Where in the Heck?

Jo Robertson is back here at Over Coffee with her latest exciting thriller, The Avenger. I haven’t had the chance, yet, to read this one but based on her debut novel, The Watchers, you can bet I’ll be ordering it post haste.

It’s stories like this that makes a person wonder where the writers get their ideas. In fact, I think this is one of the most frequently asked questions received by authors.

Jo talks about her inspiration for The Avenger. 

An author's greatest fear is that one day she'll put her fingers to the keyboard and a complete disconnect between her brain and her body will occur.  Nothing will come to mind, no ideas or images, no characters or plot. She'll have gone to the well and come up with no water. 

The thought is terrifying, but I think it's a fear all writers live with.

So where do writers get their ideas? And why don't they come up empty? 

The standard answer, of course, is everywhere. Travel, school, home and family, church, any experience you've ever had goes into the catalogue in your brain's computer. Lots of it is drivel, and you're glad you don't have the access code to it, but often there's a kernel of an idea, the budding seed of a character or plot or setting that speaks to your imagination. 

As long as the writer continues to experience life in all its varied forms, the ideas should never dry up.  At least that's the theory LOL. 

While I was teaching high school, I took a lot of random classes at the local university, primarily to move myself up on the pay scale, but also because I love learning. I took drama, math, and English courses. Finally, I settled into psychology and criminal justice. Every story or experience or case file related by my teachers opened my mind to the possibility of more ideas, all based on WHAT IF? I learned about criminal law, criminal investigation, drugs, and psychos. 

My idea for the serial killer that inhabits Kate Myers and Ben Slater's world in my debut book THE WATCHER came from an abnormal psychology class I took. Psych classes generate great ideas, by the way. 

I don't want to spoil the journey into the killer's dark mind, however, so I'll just say that the concept of his pathology, what drives him to kill a certain type of person, is based on the true case of a person like my killer, whom I've named John Smith. I love the benign, ordinary sound of his name.

In the actual psychology case, the patient wasn't a murderer, but his uniqueness made me ask questions: how would a person like this feel growing up? How would he handle changes in his life? What kind of family dynamics might torture him further?

Thus, the villain in "The Watcher" sprang to life in my mind. 

The idea for my second book THE AVENGER came from a course I took called "Uppers, Downers, and All-Arounders," which addressed the history of drugs and their effect on the human body. I found more information about legal and illegal street drugs than I wanted to know, but I started wondering what would happen if someone had fantastic Olympic-style natural abilities, and these were enhanced by designer drugs so that he was able to perform almost superhuman feats? 

What could the government do with these kinds of people?  So "The Avenger," a cross between the TV show "Alphas" and "24" was born. 

Cover blurb for The Avenger. 

 A clandestine government organization called Invictus "recruits" outstanding athletes for secret projects. But their top agent Jackson Holt has extraordinary, almost preternatural, qualities not even the Organization can explain.  

Olivia Gant, professor of Ancient Studies at a private college in California, was once Jack's childhood sweetheart. But when he deserted her, he left her alone to combat her stepfather's drunken attentions and her mother's careless neglect.  

Nearly twenty years later, their paths cross in a mission to fight a bizarre religious serial killer whose methods include crucifixion and burial alive. Olivia and Jack battle for happiness against years of secrecy and distance as they use Olivia's expertise in Latin and Jack's special gifts to track a brutal killer. 

Can Olivia forgive Jack for his long-ago betrayal? Can Jack allow Olivia to witness the terrible Change that makes him such an  effective killing machine? Excerpt

BUY: AMAZON, SMASHWORDS

How about you, readers?

• How do you stimulate your creative juices? Whether it's art, music, writing, scrapbooking, or handiwork, what motivates you to indulge in your passion?
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• What do you do for fun and entertainment? Any out-of-the-box kinds of hobbyists out there? 

Like many writers, I penned my first story at a young age.  However, a family and a teaching career put my writing dreams on hold until my Advanced Placement seniors conned me into writing my first complete manuscript.  That story, which subsequently won RWA's Golden Heart Award in 2006, was THE WATCHER.

From the moment I put my fingers to the keyboard, the
barrier between my brain and the paper lifted, the story flew from my mind, and I fell in love with everything about the process of writing.

