Blog Archives
Devotion and Duty
Sick is a haunting psychological horror that follows a marriage unraveling into madness as devotion, illness, and manipulation, and blurs into a claustrophobic battle for control and belonging. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
This story was born from a nightmare. I dreamt I was a woman whose life was decaying around her as she cared for her sickly husband. By the end of the dream, she discovered the man she loved and trusted was far more ill than she could imagine. Her disorientation and fear pulled at me, and I knew I had to write the story.
How did you balance the ambiguity of John’s illness so the reader constantly questions what’s real and what’s manipulation?
I wanted to put people inside Susan’s mind, in the perspective of your typical person who feels the duty to care for their loved ones, no matter what is required. She has let her husband’s illness take over her life, so much so that she no longer has one. Of course, caregivers think, this person is sick, they need me. But what is the cost to yourself? When does devotion and duty become co-dependency? You can only be manipulated if you allow people to do so. How much of it is your own fault?
The book relies heavily on atmosphere and sensory detail rather than overt scares. How do you approach building tension through subtlety rather than shock?
I think the dark, quiet desires, motivations, and needs of our inner selves are more terrifying than your typical monsters, serial killers, or jump scares. It’s the realization that the frame you put around your life story to keep you safe could be a lie, and that you have been preyed upon by those you love and trust. It’s being slowly bled dry and not knowing until it’s too late. Worst of all is realizing you had a hand in your own demise.
What do you hope readers take away about love, neediness, and the moral gray zones that exist inside unhealthy relationships?
I hope readers will think more deeply about what they’re giving and taking in relationships, to be aware when someone is manipulating and using them, and where they themselves might be abusing a person in their life in a mental or emotional way.
Most victims can’t conceive that someone who claims to love them is silently exploiting them for their own gain. Likewise, abusers often don’t know that what they are doing is toxic. These are survival mechanisms they learned as children.
That is why I showed both Susan’s and John’s sides of the story. Neither of them is innocent.
Unfortunately, once confronted, not all abusers will acknowledge to themselves, much less to others, that they were damaging the people around them. It takes a brave person, a genuinely good-hearted and self-aware person, to be willing to admit their flaws and work to change them. Most narcissists and psychopaths do not have any empathy for others, nor true self-awareness that extends beyond their own self-importance.
I hope this story will wake up victims to possible abuse and tip off abusers that maybe they are the villain, and not the hero, of their own story.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Instagram | Website | Write Catalyst | Amazon
Charming and enigmatic, but very sick.
Born into wealth and prestige, John lost his family’s fortune to the mysterious illness that has now left him bedridden, and Susan’s life revolves around his care.
Years of devotion have left her exhausted and frustrated, yet she’s determined to scrape together whatever resources she can to keep John comfortable and happy—including stealing Demerol from the doctor’s office where she works to feed his growing dependence on painkillers.
As John’s condition continues to baffle doctors, Susan uncovers a secret from his childhood and the chilling cause of his illness.
Now that she knows the truth, can she put an end to the madness?
Christa Wojciechowski delivers a twisted psychological suspense novel for readers who like their fiction sick, sharp, and unforgettable.
Bad Pharma
Bad Pharma is a medical thriller that dives into the murky waters of the pharmaceutical industry. It tells the story of Nora O’Connell, a savvy pharmaceutical professional, and Siddhartha Kumar, a meticulous medical monitor, as they navigate the ethical quagmire of Big Pharma’s relentless drive for profit. The story intertwines corporate ambition, personal stakes, and moral dilemmas, shedding light on the sometimes disastrous consequences of prioritizing business over patient safety.
One thing I loved about this book is its rich and complex characters. Nora’s razor-sharp wit and unrelenting ambition make her a captivating protagonist, but it’s her internal struggle with corporate ethics that truly resonates. Take her confrontation with Sid in Chapter 4—her fiery accusations and Sid’s calculated calmness highlight the human element in a soulless corporate environment. Sid, too, is a standout character. Haunted by the ghost of Bonifidia, a past pharmaceutical disaster, he’s the moral compass of the story. His dogged determination to analyze RSVIX data properly, despite mounting pressure, had me rooting for him even when his methods bordered on maddeningly slow.
