Matt Reilly Stories by Matthew Reilly
9. What is your ultimate goal?
Well, to be really honest, my ambitions are actually rather modest. Ambition No.1: selling the movie rights of Ice Station to a big Hollywood studio and seeing Tom Cruise (or Nicolas Cage) playing the lead in a $100 million, two-and-a-half hour, action-movie extravaganza (I’ve just optioned the movie rights to my first book Contest and it’s gonna be a ripper of a movie — lots of CGI aliens and edge-of-your-seat action). That’s not too much to ask for, now, is it? Second to that, oh, I don’t know, maybe getting to Number 1 on the New York Times bestseller list. As I said, very modest ambitions, really.
10. Why do you write the kind of stories that you do?
Easy. Because I like to read those kinds of stories. I like the books I read to be fast-paced, roller-coaster rides to hell and back, so I write fast-paced, roller-coaster rides to hell and back!
11. (question missing for original text)
12. What am I working on now?
I am about halfway through my next novel, a monster action-thriller called Temple. It is set in South America, in the jungle where the Amazon rainforest meets the Andes mountains. It is really fast-paced read (faster than Ice Station, but also a lot darker and more sinister). The villains will be nastier, the action will be bigger, and the subject matter even more intense. How’s that sound?
13. What makes a novel a best-seller?
Do you really want to know? The secret, I think, lies in the wonder of books themselves. Thrillers like Ice Station make it to the best-seller list, books like Longitude make it (what a wonderful book), Angela’s Ashes, John Marsden books, self-help books, cooking books, the list goes on and on and on. Now, what do all these books have in common? Well, I think it’s this ‘they all write about something that people want to read about. Call me naïve, but I think that’s the key. The beauty of it is that people want to read about lots of different things. It’d be a pretty boring world if everyone wanted to read only thrillers.
14. What is the most important element of a novel?
Good story and great pace. As you can imagine, I’m a big fan of narrative drive. The story must propel a novel if it is going to hook me in. I must want to know what is going to happen next (and I guess, attached to that, I should say that I must care about at least one of the characters involved in that story; if you don’t care about the characters, why keep reading?). No, I really hate it when a novel I’m reading gets bogged down. And if the story doesn’t interest me to begin with, then I put it down very quickly.
15. What advice would you have for anyone thinking of writing a novel? Especially, re: dealing with rejection by publishers.
Do it. Write your book and send it out there. Dare to fail. Publishers can be something of an enigma, and sometimes they get a bad rep for rejecting so many writers — they tend to be seen as rather snobbish people ensconced in their ivory towers, not deigning to cast their eyes over new manuscripts. This view is a little unfair, in my opinion. The root of the problem as I see it, is this: any business which seeks to profit from an “art form” (and I classify novel-writing as an art form) is going to disappoint many people. Publishers have to make profits, for the simple reason that they are, first and foremost, a business. I think a lot of people don’t understand that and they wonder why their book about their life story doesn’t get picked up. Publishers don’t want someone who can write one book. They want the person who can write five or ten or twenty.
How to treat them? Difficult question, that. The story about the way I got picked up by Pan Macmillan is somewhat unique. I was rejected by all the major publishers, so I self-published my first book, Contest. It was seen in a store by an executive from Pan Macmillan who bought it, read it, and rang me up (and now, I’ve sold the movie rights to it, so to all those publishers who rejected it first up — well, I guess they missed the boat; a publisher who doesn’t read everything that comes across his/her desk risks missing the next big thing and that big thing could be your book!). Pan-Macmillan has since bought the world-wide publishing rights to Contest (very satisfying that!).
Publishers get 2000 unsolicited manuscripts every year. My suggestion on how to treat them if you have a manuscript is this ‘in some way, somehow, make your manuscript get noticed. Wrap it in flowers! Bind it in wooden planks! Send a letter saying that it is the best damn book anyone’s ever seen! Make them notice you! Make them see you ahead of the other 1,999 manuscripts they get every year. My philosophy with Contest was simple. I thought I had what they wanted ‘a highly commercial book. And I still believe that if you’ve got what they want, all you have to do is get them to read it. Somehow.
