Hello! Thank you for joining us on Genre Talk. Elizabeth Noble here and today we’re welcoming DSP Publications author Alan Chin to discuss his newest book Surviving Immorality.
About the Book
Release Date: June 5, 2018
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 446 Pages
Cover Design: Tiferet Design
Buy links for Surviving Immortality: DSP Publications | Amazon
Blurb: This is the story of the fountain of youth.
When Kenji Hiroshige discovers a formula that will keep people youthful and healthy for several thousand years, he tells the world he will not divulge his secret until every gun, tank, battleship, and bomb hasbeen destroyed. When the world is free of weapons, everyone can live forever. And then he goes into hiding.
Before he disappears, his son Matt Reece is exposed to the formula. Kenji takes Matt Reece on the run with him, but as they struggle to elude both government agencies and corporations who will do anything to profit from Kenji’s discovery, Matt Reece learns that world peace might not be his father’s only goal. But what can a young man who’s barely stepped foot off his isolated ranch do in the face of something so sinister?
This is the story of human greed and the lust for violence. It’s the story of a world on the brink of destruction, but it’s also a tale of one young man who finds in himself the will, courage, and compassion to stand against the darkness—both outside and within himself.
This is a story of hope.
Elizabeth: Would you tell us a little about your book?
Alan Chin: This is a story of discovering the fountain of youth, and the upheaval that breakthrough brings to our slightly crazed, slightly paranoid, overly greedy society.
Elizabeth: This book sounds absolutely fascinating. Would you tell us more about your genre?
Alan Chin: Surviving Immortality is a here-and-now science fiction story with a healthy dash of romance. By here-and-now Sci-Fi, I mean the story unfolds in our current time, but with a scientific discovery that alters the course of civilization. The plot revolves around human problems, but these problems are all amplified by this new discovery. It is a story of an unraveling society. I’ve always been intrigued by how little it takes to upset the balance of any situation, particularly when the spanner wrench tossed into the machinery has the opposite effect you anticipated. Upsetting society’s balance is, in my opinion, a fantastic way to study the human condition.
Elizabeth: We’d love to hear more about Surviving Immortality, how did this story take shape for you?
Alan Chin: It started when I began studying what I believe are man’s most negative traits—lying, greed, and lust for violence. I wanted to explore these traits in story form, and I eventually got the idea of pitting these attributes against each other to see which is the most destructive.
Greed:
I asked myself, in general, is there some common thing all people want most in life? The answer came back loud and clear—more time. People want longer lives, as long as they can be productive, relatively happy lives. People want to live as long as possible. When faced with death, they will give up riches, patriotism, and some will even sacrifice loved ones in order to keep living. It’s our survival instinct kicking into overdrive. Time is the most valuable thing in the universe, and most people will kill for more.
Gun Violence:
Some people are willing to defend their cause at all costs because their sense of heroism gives them relevance. They have a deep mistrust of governments, other religions, other races, and other tribes. This distrust has gone on for so long that it has become embedded in their psyche, become instinct to distrust and want to defend themselves against anything different from what they are. In America, we own assault weapons, and we fear losing our relevance more than violence. Many, in fact, have a lust for violence because it’s the only way they can feel empowered. They reduce society to a dog-eat-dog world where their assault weapons make them one of the pit bulls.
Lying:
I believe lying is the foundation of all other sins. If humans were unable to lie, who would commit murder or rob a bank or cheat on their spouse? It would be all too easy to be caught and punished. Lying gives license to all other sins because people think they can get away with sinning by lying.
Lying is a slippery fellow. The problem comes in that gray area between a truth and falsehood, and there always seems to be a gray area. It becomes confusing when a lie is deeply embedded in a truth. And when everyone has a different version of the truth, who can you trust? That’s how some of the boldest lies go undetected.
These three impressions formed the core of my thinking when I first outlined Surviving Immortality. I wanted to pit greed against gun violence, and wrap the movement of the characters in a web of lies and half-truths hidden in chilling facts. During the research and writing, my views about all three attributes changed. By the time I finished, I had created a novel that pitted innocence and integrity against unspeakable evil.
Elizabeth: Tell us how you define “diversity” in your writing, and how you explored it in this book.
Alan Chin: When I think of diversity, I tend to think of people who, like me, are outsiders—people who don’t really fit in. These characters are varied: some don’t fit in because of sheer defiance, some because they are terrified of society, some are simply scandalous. There are some, like the protagonist in Surviving Immortality, who have such a high degree of integrity that they don’t fit in anywhere in a world tainted by corruption. Because outsiders are on the fringe of society looking in, they tend to have a much different viewpoint from the norm. They often see things more clearly. All my protagonists are outsiders, hence abnormal, sometimes painfully so. Fish out of water. For me, it’s what makes them interesting.
I am proud of the diversity that Surviving Immortality not only showcases, but also explores. I’m not simply talking about the racial diversity of the main characters and the fact that women are treated on an equal footing as men. The story also explores the different economic classes, younger vs. older, and outsiders. I’ve populated the story with characters having many types of qualities, temperaments, oddities, make-ups, and backgrounds. As a writer, it is my job to treat each character with deep respect and show how each character’s make-up adds value to society and to the story.
Elizabeth: Surviving Immortality is being published through DSP Publications, Dreamspinner Press’s imprint for genre novels that don’t necessarily focus on or even contain romance. Tell us about the relationship in Surviving Immortality and why it doesn’t fit the accepted definition of Romance in the M/M genre.
Alan Chin: I am delighted to be back publishing with the quality staff at Dreamspinner. After publishing several romance novels with Dreamspinner Press, I deviated from the romance genre, and for a few years I was forced to publish with a different publisher. But now that DSP Publications has broadened the scope of Dreamspinner’s offerings, I’ve happily come back.
Surviving Immortality also falls outside of the romance genre. It’s a sci-fi action tale of a world gone crazy, driven to the brink by the promise of immortality, and the story of a gay man who combats the insanity. Two similar books that influenced me greatly during the writing were Frank Herbert’s The White Plague and Dan Brown’s Inferno.
As with all Alan Chin novels, there is a love interest. I believe romance adds spice to any story. Along the protagonist’s journey he finds more than he bargained for—a deep and abiding love that helps strengthen him during his darkest ordeals. But that romance is secondary to the main plot and the two lovers spend most of the story away from each other.
Elizabeth: What about the evolution of this story? Can you tell us more about that? What was its earliest incarnation as a concept and when did it begin to take the form of Surviving Immortality?
Alan Chin: The story’s premise and its characters knocked about my head for three years before I ever put pen to paper. It started when I began studying what I believe are man’s most negative traits—lying, greed, and lust for violence. I kept trying to push it from my mind because I didn’t see a clear way to present the situation. But the premise and my interest in these negative traits refused to leave me in peace. While reading the two books mentioned above, I began to piece together a plot and develop characters. A year later, I had a first draft of a sci-fi action thriller. A year after that, I had a completed novel.
Elizabeth: How has your writing changed since you published your first book?
Alan Chin: The most significant change is that my focus is not pure romance. I’m now trying to explore current social issues through story. That said, I believe my plots have become much more intricate and more wide-ranging. I also believe my characters have a greater depth than in my earlier works.
One reason for this is that I now spend so much more time developing my characters and plots. In my early days, I was trying to get books on the market quickly. Now I take my time, wallowing in my characters, understanding them at much deeper levels, and putting them in situations that showcase their flaws and qualities.
Elizabeth: What sort of research did you need to do? And were any of your finding surprising to you?
Alan Chin: I tried to research DNA splicing and how the body works at the cellular level. What surprised me was how little I knew about that subject and how confusing I still find it. I’m no scientist.
I did a great deal of research on the effects of overpopulation. What I found surprising is that scientist agree that with current technology, the earth can comfortably support four billion people. We are now at twice that number and will grow to over twenty billion souls in the next twenty years. If man does not change his breeding habits, we are racing toward a disaster of monumental proportions. I discuss this topic in detail in the story.
