Villain Interview: Meet Nathan Shaw From REFLECTION

I’m excited to have bestselling author Kim Cresswell here today! Her books have won multiple awards and today’s she’s got a special treat for us – an interview with billionaire Nathan Shaw from her novel REFLECTION.

About the Character

Billionaire biotech company owner, Nathan Shaw, will do anything including murder to keep his clone (a small child) concealed from outsiders.

What one word best describes you?
Nathan: “Distinct.”

What are you passionate about these days?
Nathan: “What I have been passionate about most of my life. Genetics and cloning. I do not understand why people recoil at the idea of human copies—healthy manufactured humans.”

 You were one of the first companies to clone animals almost thirty years ago. Would you consider cloning humans?
Nathan: “Of course if it was legal in this country. Hopefully, it will be one day.”

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
Nathan: “I was Las Vegas Man of the Year six years running and made the cover of Time magazine, twice.”

You just won a huge lottery what is the first thing you’d buy?
Nathan: (Glances at the wall clock) “Apparently, you haven’t done any background on me. If Miss Steel was conducting this interview, at least she would have done her homework first. I own ShawBioGen, a seventy-five billion dollar Biotech company. The last thing I need is money.”

Who should play you in a film?
Nathan: “John Malkovich. Brilliant actor. I heard he gave a stellar performance portraying serial killer, Jack Unterweger, on stage in Vienna.”

Who is your favorite author?
Nathan: “Elmore Leonard. I enjoy his realism writing style.”

Do you play any sports?
Nathan: “No, I run a couple miles daily to keep in shape.”

What would we find under your bed?
Nathan: (Glances at the clock again) “If you are going to continue with this silly line of questioning, we are done here.”

Ok, then…what is something you want people to know about you?
Nathan: That I have done a lot of good in my life. I’ve donated millions of dollars a year to food banks and homeless shelters around the country and will continue to do so. I’ve also put millions into healthcare and scientific research.”

Tell us about your greatest achievement.
Nathan: “There have been so many but I can’t discuss my greatest at this point. Instead I will say…developing medications that cure diseases and improve lives. In particular, genetic illnesses and recessive disorders that devastate families. Apparently, you didn’t read my company’s press kit. You really do remind me so much of the lovely, Miss Steel.”

What was the scariest moment of your life?
Nathan: “When my sister died of Menkes Syndrome, a dreadful disorder that affects copper levels in the body, leading to copper deficiency and extensive neuro-degeneration of the brain and eventual death. Like most children with Menkes, they die within the first decade of life, usually infancy, as Katherine did. She’s the reason I began my research work into genetic disorders.”

Is there a piece of advice that you have received that has really stuck with you? If so, what was it?
Nathan: “The first rule of business. Employees are replaceable.”

 If you could apologize to someone in your past, what would you say?
Nathan: I don’t apologize. I have nothing to apologize for. I do, however, have a message for FBI agent, Blake Neely (hero) and the lovely, Miss Steel (heroine).”

And what’s that?
Nathan: “Don’t get too comfortable…you are replaceable.”

That sounds like a threat.
Nathan: (Smiles)

REFLECTION Book Trailer:

BACK COVER BLURB
Florida investigative reporter, Whitney Steel, has lived in the shadow of her legendary father long enough. To prove herself she needs to find the “Big” story. She found it. Now it may kill her.

After receiving a lead pointing to the world’s first cloned human, now a small child, Whitney vows to unravel the truth. However, sifting through the facts proves to have dangerous results, including death threats and murder. When she’s nearly killed, but is saved by undercover FBI Special Agent, Blake Neely, he refuses to let her get in the way of his own objective–at least not right away.Caught in a lethal game between a billionaire obsessed with genetic perfection, his hit man’s thirst for retribution, and a Colombian drug lord fresh out of prison determined to make Blake pay for his twin brother’s death over a decade ago…

Can they save an innocent child before it’s too late? Faced with tough choices, with deadly consequences for many–Whitney soon realizes that sometimes a story becomes more than just a story.

EXCERPT
Mason Bailey gulped down his third Glenlivet. “I didn’t kill her.”

How many times had Whitney Steel heard those words? Dozens. But never from the mouth of a United States senator. For all she cared, the man could drink himself to Mars, but not until she got what she’d come for. An exclusive.

Under the awning shading the Pink Flamingo Club’s patio, she took a sip of her lime daiquiri, and couldn’t help notice the way the mid-afternoon sunlight brutally magnified every line on Mason’s tanned face.

“Of all the reporters in Panama City, let alone Florida, why me? We cut our ties years ago.” And our losses, she wanted to say, but didn’t.

“I know I can trust you.” His gaze darted across the street then back to her. “Besides, we were married once. That should count for something.”

Whitney straightened. Anger coiled in the pit of her stomach. “Give me a break. For a year and a half, I thought we were married. Too bad your girlfriends didn’t know about our little legal arrangement.”

Especially, your twenty something assistant.

“Damn it, Whitney. I didn’t ask you here to rehash our past.” He yanked a monogrammed handkerchief premier-pharmacy.com/product/phentermine/ from his jacket pharmacy-no-rx.net/antibiotics.html pocket and dabbed the sweat from his forehead. “I need your help. I know why Carmen Lacey was murdered.”