The writing itself is vivid and engaging, but at times, it teeters on over-explaining. The passages detailing the clinical trial process, while necessary, occasionally bogged down the pace. That said, I appreciated the clarity in these sections, particularly when Sid outlines the risks associated with cutting corners in vaccine trials. The authors don’t just present the science—they make you feel the weight of the decisions being made. For instance, the description of Keturah’s hospitalization in Chapter 6 was gut-wrenching. It made the stakes of the BREATHE trial painfully real.
I also found the tension between Nora and Sid compelling. The workplace banter was a welcome reprieve from the darker themes, providing a balance that kept the narrative from feeling too heavy. The authors’ ability to blend sharp commentary on the pharmaceutical industry with human connection is a testament to their skill.
Bad Pharma is a moral inquiry wrapped in an engaging narrative. I would highly recommend it to anyone intrigued by the intersection of science, ethics, and corporate drama. Whether you’re a healthcare professional, a corporate worker, or simply a fan of thought-provoking conspiracy thrillers, this book will make you question how much we’re willing to compromise in the name of progress.
Pages: 365 | ASIN : B0DPSWQMXK
No Easy Answers
In Entheóphage, children worldwide fall victim to a mysterious illness which reveals their compelling empathic connection to the coral reefs in the South Pacific. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
I’m a very Earth-minded person. It bothers me to see so many people ignoring the warning signs of environmental degradation and climate/habitat destruction. The idea for Entheóphage came to me when, in a moment of high frustration over these issues, I wondered what it would take to wake people up to the harm our actions are having on our world and the other beings who share it with us. It occurred to me in that moment that maybe, just maybe, if our children were being more immediately and directly affected or threatened by our actions, in ways no one could deny, that might finally wake us up to the consequences of our behavior.
The science inserted in the fiction, I felt, was well-balanced. How did you manage to keep it grounded while still providing the fantastic edge science fiction stories usually provide?
While I love science and read many articles about discoveries, I am an average layperson, not a scientist. I was fortunate enough to find specialists in the fields relevant to my story, professionals who were willing to help me get the science correct. But I also knew that I needed to keep it easy to read for lay readers like me, and not bog them down with too much detail.
I utilized a number of beta readers who provided me with honest feedback on the readability. They were so helpful in keeping the science approachable!
Even so, it was a delicate balance, one I played with over multiple drafts before I got it right.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I wanted to look at reasons why people (like Isobel, in the story) would damage fragile ecosystems without a second thought. Not just greed. Real-life reasons. Hard reasons. Not everyone who contributes to environmental destruction is a bad guy; sometimes there are no easy answers. We just need better, more sustainable ways to accomplish our goals, and too few of us–especially those in the corporate world, who have the means to really make a difference–have made it a priority.
In addition, I tried to explore the theme of ignorance so many of us share. Even Luk, when his daughter gets sick in the story, doesn’t believe the things she’s saying. It took a lot to convince him – like Kyndra’s knowledge of the wildfires, when she could not have known about them any other way.
Evolution and the interconnectedness of nature were important to the theme of this book, as well as how humans (to a large degree) have considered themselves to be disconnected from that web. I tried to imagine how Gala/Earth might speak to us if she could – and found it flowed well to show her using natural processes, as in accelerated evolution, to enable the phages to communicate with us through these children.
Can readers look forward to more work from you soon? What are you currently working on?
I’m about to release book two in a science fantasy trilogy called The Founder’s Seed, a story about a shapeshifter whose uniqueness sets her apart and, at the same time, puts her in the perfect situation to save her people—even if she’s still learning how to wield her special abilities. Book one, Fallen, is available now in paperback, ebook, and audiobook. Book two, Broken, is coming in November. Book three, Driven, is coming next summer.
I also have a dark ecofiction novelette entitled Deer in Headlights coming on State of Matter’s online webzine (https://stateofmatter.in) in November. I’m really proud of this story!
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Niveym Arts | Amazon
Dr. Isobel Fallon thinks she’s found a treatment that will help her son and others suffering from Milani Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder. What she doesn’t realize is that harvesting the source of this treatment in the only accessible place on earth it grows, a coral reef in the Nlaan Islands, is going to have consequences far beyond the disruption of the fragile ecosystem on one small reef.