________________
Presidian On-Line Chat
2002
(Note from Flyboy707: No spelling, punctuation or grammar was changed by me in the following chat. It is presented to you as it originally occurred in 2002).
Thurs, 10th October 2002
5:00pm AEST.
Moderators Present:
Roy Govier
Matthew Downey
Sam Chen
Question: Are you working on a New book Yet?
Matthew Reilly: No. I’m exhausted. Thinking on some ideas though. One screenplay. One new book.
Question: Is the Screenplay for an Aussie Produced Project?
Matthew Reilly: Screenplay is based on my short story The Mine, and will hopefully be produced by me in the near future.
Question: Is it a broadway musical? No-one would expect that.
Matthew Reilly: Broadway musical? don’t laugh. I may just give it a go. I loved Moulin Rouge, remember.
Question: Is S3 in the final stages?
Matthew Reilly: As for S3, it has been delivered and read by my publisher at macmillan. They love it. Now awaiting their editorial comments which will take a month or two.
Question: Any hints on the Title?
Matthew Reilly: The Title is still up in the air. Have contemplated “Scarecrow” or something more global. This book bounces around the world at warp speed.
Question: Has the cover been designed yet? How long until we see some cover designs?
Matthew Reilly: As for a cover, no, it’s a fair way off. That happens far closer to publication.
Question: Who gets whacked in Schofield 3?
Matthew Reilly: Who gets whacked? Not telling. Maybe everyone gets whacked. I suppose if you asked me that about Ice Station I could legitimately say that Schofield got whacked. (his heart did stop beating)
Question: Who do you see playing the giant rats in The Mine Movie?
Matthew Reilly: I’d like to see some Gymansts in suits!!!
Question: If your screenplay is made in Aust. Can I be a stuntman in it?
Matthew Reilly: Stuntment will be necessary, write to me through the website.
Question: Any news about the Ice Station movie?
Matthew Reilly: Ice Station movie continues to tick along. The Screenplay is in its 4th draft, but still moving forward. I’m going over to LA for some meetings in early November. Matthew Downey: As long as you get Ali Larter to play Gant, I’ll be happy
Matthew Reilly: Who is Ali Larter? I like Christine (Marcia Marcia Marcia) Taylor myself!
Juliana: I’m still voting on Hugh Jackman for Schofield.
Matthew Reilly: Hugh Jackman would be awesome. Did you know he was once part of the humble Willoughby Musical Society? (Where I once acted on stage)
Question: Anyone who wants to play a dead body, bloody or otherwise, raise your hand.
Matthew Reilly: I’d play a dead body myself, actually! Hell, if I just get a photo on the set of Wilkes Ice Station, I’d be pleased. To think, it just came out of my head.
Question: Are you coming back to the US on your next book tour??
Matthew Reilly: Not sure about that yet Anna, but I promise you’ll be the first to know. (Anna tried to meet me in Texas when I toured the US earlier this year.)
Question: What news of Contest Movie?
Matthew
Question: Don’t the rights revert back to you soon?
Matthew Reilly: The Contest rights would revert to me after a set period. That’s still some way off, though.
Question: When is Schofield Three being released?
Answer: It is released in Australia in November 2003
Question: What do you think of Dark Angel being axed?
Matthew Reilly: The axing of Dark Angel: Hmmmm. I kinda liked it. Kinda. Just didn’t keep watching it. Which it seems is what happened for a lot of other people. Something about it just didn’t gel for me. The heroine though, was seriously sexy!
Question: What can you tell us about S3 beyond what you’ve written in your thoughts section?
Matthew Reilly: Can I tell you more? Not sure what I’ve said already. Let me just say this: It countains a Bounty hunt, and a price of $18.6 million is put on Schofield’s head (and the heads of several other top soldiers of the world) And that’s the first 3 pages.
