Interview with V.W. Raynes, author of Twisted Venom

Title: Twisted Venom

Author: V. W. Raynes

Publisher: AuthorHouse

Genre: Suspense/Thriller

Format: Ebook

When young internist Claudia Ranelli attends a medical conference in San Francisco, she has a sexual encounter so bizarre and frightful it nearly kills her. But that isn't the end of her terror. Claudia and her cousin Dru Salinas must discover the identity of the person terrorizing them both, a quest that leads from pit vipers to modern genetics. Claudia tells a gripping story with sensitivity, a humanly scientific perspective, eroticism and a wry sense of humor.

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THE INTERVIEW

Can you please tell us about your book and why you wrote it?

TWISTED VENOM is the story of a young oncologist (cancer physician) who attends a medical conference in San Francisco, meets a man named Chance and has a bizarre sexual experience that seems venomous and nearly kills her. When she gets home to Texas, she and her cousin Dru Salinas realize that someone is out to terrorize them both, and their quest for answers leads them from pit vipers to modern genetics. I refer quite a few patient samples for genetic testing and am fascinated by the huge breakthroughs that have been made in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. I wanted to write something that might teach people a little about what's going using a fictional format that, although somewhat kinky, might be more interesting reading. The gene mutation that I incorporate into the story is real, and the research to find a compound with the ability to reverse the effects of this mutation is ongoing and important. It is somewhat difficult, however, to put into a format that a non-medical person can understand.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced writing it?

It was challenging to come up with a dramatic way to incorporate the mutation into the story and to make it seem plausible. I did a lot of reading and researching.

Do you plan subsequent books?

The book needs at least one sequel; there are obvious questions probably not answered adequately for some readers.

When and why did you begin writing?

I took an evening writing class several years ago and got hooked.

What is your greatest strength as an author?

I have a good fundamental base of knowledge about the medical aspects of the book, and I like what I write. However, I definitely temper my expectations of how much other people will like it.

Did writing this book teach you anything?

Writing takes immense concentration, and I admire anyone who can stay with it and write prolifically.