book Festival, the weather today is going to be about 80, as opposed to 40 in Seattle where I live, and later today might get a chance to play some golf. It's really hard for me to find something to complain about.

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  6. I think I have come late to this party, but intend to start the Kay Hamilton series asap.

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    1. Gram, the Kay Hamilton series is great! She's a multi-faceted character, and I love seeing what kind of trouble she gets into (and out of!).

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  7. Congrats on the book, Mike! Both series sound good, but I am particularly intrigued by a political fixer as a protagonist.

    Mary/Liz

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    1. It's a nice change of pace from cops and P.I.s, Mary. It's a little appalling, too, to see what goes on behind-the-scenes!

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  8. By the way, funny story to tell you, one of those bring you down to earth moments. I just finished a stand-alone, one in a different genre than I normally write. Meaning, I'm not too sure about the book and I'm frankly a little worried about sending it to my agent. So I give it to my wife to read, to get her opinion. It takes her four, five days to read it, and when she's finally done, I ask: "Well? What did you think?" She say, "It was good." Good? Hmmm. Then she starts reading my friend, Laurie Frankel's book, This is How it Always Is. She reads in non-stop, finishes it in a day, and, dummy that I am, I say, "How was Laurie's book?' My wife says: "Oh, it was excellent! It was splendid!" And on and on. Not exactly an uplifting moment for a writer

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    1. LOL! You're brave having Gail read your stuff in its earliest form. I usually don't bring Doug into the loop until it's a bit more finished. Will she give you more specific feedback at some point?

      And Lauri's book is excellent! ;)

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    2. Well, maybe it's just not her cuppa. We all need to remember the only folks who really count are the ones who read our kind of books.

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  9. Congratulations and best wishes Mike. Your novels sound captivating, intriguing and unique.

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  10. I don't know about other writers who write a series, but I've found that one of the biggest problems - unless you're a lot smarter than I am - is that in a series you'll commit one of your characters to something - then you're stuck with it. For example, in one of the books I gave DeMarco a girlfriend - and in the next book I hated the girlfriend, so I had to find some way to jettison her from the series. The point being as you write books in a series you need to be thinking more than one book ahead, which I often don't do. In my next book I'm doing something really terrifying. Without going into a lot of detail, DeMarco is a character who has always stayed in the shadows. Well, in the next book he becomes a media spectacle. What this means is that he's liable to lose his job. Then I did something in the book I may really regret. In the series Mahoney is a Democrat and the cliff hanger at the end of the book is that if the Dems take back the House in November 2018, DeMarco will still have a job. If the Republicans continue to control the house, then he's out of work. Obviously, I don't know the outcome of the midterm elections and at this point in time I have no idea what DeMarco's future will be. This may turn out to be one of the dumber things I've ever done.

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    1. Mike, I suspect it's these "jumping off the cliff" moments that have kept your series fresh and interesting. And that you'll have no trouble figuring out what to do next with DeMarco, whatever happens in November. But since you won't know until after November, is that going to give you problems with getting the book written and out while still current?

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  11. Oh, this sounds terrific! This is my favorite kind of book…
    And oh, yes, we should do a whole blog on series characters with baggage! I gave one of my characters a dog. Big big big mistake, because he kept having to walk it and feed it, can you imagine?

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    1. Did you keep the dog around, Hank? You're treading on dangerous ground, "getting rid of" an animal!

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    2. Oh, you are so right! I had the dog fall in love with the character's mother, and she took happy custody!

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    3. I was thinking of giving my series character a dog and instead gave him a grand-dog. So much easier. Like grandkids, you can spoil them and then give them back.

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  12. And yes, sigh, sometimes it’s great: i.e., Tucson. And sometimes, not so much… When it’s only yes, sigh, sometimes it’s great: ie Tucson. And sometimes, not so much… When it’s only “it’s good.”
    Talk a little bit about writing a standalone!

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  13. Hi Hank. I think I just saw that you're going to be one of the guests of honor at the next Bouchercon, the one in Dallas. At least that's what I think I remember reading. Congrats and well deserved. And yes, you're right, I could go on for quite a while on dumb things I've done with characters that I wished I could do over.

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    1. Yes, Hank is the American Guest of Honor and our own Deborah Crombie is the Local Guest of Honor at the 2019 Bouchercon in Dallas! Very exciting!

      You talk about the dumb things you've done with your characters, Mike, but as a reader, I never think, "that was a dumb thing for him to do with that character." Maybe what seems dumb to you is what makes the story compelling for the reader? Getting out of jams?

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    2. Yes, it is SO exciting! Will you be there?