CDC researcher Nadine Parker and her team are baffled. Lukas Behn’s daughter Kyndra has contracted a bizarre new virus that leaves her screaming in pain. But they can’t identify any physical, biological source for that pain, not in Kyndra, nor in the dozens, then hundreds, and finally millions of children worldwide succumbing to the same virus. And no one seems to have made a connection between what’s happening with the infected children and the events on a small coral reef in the South Pacific.
Eventually, Nadine has to face the unlikely truth, and the enormous implications of it. The children aren’t sick, they’re changing. But will anyone else believe her?
Entheóphage
Entheóphage, by Drema Deòraich, is a captivating narrative centered on environmental crisis and human accountability. The story begins with a gripping and tragic event: Lukas Behn’s daughter becomes the first known victim of a strange pandemic affecting only children. What sets this illness apart is not just its mystery but the victims’ profound empathic connection to the environment, a link that reveals the broader impact of humanity’s reckless actions. Lukas finds an unexpected partner in Nadine, the CDC’s lead investigator, whose fearless determination uncovers the disease’s chilling correlation with environmental pollution. As the plot deepens, Dr. Isobel, a scientist working for the pharmaceutical giant Holschtatt, is revealed as a pivotal figure. She oversees the destructive exploitation of coral reefs around the Nlaan Islands, ignoring the ecological devastation caused in pursuit of corporate interests. Together, Lukas and Nadine confront a world in denial, battling public indifference and corporate resistance to expose the true costs of environmental neglect. Deòraich’s novel is more than just a dystopian warning—it’s a powerful reminder of the irreversible damage we risk by ignoring the earth’s warnings.
One of the novel’s standout features is its seamless integration of science. Deòraich has clearly done extensive research, crafting a fictional disease whose symptoms and underlying mechanisms are not only plausible but are explained with impressive clarity. The scientific elements are woven naturally into the plot, never feeling forced, and they contribute to the unsettling realism of the pandemic’s portrayal. The balance between hard science and the development of complex, relatable characters is masterful, making for a story that is both emotionally engaging and intellectually stimulating.
A key strength of Entheóphage is its refusal to offer easy solutions or to vilify any one character. Instead, the author delves into the intricacies of human impact on the environment. Dr. Isobel, for example, is not depicted as a simple antagonist. Her motivations and internal struggles are given depth, illustrating the gray areas between corporate ambition and ecological destruction. This nuanced approach adds a layer of authenticity to the story, making the characters feel real and their conflicts compelling.
Entheóphage is an engrossing blend of scientific insight, moral urgency, and thought-provoking storytelling. Its message is clear: the time to act is now before it’s too late. This book is an excellent read for all ages, offering both a warning and a call to action for those concerned about the future of our planet.
Pages: 443 | ASIN : B0BHH7SDQR
Ambition vs Integrity
Whistleblower: Integrity in AI follows a dedicated AI engineer who faces a dilemma that threatens his career and global security and must find a path forward. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My inspiration was my life experience as a high-tech entrepreneur. Like in all my books, real-life events are the foundation of the story. I have changed names and identities and augmented the story to make it more engaging.
Alexander is a talented AI engineer whose morals wind up in conflict with his employer. What were the morals you were trying to capture while creating your characters?
The main moral value I was trying to capture is the struggle between ambition and integrity. In the corporate world, this struggle is omnipresent and often a fine line to walk.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I love to explore how the corporate environment shapes businesspeople and push the boundaries of traditional mystery. The themes that were important for exploring were ambition, betrayal, loyalty, and integrity.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
Since WhistleBlower, I have published the first two books of the medical thriller series The AI Singularity Experiments: The First Patient and The Second Patient. I am now working on the third book of the series.
Author Links: Facebook | X | Website
Alexander was always willing to help, and many people he had helped became influential figures in technology and business, and they all owed him favors.
Dr Ethan Harris was a partner with Singulon Capital. Ethan’s approach had always been to prioritize transparency and ethics in the operations; for him, it was not just about the returns but how they were achieved. Ethan had a nagging feeling that there was more to Singulon Capital than met the eye. Ethan stirred up a hornet’s nest with his findings but remained steadfast and continued his pursuit of the truth, even if it meant standing alone.
Whistleblower: Integrity in AI by Noah Tuya is filled with drama, betrayal, lies, and espionage. The story was fast-paced and full of action. It was a page-turner, and I had difficulty putting it down. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat, not knowing what would happen next. The characters were authentic and relatable.
