The First Billion

A: In fact, THE FIRST BILLION was inspired not by any goings-on in the stock market but by a paper I read about the disastrous state of the Russian KGB, the equivalent to our CIA. During the 1990s, the once-vaunted spy agency suffered from devastating budget cuts and fell on very hard times. Simply put, they had no money. No longer could they fly agents around the world on commercial aircraft. Federal Express canceled their account for nonpayment. At their headquarters outside Moscow they had no photo paper to develop microfilm. The list goes on. All I could think was "My God, these guys must be angry. They must desperately want to get back on the playing field."

That, along with my interest in the wild and woolly world of the Russian oligarchs, the group of ten to fifteen businessmen who have taken control of more than half the Russian economy, set the story in motion. The more I read about these guys, the more I knew there was a great thriller to be written.

Q: What is the impact of technology on the global market? What is the impact on a writer such as yourself? Has the process changed since you first put pen to paper on your debut novel, NUMBERED ACCOUNT?

A: Quite simply, technology has made the world move faster, mostly through the increased speed of communications or information transfer. It has also created a whole class of information spectators. There are people who live their lives on the Internet, viewing others' actions as a proxy for their own, a kind of vicarious cyberexistence. The world has become a much smaller place. Too small, by my reckoning. But there is no going back. I still wonder, though, whether we're getting that much more done, or if knowing so much makes us happier. Still, I wouldn't trade my PC for a paper and quill for anything!

Q: You've said in the past that your writing heroes are authors as diverse as Crichton, DeMille, Franklin W. Dixon, and especially John le Carré. Why these? And are you ready to reveal any new names you admire? What are you reading right now?

A: There are so many wonderful authors; it's not a question of finding them but of finding the time to read them all. Recently I've been drawn to Irwin Shaw, author of The Young Lions and Rich Man, Poor Man. Great stories, great insight into the human condition, vivid prose. Le Carré is and always will be my favorite author. Simply put, a genius and one with a giving heart. Anton Myrer is an author of those big, juicy epics that I love. Once an Eagle is a masterpiece. But who is better at that than James Clavell? Tai-Pan, Shôgun, Noble House. Page-turners at their finest! The list of contemporary authors whom I rush out to buy is shorter: Martin Cruz Smith, Nelson DeMille, Thomas Harris, Scott Turow. Right now I'm reading The Big Breach by Richard Tomlinson, the memoirs of a former MI6 agent, who spent a year in jail for trying to get the book published. It's a great read- very informative about the kind of training a spy gets these days. Next up, though, is something fun: The Emperor of Ocean Park.

Q: Do you find that the process of preparing to write has changed, now that you have three very successful yet different suspense novels under your belt?

A: There are four phases to writing a book. Coming up with the idea. Outlining the story. Writing the book. Then rewriting it. Experience has sharpened the skills needed during each phase. Coming up with the idea is the most fun. And rewriting it is where you earn your money. But you still have to spend eight hours a day trying to get the right words onto the page. There is no substitute for working. Elmore Leonard said easy reading means hard writing. Boy, is that the truth.

Q: The company featured in THE FIRST BILLION is a media/communications company making its way onto the global stage. Was there a reason you picked a media/communications company? Do you see the role of major corporations and major corporate executives changing in our ever-more-intimate world economy?

A: I chose the media industry because more than any other single sector, it has the power to affect our daily lives. Everybody watches TV, goes online, reads magazines, and listens to the radio on a daily basis. Think about your life without media. There's a big hole, right? Personally, I find that a shame. I do not own a television. As a father of two young girls, I don't have the time or the inclination. Anyway, media is a good area to write about. It's sure a lot sexier than meat products.

Q: How about some insider knowledge: What is the next book we can expect from Christopher Reich?