The Inspiration Behind the Desire Card
By Lee Matthew Goldberg
I began writing The Desire Card in 2012. At the time, I
never imagined it would be the first in a series. The sequel Prey No More will
be out later this year, and I’ve recently finished the third and fourth book as
well.
Occupy Wall Street was a protest movement that began around
the same time I started the book, which raised issues about economic inequality
between the wealthiest 1% of the population and everyone else. I had also been
speaking to a friend who was a medical resident and learned two things about the
human liver. One, it can regenerate in a matter of weeks. And two, if you need
a liver transplant, it can take a while to move up the donor list and no amount
of money helps speed the process. The two ideas merged. An organization
catering to the 1% that promised “Any wish fulfilled for the right price.” And
a desperate man on Wall Street who needs a new liver and goes to extreme
measures to get one.
The book was sent out by my agent to many big publishers but
it was proving a tough sell. Too dark (one editor wanted it to be lighter), or
they were hesitant about publishing a series. I had heard great things about
Fahrenheit Press and on a whim sent both books to its publisher who was getting
on a flight when he read my query. The Desire Card became his flight and when
he landed, he wanted to schedule a call. Ultimately, he bought the first two
books in the series.
Overall, I have an idea for the fifth book and would
probably end the series there, but who knows? With the main character being the
shadowy organization called the Card, there are a multitude of possibilities
for future books.
About the Author
Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of SLOW DOWN and THE
MENTOR (St. Martin’s Press), which was acquired by
Macmillan Entertainment with the film in development. He has been published in
multiple languages and nominated for the 2018 Prix du Polar. The first two
books in a thriller series, THE
DESIRE CARD and PREY NO MORE, are forthcoming from Fahrenheit Press in
winter 2019. His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline,
Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screencraft, and the
Hollywood Screenplay contests. After graduating with an MFA from the New
School, his writing has also
appeared in the anthology DIRTY BOULEVARD, The Millions, The Montreal Review,
The Adirondack Review, Essays & Fictions, The New Plains Review, and
others. He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series
(guerrillalit.wordpress.com). He lives in New York City.
Follow him at leematthewgoldberg.com and @LeeMatthewG.
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The book was sent out by my agent to many big publishers but it was proving a tough sell. Too dark (one editor wanted it to be lighter), or they were hesitant about publishing a series. I had heard great things about Fahrenheit Press and on a whim sent both books to its publisher who was getting on a flight when he read my query. The Desire Card became his flight and when he landed, he wanted to schedule a call. Ultimately, he bought the first two books in the series.
Overall, I have an idea for the fifth book and would probably end the series there, but who knows? With the main character being the shadowy organization called the Card, there are a multitude of possibilities for future books.
About the Author
Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of SLOW DOWN and THE
MENTOR (St. Martin’s Press), which was acquired by
Macmillan Entertainment with the film in development. He has been published in
multiple languages and nominated for the 2018 Prix du Polar. The first two
books in a thriller series, THE
DESIRE CARD and PREY NO MORE, are forthcoming from Fahrenheit Press in
winter 2019. His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline,
Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screencraft, and the
Hollywood Screenplay contests. After graduating with an MFA from the New
School, his writing has also
appeared in the anthology DIRTY BOULEVARD, The Millions, The Montreal Review,
The Adirondack Review, Essays & Fictions, The New Plains Review, and
others. He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series
(guerrillalit.wordpress.com). He lives in New York City.
Follow him at leematthewgoldberg.com and @LeeMatthewG.
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