Propofol is a thrilling suspense novel that takes readers on a whirlwind journey across the globe. From the Middle East to Toronto and England, the fast-paced narrative delves into the world of international crime, filled with unexpected twists and turns. As the plot unfolds, secrets are revealed, characters with hidden agendas emerge, and a complex web of intrigue keeps readers guessing until the very end.
Retirement often marks the beginning of a new chapter, and for Paul Egli, it has been a journey of indulging in passions long nurtured. From his days as a financial manager, Egli's transition into the world of suspense-thriller novels has been a captivating journey.
In this exclusive interview, Egli shares insights into his debut novel, Propofol, shedding light on its inception, the meticulous crafting of international crime elements, and his hopes for readers. In this exclusive interview, we delve into the mind of this new author as he discusses the irresistible pull of storytelling, the significance of his book's title, and tantalizing hints about his forthcoming works.
Continuing reading for an exclusive interview.
Tell us a bit about your background.
I am officially retired from my 9 to 5 job as a financial manager and spend my time now taking care of my dog, golfing, and writing books. My two passions in life have been writing and politics. I have put the political path on hold and I am now concentrating on writing suspense-thrillers.
Over the years I have written many books but Propofol is the first one to be formally published. I wrote one about a space detective and one about the JFK assassination but neither one ever saw the light of day or was formally published.
They exist only as typewritten pages in a binder in my basement.
I have always had a deep respect and affection for books and the written word and I hope those emotions shine through in my novel Propofol.
What was the impetus behind writing Propofol?
I think for most authors writing is not a choice or an option.
Speaking for myself and many other writers, expressing yourself in a written format is an irresistible need that has to be met. I am not happy unless I am sitting in front of my computer writing a new story or editing or polishing an existing one.
How did you come up with the title?
As you may know, Propofol is one of the most commonly used anesthetics in US hospitals. If you had to go to the hospital tomorrow for an operation and you needed to be knocked out, you would probably get an intravenous dose of Propofol. It is safe, quick, and effective. In my book, Propofol is like a cloud that permeates the atmosphere of the book.
One of the main female characters in my book receives a serious head injury from a random act of violence on a subway train.
To assist her recovery she is placed in an induced coma for a few days using Propofol. Before losing consciousness, she transfers her laptop to a fellow subway passenger and that laptop contains the details of her investigation of a frightful and dangerous network of international crime.
The fact that she is unconscious from a medical anesthetic and unable to answer any questions about this situation is the main tension that pervades the plot of my novel.
If she wasn't unconscious from Propofol, she could provide passwords for her computer, explain the significance of her research, and provide guidance on what to do next.
This is especially urgent when the local police, the secret service and criminal conspirators are all putting pressure on the other characters in the novel.
How did you approach crafting the international crime aspect of Propofol? Did you do much research?
Lots of research!!
In the old days, an author would be spending a lot of time in the library. Now thanks to the internet a writer can do their research from their home. It's hard work.
One of the villains of the novel is a company called General Health Services Corporation and the President of the Corporation is Philippe Artois.
Since I didn't particularly want to get sued by a real-world "General Health Services Corporation" or a real person called "Philippe Artois" I had to make sure to the best of my ability that neither of these names or entities was widely known in the real world.
(I am giving away a big plot point but General Health Services Corporation acquires and sells illegally harvested human transplant material to hospitals in the United States and Europe.)
As an author, what do you hope readers will take away from reading your book?
Pure entertainment and fun! I hope readers will pick up a Paul Egli novel and have a wonderful and entertaining experience reading it. I know it was enjoyable for me to write, I tried to build suspense, excitement, humor, and romance. There is also a bit of medical drama and a few serious thoughts on politics and our contemporary world (no preaching!) I hope my readers find my books like a ride on an old-fashioned roller coaster. The reader gets to the top of the roller coaster and holds on tight!
Are you planning on writing any other books?
My second book is called DAD and it is 100 % written. I am just doing the final edits and polishing. It should be ready for publishing in the spring or summer of this year.
It is great fun too with a slight "Stephen King" element to it (I admire SK a lot as an author).
Like the Stephen King novel "Green Mile" my novel DAD is realistic but there is one factor in the book where you have to let your imagination go to work! It has the same feel as my first book PROPOFOL - suspense, humor, romance, optimism.
For my third book, I am considering two projects - a novel connected to John Kennedy's assassination (I always wanted to write about that subject) or the story of a man who receives a false Lab Report about his terminal illness (Which he doesn't have).
I am not sure I can consume enough vitamin pills to see either project to completion but I will try!
For more information on Paul’s novel please visit https://paulegli.net/
