Brad Meltzer is the Emmy-nominated, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod and twelve other bestselling thrillers. He also writes nonfiction books like The JFK Conspiracy, and the Ordinary People Change the World kids book series. His most recent novel is The Viper and he recently talked about it with Daryl Maxwell for the LAPL Blog.
What was your inspiration for The Escape Artist?
The Escape Artist began with my own life, after a USO trip taught me about the secrets of Dover Air Force Base. Dover is the home of the US government's most top-secret mortuary. On 9/11, the victims of the Pentagon attack were brought there. So were the astronauts when the space shuttle went down, and the remains of thousands of CIA operatives. In Delaware, of all places, is America's most important funeral home. The people there know details about hidden missions that almost no one in the world will ever hear about. Dover is a place full of mysteries…and surprises…and more secrets than you can imagine. As someone who writes thrillers, it was the perfect setting for a mystery. Plus, in today's world, we need real heroes.
What was your inspiration for The Lightning Rod?
Since World War I, the Army has assigned one person—an actual artist—who they send out in the field to paint disasters as they happen, from storming the beaches at Normandy, to Vietnam, to 9/11. In fact, when 9/11 occurred, the Artist in Residence was the only artist let inside the security perimeter. And then I found out the real artist at the time was a woman. Nola bloomed to life in my head. Imagine an artist/soldier whose real skill was finding the weakness in anything. In The Lightning Rod, she finally found the weakness in herself.
How did those novels evolve and change as you all wrote and revised them? Are there any characters or scenes that were lost in the process that you wish had made it to the published version?
Zig is the side of me that believes that if you put good into the world, you'll make the world a better place. It's a completely naïve idea. But it's an idea worth fighting for. Nola believes if you want the world to make sense, you need to grab it by the throat and force it to make sense—especially when you're fighting against injustice. That's also an idea worth fighting for. The evolution is that I used to wonder who I was and who was more right. And I've now realized I'm both of them. You need love and war.
What was your inspiration for The Viper? How did it evolve and change as you wrote and revised it? Anything you wrote that you hated to leave out?
I was doing research in a funeral home, and the person there showed me a closet filled with all the clothes that people gave him to be buried in. It's such a crazy thought: picking out what you plan to wear to your own funeral. Right there, I had this thought: if you go to a bank to open a safe deposit box, paperwork gets filed, and the government gets notified. Same if you open a P.O. Box at the local UPS Store. In today's interconnected world, everything's tracked. But if you hide something in an old suit and tell your local mortician to hold it for your funeral, you have a truly untraceable hiding spot.
I built the whole book around that idea—what happens when someone finds what's in that suit.
Are Zig, Nola, Roddy, Jules, or any of the other characters in the novel inspired by or based on specific individuals?
I named Zig after a real Zig who in one of the best morticians I know. Nola shares the last name of Amy Brown, the army's old Artist-in-Residence. But their character traits are all original to them. I'm not good at writing my friends. I need the main characters to be singularly themselves.
There are a lot of references to 80s music throughout The Viper. Who are some of your favorite 80s bands/songs. Any least favorites?
There's a reason it's all 80s in the book—Hall & Oates, Tom Petty, Bonnie Tyler—but it's all so that Zig can learn that lesson about new music at the end. That ending is one of my favorites—and one I live by. My Spotify age is 24. My kids laugh at it, but I'm proud of it.
The Breakfast Club plays a role in The Viper as well. Is that a favorite of yours? What are some of your favorite 80s movies?
C’mon, I based the plot of The Viper around The Breakfast Club. It's The 80s movie to me. I’ll take any John Hughes, plus Heathers, Moonstruck, When Harry Met Sally, E.T., Raiders, all of them.
Zig works as a mortician for the US military. While it isn't exactly the same thing, he made me think of the television show Quincy, in which Jack Klugman played the Medical Examiner for the city of Los Angeles and solved a mystery every week. Were you a fan of Quincy? Did that inspire or influence the character of Zig?
I love Quincy! I believe there are Quincy references in The Escape Artist. Can you tell I consumed a ton of media in the 70s and 80s?
If the Zig & Nola novels were to be adapted for the screen into a series or films, who would your dream cast be?
I can't see them as anybody. It'd be like casting someone as your mother. It's just your mom. They're so clear to me. But I still think Steve Carell would kill Zig. Tom Hanks too. We need to believe their good side and dark side.
The Viper is the third book in the Zig & Nola series. The ending seems to indicate that readers will have the chance to read about Zig and Nola in the future. What are your plans for the series?
Working on the fourth book right now. Zig and Nola are back (um… assuming they survive The Viper).
You've also written a series of children's biographies. How do you select your subjects? How long does it take you to do the research and then write the book?
We started with the obvious heroes (I am Amelia Earhart, I am Abraham Lincoln, I am Rosa Parks. But now, we pick what kids need. I wanted to do a book on mental health, so we did I am Simone Biles. Then a book on empathy, so I am Princess Diana is the next one. Our kids are starving for empathy today. And so are we.
What are some of the most interesting or surprising things that you learned working on these books?
Every hero I've ever written about has moments where they're scared and terrified, and they're not sure they can do on. Amelia Earhart. Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks. You name it. I love showing kids that. I can't change the minds of adults. But for over a decade, we've been building a little army of kids who stand for decency and empathy. I'll take that battle any day.
You've also written for both DC and Marvel comics. Are you a DC or a Marvel guy? Who is your favorite superhero? Do you have a least favorite?
I grew up with DC, but quickly read both. But as for which particular heroes are my favorites, you're about to see. How's that for a tease?
You've written works of fiction and non-fiction for adults. You've also written for children, for comics, and worked in television. Is there a format that you prefer over the others?
They all have their advantages. Comics and TV let you do silence in a way a novel can't. But novels can convey inner thoughts like nothing else. You can't pick between your children.
Is there something you haven't done yet but are hoping to have the opportunity to try?
Before my mom died, she wanted to go to a movie premiere for one of my books. So I kinda wanna honor her one day with that.
What’s currently on your nightstand?
Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T Kira Madden. Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. And The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.
Can you name your top five favorite or most influential authors?
Alan Moore. Agatha Christie. Judy Blume. Lawrence Kasdan. John Grisham.
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
Anything by Judy Blume. I read all of it.
Was there a book you felt you needed to hide from your parents?
Forever by Judy Blume!
Is there a book you've faked reading?
I don't fake it—I'll tell you. Still never read Lord of the Rings. Just The Hobbit.
Can you name a book you've bought for the cover?
No. But I'll be thinking about this all week.
Is there a book that changed your life?
Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Still my favorite of all time.
Can you name a book for which you are an evangelist (and you think everyone should read)?
Is there a book you would most want to read again for the first time?
Watchmen! How can these not all be the same answer? Maybe also Gone Girl. That was a great first-time read.
What is the last piece of art (music, movies, TV, more traditional art forms) that you've experienced or that has impacted you?
I just went to Art Basel in Miami last night. I always make fun of it because Miami can be so pretentious, but then I realize I LOVE looking at art.
What is your idea of THE perfect day (where you could go anywhere/meet with anyone)?
Be outside in a clear blue sky, just being with friends and family. That's it. A porch counts. I built a porch just to do that.
What is the question that you're always hoping you'll be asked, but never have been?
Why are you so awesome?
What is your answer?
Read the books, baby!
What are you working on now?
New thriller, new non-fiction, new kids' book, new comic book. Not in that order.