The other research that surprised me was how organized religions would react to a formula to make people live forever. In my story, all the major religions turn on the protagonist, trying to kill him. What I found is that religions have a love-hate relationship with death. Fear of dying is the source of their power, not to mention their income. I mean, if everyone lives forever, who the hell cares about an afterlife? So nobody will drop money in the collection plates. Religions have become corporations. Any idea how many billions of dollars flow into the Vatican every year? They will do almost anything to protect that cash flow.
Elizabeth: Alan, thank you so much for joining us today! I’d like to thank all the readers for stopping in for another Genre Talk. Check out this fantastic excerpt from Surviving Immortality. After the excerpt are buy links and social media and contact information for Alan Chin.
The Excerpt: The flight from the Promesa Rota to LAX took forty minutes. The drive into downtown Los Angeles took two hours, and they still had miles to go. Stopped traffic clogged the freeway. Far ahead in a brown haze of exhaust fumes, an 18-wheeler rested, jackknifed across all but one lane. Cars trickled through the open lane like sand through an hourglass. Much as Declan Hughes loved cruising in his Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith, he fidgeted. “Damn this traffic! A fifty-dollar bill waiting on a pocket full of nickels. This is precisely why we need a helipad on the Golden Eagle headquarters building.”
Diane McCarthy placed a hand on his. “Another twenty minutes won’t matter.”
“Every second they’re getting further away and harder to find.” Declan pulled the notes from his briefcase, the only research documentation they were able to find at the charred lab where Kenji and Consuela worked. A series of firebombs detonated in all areas of the research center—just hours before Consuela posted her video on YouTube—incinerated everything of importance. He reread the references to “back translation from proteins” to determine the RNA, “hence to the DNA transcription.” Nothing extraordinary about that. Farther down, however, it referenced using sterioisomers in translating the enhanced RNA sequences in protein molecules.
The documents, what little there were, gave enough information to convince Declan the research team had a full understanding of DNA purification and restructuring subunit composition techniques, yet it fell short of revealing any of the key facts. It did, however, lead up to those facts with chilling accuracy.
“They’ve done it. They’ve really done it, and that makes them the most dangerous people in history. They’ve not only mapped out the whole DNA chain, they know how to restructure it to make humans virtually immortal.”
He thought about his next move, reached for his phone, and called the president’s science advisor, Jeffery Wolfe. Wolfe’s official handle in Washington, DC, was “Secretary to the President for Science and Technology, and also Educational Liaison.” Secretaries to the president, Declan knew, were thick as fleas on a Bangkok street dog. The job was a real one, of sorts. He sat on several advisory boards and met with delegations of teachers and members of the scientific community who descended on Washington; he documented their problems and got them passes for White House tours.
It took fifteen minutes to bulldoze his way through a barrier of secretaries just to talk with Wolfe’s personal assistant.
“Mr. Hughes, we’ve been calling you all morning.” Her voice held a tone of relief.
“You couldn’t have tried very damned hard. I’ve had my cell with me the whole time. Patch me through, and tell him this is the most important call he’ll ever take.”
“Yes, sir. I’m forwarding you to Secretary Wolfe.”
Declan took deep breaths to calm himself. His fingers still trembled, and he couldn’t decide if that was from nervousness or elation.
Jeffery Wolfe’s voice burst through the phone. “My God, Declan, is it true?”
“I believe it is, but we’ve encountered a snag. I need your help.”
“Anything. The president is adamant we secure this as soon as possible.” His tone was professional. “She also wants a face-to-face with you at Camp David five minutes ago. I’ve got a jet waiting for you at LAX. How soon can you get there?”
“In this traffic, two hours. Hold a second.” Declan turned to Diane. “We’re going back to the airport to catch a plane to Camp David. Call my personal assistant, and tell him to pack a bag for each of us and drive them to the airport ASAP.”
“I’m going with you?”