They were introduced one at a time with a backstory. It helped a lot to get to know them and understand where they came from. The story was well-written, and with all the twists and turns, I was guessing until the end. Just as I was sure of what was going to happen, there was a twist that changed the course of the story again. I was hooked until the end.
Whistleblower: Integrity in AI
Whistleblower by Noah Tuya is a compelling dive into the high-stakes world of corporate ethics and espionage. At the heart of this gripping narrative is Ethan Harris, a newly appointed AI engineer at Singulon Capital. Ethan’s dedication to AI development soon places him at a crossroads, facing a dilemma that threatens not only his career but global security. The question looms: can Ethan bring the situation to light, or will he remain ensnared in a perilous path?
Noah Tuya masterfully explores the difficult decisions that define the corporate landscape. Through themes of espionage and illicit international trade, Tuya guides readers through a journey where uncovering the truth comes with severe consequences. The novel underscores the fine line between ethics and success in the business world, delving deep into Ethan’s internal struggles with the implications of Alexander’s past, providing rich insights into his layered thinking and emotional turmoil. Tuya’s portrayal of the corporate environment is both vivid and intricate. He examines how integrity, boundaries, and ethical dilemmas influence decision-making, painting a realistic picture of the pressures and complexities within a powerful enterprise. As readers follow Ethan’s journey, they gain a perspective on the psyche of the corporate world, understanding the intensity and potential fallout of decisions made in such high-stakes scenarios. Ethan’s cautious navigation through these challenges is a testament to the delicate balance between virtue and survival.
Whistleblower by Noah Tuya is highly recommended for anyone interested in the intricate dynamics of corporate politics and power. With its unexpected twists and deep dive into the murky waters of the tech world, Whistleblower is a thrilling technothriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Pages: 122 | ASIN : B0D27RDRRS
Medical Thrillers
Doctor Lucifer follows a proficient but cynical internist who becomes the target of a hacker who is killing his patients by altering their medical records. What was the initial idea behind this story, and how did that transform as you were writing the novel?
As someone who had gone through medical school and the first year of residency before calling it quits, I had seen the various ways that medical records in clinics and hospitals were maintained. Some still primarily used paper charts, another had all-electronic medical records, and others were in between. During the time I began brainstorming my own medical thriller stories after reading several by Robin Cook, I thought about cybersecurity breaches and whether they could directly impact healthcare, where a hacker could change a medication dose or something else in a medical record and ultimately leave a patient suffering or dying from a deliberately placed medical error. I proceeded to think of different ways that a manufactured error in an electronic medical record could harm or kill a patient. Then it was just a matter of placing them in the most appropriate places on the story’s fictional timeline. At first, I had spread them evenly out, but then I knew I had to turn up the stakes. That’s when I decided to shove the first three medical disasters into the beginning, making them occur nearly at the same time.
How did you come up with the idea for the antagonist in this story, and how did it change as you wrote?
I had so much fun figuring out how the computer hacker could sabotage medical records that I never thought about the villain’s identity at first. Once I finished the part of the story where the doctor protagonist has to survive in the hospital, I spent time brainstorming who the villain would be and what the motives are. Without giving anything away, I came up with all of this after thinking about another issue with the medical profession that I felt strongly about. It led me to devise an origin story for the antagonist that, if explained clearly, could ultimately be connected back to the computer hacker plot. It was like taking two pieces of metal and welding them together with a blowtorch, making sure that they connected smoothly and solidly.
I find that while writing, you sometimes ask questions and have the characters answer them. Do you find that to be true? What questions did you ask yourself while writing this story?
Many authors like to talk to their created characters like they’re real-life people in front of them, which can be fun. For me, however, the character of Mark Lin is really a version of myself, specifically me from many years ago during my darkest and most frustrating moments in medical training. I don’t find myself talking to Mark Lin as a separate imaginary person.
While writing my novel, the questions I asked were really addressed to myself. For example, I asked why Mark Lin is such a cynical and angry physician. The answer is simple: I discovered how hard it really is to be a doctor, unlike what the general public might assume, so I naturally felt the need to show everyone outside healthcare what the job is really like and how intense it can get sometimes. Another major question I asked was whether Mark Lin has the potential to grow. The answer was a definite yes because I myself opened my mind and learned things in my adult life. Surely, Mark can, too.
