Today’s Friday Five focus is Johan Thompson, author of sci-fi, thriller, and mystery novels.
Johan Thompson is a writer by night and manages a law firm by day. He lives with his wife, two boys and two dogs in Johannesburg, South Africa. After studying creative writing, screenwriting and watching every science fiction film created, he decided to draw on his interest and imagination to create his first science fiction novel. The Clone is his third novel.
The Clone is set in modern-day Russia, spanning over a period of twenty years. Olivia Richards, a scientist specializing in reproductive cloning, is lured to Russia by the wealthy Petrov family to further her research. Everyone wants the clone created. The scientist, to advance her theories. The Russian gangster, for supposedly he is the one being cloned. The Russian gangster’s sons, for they know the real reason. The scientist’s husband, for he wants her to be happy.
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1. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever researched for your works or biggest/most out-of-the-ordinary thing you’ve done while researching?
Besides writing this interview on the toilet, just kidding. Some of the weirdest things I researched were, arsenic poisoning, heroin overdose and a marijuana cookie recipe. I think most writers would be in trouble if their internet history were to be discovered by the authorities. Especially those writing horror.
2. How much of your published writing is based on personal experiences?
When writing an emotional scene, I draw from my own experiences. You have to in order to create an authentic character. With regards to storyline and plot twists, not much… my life, luckily, is not that chaotic.
3. If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
To stop time… obviously, especially as a writer. I would also like to read minds, mainly my wife’s.
4. What literary character are you most like and why?
That’s a difficult one. I aspire to be like Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. A perfect role model to my kids, unwavering in my beliefs and a true romantic.
5. What’s your current writing project and what are your writing plans for the near future?
I’ve recently completed a sci-fi novel that is set in the not too distant future. Scorched Earth confronts the burning issues of global warming and immigration which divides our nations. I’m also currently working on a time travel novel. The basic premise of the story is that if you could go back in time and prevent a bad experience, would you do it. Sometime from a bad experience, a good experience will flow. So if you prevent the bad experience…
I met my wife of twenty years, because my father died of cancer and my mom installed a new kitchen from his life insurance money. My wife was the kitchen designer. Life is truly stranger than fiction. So the question is, would you go back? I would, in a heartbeat, but I will also go back and give my parents the money for a new kitchen.
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The Clone is currently available through Amazon.
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