2016. What a jacked up year. Most of us can't wait to see it go. I'm no different. We've had struggles on every imaginable level here at Casa de Pace this year, and I've spent most of my free time escaping into my very first action/adventure suspense romance, True North. It's soon to be my tenth published work, and I couldn't be prouder of it.
As a writer, one always hear the sagely advice "write what you know". anyone who follows me at all knows I do what I want, so as you can guess, there is very little in True North that I didn't have to research. Alaska, the army, special forces, piloting float planes, law enforcement,search and rescue operations...the list goes on and on. I dug into everything enthusiastically, and when I couldn't find what I needed, I even brought in some subject matter experts (yes, an actual Green Beret consulted on my manuscript, God love him). I hope it all came together enough to feel legit. This, my friends, is the issue with having a wild imagination. It runs...well...wild.
My past history with improv has taught me one important lesson when chasing your muse: see where it leads you and don't say no if you can help it. Mine led me to Alaska. Though I've never set foot there, the photos and videos are incredible, and my resident alaskan beta reader helped to fill int the gaps. One day soon, I hope to visit her in person and see this magical place for myself.
On top of these obstacles, I also wrote this book in the present tense, which turned out to be harder than expected. Though it was a bit like climbing a steep staircase, present tense provided the right voice for these characters and this genre, and I'm glad I stepped outside of my comfort zone.
If you get a charge out of dark novels with kickass balls-to-the-wall heroines, reluctant testosterone-testosterone-fuled heroes, action-packed drama, mystery and intrigue, steamy romance and plenty of violence: this book is for you. Remember, I write fiction-not fairytales, so buckle up 'cause True North is ready for take off on December 20th!
Published on November 27, 2016 16:47