Author's Commentary
Disinformation, which involves false material used to deliberately deceive others, has become one of the most serious issues in the first quarter of the 21st century. Willful ignorance and conspiracy theories aren't exactly anything new. But what's significant this time around is that the internet, especially social media, has enabled disinformation to spread quickly like wildfire. It has had pervasive consequences in politics and medicine and could theoretically shake up other aspects of society if we are not careful. This alarming trend scared me so much that I changed my writing plans. What was originally going to be my second novel would become the third instead, so that I could insert a medical thriller about disinformation as book two.
The topic of cults has also come up in light of the spread of disinformation. I did some reading into cults, about how they prey on the vulnerable and use various control techniques to indoctrinate its members into the group's belief system no matter how bizarre it is in the eyes of people living in objective reality. Then I brainstormed a fictional cult called the Path to Purity, a group that promotes unproven and potentially dangerous healing practices. I also envisioned a charismatic leader for this group, whom I named the Sun Priest. I went as far as designing this cult's organizational structure, rituals, and core beliefs. Finally, I pictured how the Path to Purity's actions could result in a public health crisis.
I knew from the start that Dr. Mark Lin would have patients who are cult members suffering ill effects of their healing practices. I spent time imagining the specific medical conditions that would result from following the Path. This is another example of how I bridge the world of medicine and society at large. But it would not be enough for Mark to just react to cult members becoming his patients. His disgust with humanity, plus a traumatic event in the beginning of the novel, pushes him to make an extraordinary move: join the Path as an undercover follower to figure out how to destroy it from within. Suddenly, this thriller becomes far more interesting with a protagonist assuming dual roles, one in the day and one at night.
I created various supporting characters to showcase the different aspects of a cult, from its rank-and-file members to the leaders at the top. Of course, no secondary character deserves more attention than the Sun Priest. When I developed his profile and traits, I knew he had to be both awe-inspiring to the masses and also devious underneath. The Sun Priest is also a stark contrast to Mark in how they view medical science. Mark is a proponent of evidence-based medicine while the Sun Priest represents skepticism and denialism. The conflict between these two men is more than just physical or emotional. It's also ideological. The moment Mark finally gets close to the elusive cult leader, the showdown is a clash between reason and ignorance.
This medical thriller is about many things. It's more than the suspense of infiltrating a shady organization. It's a cautionary tale about the tragedy of disinformation. It's about what happens when we let our guard down and don't think critically. There is the possibility that major real-life events related to disinformation take place as you read this novel. Certainly, one would find it chilling to see art imitate life or vice versa. This is to be expected, though, as I like to ground my stories in reality. Besides disinformation, this novel dives into other themes, like the grief of losing a loved one, redemption, and the importance of digging for the truth and not simply accepting things at face value without question.
I knew I was going to write a more epic novel than my previous one. At times, I even wondered if this book would be at least as exciting. I was relieved and delighted to see the initial feedback from my editor, who said he probably liked it more than my first book. And with the earliest advanced reviews showering Toxic Minds with high praise, there was no doubt I created something worthwhile for my audience. I'm especially proud of how, as far as I know, nobody else seems to be writing any kind of thriller about disinformation. Even if that changes, I will never stop appreciating how I turned my concerns about a pressing societal issue into a very unique medical thriller novel.
For my commentaries on the book series as a whole and other specific novels I have written, follow this link.
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