A new Tasmanian author has emerged and is situating himself in the thriller genre with his debut novel Convergence on the 42nd Parallel.
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Nic D'Alessandro's novel is set in Tasmania, the United States, China, and North Korea to explore the themes of politics, influence, corruption, activism, anti-war, nationalism, and religion.
The novel tells the reader of the parallel lives of a US navy helicopter pilot and a North Korean spy operative and how they converge during the visit of an aircraft carrier to Hobart.
D'Alessandro said he had been involved in creative writing when he was younger, but life had gotten in the way of him being able to develop it further.
"I just really didn't have time or the energy for it, but I had this idea for this novel for about 20 years. In 2019, I couldn't hold it any longer and I started to research and write," he said.
The emerging writer is also passionate about the wilderness, sea, and sky, and has had a career as an education leader, a manager in the public sector, and a specialist in the aviation industry.
His interest in aviation may be why there is a significant aviation aspect to the novel. However, D'Alessandro said the novel should appeal to a wide audience.
"It is a thriller so I think that broadly appeals to people. If people just want to read it for a good thrill ride they can, but if people like something deeper ... I think it will interest those people as well," he said.
The first chapter of the novel was a dream D'Alessandro had one night, and from there the book began. The author undertook plenty of research and planned out the whole book before beginning to write.
"I let it come to me. I find I write best when I'm in the groove and I'm inspired. I really hope people enjoy it. I have loved the process. It has been quite a ride," he said.
D'Alessandro hoped that people who read the book would contemplate where the human race was at in life and where the world was headed.
"The book is a warning that things are really on a knife-edge and here's how things could escalate. The fix that Australia finds itself in wedged between China and the United States, I couldn't have timed it to be more in sync for where the world is going," he said.
"I'm not trying to tell anyone what to think, but I'm just raising questions through the characters in the story."
D'Alessandro said he had tried to balance the book by not just looking at the events through a Western focus.
The novel will have an official release in Hobart on October 17 and in Launceston on October 21. There is potential for the book to also have a virtual release in November.
The book will be released in paperback, e-book, and on Kindle.
D'Alessandro also plans to release a novella in March next year. To keep up-to-date with the author visit nicdalessandro.com.
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