Nate Kenyon

Nate Kenyon is the author of Bloodstone, a Bram Stoker Award finalist and winner of the P&E Horror Novel of the Year, The Reach, also a Stoker Award Finalist, The Bone Factory, Sparrow Rock, StarCraft: Ghost Spectres, and Diablo: The Order.

Kenyon's latest novel is Day One.

From his Q & A with Timothy C. Ward for SF Signal:

Tim Ward: DAY ONE is almost like 24‘s Jack Bauer fights Skynet, except Hawke is a reporter instead of a trained killer. Why is this story better for having Hawke not be as skilled in tactical fighting?

Nate Kenyon: From the beginning, it was very important to me that Hawke NOT be a superhero. I wanted this novel to seem as realistic as possible, considering the subject matter. Hawke needs to be resilient, but not a trained killer. That’s not his role–he’s a hacker, and those skills are tremendously important. In fact, they are far more important in this particular situation than a trained killer’s skills would be. He’s fighting a virtual enemy, not one he can wrestle into submission. That said, I wanted him to be vulnerable in other ways.

TW: In spite of some very exciting action scenes, DAY ONE left its biggest impact through Hawke’s struggles between ambition and providing for his family. Tell us about his internal struggles and why his story would be enjoyed by just about anyone.

NK: Again, another tremendously important focus for me in this (and all my novels) is character. You need to identify with the lead in order to feel for them, root for them, be frightened for them. Otherwise you’re just rubbernecking at a car wreck. I wanted Hawke to be driven by two things: his ambition to succeed, to get to the bottom of the mystery, and also to be a protector for his family. I wanted those to be in conflict for much of the story. Ultimately, he has to get home. That’s the driver, and something pretty much anyone can identify with in his/her own life. In a catastrophe, you need to be with your loved ones and protect them from harm.

TW: Returning to the 24 and Terminator analogy, what elements that people enjoy in those franchises did you incorporate into DAY ONE, and how did you make it your own?

NK: For 24, I think it’s the element of...[read on]

Learn more about the book and author at Nate Kenyon's website, Facebook page, and Twitter perch.

My Book, The Movie: Day One.

The Page 69 Test: Day One.

Writers Read: Nate Kenyon.

--Marshal Zeringue