The following is an interview with Wall Street Journal-bestselling author Barbara Nickless regarding the upcoming release of the novel, The Drowning Game, through Thomas & Mercer. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Nickless about her creative process in bringing the world and characters to life on the page, what she hopes that readers may take away from the story, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the upcoming release of The Drowning Game! For those who may be unfamiliar, what can you share with us about the premise of this thrilling story?
Barbara Nickless: Nadia and her sister build yachts for the ultra-wealthy. While Nadia works in the U.S., Cass is overseeing a build for a Chinese billionaire in Singapore. When Cass is found dead after a fall from a hotel balcony, Nadia learns that her sister was involved in dangerous, globe-spanning work to save a family. Solving her sister’s death will drag Nadia into the same terrifying web of espionage, dark family histories, and cutting-edge AI. Will she survive?
BD: How would you describe your creative process in crafting this mystery/thriller? It’s always thrilling to follow your mystery stories as the reader, but I would imagine that crafting the narrative and staying 3 steps ahead of your reader is quite the challenge!
BN: You are so right! This was my first time crafting a spy thriller, and I had a blast. With guidance from a former employee of one of the hush-hush three-letter agencies, I let my imagination run wild, even as I stayed carefully within the bounds of the plausible. I used some spy tropes—mysterious men, mysterious warnings, constant threats. Not out of laziness but because this is how things really would have gone down. Once I had my big “what if” to drive the story, it was a matter of sitting back while the personalities and agencies steered the action. I hope I stayed three steps ahead.
BD: What makes Thomas & Mercer the perfect home for this story?
BN: Thomas & Mercer became my publisher after a bidding war, and I’ve been thrilled with them from the get-go. They are releasing the book with fanfare and will continue to support it long past its pub date. I couldn’t be happier with T&M and everyone there.
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that Nadia’s story may connect with and impact today’s readers?
BN: I hope that The Drowning Game points out to readers the real risks of artificial intelligence in military applications, and the dangerous behavior of the Chinese Communist Party in the South China Sea where the CCP seeks to expand China’s territory and control in East Asia. On a more personal level, I want people to know that one person can make a difference. Vote. Speak out. Stand up.
BD: Are there any other projects from your body of work that you would like to highlight for our readers?
BD: I’m still fond of my debut novel, Blood on the Tracks, which explores what it is like to go to war and then return home and try to fit back into society after you’ve been irrevocably changed.
Q: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about The Drowning Game and your other work?
BN: There’s more about my books on my website, barbaranickless.com. And please follow me on Facebook at Barbara Nickless, Author and on Substack at Barbara Nickless.
