Who are you and where are you from?

My name is Dan McNeil and I was born in Toronto, Ontario although I’ve lived in Ottawa (the capital of Canada) for over 40 years. I really consider Ottawa to be my hometown. I used to be a cameraman and editor for a local television station (for 24 years) and just recently moved over to the video department at Canada Post.

Tell us a bit about your book The Judas Apocalypse

“The Judas Apocalypse” is an historical/adventure novel about an archaeologist named Gerhard Denninger and his search for the long lost treasure of the Cathars (the Cathars were a Christian sect wiped out by the Inquisition in 1244) during World War II. He meets famed Grail hunter Otto Rahn who gives him a puzzling document, which when decoded, could possibly show him the way to the treasure. The thrilling quest leads Denninger through many twists and turns and what he ultimately discovers could change the course of history. It’s been described as an Indiana Jones meets Kelly’s Heroes with a touch of The Da Vinci Code kind of story, which I quite like.

What inspired you to write your book?

I actually had the idea for years but I had never seen myself as a writer. I read books, not wrote them. Besides I was into music, but after writing and recording two CDs but not getting anywhere I thought, “What the hell, let’s give this book thing a shot.” What I really wanted to see was if I could actually pull it off. I had the idea but it wasn’t going to write itself so …

How did you come up with the title?

That was a toughie. The original working title was “The Scroll” which was so exceedingly drab that I knew at some point, I was going to have to change it. It wasn’t until it was almost ready to be published that I finally came up with “The Judas Apocalypse.” The word “apocalypse” actually means revelation or the revealing of a hidden secret to a select few. Considering what the story was about, it worked perfectly.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Man, there were a LOT of hard parts. I figured it would maybe take a week or two to research it and another couple of weeks to write it. Honestly, what the heck was I thinking?? It took me almost a year and a half to research it and another two years to write it. To tell the truth, if I knew it was going to take that long, I probably would have bagged it. Once I was done, trying to find an agent and a publisher was no picnic either. In fact, I still don’t have an agent. The actual writing of the book was a breeze compared to that.

What books have most influenced your life most?

My all time favourite book is J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye.” I must have read it about twenty times. I always loved its personal narrative style. Another fave that I’ve read dozens of times was David Niven’s breezy and easy going “The Moon’s a Balloon.” It was the first book I ever read that made me laugh out loud and I’ve always been impressed at what a great storyteller Niven was. Caleb Carr’s “The Alienist” was a big influence too. I loved the historical setting and how he peppered the book with real historical characters. It really made the story seem authentic and come alive and it was something I wanted to try in “The Judas Apocalypse.”

What book are you reading now?

Right now I’m reading the first few chapters of my friend Selena Robins’ latest novel. It’s a work in progress and it’s really good (I hope she lets me read the rest when she’s done.) Once I’m finished, I’m on to my next read (“The Burning Wire” by Jefferey Deaver.) I really like his stuff – they’re real page turners and they leave you hanging at the end of each chapter. After that, I’ve got a couple of more, ready to go.

What are your current projects? Can you tell us a bit about I Want To Hold Your Hand

In 1964, the Beatles performed on The Ed Sullivan Show. It was the biggest television event at the time. With 73 million people tuned in to watch, it’s been said that not even a hubcap was stolen in New York City in the hour that they performed. It occurred to me that it would have been the perfect time to rob a bank. Hence, the premise. “I Want To Hold Your Hand” is about Sonny Carter, a life long (and really unsuccessful) bank robber just out of prison after a 25 year stretch who sees his chance to pull off one last heist. He’s got his eye on one particular prize – the Hudson National Bank and Trust Company. What makes this larcenous gig so appealing is the fact that, not only is this institution the same one he tried to hit twenty five years previously but the president of the bank is actually the stool pigeon that ratted him out. Sonny gathers up the members of his gang, who are older and not so keen on heading back to prison and hopes to convince them to try for this one last score. With the help of a mysterious and sexy bank employee whose unique but crazy plan involves tight timing and four unsuspecting musicians from Liverpool, four losers could become winners for the first time in their lives. It has some laughs, it has some tears, it has the Beatles…what else could you ask for? It was really a labour of love for me and I’m so very, very happy with the way it turned out. I’m currently shopping it right now, hoping to find an agent and/or publisher, so if there’s any takers out there, let me know…

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

If you have an idea and want to write a book, just start writing. I mean, if I can do it…

For more of Dan:

Website: http://www.danmcneil.ca/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DanMcNeil888
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/3m5e8lh
Publish Press: http://tinyurl.com/3mhjubg
ShelfLuv: http://www.shelfluv.com/dan.mcneil