The following is an interview with author and screenwriter Gregory Poirier (National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Knox Goes Away) regarding the upcoming release of his new espionage thriller, A Thousand Cuts, with Diversion Books. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Poirier about his creative process in bringing the story and characters to life on the page, the themes that he hopes may resonate with readers, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the upcoming release of A Thousand Cuts! What can you share with us about the premise of this story and the genesis behind it?
Gregory Poirier: It is the story of a former CIA officer, Max Starkey, who is down on his luck and working for the mob recovering stolen money. He is pulled into a heist by the woman who broke his heart and his old rival in the agency, who are married to each other now. They are attempting to move four thousand pounds of gold bars out of a Southeast Asian country on behalf of the dictator who is about to be toppled in a coup, and plan to steal it. Of course, everyone has their own agenda and is planning to betray everyone else. I first had the idea as a movie, but I decided it worked better as a novel. The idea arose from a challenge I set for myself, to think of a movie that Humphrey Bogart or Robert Mitchum would make if they were alive today, with a really strong noir set up but a modern sensibility and action. It was a lot of fun to write.
BD: Having worked extensively as a screenwriter, you are no stranger to crafting new worlds and complex characters. What can you tell us about your experience in transitioning to prose in order to bring this story and its characters to life on the page?
GP: The transition was challenging but also thrilling. This was the first thing I had written in over 30 years that didn’t start with the same two words: Fade In. I actually found it quite liberating, in particular the ability to use the internal monologue. I’ve always had an ear for dialogue and description, and I’m good at writing action, but in a film you have no way to convey what your character is thinking except in small visual clues. In a script you can’t say, “He’s worried about this” or “He’s hurting because she left him.” You have to find ways to convey those things with the only two tools a screenwriter has: what you see, and what you hear. So, actually being able to explore my characters’ inner lives was fascinating. I also found it easier to convey my voice than I can in a film, which is a collaborative art where your words are interpreted by directors, actors and editors. I liked the feeling of speaking directly to my reader.
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums – no matter the genre. How do you feel that Max’s story may connect with and impact readers, and what, if any, conversations do you hope that it might inspire?
GP: I don’t want to get too lofty, because at heart this is an action adventure thriller. But there are definitely themes that resonate with the world we are currently living in. First of all, the three main characters are ex-CIA officers, which ties in with what is going on in the real world right now as the three-letter agencies are being purged and subjected to loyalty tests. The book doesn’t get into the politics of this at all, not even a little bit, but the idea of all these men and women with “unique sets of skills” being set adrift or learning how to be baristas is definitely timely. Also, there is some soul searching about the things they have done in service of their country, for example, putting the dictator who is about to be toppled into power in the first place. Again, we don’t get into the politics of this at all, my characters are the tip of the spear, they don’t make policy decisions, but they can’t help but notice the issues they have caused by following orders. There is a moment where a rebel leader tells the main female character, Kelly, that he isn’t coming on to her because “I don’t sleep with colonizers.” Which makes her stop and say, wait, what did he just call me? So, it’s this process of looking at the long-term results of what they have done. But at its heart it is a personal story, of heartbreak and vengeance and betrayal. It’s about how these characters treat each other in their relationships, and what that leads to down the road.
BD: What makes Diversion Books the perfect publishing partner for this story?
GP: They bought it! No, I’m kidding. I think they are good partners for this for a few reasons, foremost being that they understand this voice I am striving for, the blend of noir with the modern action story. Not only understand it, but are excited about it. My editor at Diversion, Keith Wallman, also pushed me to lean more into the stuff I mentioned in the answer to the previous question, especially the idea of what do these people do with their CIA skills once they are released into the real world. Most of all they love the book, which is ultimately all you can really ask for in a publisher.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
GP: Book wise, I am happy to say that the follow up to A Thousand Cuts, Max Starkey book two (currently called The Thirsty Sand) is in the hands of my editors now. My past projects are all movies and TV. My favorites are Knox Goes Away, which came out in 2024, and Rosewood, which was my first movie way back in the ’90s. Rosewood is the one I won the WGA Award for. Knox is a noir, directed by Michael Keaton and starring Keaton, Al Pacino, James Marsden and Marcia Gay Harden. As a writer, Knox is really the precursor to A Thousand Cuts and it is a script I am extremely proud of.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about A Thousand Cuts and your other work?
GP: The best ways are my website and my substack newsletter. I’ve put the links below. Thank you so much!
https://gregorypoirier.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips
