New Thriller Novel from-McMahon Books, LLC- Author Interview for the author of The K-7 Directive

As seen in the:

Observer News Edition of October 14, 2005

Reston Author Writes of Fictional Attack on America
By Sabrina Enayatulla
Observer Staff Writer
In 2002, Paul McMahon took a leave of absence from his government job and
traveled to Salamanca, Spain. McMahon had an affinity for studying Spanish
and lived with a host family for three months while he familiarized himself with
the language. When he came back, McMahon was armed with a stronger hold
of Spanish grammar and an idea for a book.
"As soon as I got back I started writing," McMahon said. "I guess I just had
nervous energy."
The Washington, D.C. sniper attacks made headlines while McMahon was in
Spain and his imagination began working overtime.
"I thought there could be something very interesting and possible about an
American based terrorist group," McMahon said. "The rest of the story just
flowed."
In January 2005, McMahon published "The K-7 Directive," a story about an
alliance between The Aryan Front, an American white supremacy group, and Al
Qaeda.
The two groups used a Jewish Web site as a means for communicating hidden
from government officials. The novel unravels the story of twin brothers, one of
whom is recruited to help spread a virus attack on the United States. The
brothers, who were estranged for many years, find more than they bargained for
when one brother decides to reconcile ties with his long-lost twin. The plot
thickens as the brothers are pinned against each other in a fight to save the
country.
McMahon, too, grew up as a twin. He and his twin sister were the youngest of
five children growing up in Vienna. McMahon has lived in Reston since 1996.
He said he and his siblings always had healthy imaginations growing up,
especially when it came to role-playing in games as characters they made up.
"We didn't have video games back then," he said.
As he wrote his book, McMahon found himself feeling the emotions of the
characters he wrote about. He was surprised at how absorbed he became in his
own fiction.
"I used to laugh when actors said it happened to them," McMahom said. "But
when it happened to me it felt real."
McMahon attended the University of Virginia where he studied biology. He later
went on to the University of Maryland and earned a master's degree in agronomy
in the molecular biology of soybean genetics. McMahon said his background in
the sciences helped when it came to using the make-believe K-7 virus as the
focus of terror in his book.
McMahon worked in computers for a while after finishing school, though he
soon learned he couldn't see himself in a government job permanently. He later
ventured into the private sector and now works as a consultant for the
Department of Justice.
Though McMahon said he saw himself as a teacher or possibly working in
research, he always had an interest in writing. A failed attempt at publishing a
children's book came prior to his success with this novel written for a mature
audience.
Problems with a literary agent and trouble with various publishing companies
led McMahon to contact a "print on demand" company. While they printed his
writing, McMahon said he was fairly clueless when it came to marketing himself
and his new book.
Another challenge was to write beyond the 100-page marker he set for himself.
He wrote a little each day, even if it was just a sentence. Setting incremental
goals for himself helped keep writing from becoming a chore and one year and
three edits later, McMahon's 286-page book was published.
McMahon, who has been compared to Tom Clancy, said he is flattered but
unsure his writing matches Clancy's caliber. McMahon has always been fond of
Robert Ludlum.
McMahon said a sequel to "The K-7 Directive" is in the making but this time he
won't rush things. He said he may chose to go the more traditional route the
second time around and may even give a literary agent a second chance.
McMahon said much of his creativity came from traveling and while writing his
second novel he may take another trip to Europe.
Despite the positive feedback for his book, his writing is not for the fame or
money. Regardless of the critics, McMahon said he will continue to let his
imagination soar and pursue his passion of novel writing.
"My mom liked it," McMahon said. "So I think that's all that matters."

Copyright © 2005 The Herndon Publishing Company