Bruce R. Cook: Author of "Philippine Fever" Interviewed

Introduction

Norm Goldman, the Editor of Bookpleasures.com, recently had the pleasure of interviewing Bruce R. Cook, the author of "Philippine Fever." This interview delves into Cook's multifaceted career, his inspirations, and the intricate process behind his writing.

Author Background

Author: Bruce R. CookPublisher: Capital Crime PressISBN: 0977627675

Personal and Professional Journey

Norm: Can you share a bit about your background and how it influenced your writing of "Philippine Fever"?

Bruce: I began my career as a physicist, working on the Apollo Project in aerospace. This scientific and engineering background later intersected with my career in filmmaking. I taught seminars to motion picture and television personnel in the Philippines, which eventually led to my involvement in designing the first true sound stages for motion picture production in Southeast Asia. These experiences provided a wealth of impressions and story ideas that culminated in "Philippine Fever."

Having written thirty screenplays, with half a dozen turned into films, I naturally think of storytelling in visual and sensory terms. I write the movies I see in my head, but novels allow me to add details and internal dialogues that are impossible to portray on screen.

Creation of "Philippine Fever"

The Birth of Sam Haine

Norm: How did your book come about, and how did you create the character Sam Haine?

Bruce: Sam Haine's name is a pun on the Irish holiday Samhain, which we know as Halloween. It's a day when the living can contact the departed, a fitting metaphor for a man bridging the straight and criminal worlds. Sam is Irish-American, a detail that plays a more significant role in the next Sam Haine story, "Irish Mist."

After spending over twenty years in independent film production, the physical demands of filmmaking became less appealing. I turned to writing novels, finding the process of storytelling in long form very satisfying. A writer's group in my valley helped me transition from screenwriting to novel writing, and my experiences in the Philippines provided a ready-made setting for a mystery novel.

Challenges and Research

Overcoming Obstacles

Norm: What obstacles did you face in telling your story?

Bruce: My film background made writing dialogue and describing settings and actions easy. However, I had to develop the knack for expressing characters' inner thoughts and appealing to other senses. Being part of a writer's group helped me produce about a chapter per month, completing the first draft in a year. Attending writers' conferences and workshops revealed that I needed to refine my writing further, leading to three more drafts over another year. Staying enthusiastic throughout these rewrites was challenging.

Research Process

Norm: What kind of research did you do for this book?

Bruce: I teach filmmaking at a college with many international students, including Filipinos. Conversations with them about events back home, along with my fond memories of working in the Philippines, kept me informed about current events. The Philippines is a hub of intrigue and smuggling, while also being a staunch US ally. I read non-fiction about the Philippines and conducted extensive internet research to develop my story.

Hopes and Future Projects

Aspirations for "Philippine Fever"

Norm: What are your hopes for this book?

Bruce: Like all writers, I hope to find a large enough audience to justify writing more books about Sam Haine. Leaving my day job to write full-time is a dream. I also believe my writing is easily adaptable to the screen, and the novel is being circulated in Hollywood production circles.

Writing Process and Future Novels

Norm: How long did it take to write "Philippine Fever," and did it ever feel overwhelming?

Bruce: I started writing novels in January 2003, found an agent in April 2005, received multiple offers from small presses in August 2005, and settled with Capital Crime Press in October. The subsequent months involved copy editing, cover approval, proofreading, blurb collection, securing a publicist, and planning a book tour. Despite the workload, it never felt overwhelming. Directing and producing movies, teaching college, and raising a family have taught me to budget time and resources effectively. Writing was a pleasure, not a task.

Inspirations and Future Works

Norm: If you could have someone else's writing ability, whose would it be and why?

Bruce: Joe Lansdale, especially his style in "The Bottoms" and "Sunset and Sawdust." His voice is authentic, his characters memorable, and his plots surprising yet logical. His mastery of dialect, metaphor, and character creation in a single paragraph are models for the kind of writer I aspire to be.

Norm: You include interesting information about the Philippines in your chapters. Why?

Bruce: While Sam Haine and the Filipino detectives are fictional, the issues of industrial espionage, weapons trading, smuggling, and illegal activities are real. The snippets within the text are accurate reports from the internet or newspapers, rewritten to fit the plot but essentially true.

Norm: Do you plan to write more novels involving Sam Haine, and what's next for you?

Bruce: I'm currently working on two novels set in Ireland. In "Irish Mist," Sam is sent to Ireland to investigate how the IRA is funded by Irish partisans in New York and Boston. In "Kidnapping for Dunces," a comic crime novel, thieves steal a vintage Rolls Royce only to discover it contains two orphans who outwit them.

Conclusion

Norm: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Bruce: I hope everyone who reads this interview visits my website, finds out when I'll be doing a signing near them, and comes out to meet me. Thank you, Norm, and best of luck with your future endeavors.

For more insights into Bruce R. Cook's work, visit Bookpleasures.com. To read Norm Goldman's review of "Philippine Fever," click here.

Interesting Stats

• The Philippines ranks 113th out of 180 countries in the 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International, highlighting the country's ongoing struggles with corruption (Transparency International).
• The Philippines is the world's largest supplier of seafarers, with over 380,000 Filipino seafarers working on international vessels (International Chamber of Shipping).
• The Philippines has one of the highest rates of social media usage in the world, with 76 million active social media users as of January 2022 (DataReportal).

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