A Road Well-Travelled
Being an author is a trip down a road well-travelled, as I recently learned while doing research for my next novel in the SMAFU series. As John Gardner wrote in his book The Art of Fiction: Notes for Young Writers, there are only two plots, a stranger walks into town and a man goes on a journey. That’s sound limiting, but by and large it is correct. All stories, and novels, are roads well-travelled and the scenery and events are told through the eyes of a different author each time. There is nothing new under the sun but the perceptions in which we experience them. That became glaringly apparent while doing a bit of research a few days back.
Supernatural circa 1960
Not surprisingly, considering my noir-ish persona, and writing style, I’m a big fan of the television show Supernatural (for the record, I’m more of a Dean-guy than a Sam-fan). If, for some unfathomable reason, you aren’t familiar with the show I’ll give you a brief synapsis: two brothers travel from town to town, in a sweet muscle car, rescuing people from evildoers. Although my next novel isn’t a thriller (That’s the FBoM world in which I write), I am taking Cherisse and crew on a journey down old Route 66. We’ll visit a world that got lost in time and celebrate a time when not everything had to be functional to be built. A time where not everything was about making as much money as possible. The pure beauty of small town, middle American, family owned, businesses.
Route 66 circa 2019
Part of my research (honestly, my wife is a near professional researcher that lists, files, organizes, and categorizes, everything I will ever need to research to make my job easier) led me to a nearly forgotten television show from the 1960s called Route 66. If, like me, you were not familiar with this show I’ll give you a brief synapsis: two brothers travel from town to town, in a sweet muscle car, rescuing people from evildoers. It’s literally the same show with only a few minor differences. It was a good show as well, but only lasted three seasons. Supernatural is on season fifteen. What made one show a side-note and one a smash hit? The perspective of the author and ability to tell the same story through a different lens. That’s an authors job: to tell a tired story in a new and interesting way. Hopefully my fans feel I’ve accomplished that goal so far in my writing career, but guess what? There’s more to come…
The stories I’ll be retelling in the near future
Cherisse, from SMAFU and SMAFU: Soulmates, will be returning to in a new novel dealing with a married couple going through some tough times. Hopefully she’ll work her magic, and everything will turn out for the best, but only time will tell.
Michael Carson, from my FBoM series, will be getting his own novel where you will be able to discover his past and what made him the man he is today. There will also be a shocker or two, there always is with that guy…
A new psychological crime drama is in the works with a female detective that makes Sam Spade look like a happy-go-lucky guy.
Finally, I’m in the process of finishing a futuristic (or is it) novel involving perception, mind-control, and the meaning of life. I promise you’ll be blown away… someday.
Peace y’all.