Question: Why $18.6 million? anything specific about that amount?
Matthew Reilly: 18.6 was chosen for a reason.
(Various fans) Please don’t kill Mother.
Matthew Reilly: Mothers death? Hmmmm. that was another potential title for S3. “The Death of Mother” …….. Just kidding.
Roy Govier: I fowarded the Area 7 project to a game developer who is an MR fan. Should be good. Just waiting for feedback.
Matthew Reilly: Roy – I loved the A7 game demo. Hope the computer dude likes it. Let me know what he says.
Question: Any killer penguins or other creatures in S3?
Matthew Reilly: Yes. Of course – it IS a “Matthew Reilly” book after all! Some sharks might make an appearance.
Question: Can you tell us one of the new locations in the book?
Matthew Reilly: Locations in the new book. I’d rather not give away too much. (I know that sounds so cliched, but the book won’t be out for a fair while.) It pretty well goes all the way around the Northern Hemisphere.
Matthew Reilly: I should probably explain the delay in releasing the new book. If I could have finished it by July, it would be out now. But I realised in January that I couldn’t finish it (to my standard of quality before then.) Pan were great and said, “Take your time. Make it good.” So I took two more months, and turned in a cracker of a book. Unfortunately that means it won’t be released until August, 2003. (Since books seel more in the lead up to Christmas)
Question: When is the US release of S3?
Matthew Reilly: It’s after the Aussie release. Probably in January 2004. But US readers can go to Aussie online bookstores and get it when it comes out here. I kind of like the fact my books come out here first, since that is not what normally happens!
Question: Have you taken any trips lately? You went to Nepal earlier this year.
Matthew Reilly: No, no trips lately. Nepal was a much needed break. been writing the new book non-stop since I got back in April.
Question: Did you drink Yak milk? apparantly its quite good.
Matthew Reilly: Didn’t drink Yak milk — but I did eat Yak burgers. Very tasty. Like beef only with more tang.
Question: What do you think of Wilbur Smith?
Matthew Reilly: Never really did read Big Wilbur. I tried River God, but was busy writing, so never finished it. Funny, I make comments about some other authors in my new thoughts section that went up today.
Question: Have you heard of Peter McCallister? He is a Brisbane Writer who has recently released Cosmonaut…
Matthew Reilly: yes, I have heard of him. Penguin sent me a copy of Cosmonaut. I was writing at the time, so I haven’t read it yet. Now that I have some time, I might give it a go?
Question: What about Robert Ludlum, the author of the Bourne Identity, if you read the book were you dissapointed with the movie?
Matthew Reilly: Yes, I read The Bourne Identity years ago. I liked it, but it was, well, a bit slow. I found the movie pretty poor actually. It had exactly ONE plot. Which is just not good enough these days.
Question: What do you think makes a book Good?
Matthew Reilly: What do I think makes a book GOOD? Hmmmm. I personally like a story that makes me forget about the real world. I remember reading Michael Crichton’s ‘Rising Sun’ when I was working at a law firm in Sydney. I couldn’t wait to get to the bus after work so I could read it undistracted. A book whose story demands your attention.
Question: At the latest Brisbane Writers Festival they talked about you, and stated that you were perhaps “The Most successful” writer to have ever self-published. Does it make you proud when you hear things like that?
Matthew Reilly: They talked about me, huh? You know what Oscar Wilde said, “The only thing worse than being talked about is NOT being talked about.” As for being a successful self-published author — yes, I am very proud of how “I made it happen”. I wasn’t given any favours in the publishing industry, I really had to bust in. So yes, very proud.
Question: What is the latest on your Brother’s book?
Matthew Reilly: Stephen’s book (funny how that came up just after I said I never got any favours getting published!!!) Yes, as Roy says, it’s called “Ninety East Ridge” and it’s kind of like Carl Sagan’s Contact. Someone attempts to build a city in the middle of the Indian Ocean and it investigates the personalities involved and the International Consequences.