Her eyes widened. Now they were getting somewhere. “You have my full attention. Are we on the record?”

Mason shoved his empty glass aside. “Yes.”

Her heart thumped with anticipation. This story would be the topic du jour for months. Her ratings at WBNN-TV would soar, and finally her colleagues would take notice and treat her with the professional respect she deserved.

For the past twelve years, her colleagues said she’d had a free ride because of her father, an award winning war correspondent, and her ex-husband’s political connections. This time she’d prove them wrong.

She rummaged through her leather bag, placed her digital voice recorder on the table and gave the record button a firm push. “For the record, Senator Bailey, did you kill Carmen Lacey?”

“No.” He leaned back in the chair and loosened his pinstriped tie. “It’s true. I was the last person to see her alive. But there’s more to this than you think.”

Brown eyes that once set her heart hammering now conveyed a chilling, hollow look. Was it guilt? Desperation?

No. Fear.

Uneasiness slid down her spine. She stopped the recorder. “Mason, you’re scaring me. What the hell is going on? It’s been over three years since we last spoke. Then, out of the blue, you beg me to meet with you today. I know the police don’t believe you killed that woman.”

“But do you, Whitney? Do you believe I killed her? I need to know. It’s important.”

Stunned by the urgency in his voice, she answered carefully. “Of course not. You’re many things, but you’re not a killer.”

“Thank you. That means a lot to me.” He reached for his empty glass and tapped his chunky gold ring against the side.

Whitney turned the recorder on again.

“Carmen was a scientist working for a biotech company in Nevada. ShawBioGen. Heard of it?”

“Who hasn’t? They were one of the first to clone animals in the eighties. Caused quite a stir. But I don’t understand. What does that have to do with Carmen’s death?”

He opened his mouth to answer.

The large window behind them dividing the patio from the main restaurant exploded. A storm of glass rained down, showering the patio.

There was no warning. Everything moved so fast, yet in slow motion as if part of a horrid nightmare.

Screams. Rushed, heavy, thumping footsteps.

A few feet away, a male waiter dropped the two plates of food in his hands. He froze.

“Get down!” Mason yelled.

Whitney dropped. She huddled into a ball under the table and squashed the side of her face against the patio stones. Amid the chaos, a gunshot echoed and the waiter ran for cover.

A bullet ripped through the man’s shoulder and spun him around, the force slamming his body against the restaurant door. He folded to his knees and howled out in pain.

More shots rang out. Debris spewed through the air. Food, glasses, plates. The sickening smell of deep fried food and scorched cordite assaulted her nostrils. She gagged.

Crimson snaked toward her hand. The warm, sticky liquid met her fingertips.

Blood. Lots of blood. But it wasn’t hers.

Her gaze snapped to Mason, lying on his back. Dark red blood pumped from a gaping wound in his chest, soaking his white shirt. She held her breath to keep from screaming.
He raised his arm and reached for her. “I swear—I didn’t kill her. I swear.”

“I believe you.” Whitney kept her head down and inched her body closer. She grasped his hand. “I do. Oh, God.”

Please don’t die. Her pulse roared so loud in her ears she couldn’t hear her own words. “You’re bleeding so much. Someone help us!”

Another bullet whizzed through the air and slammed into the bottom of wooden table leg. Needle-like splinters from the wood slashed through her pants and drilled into her thigh like a hundred slivers. The pain knocked the breath from her. The world twisted and turned yellow. Darkness thickened and threatened to overpower her. Can’t pass out…help Mason.

He gasped a ragged breath and shoved a key into her bloody palm and curled her fingers closed. “Don’t trust—anyone.”

She clutched the piece of metal. A knot wedged in her throat, one she couldn’t swallow. “I’m going to get help.”

“No—stay.” Blood bubbled at the corners of his mouth and trickled down his jaw. “They cloned…”

His eyelids slid shut.

“What Mason? They cloned what?”

Whitney lowered her head to his chest. “Oh, Mason, no.”

BOOK LINKS:
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ABOUT KIM
Kim Cresswell resides in Ontario, Canada. Trained as a legal assistant, Kim has been a story-teller all her life but took many detours including; working in legal and adult education before returning to her first love, writing.

Her debut romantic suspense, REFLECTION, has won numerous awards:
*RomCon®’s 2014 Readers’ Crown Finalist (Romantic Suspense)
*InD’tale Magazine 2014 Rone Award Finalist (Suspense/Thriller)
*UP Authors Fiction Challenge Winner (2013)
*Silicon Valley’s Romance Writers of America (RWA) “Gotcha!” Romantic Suspense Winner (2004)
*Honourable Mention in Calgary’s (RWA) The Writer’s Voice Contest (2006).
LETHAL JOURNEY won RomCon®’s 2014 Readers’ Crown (Thriller) and was a finalist in From the Heart Romance Writers (FTHRW) Golden Gate Contest (2003).

Her action-packed suspense thrillers have been highly praised by reviewers and readers. As one reviewer said, “Buckle up, Hang on tight!” Kim recently entered the true crime writing arena. Real Life Evil – A True Crime Quickie (two short stories) was published in January 2014 followed by The Killing Truth. You can read her latest true crime stories in Serial Killer Quarterly, a new quarterly e-magazine published by Grinning Man Press.

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