My new novel The Meal Ticket features two important characters: a rower accused of a crime he didn’t commit and the lake where he strengthens himself for the coming court battle for his freedom. Hero and villains meet for a final confrontation on the water and the lake is as moody and chancy as any of them. I like the idea of contrasting the beautiful, dangerous lake and the man who seeks comfort battling the waves. Hidden enemies are wrecking his life. To defeat them he needs to compete, to go deep inside and pull out strengths he didn’t know he had.