Question: is your Mother pleased that she has two published authors now in the family?
Matthew Reilly: She’s very proud! But she loves us just the way we are. She does think I blaspheme too much in my books though
Roy Govier: You want me to do WHAT your Roman Sandals???
Matthew Reilly: That is one of my favourite lines. It really did come from a guy I used to play golf with! he would say that when he bombed a shot. My other favourite line drawn from real life is in TEMPLE — its about when a Special Forces guy talks about joining “The 80′s Club”. That came from some guys I know. They talked about this 80′s club, and I innocently asked, “What’s that?”
Question: You play golf? What’s your handicap?
Matthew Reilly: 10
Question: How often do you play?
Matthew Reilly: Time for golf… I need golf to decompress.
Comment: You should get business cards.
Matthew Reilly: My books are my business cards.
Question: Any plans to come to the next Writers Festival?
Matthew Reilly: Brisbane next year — if they invite me, Yes, I’ll come. It is the most relaxed festival I’ve attended. Sydney is very S-E-R-I-O-U-S. Melbourne is super slick. But Brisbane is relaxed and about the books.
Anna: Too bad the organizer didn’t know who Matthew Reilly was! The nerve.
Matthew Reilly: Which organizer didn’t know who I was? At Brisbane? It happens.
Question: Do you worry about originality?
Matthew Reilly: Originality of plot is always a big question. Perhaps the biggest one. Not only because people want new and original stuff, but because I don’t want to become a one trick pony. I have to make it original so I enjoy writing it — when it takes a year to write a book, you have to enjoy it.
Matthew Reilly: Just remembered something of interest. I’ve been asked by my US publisher to rewrite CONTEST but set it in the New York Public Library (not the fictional New York State Library)
Roy Govier: Are you going to do that?
Matthew Reilly: Yes, I will. The believe that US readers (especially New Yorkers) will prefer if I use the real building. Luckily both libraries match fairly well, so I won’t alter the story in anyway.
Question: Who asks tougher questions? Fans or the media?
Matthew Reilly: Fans definately.
Matthew Reilly: I should Clarify that. The media doesn’t have the detailed knowledge that fans have; they are alway
Question: DO you have a daily schedule when you’re writing a new book?
Matthew Reilly: The typical writing day for me starts at around 10am, and ends around 5pm. I don’t eat. I will have planned out what I want to get through in advance. And if I’m not in the mood, I don’t write. It’s all about energy — starting a new day at the same energy level that I was at the day before.
Question: You get lost in the writing and time flies?
Matthew Reilly: Yes, I loose track of time completely. Happened to me today writing the screenplay. Had “Lunch” at 4pm.
Question: How do you deal with Writer’s block?
Matthew Reilly: Hasn’t been an issue – yet. (Hope it never will be)
Question: Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night with the urge to write?
Matthew Reilly: No, it doesn’t happen to me. Sometimes I write into the night, but generally not after I’ve already gone to bed!
Question: What can you tell us about your screenplay?
Matthew Reilly: It is an attempt, basically, to update Raiders of the Lost Ark for the MTV generation. I thought XXX came close – its heart was in the right place, but it just fell short of the bar. I want to create a high-tech, big fun Indiana Jones for the new century.
Question: Do you have a book full of story ideas that you add too as ideas come to you, or when you come to write a new novel, do you think up the ideas then and there?
Matthew Reilly: I have a story ideas DRAWER. With many slips of paper in it!!!
Question: Do you do your own research?
Matthew Reilly: Yes, I do my own. Roy has given me several Jane’s Recognition Guides over the years, and they help enormously!
Matthew Reilly: I also like to take responsibility for the research. yes, I sometimes make mistakes. I still kick myself for some of the errors in Ice Station, especially the ranking errors, but I was 22 when I wrote Ice Station, and really just wrote it for my own enjoyment. Then it came out and went around the world very quickly. I found out very quickly how seriously American’s take their military.