The Birmingham News, May 29, 2012 – by Alec Harvey

 

Birmingham author Robert McCammon continues Matthew Corbett series with “The Providence Rider”

 

Robert_McCammon pic.JPGAuthor Robert McCammon

Robert McCammon does know how it’s going to end, but he’s not going to tell.

“The Providence Rider,” the fourth in his promised 10-book series featuring young Matthew Corbett in 18th century New York, comes out this week, and the Vestavia Hills author, whose books include “Boy’s Life” and last year’s “The Five,” has plans for the rest of the series.

“I do have it plotted out, and I know what the last line of the series is going to be,” McCammon says. “I know where I am, and I know where I’m going.”

Where McCammon is with “The Providence Rider” and hero Corbett, a “professional problem solver,” meeting his nemesis Professor Fell for the first time.

DETAILS

Who: Robert McCammon, signing “The Providence Rider”

Where: Alabama Booksmith, 2626 19th Place South, Homewood

When: Wednesday at 4 p.m.

“We leave New York in this book and go to an island that I made up called Pendulum Island,” the author says. “It’s the lair of this emperor of crime, Professor Fell. Matthew is lured to this island to take on a job for Professor Fell, because Matthew reminds him of a son he had who died. .¤.¤. The book starts in the winter in New York, and I didn’t want to stay there. I wanted to move it to a warmer place.”

The Matthew Corbett books began with 2002’s critically acclaimed “Speaks the Nightbird,” followed by 2007’s “Queen of Bedlam” and 2010’s “Mister Slaughter.” Not a lot of time passes in the books, which are set just after the turn of the century, because McCammon wants to keep his hero young.

“There are only a few weeks or months between each book,” he says. “Matthew is learning about life and still a very young man.”

In between the Matthew Corbett historical novels, McCammon is producing present-day, contemporary novels. Last year’s “The Five” was about a band on its last tour, writing its last song together.

“That’s challenging, going back and forth between historical periods, but I’m doing better at it than I thought I’d do,” he says.

To do it, McCammon writes one book at a time, though that doesn’t mean he’s not thinking about the next one.

“As I’m working on one, I’ll put together the next one, thinking about the plot, thinking about the language,” he says.

What’s up next for McCammon is not the past or the present. He’s looking at the future.

“I’m starting a book that will be a long, science fiction/horror novel, set maybe 10 years or so from now,” he says.

As he has throughout his career, McCammon works mostly at night.

“I start working about 10 at night and work until maybe 3 or 4 in the morning,” he says. “When I’m about to finish a book, I’ll probably double up and get up early the next morning and get right back to it.”

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