AN INTERVIEW WITH JOREID MCFATE

by Ruth Edwin

Q. One reviewer says that your novel, The Demon Plague, includes elements of the horror, mystery, fantasy, science fiction, and adventure genres. How would you classify it?

Karl: As soon as you toss in time travel, a novel is classified as sci fi, but for what we wrote, that is too narrow.
Frances: We've discussed this many times. The best we can come up with is sci-fi thriller, although that doesn't really describe it accurately. Our publisher calls it "Paranormal Suspense," which works for me.
Karl: There are many mainstream novels that are technically sci fi. The Boys from Brazil ... The Stepford Wives. The Demon Plague is just as hard to pigeonhole.

Q. Is time travel the primary theme?

Frances: Time travel is vital to the story--our characters couldn't attempt to 'save the world' without it-- but it isn't the main focus.
Karl: The Demon Plague is plot-driven and character-driven with the chills of a thriller and some paranormal events. Overall, I think there's more mystery than anything else.
Frances: Yes, multiple mysteries. Murder mysteries, medical mysteries...
Karl: Small mysteries. Big mysteries. One of the foremost challenges involves solving the mystery of an ancient myth.

Q. So your characters travel into the past?

Frances: And the future.
Karl: The time of the Salem witch trials is one stop on their bizarre journey, so you can add historical to that list of genrés.

Q. May I assume that witchcraft plays a role?

Karl: That's a safe assumption.
Frances: There's also genetic engineering, prejudice, betrayal, a touch of romance...

Q. Something for everyone, huh? Is The Demon Plague a serious novel?

Karl: It's definitely serious, but it also has moments that will have the reader rolling on the floor. There are messages, too, but we don't hammer at them. We wrote it to entertain.
Frances: I believe we succeeded. The Demon Plague is an action-packed, fun read.
Karl: One reviewer complained that, when he finished, he regretted there weren't another 400 pages to read.

Q. Tell me more about your story.

Karl: In addition to our protagonist, we have some pretty colorful characters, including a teenager from Barbados and a Doberman named Max. Some readers say that Max had more personality than many human characters in other books.

Q.What else?

Frances: Lots of twists and turns and fast action.
Karl: Very fast. One reviewer compared it to a Bruce Willis movie on amphetamines.

Q. Interesting. I noticed something unusual in your biographies, Is it true that you two have never met?

Karl: Absolutely true. We've never even spoken on the phone. We live a thousand miles apart. We wrote The Demon Plague entirely over the Internet, using email and instant messages.
Frances: We've also written several articles, a children's novella and about twenty short stories using the same method.

Q. Will you meet?

Karl: We're holding out for a very public introduction--perhaps on television--to promote The Demon Plague. So somebody make us an offer.

Q. What if it doesn't happen? If nobody makes an offer, what will you do?

Frances: I used to obsess over that. My goals at each step reflected it: Finish the novel; get a publisher; persuade a big-time TV host to invite us for an interview. Now, I hardly ever think about it. If it's meant to be, it will happen.
Karl: I agree. Synchronicity brought us this far. Why try to force anything?
Frances: Besides, after all this time, the desire to meet--at least for me--isn't as strong as it once was. Maybe because the idea is a little scary.
Karl: Yes. What's going to happen when Frances finds out I'm not George Clooney?
Frances: You're not?

UPDATE!

In July 2006, the Joreids relocated to North Carolina. In November the writing duo, along with their spouses, finally met, at the McFate home in Atlanta. The Joreids and McFates spent 5 days together and had a blast!

The Demon Plague, ISBN:1-55410-223-5, is published by Zumaya Publications. You may order it from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Zumaya Publications, or any bookstore. You may also order directly from: Zumaya Publications.
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