Fabio Scofield‘s new thriller, “On the Edge of Awakening – Beyond Death Valley”, takes readers on a journey full of mystery and spirituality, set in post-9/11 New York. The novel follows Frank Sully, a young intern from Queens who, after experiencing disturbing precognitive dreams, finds himself in a race against time to prevent an imminent terrorist attack. As Frank’s daydreams begin to manifest themselves in his waking life, he and his friend Dott plunge into a frantic investigation, facing unseen forces that could change the fates of hundreds of people.
The narrative is marked by a deep connection with Kardecist spiritualism, reflecting Scofield’s personal experiences with mediumship and realistic dreams that influenced the construction of the plot. With a plot structured like a puzzle, Scofield, who is also a software architect, offers a read rich in cultural references from the 60s and 80s, as well as classic science fiction. The book promises to captivate fans of mysteries and the supernatural, exploring themes that challenge the perception of reality and existence.
After his literary debut with “The Cross and the Crucifix” in 2023, Scofield reaffirms his talent with this new work, which not only pays homage to the cultural legacy of influential films and bands, but also addresses deep questions about life, death and the strength of premonitions. With the next release already underway, the author continues to explore new horizons in his literary career, bringing stories that mix fiction and reality in surprising ways.
On the Edge of Awakening – Beyond the Valley of Death mixes spirituality with elements of suspense and mystery. How did the idea of combining these themes in your narrative come about?
Well, I’m a thriller writer, but at the same time, a Kardecist spiritist with an intuitive mediumship. In the first work, The Cross and the Crucifix, he brought this spirituality always present throughout the plot. Thus, treating a story that is 100% spiritual in nature sounds too religious or too technical, therefore, I needed to mix these two worlds (suspense and spiritual) in a way that managed to convey the main message at the end of the work. I believe I succeeded. It’s very gratifying, because many readers thank me for the story, are moved by the passages, and at the same time, are left with their mouths open at the end.
The book’s plot takes place in New York and addresses events related to the September 11 tragedy. How do you balance the sensitivity necessary to deal with such a delicate topic with the fiction of the story?
Fabio Scofield: Excellent question. After the preface, I begin the book by dedicating the work to New York and the victims of September 11th. Respect first. During the plot, the protagonist always remembers what happened that Tuesday morning and, as the story takes place in mid-2003, tempers continue to rise in the search for “revenge” for everything that happened. It’s one of the feelings that moves the story forward, just like doubt and guilt. It’s one thing to see history with the eyes of 2024, another to see it in 2003. Do you understand? So, in conclusion, I believe that I managed to write with respect and use the fictional side, connecting all the loose ends, always following my spiritual intuition. “Never do to others what you would not want them to do to you.
Frank Sully, the protagonist, has premonitory dreams that challenge his perception of reality. How did your own experience with spiritualism influence the creation of this character and his experiences?
Fabio Scofield: Frank Sully is almost an alter ego of Fabio Scofield, starting with the name. The character appeared in my dreams as if saying “Write about me. Write about my story”, thus, I combined my characteristic as a thriller author with my spiritual intuition in the construction of the plot. At the end of the manuscript, after critical reading by some partners, they asked me to change the title and some passages in the story. I had nightmares for a week! It was as if Frank was saying “Don’t take it off! Do not change! This is how it should be”, therefore, I did not make these changes and, seeing the finished work, I was grateful for not having changed anything.
You call yourself an “architect writer” and use your professional experience to construct the narrative in a puzzle format. Can you tell us more about the process of creating this structure and how it is reflected in the plot?
Fabio Scofield: Cool! I start with a basic idea, already thinking about the end of the story with that “boom” when I finish reading. The reader will think “Oh my God! It was all there and I didn’t see it!” So, all my stories already have a defined ending, it remains to be seen how to get there. Therefore, I develop the story by researching, learning about the subject to be covered, I use a flip chart and stick post-it notes making connections with the characters, ideas, clues and drawing (in my own way) each of the scenes. I put together each character’s file by answering around 100 questions, I write a summary of each chapter, I define the story’s timeline and only after all this, I definitely start writing. Everything in my stories has a purpose in existing.
The book features pop references, such as musical bands from the 1960s and 1980s and science fiction films. How do these references contribute to the setting and development of the story?
Fabio Scofield: I am an author of references who makes the reader use the deepest imagination, so these songs, films, programs, phrases, places, objects, toys, etc., have a total relationship with the story (or others). Some references are explicit, others implicit, and some only the most attentive will notice. References, most of the time, are hidden clues in the plot. They exist for a reason. Nothing is random in my writing. Writing for the sake of writing is no fun at all, you need to have a purpose, a greater objective, so pop culture will always be present in my works. It’s pure nostalgia!
In your opinion, what is the main message that readers should take with them when they finish reading On the Edge of Awakening?
Fabio Scofield: Excellent question. During the plot, the reader will come across several messages of an emotional and spiritual nature, both in dialogue, narrative and references/clues throughout. Some of them will certainly touch the reader’s heart. The feelings that move the story forward are well defined. Returning to the question, the main message of On the Threshold of Awakening is that we are not alone on this planet, nor does life end, and the materiality of existence and negative thoughts can take you to dark places.
You are already working on your next literary project, a story set in the 1990s with a protagonist on the autism spectrum. What can you tell us about this new work and what can readers expect from it?
Fabio Scofield: Yes, I have two “ready” stories that still require editing and enrichment, so I will leave them to rest for now. But I’m developing the next story to be published. For five months, I read books, watched films and series, and talked to specialist psychologists, all to learn and experience “autism”. It is about a black protagonist with autism in the 90s, but this character’s condition is not the main theme to be addressed. Without giving away too much, I can say that it is a story of compassion and empathy in a thriller set in the middle of a police investigation that calls into question an unlikely friendship, when a dark secret is revealed, changing the entire perception of life.
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