Raised as an Army brat, I lived in Germany as a child, Northern Virginia, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Idaho, and Utah before finally settling in Northern California.  Whenever I visit my sister in Virginia or my brothers in North Carolina and Florida, upon returning home I remember again why I love Northern California, home of the ancient redwoods, the fecund forests and the rugged Pacific Coastline. 

Jo's Website

Romance Bandits

Follow Jo on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/jorobertson44

Follow Jo on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/jorobertson29 

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WRITING--MAKE IT YOUR OWN

Did you hope the pursuit of glory, the manifest destiny of riches by story, to have recognition and fame, for a journey no man overcame? Destiny Booze, Pretermined Endings

My guest is romantic suspense author, Destiny Booze. She is a big believer in Happily-Ever-After and classifies herself as a hopeless romantic. Destiny has a passion for life and feels that everyone should have a dream--they cost nothing and can add excitement to your life. Something to strive for in life.

I find it fascinating to see how different authors view writing. Destiny views it as a form of art, a calling, if you will.  

There are so many classes you can take to learn to write a book. You can spend hours of time studying writing styles and different books by different authors. You can research online, and read thousands of articles about the 1-2-3 steps to writing a book, or the rules in the publishing industry. Blah, blah, blah....

The truth is that you should learn as much as you can about the writing industry, but there are no strict guidelines. Writing is a form of art. The number one rule to any creative writing, including writing a book is to make it your own. Make it unique. You are the author. Do something original. Stand out to readers. There are thousands of writers out there, even thousands of published writers. Do you have what it takes to be a writer that readers will actually remember?

If you have the passion, that pull in your gut to write a book, and you know that it is a calling that you must answer, then just do it. Outlines are great, but they can also be restrictive. As a form of art, you can't always foresee the exact creation of the complete book until it is done. It grows and changes during its progress. It is art. Let it take the form it is meant to take.

I'm not arguing that it is wrong to write in the exact form the writing classes propose. I'm only suggesting that writers shouldn't be scared to step out of the box, to color outside of the lines. To really stretch the rules and see what happens.

Personally, I want to be different. I don't want to use ideas from other writers. I want to be the writer that others follow. I want to be the one to influence other writers out there.

• How about you? What kind of author do you want to be?
• Readers: what are your dreams?

Let's be artists! Throw the rules to the wind....Where will the freedom take us? Somewhere different...somewhere special....somewhere on the bestseller's list!

Predetermined Endings:

Angelica Chappell’s story makes huge headlines. Only a few months ago, she released a new pharmaceutical drug called Krytonix that effectively slows the spread of cancer cells. She has no idea her story will attract the attention of a serial killer. Suddenly, she is a target whether she realizes it or not. This killer is interested in more than her life. He wants her reputation, too. His first mission is to sabotage Krytonix.


William Pierce worked undercover for the FBI for five years to bring down a ruthless mobster that he ultimately is forced to kill. Two months passes by since that assignment. Still, William saw things he couldn’t talk about. He did things he couldn’t talk about. He believes his soul is damned. Returning to “normal” everyday life isn’t an option. He isn’t the same man he used to be. He refuses to return to FBI headquarters. He becomes a rogue agent with an agenda.


These two characters literally collide when Pierce's agenda leads him to Chappell. It will take both of them to keep Angelica alive and to figure out who is trying to kill her. William soon finds himself developing feelings for Angelica. Too bad for her killer, William worked as a trained killer for the mob. Will he find her killer and hand him over to the legal system to see that justice is served or will he search and destroy? Excerpt (click on Books and then Predetermined Endings)

BUY: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords

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Destiny Booze grew up at a campground in Virginia where her childhood was full of hard work. There was also an element of excitement as she met a large variety of diverse people with widespread tales about fun and adventure. She grew into a young lady with a very active imagination.

 

Destiny attended Virginia Western Community College for two years. Her writing career began as a community journalist, yet creative writing was always her passion. Altered Beginnings is her debut novel as a romantic suspense novelist.

Destiny resides in Botetourt County, Virginia with her husband, son and house full of pets where she strives to be the best wife, mother and writer that she can be. Her family is always priority number one. Other things of great importance to her are friends, and YOU, the readers!

 

Cover Art, excerpts, poetry, All rights reserved printed with permission of the author