Q: Do you find that the process of preparing to write has changed, now that you have three very successful yet different suspense novels under your belt?

A: There are four phases to writing a book. Coming up with the idea. Outlining the story. Writing the book. Then rewriting it. Experience has sharpened the skills needed during each phase. Coming up with the idea is the most fun. And rewriting it is where you earn your money. But you still have to spend eight hours a day trying to get the right words onto the page. There is no substitute for working. Elmore Leonard said easy reading means hard writing. Boy, is that the truth.

Q: The company featured in THE FIRST BILLION is a media/communications company making its way onto the global stage. Was there a reason you picked a media/communications company? Do you see the role of major corporations and major corporate executives changing in our ever-more-intimate world economy?

A: I chose the media industry because more than any other single sector, it has the power to affect our daily lives. Everybody watches TV, goes online, reads magazines, and listens to the radio on a daily basis. Think about your life without media. There's a big hole, right? Personally, I find that a shame. I do not own a television. As a father of two young girls, I don't have the time or the inclination. Anyway, media is a good area to write about. It's sure a lot sexier than meat products.

Q: How about some insider knowledge: What is the next book we can expect from Christopher Reich?

A: The new book is presently titled BLOOD MONEY, and it deals with our government's efforts to root out terrorist financing. The story concerns an elite team of financial investigators, members of the Foreign Terrorist Asset Tracking Team (FTAT), and their quest to hunt down a shadowy figure known as the Director before he can perpetrate a terrorist act on American soil. I drew a lot of the story from my research in the area. The work being done in Washington, and in concert with our allies, is as fascinating as it is urgent. Stop the money and you stop the acts. But first you have to find the money, and it's not as easy as you might think. On the plus side, our government has earmarked a lot of money for the task. I was in D.C. earlier this year and had the honor of meeting professionals at the Financial Crime Enforcement Network, Customs, the IRS, and the Treasury Department. I'll tell you one thing: I wouldn't want to be the bad guys. Make no mistake; we are going to nail them.

Christopher Reich