Unfortunately for the whole of humanity, I get most of my inspiration for plots
from the headlines and real crime stories. And to make up for my being a
creative leech, I give a face to the victims of crime and focus on the human
spirit in the face of adversity. And my latest release, The Echo of Violence (Avon,
Sept 2010), is no exception.
I sometimes watch a TV show called "Locked Up Abroad" on the National
Geographic channel. One day, I saw the horrific tragedy of Martin and Gracia
Burnham. The Burnhams were Christian missionaries who were abducted in the
Philippines in May 2001, while at an expensive beach resort celebrating their
anniversary. A terrorist group of Islamist Separatists called Abu Sayyaf took
the Burnhams as well as twenty other hostages, holding them for ransom. Over a
year later, Philippine commandos attempted to rescue the couple and a Filipino
nurse. Two of the hostages were killed in the shoot-out and Gracia Burnham was
rescued. Her husband Martin didn’t make it through the ordeal. More on this
story can be found by clicking here.
I was also in the middle of writing my book when the incident at Mumbai
occurred. I researched the details to add authenticity to my terrorists. For
information on that tragic event, click here. I compared the facts of that
shocking attack to various elements I had written into The Echo of Violence,
things like the way the terrorists communicated with each other, their weapons
and their tactics. And after consulting with my weapons expert, I had a cohesive
story that felt ripped from the headlines.
But the real essence of any story lies in the emotion and the conflicts. So I
pitted my terrorists against a compelling character who I still haven’t gotten
out of my head or my heart. Jackson Kinkaid wouldn’t consider himself a hero,
but in The Echo of
Violence, he’s the only one standing in the way of a cruel fanatical
terrorist leader, bent on making a name.
Kinkaid is a dark mercenary, riddled with guilt and grief over a tragedy in his
past. He’s a broken, deeply private man. And in a self-destructive manner, he’s
chosen to live life on the edge and risk everything to secretly steal from the
dangerous men he works for—the drug cartels—and use that money to
fuel his vendetta as well as various charities. Like a modern day Robin Hood, he
funds worthwhile causes, including a Haitian missionary school run by his only
real friend, Sister Kate. But when a group of masked terrorists attack the
Catholic nun’s fundraiser and take hostages—an event where Kinkaid is the
guest of honor—the race is on to save Sister Kate and the others.
Kinkaid tracks the terrorists long enough to witness them leave Haiti, bound for
the mountains of southeast Cuba, treacherous terrain peppered with terrorist
training camps. And with Cuba bracing for a hurricane and videos of the
hostages’ beheadings being posted online, time is running out.
Shot in the raid, Kinkaid is battling a raging infection to stay on his feet
long enough to rescue Kate. Being wounded has forced him into asking for help
from the only organization he knows is capable of conducting the rescue, but he
doesn’t trust Garrett Wheeler, the leader of the covert group, the
Sentinels—and with good reason. To manipulate Kinkaid, Garrett assigns
operative Alexa Marlowe to lead the mission, someone who once had feelings for
Kinkaid. And when Alexa’s orders put her at odds with Kinkaid rescuing Kate at
all cost, no longer is the mission about saving one life. Far more is at stake.
The Echo of Violence is
book #3 in my Sweet Justice thriller series. Each book reads as a standalone
plot, even though the characters’ and story lines continue. And the next time
you see a compelling news story or read a headline that grabs your attention,
you might have the makings for a great book.
I love books like this. Mystery/suspense/romance. I envy all the authors that can come up with ideas for books with these plots. Wonderful reading. Thank You (JoAnn White 12:24pm September 25, 2010)
It is sad that recent events provide so much material for suspense novels. The world has always been a dangerous place, but not on the scale it seems to be now. Sadly, it is even becoming harder to tell who the good guys are. (Patricia Barraclough 1:22pm September 25, 2010)
i agree that ideas are everywhere and as my writers group says "Torn from the headlines," is the place to mine for current topics. I especially like cold cases where others have tried before to solve a crime and failed. (Alyson Widen 1:39pm September 25, 2010)
I loved this insight into your work. There is a lot of terrible stuff that goes on out there but reading stories that highlight redemption and HEA remind us that there is much good in the world, too. (Virna De Paul 3:16pm September 25, 2010)
Just watching the news or reading headlines I can see a world of possibilities for authors. (Mary Preston 5:40pm September 25, 2010)
I'm not sure I would read a book based on some of the articles that are in the paper but I do see where you could get ideas. (Diane Sadler 6:37pm September 25, 2010)
I think creative authors can come up with ideas from all kinds of things from News & papers to stories thay hear and everywhere thay look. And I am in aaah of them but I do enjoy reading there books. Your book sounds good I'll need to add it to my must read list. (Vickie Hightower 9:57pm September 25, 2010)
It's a shame that today's stories have to be used for the makings of a book instead of using ones' imagination, but I'm sure it also makes for a good read. There's a good chance that I would read your book, because I often wonder what fuels a person to do such hideous things to another innocent human being -- especially one who is trying to do some good in this world. To me, a person like that makes me physically ill, when I see what they're capable of, and have no remorse for it, usually for the sake of their "god." That's a topic for another time. Good luck with your writing. I'm sure you'll have quite a following. (Peggy Roberson 11:25pm September 25, 2010)
I love true crime genre. Since you seem to like to write "ripped from the headlines" books, have you thought of just making the leap and writing a true crime book? Just curious. (Vicki Hancock 4:32pm September 26, 2010)
Thanks to everyone who commented. Inspirations for books come from anything. A word overheard at the next table, or a commercial, or a song lyric. It's how the book is put together, and the author's vision & voice that pulls it together. Marcia Preston wrote Piano Man after she saw a heart transplant commercial in Oklahoma. Loved that book.
And Vicki--It's amazing you asked if I ever thought about writing a true crime book. My husband and I were furniture shopping this last week and happened to meet a sales woman who was the niece of a slain judge. I was familiar with the story behind the story--that involves a celebrity and the drug cartels--but I had never given thought to writing that story until I met her. And even my dad has a connection to that judge since he designed the man's vacation home. Anyway, fate might have led me to her store. Who knows, but I get goose bumps just thinking about all the circumstances that aligned the moon and sun to put me there. So yes, I am seriously considering this story as a book after she invited me to tell her family's tragedy. It's hard to believe no one has written it already. (Jordan Dane 10:35am September 27, 2010)
And Peggy--Even writing a true crime story takes imagination and story telling ability. And fiction is full of world building and fully understanding your characters, even if it scares you. Every word that goes on the page is a painstaking exercise, finding just the right way to say something or lace the story with twists and turns the reader may not expect.
As you might imagine, an author has to get into the heads of all the characters to conjure what's going on and come up with a plausible motivation. Bad guys and good. It's sometimes a scary place to be. And you really have to get out of your comfort zone to delve into things you'd rather not imagine, but it's part of the creative process. Crime fiction is my comfort read because I like that justice and sometimes redemption generally are part of the equation, even if, in the end, it's a different world than the characters started out with.
And a good story is all about emotion. When an author tells a story, fictional or otherwise, it's only part of a circle. And that circle is only complete when a reader picks up that book and makes the journey with the author. But writing is like opening a vein and letting it bleed onto the pages. It's emotional. It's personal. And it's a passion I would have whether I had sold to a publishing house or not. Writing and telling stories are a must for me. Like breathing, it's something I have to do. (Jordan Dane 12:13pm September 27, 2010)
© 2003-2025 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy