CLOAK AND DAGGER
MAN ~ TERRENCE MCCAULEY
********
If we got our hands
on the CIA file on Terrence McCauley what would it tell us about you?
It would say that I was born in the Bronx and had the luxury
of walking to school my entire life. Elementary school, high school and college
(Fordham University) were all within walking distance of my apartment. It would
also say I probably smoke too many cigars and yell at the television too much.
How did the world of
modern espionage intrigue you enough to choose it as a genre?
How do you compare
old school spies with modern espionage in real life and fiction?
I think the spy genre is like the western genre, in that we
use both genres to reflect where we are as a society. Bond came along at the
beginning of the space race, so everyone was intrigued by the ideas of gadgets
and technology. Those can be crutches for a writer. You can swing the other way
and look at the great Le Carré, whose novels are beautifully written, but
incredibly dense to the point where it’s difficult for many casual fans of the
genre to follow along. Those of us who stuck with his work were richly rewarded
with some wonderful books. Today, ex-Special Forces operators are the heroes.
They’ve been written about extensively by other writers, so I decided to tell
my story in my own way with my own kind of hero.
In real life, espionage and intelligence have always been
about one thing—finding out what your enemy doesn’t want you to know. And
despite all of our advances with electronics and satellites and computers, the
human element is always the weakest link in the chain. See Snowden, Assange and
Bradley for details. The bells and whistles might get fancier, but nothing’s
more reliable—or more corruptible—than the human element of espionage.
What are the
difficulties in writing cutting edge espionage fiction?
The greatest challenge is trying to be too cutting edge. If
the tech isn’t relatable, people tend to tune out and either skip it or move on
to another book. There have been advances in artificial intelligence and
biometrics and the like that I mention in my novels, but I don’t plan on making
much of them. My goal is to tell as interesting a story as I can, and people
tend to gloss over large blocks of techno-babble. At least I know I do. It’s
why I stopped reading Clancy’s work. I got tired of having to flip to the front
of the book to remember what all the initials meant. Keep it simple for the
audience to stay with you and the reader and the writer are better off.
How do you balance
character and technology in the modern spy novel?
For me, it’s all about character. Bytes and satellites are
only as interesting as the people who use them in the story. The trick is to
use the technology to advance the story and keep the reader interested in the
plot. When technology begins to be intrusive and does the work for the
characters, the writer is in trouble. I have a lot of tech in my books, but it
doesn’t supplant the plot or the main thrust of the story. If anything, I use
it to enhance the traits of my characters.
How do you keep your
espionage novel rooted in the real world and not spinning off into the world of
James Bond style supervillains, super weapons, and menacing henchmen?
Have you become
paranoid researching all the surveillance and invasion of privacy techniques you
write about?
Nope. I’ve never been under the illusion we’ve ever had
privacy in anything we do, and that was before the internet and cell phones.
The government was able to tap telegraph lines, so today there should be no
expectation of privacy. Maybe someone is keeping track of what I write and what
I look up. If they are, I hope they enjoy what they read—and buy a book if they
do. If I wind up in an orange jumpsuit in Gitmo, I’ll give you a call.
Do you have any
specific espionage fiction influences?
Marc Cameron and Le Carré are two different types of writers
who excel in their respective areas of espionage. The action in Cameron’s work
is fantastic, while the plotting in Le Care’s work is admirable. I also like
Daniel Silva’s books and Len Deighton’s rare talent for being able to tell a
great story while introducing just the right amount of humor is fantastic.
Like I said, I’m a news junkie, but espionage and
techno-thriller bits of news always grab my attention. I don’t take notes very
often, but some of the facts tend to stick in my mind as I go along. They form
a kernel of an idea, which often blows up into a plot for a short story or, if
I’m lucky, a novel.
What drove you to
begin writing and what were your original goals?
My original goals were to get published. I figured I had
about one good book in me. That book was Prohibition,
originally published by our good friends over at Airship 27. I never thought
I’d write a sequel, much less begin The University Series. But I did and I’m
still at it more than five years later.
How have your writing
and your goals changed with experience?
Polis Books is a high
profile, progressive, successful small publisher. How did you come into their
universe and how has your journey with them progressed?
I met Jason Pinter, the owner and publisher of Polis Books,
at several Noir at the Bar events. After he launched Polis Books, I asked him
if he was looking for any new material. He said he was looking for good
material whether it was new or not. So, I sent him a list of the works I had
done and planned to write and we agreed to a three book deal. We’re now on our
third and fourth books together, with the possibility of more in the future.
Like many authors,
you’ve kept your day job while continuing to weave your stories in your off
hours. What stresses does this schedule put on you personally, on your family,
on your day job?
The stresses of being
a full-time writer can also be onerous. A writer’s income fluctuates wildly.
Benefits, pensions, and medical coverage become a mirage. Writing full time
increases the pressure to produce good work exponentially. Sitting around in
your pajamas all day playing with your imaginary friends may sound like fun,
but it isn’t the reality of a writer’s life. Is your plan to become a full-time
writer and, if so, how will you deal with those challenges?
I’d love nothing more than to have the opportunity to take
that challenge, but I’ll only do it if I was fortunate enough to do it my way.
I’d need enough money in the bank to secure my financial future before I’d
consider quitting my job and writing full time. It’s hard to hear the muse over
the growl of an empty stomach. It’s also tough to type on a computer when the
electricity gets shut off. I also don’t know if I could write with a gun to my
head. I’ve always worked fast, but it’s been on my own terms and largely at my
leisure. I’ve often wondered if the stress level of finding good paying gigs
would affect my writing. I’m sure it would. I just don’t know if it would make
it better or worse.
So yes, I’d need to have a significant amount in the bank or
some kind of security to feel comfortable enough to dive into this full time.
How much? Make me an offer and find out!
What’s next for Mr.
Hicks and the University, and what else do you have hidden up your sleeve?
********
As Terrence makes his way back out into the cold, I want to
thank him for taking the time to chat and share his writing experiences with
us.
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