My process

AMA #4

JDM85 Asked:

I don’t really have a process. Sometimes I get an idea stuck in my head and it won’t let go.

And every book is different.

Love at First Bite started off as my sister’s fan fiction. I took over and it spiraled.

Saint Tommy NYPD started with an idea in college.

• Hell Spawn: If a wonder worker cop, we need a possessed serial killer.

• Death Cult: Clearly, the cult raised the demon

• Infernal Affairs: Clearly, the cult has a backer.

• City of Shadows: I read a lot of Starman and really wanted to use the Shade’s powers

• Crusader: There was a lot of trafficking going around in the news at the time.

• Deus Vult: I read a lot of Gabriel Amorth during my research for this series.

• Coven: I wanted to get witches into the series. This was one attempt. I did better later.

• Hussar: I needed a plot for everyone’s new job. When you read it, you’ll see it.

• Destiny: The villain inspired this one. What was his endgame? Rome.

• Lightbringer: I wanted to go out with a bang. And Hollywood was trending.

• Dark Web: Given how the series ended, I needed to wrap up some loose ends. Also, I wanted to use Silk Road.

• Blue Saint: This needed to end big. And there were a lot of moving parts that needed wrapping up.

After this was Honeymoon from Hell. Honeymoon from Hell came about because I had certain ideas that wouldn’t fit anyone else. With White Ops, it was Babylon 5 fan fiction that spiraled. A lot.

So, first, an idea won’t leave me alone.

Then the characters don’t leave me alone. We won’t go into the shorts that came after I wrapped up Tommy.

Now, the usual follow up question is “discover writer or outliner”?

The answer is just Yes.

Some books fit into outlines. Like Tommy Nolan.

Some characters refused to be outlined. Like Marco and Amanda.

When Blaine Pardoe wanted me to write for his Land & Sea series, I read four books in a matter of days, and I’m trying to keep up with them ever since. But once I had the rules nailed down, I approached it like any other rule book.

Unless John wants me to go into any more detail, that’s all I have for right now.

Again, feel free to ask me anything in the comments. If you get an email, you can ping me through the comment button at the top.

And please, feel free to buy a book, or leave a book review. Either would be greatly appreciated.