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    3. Yes, can't wait! Everyone come to Dallas!!!!

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  14. I'll give you example of one thing I did, which may or may not apply to other writers. When I wrote Rosarito Beach it was a based on a pending television deal and I wrote the book to match a screenplay that never made it to the screen. But the book was intended to be a stand alone, including a protagonist, Kay Hamilton, who was a DEA agent and who had a daughter. When Penguin said they wanted a series, I was completely unprepared. I didn't want to continue the series with Kay Hamilton in the DEA and I really didn't want to deal with the daughter in subsequent books, so ended up moving Kay into a convert intelligence job - an atmosphere I felt more comfortable writing about - and sent the daughter off to medical school. I think it worked but the moral of the story, I guess, is if you're writing a stand alone, ask yourself the question: What if this became a series?

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    1. That's a very good question to keep in mind...

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    2. LOVE this! Sent the daughter to medical school. perfect. xoxo

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  15. Such problems to have, Mike! Now you have to think beyond each book, just in case. I would love to read a funny, snarky story about our current political climate. I'm for disbanding the current parties and making everyone realign in new groups with new names (for this century). Lets hear it for Whigs and the Bullmoose party!

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  16. I like that idea, just starting over. Or how bout some science fiction thing where the country of the future is split into various regions based on your political beliefs. Oh, wait a minute. We already tried that. it was called the Civil War.

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  17. Okay, I have to admit it. I'm down in sunny Tucson and I can't resist the golf course. I'll be back in a couple of hours - our however long it takes me to lose the golf balls I have - and respond to any other comments. (By the way, it looks like it might not be smart to chase a ball into the rough: it looks like rattlesnake country to me)

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    1. My kind of golfer -- one who likes to see ALL the course, not just the short grass. How did it go?

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  18. Just popping in to say I love the Demarco series, and I'm excited for HOUSE WITNESS. As a political junkie and a former DC resident, I've always felt Mike gets the feel of the capitol just right.

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  19. Both of these series are new to me......can't wait to get started! Please, could one of you talented writers consider developing a plot line for my home state California......a book that reveals how successful their decision was to resign from the U.S......becoming a Country in their own right, with all the intrigue and power grabbing that would result from the radical experiment. I long to feel like Canada must.....relieved to be "on the outside, looking in", an observer of rather than a participant in the current insanity. If Oregon and Washington were to join in....even better!

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  20. I think that's great idea, Helen: the kingdom of California. And we'll make you Ruler for Life. (I'll see if I can get a job as your press secretary, the Sarah Sanders of Magic Kingdom.

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  21. Mike Lawson,

    I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that I haven't read either of your series before. After reading the description of your latest novel, I'm going to have to change that.

    "House Witness" sounds exceptionally intriguing.

    Regarding your writing, have you ever started writing a story for one series and found it worked better for your other lead?

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    1. That's never happened in the past, but when I think about it, a book I'm working on right now could just as easily go with the other series. Gonna have to go think about that now.

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    2. Ingrid, I have my moments. Imagine if I could string enough good questions together, I could actually do interviews of both authors and musicians. I've been asked to do interviews of musicians before, but the only interview I've ever done was with Hank.

      Mike, does that mean I get the credit or the blame if you end up changing series for this upcoming book? LOL

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  22. I'm going to have to sign off for the day. I've been invited to speak at a dinner this evening here Tucson along with three other authors. I don't know about rest of you - Hank, Ingrid, Julia - but as many times as I've done this sort of event, I always get a knot in my gut before hand. Time to go have a pre-cocktail before the cocktail party and figure out what I'm going to say. I'll tune back into tomorrow in case someone else has a comment. It's been a good day.

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    1. Thanks for being here, Mike! A pleasure, as always, and don't worry about your talk. You'll be great!

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    2. ALWAYS nervous! ALWAYS! Let us know how it goes--you'll be fabulous! Wish I could be there to applaud. xxoo

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  23. I'm a huge fan, Mike, and I was delighted to read that you get story ideas from articles you've read. I've gotten a few book plots from Vanity Fair so you've just validated my research and my reason for having a subscription! I'm really looking forward to your latest. I love stories set in and around the Beltway but an excursion to NYC is great, too!

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  24. I'm happy to have been introduced to Mike's character Emma - she's now on my Kindle, ready for my next reading. Thanks!

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  25. Regarding Emma, I have complaints from a number of readers that she has had a larger role in the last couple of books. The reason why, was she just didn't fit into the storyline. I know some folks will be happy to know that in the next book, the one being released in 2019, Emma is the star.

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