Can you tell us more about what’s in store for Dr. Mark Lin and the direction of the second book?
My series of medical thrillers featuring Dr. Mark Lin are all about the intersection of the world of medicine and society at large. There is a two-way relationship between medicine and society. Medicine heals people and gives them a second chance at life in society, whereas the things that happen in society determine what kinds of conditions the world of medicine treats. For example, a hospital located in a high-crime area of the city is likely to treat victims of gunshots and stabbings, and a clinic in a poor area of a city is more likely to see preventable conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure. In this context, I imagine schemes by various bad actors in society whose impacts amount to a looming public health crisis spilling into healthcare, and Dr. Mark Lin, a doctor who is also disgusted with humanity, tackles the problem both inside the hospital as a doctor and outside the hospital as a tough amateur sleuth. On the way, he may learn lessons that help him become more of a compassionate human being.
Normally, I try to avoid previewing future books before their manuscripts are finished, just to maximize the anticipation before eventual publication. But if anyone asks, I can gladly share select details. My second book will be about the intersection of healthcare and cults. Specifically, Mark faces the consequences of a secretive healing cult that is spreading medical disinformation. Besides treating patients who suffer from the cult’s dangerous practices, Mark goes undercover as a member of that cult, to find out if this group had indeed radicalized someone into murdering multiple people at a clinic, including a patient of his.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Amazon
In today’s digital world, no one is safe from cyberattacks. Not even medical doctors and hospitals. Can a hacker remotely kill a doctor’s patients, just by altering medical records?
Dr. Mark Lin, a proficient but cynical and disillusioned internist, is the target of such a hacker, known as Doctor Lucifer. Three of his patients at Ivory Memorial Hospital suffer from medication errors, created by the hacker, yet Mark is forced to take the blame. However, he knows that a computer worm is spreading worldwide and crippling network security everywhere. When Doctor Lucifer threatens more patient deaths, Mark vows to defend his honor.
Together with the hospital’s information technology team, Mark scrambles to outwit the hacker and avert one medical crisis after another. But the consequences of Doctor Lucifer’s actions still hurt Mark, who soon hits rock bottom at the hands of a vengeful widow and an egotistical surgeon. He has no choice but to hunt down and confront Doctor Lucifer, an enemy with a truly malicious purpose.
Doctor Lucifer, Anthony Lee’s debut novel that is the first of a series, is a new take on the medical thriller, featuring unusual life-and-death situations, an antihero doctor taking center stage, and hard-hitting commentary on the state of humanity itself.
The Lambda Factor
The Lambda Factor by Dimple Desai is a heart-pounding medical thriller that will have you on edge. Mere hours before Hurricane Beatrix touches down in Galveston, Texas, patients of Galveston hospital are evacuated. Doctors Danica Diza and Shaka Sen stay behind to tend to the remaining patients. Unfortunately, a highly virulent and deadly hemorrhagic fever virus is loose, forcing many into quarantine. Will they be able to survive the hurricane, the deadly virus, and the shortage of supplies?
Author Dimple Desai has added a little bit of everything you want in a disaster story; high stakes, well-developed characters, and even a bit of romance. The author’s writing is both exciting and terrifying, just knowing that this can possibly happen in real life.
Dr. Desai uses her medical expertise to make the hospital setting feel realistic and describes things in a way that is understandable to a regular person. Likewise, the characters are believable and seem intelligent and down to earth. From the beginning, Shaka and Danica have flirtatious banter, making them a lovely pair, and I was secretly rooting for them to reveal their feelings to one another.
The stakes are high from the start of the story, making this book difficult to put down. The author flawlessly jumps between scenes from Galveston hospital with a countdown of when the hurricane is going to hit the Biocontainment lab where the Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever has been discovered. But even with these jumps I found it easy to follow many characters, and I always knew what was going on.
The fear that Dr. Wong feels when he realizes that there may be a deadly virus on the loose is where the tension really builds in the story. Because of the well developed scenes, easy to understand medical lingo, and interesting characters, I was fully immersed in the story and felt like I was in the hospital following the doctors.
The Lambda Factor is a terrifying and intense medical thriller novel. Readers will find it hard to put down as the action and suspense leads them through an alarming situation that, at times, is too close to reality for comfort.
Pages: 350 | ASIN : B095MGRMBC
LITERARY TITAN 