Volumes 1-2 should be read together, as they form a complete story that runs from one volume to the next. The same applies to volumes III-IV. Whether you can start the series with tomes III-IV and not I-II, of course, but it may be worth reading I-II at the beginning if only to appreciate the evolution of the characters, enjoy the occasional references to past events made in III-IV and, above all, not spoil some of the punches of the I-II series. 

Very early on, as soon as I started reading. Having marveled at comic strips at school and then at Bob Morane-style novels for young readers, I wanted to move from reader to author to enhance my enjoyment. So I started writing comics around 1962, then novels when I was eleven, in November 1963. It was a need stronger than anything else.

First, write in the genre that appeals to you as a reader - that way you'll convey a lot of enthusiasm to your audience. As maritime action author Clive Cussler says in a YouTube interview, why not imitate the structure of a bestselling author you've loved? It's not plagiarizing, it's copying," says Clive Cussler. Nuance. Adopt the style, the way of developing the plot, of someone who has proven their worth. With this model, you enjoy great personal security later on.

The author is an entertainer. He must therefore cultivate effects. In the case of thrillers, as the name suggests, you have to create suspense, surprises and twists, knowing when to reveal and when to hide things to arouse curiosity. The more we learn about the characters' characters, their emotions, their backgrounds, their families..., the more we'll fear for them.

Then, you have to do your homework in the American tradition to which Dan Brown belongs, i.e. 1- introduce emotionally sympathetic main characters who are experts in their field; 2- pay attention to colorful secondary characters; 3- research locations, history, techniques and so on.

I'm quick to remedy the situation whenever this obsession shows its face. In such cases, instead of aiming for a big ten-page day with complex action and dialogue (which is likely to be overwhelming and send me back to my favorite sofa for a nap, ha-ha), I settle for a simple action: write a sentence about an object or a place.  

It doesn't take a lot of imagination to describe the front of a hotel or the handle of a Russian knife. But, miraculously, as soon as I start to put something on paper that isn't demanding, the imagination starts to respond, the floodgates open automatically and the knife handle becomes a knife fight, the facade of a hotel becomes a chase through the corridors, and so on.

I start with a big theme, i.e. the concept: a terrorist plot with biological weapons, or an ecological catastrophe in the making, etc. Then, many things are planned well in advance. After that, a lot of things are planned well in advance. But I surprise myself as I go along.

It's not as demanding as in the movies, where you have to manage tons of people and equipment and stick to a strict schedule, if only for reasons of the millions of dollars at stake.

I'm thinking like, among others, authors Joel Dicker and Lee Child, who admit they can't control everything from the first chapter to the last, otherwise they wouldn't be entertaining themselves.

The Secret of God series is set for a fifth volume. I'm already revising the manuscript. After the eruption of Mont Tremblant in Volume III covered Montreal in ashes, it's terrorist bombs that will rain down on the city in emblematic corners. Hence the working title, La bombe de Pythagore. In addition, the romantic relationship of our star couples Kristen ̸ Quentin, Daria Polienko ̸ Preston Willis will take the opportunity to develop including in sexy scenes.

Will motherhood be on the cards for Kristen? that's the question she's asking herself with her morning Clearblue. But what's clear is that Kristen's future baby will become a major issue in the story.

I'm planning to be at the Salon du livre de Montréal 2024 at the stand of my Quebec publisher Goélette Éditions. I love talking to my fans, who tell me where they've read such and such a novel, what they'd like to see in the next Secret...

Well, I have to confess that I gave Willis and Robin Forbes a big place in Volumes III-IV in response to a question from a reader who came to see me at the Book Fair at the time, asking whether these characters would return, which was what he wanted. By the way, I'm crazy about all the comments. For example, when a reader tells me she got a taste for reading when she opened Volume 1 at her mother's house, or when a reader confides in me that he likes to reread every single volume in the series. Testimonials like these are so precious, even moving. They make me want to keep going, since one of my greatest motivations is to provide moments of happiness. (image: Salon du livre de Montréal 2015).

Volume I has already been contracted for international English-language rights. The publisher in London, UK, is very excited about the thriller. The novel is on its way to bookshops under the title The God's Secret. It's fascinating to see yourself translated into another language, with your characters taking on a global dimension.