He nodded as he lifted the phone again. “My two key scientists have disappeared with all the research data. You need to organize a nationwide manhunt. I’ll have my secretary email you all their personal information. Use the CIA, FBI, military, local police, and the Boy Scouts if you have to. There’s no time to lose.”
“The FBI’s already on it,” Wolfe said. “We got them involved as soon as we heard about the death threats.”
“Death threats?”
“The Ayatollah of Iran ordered a fatwa on both your scientists. We have hard evidence that the pope has joined forces with them and is funding them. We suspect Israel is in on it too. So you see, there’s already a manhunt going on. We’re moving as fast as we can with everything we’ve got.”
“What the hell is a fatwa?” Declan asked, knowing it couldn’t be good.
“An assassination contract. It’s now the holy duty of every Muslim to kill your scientists. Iran put a ten-million-dollar bounty on each head. I’m arranging a Secret Service security team to protect you, in case your name pops up on that list.”
“I can’t believe the pope would do that, even behind the scenes.”
“Really? Any idea how many billions of dollars flow into the Vatican every year?”
“But why, Jeff, would anything change for them?”
The expression on Diane’s face turned from concern to shock.
“Religions have a love-hate relationship with death,” Wolfe said. “Fear of dying is the source of their power, not to mention their income. I mean, if everyone lives forever, who the hell cares about an afterlife? So nobody’ll drop money in the collection plates.”
“Okay, I get it. Goddamn that YouTube video.”
Diane touched his arm, obviously trying to calm him.
Declan continued without looking at her, “That’s the price we pay for allowing people to wallow in religious ignorance. It’s high time we sweep the myth of a God into the cosmic dustbin, as we did with a flat earth, babies delivered by storks, and the GOP concerned about the middle class.”
“Right, well, let’s hope we find your people long before that happens. The FBI is swarming the airports, shipping ports, and border inspection units. Our first priority is to contain them in this country.”
“Thanks for your help, Jeff. I’m feeling better already.”
“Declan, if it were anybody other than Consuela Rocha y Villareal making these claims…. I mean, changing a person’s DNA to cure cancer, AIDS, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease, I’d be treating this as some crank stunt.”
“Jeff, can we shut down all flights in and out of the country?”
“That would cause a panic, so that’s a presidential call. Believe me, we understand this situation is vital. We’ll do everything possible.”
“Okay, I’ll call again when I get to the airport.”
Declan switched off his phone and bounced it off the car seat. “Dammit!”
Diane picked up the phone and placed it on the seat between them. “This means I’ll finally meet Madam President?”
About the Author
Alan Chin enjoyed a twenty-year career working his way from computer programmer to Director of Software Engineering at Charles Schwab & Co. in San Francisco. He retired in 1999 to become a full-time writer and part-time world traveler. Alan currently lives with his husband of twenty-four years in Southern California.
Alan Chin graduated from the University of San Francisco with a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing.
Alan Chin has authored nine published novels:
Island Song, Dreamspinner Press, Feb. 2010
The Lonely War, Dreamspinner Press, Apr. 2012
Match Maker, Dreamspinner Press, September 2010,
Butterfly’s Child, Dreamspinner Press, December 2010,
Simple Treasures, Dreamspinner Press, Aug. 2011
Daddy’s Money, Dreamspinner Press, Nov. 2012
The Plain of Bitter Honey, Boldstrokes Books, June 2013
First Exposure, Boldstrokes Books, July 2014
Buddha’s Bad Boys, Boldstrokes Books, March 2015
Alan has also authored three original screenplays: Flying Solo, Daddy’s Money and Simple Treasures.
Three of Alan’s novels have won literary awards:
– Island Song won Qbliss Magazine’s 2009 Excellence in Literature Award
– The Lonely War won the 2010 Rainbow Literature Awards for Best Novel, Best Historical, Best Characters, and Best Setting.
– Match Maker won the 2011 Rainbow Literature Award for Best Contemporary Novel
Social media links: Website || Blog || Facebook || Twitter
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Happy Reading!
Thank you for your post! I’m excited to start reading Alan Chin’s books!