Thomas Reilly Interview Published on: 10, Aug 2023

I have a scientific background with a PhD in microbiology and a career in pharmaceutical and biotechnology research. During my career, I also developed excellent writing skills. It was this combination, coupled with a fertile imagination, that prompted me to write books encompassing realistic medical suspense with a touch of fantasy.

My first book was my doctoral thesis in microbiology, written several years ago. Even then, I emphasized clarity in my writing, that is expressing complicated scientific principles in clear and easy-to-understand language. This is a habit I have strived to practice in my writing throughout my entire career.

As an experienced biotechnology scientist and executive, I am well versed in the science and business of new drug discovery, development and marketing. The drama, excitement, politics and personalities in the biotechnology realm make for fascinating story lines, and I was anxious to bring these stories to life in my books.

The major driver in my transition from non-fiction scientific articles to fictional novels was to address the interests of potential readers in the general population. I reasoned that realistic medical suspense stories within the context of compelling fictional story lines would attract a greater audience than a collection of technical essays. Entertaining and educating has always been the dual purpose of my novels. The addition of an entertaining component, e.g. the magical realism element in my Janus Key series, is the key difference from my previous non-fiction work.

One of my key challenges in writing novels is drafting unique and original story lines. With millions of books available to the reading public, this is no small task. As I continued to read published books in both the medical suspense and magical realism genres, it occurred to me that no clear examples of blending the two genres existed. Therefore I was presented with a opportunity to blend these two components and create something original in my books. As I developed this blending concept, I discovered that it enriched both the characters and the narrative in my stories.

My vision as an author is to entertain and educate readers by seamlessly combining science, magic and compelling characters in my stories. This was my original goal in writing CHASING TIME and continues to be my objective in the Janus Key series.

Even though my books contain a touch of fantasy, I have always emphasized realism in developing storylines and characters. This realism is based on my extensive knowledge and experiences in the medical field, and on the multitude of personalities I have met or known of during my career. Therefore, my creative process involves combining these realistic elements with elements of fantasy to create original, compelling, and entertaining story lines.

Although I am retired from the biotechnology industry, I keep up to date with the latest development through reading scientific journals, discussions with peers, and by utilizing the multiple educational resources of a major university where I am employed as an adjunct professor in the biology department. This allows me to combine the latest medical technologies and developments with fantasy elements in my books.

From reader feedback of my early drafts, I learned that including too many technical details tended to dampen the story line and dissuade the reader. So achieving a proper balance between scientific accuracy and storytelling is an important, if somewhat delicate, endeavor. I approached this task, in two major ways: first, by describing the science in clear and concise fashion so that technical details don’t overwhelm the reader; and second, by involving the main character in unravelling and understanding the science as an integral part of the story plot. In this manner, I hope the reader can better relate to story characters as both are dealing with important scientific elements. Perhaps this is best exemplified through the story arc of Tony Lucas in CHASING TIME, where he struggles to comprehend the science behind the ALS disease that has stricken his beloved wife.

I utilized Wilmington as the primary setting in my first book, CHASING TIME, because my familiarity with the area made it easy to describe in the book. However, I never planned to limit my geographic elements to one area, and with extensive research and travel, I will include many other areas, both national and international, in my books to provide an added element of entertainment.

TRIAL AND REDEMPTION is not merely a tale of suspense and intrigue; it also explores profound themes of personal growth, friendship, and the pursuit of justice. Both Brian and Julie, the major characters, are portrayed with depth and complexity, allowing readers to empathize with their struggles. The overriding themes I hope to leave with readers is the complexity of the human spirit and the power of redemption.

Awards and positive feedback are reaffirming and motivate me to continue writing. I analyze negative feedback in the context of: 1) does it apply, and if so, 2) how can I use it to improve my writing.

Linda plays an important role in supporting my writing. She is the first person I bounce new ideas off and solicit feedback from. Also, as an experienced teacher of English grammar, she serves as my primary editor. My books, at least in their final form, would not be possible without her assistance.

I would ask readers to check my website (https:// www.thomasreillyauthor.com) for book details and updates, and if you enjoy my work, to spread the word to colleagues and leave book reviews on Amazon and/or Goodreads.

I came across AllAuthor in a web search and have been very pleaded with my experience. For one thing, I receive weekly images of my book to use in promotional materials. Currently my book cover of TRIAL: AND REDEMPTION has garnered well over 200 votes in the book cover contest. I appreciate the constant updates I receive. And it is always interesting to scroll through the latest books and authors displayed on your site.