Resuscitation

D.M. Annechino: I thought it would be intriguing to create a villain who struggles between being a healer and being a killer. Most villains are pure evil with few--if any--redeeming qualities. In Resuscitation, we find a well-respected cardiologist gone astray, a doctor who has saved hundreds of lives with his surgical skills. But now, driven by an uncontrollable desire for fame and recognition, he uses his skills selfishly and unmercifully for his own advancement.

Q: Julian, the doctor in Resuscitation, spirals from a desire to help people to an all-out killer pretty quickly. Were you surprised by his brutality and the way his character developed?

DMA: Throughout his development, Julian wrestles between good and evil. He's dealing with a troubled marriage, haunting memories from his childhood, and repressed sexual obsession--and once he steps over the line, he enters into a world he didn't know existed. Then those sweet uncharted waters take control of his every decision.

Q: Sami Rizzo, your detective from They Never Die Quietly, is back in this book. But I've heard that you're now working on a political thriller. Is this the last we'll see of Detective Rizzo?

DMA: I did decide to switch gears somewhat, if for no other reason than to take a break from the serial-killer format. I wanted to challenge myself and craft a complex novel with global consequences. But depending on the feedback I get from my readers, Detective Rizzo may indeed return.

Q:Resuscitation has a ton of medical references. Can you tell us about the research involved in this type of book?

DMA: Ten years ago, I might have spent the best part of six months in my local library with my nose buried in medical reference books. But with the depth of the Internet, research has taken on a whole new light. It also helps that my wife and daughter work in healthcare, so I consulted them many times. If they were unable to address a particular issue, they could turn to their professional networks for answers.

Q: I've read that you didn't always picture yourself as a writer. What made you finally decide to start writing?

DMA: I did very poorly in English in high school and could never imagine myself as a writer. But in 1992, when I was a general manager in the retail automobile business, I decided on a whim to write a guide on how to buy a car without losing your shirt. The book did so well that it motivated me to pen a novel. Once I finished my first novel, that was it--the writer's bug bit me hard, and the rest is history. Here I am many years later, and my third novel is about a month from completion. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure it's all real.

Q: What are you reading now?

DMA: A collection of short stories by Stephen King, Nightmares & Dreamscapes.

Q: Which books do you read over and over again?

DMA: Of course, I read thrillers to see how other writers craft their stories and develop characters. But there's only one book I've read a number of times: The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy. His prose reads like poetry.