Ask the Author: Patrick Parker
Answered Questions (7)
Patrick Parker
David, Thank you for asking. Actually, it was my wife. I was doing a lot of traveling and reading. I read one book, from a traditional publisher, and it was filled with errors and not that well written. I had the same experience two more times. When I commented on how bad the books on the market were, she challenged me to write one of my own. I'm not sure if that was to shut me up or she knew I could do it. In any event, I did it and still am!
Patrick Parker
Hi Ed,
Characters are people; no two are the same. How they act and what they say can really make them stand out. It can be a little thing or a flaw they overcome. It should really come out based on their situation.
In my new book due out shortly, aside from my protagonist who has edges, I have an FBI agent I really like as well. She has foul mouth that would embarrass any sailor and is brutally abrupt and direct. Not quite the picture most people have of an FBI agent. In fact, an author friend raised her eyebrows at the character and though I'd make all the real agents angry. She didn't think an agent would be like my agent. I was a bit surprised as that author wrote detective novels. She did remember my character!
I like a character that is real and reacts in accordance with their background to a given situation. Like my FBI agent, that character was based on a real person. Have fun with your characters. Give them warts, bad breath, crossed eyes, crooked teeth, bad manners or whatever to make them stand out. They are people.
Characters are people; no two are the same. How they act and what they say can really make them stand out. It can be a little thing or a flaw they overcome. It should really come out based on their situation.
In my new book due out shortly, aside from my protagonist who has edges, I have an FBI agent I really like as well. She has foul mouth that would embarrass any sailor and is brutally abrupt and direct. Not quite the picture most people have of an FBI agent. In fact, an author friend raised her eyebrows at the character and though I'd make all the real agents angry. She didn't think an agent would be like my agent. I was a bit surprised as that author wrote detective novels. She did remember my character!
I like a character that is real and reacts in accordance with their background to a given situation. Like my FBI agent, that character was based on a real person. Have fun with your characters. Give them warts, bad breath, crossed eyes, crooked teeth, bad manners or whatever to make them stand out. They are people.
Patrick Parker
Good question. For me, I think a good writer must get the history and technology right. You can take an event and use the existing technology of the time and make a very entertaining story. There will be readers that will spot the errors right off and that will doom the story for them. Remember the marketing philosophy, "You are lucky if a satisfied customer tells 3 people. Also, you are lucky if an unsatisfied customer doesn't tell more than 10 people."
Patrick Parker
I have a PC and laptop using Word on both. I go back and forth and find this is very effective for me. It's simple and user friendly.
Patrick Parker
I knew of a struggling company that was working in IT security. They promoted their product and services to the government and I applied my “what if” approach. I added to that a true event, leveraged my background, and the story was there.
I am about half way finished writing my third thriller / suspense novel. This one is modern day and current events are providing lots of exciting fodder for this one. The thrilling story has taken off.
I am about half way finished writing my third thriller / suspense novel. This one is modern day and current events are providing lots of exciting fodder for this one. The thrilling story has taken off.
Patrick Parker
I accepted a challenge from my wife and wrote "Treasures of the Fourth Reich." I enjoyed telling that story which was based on a few true events in history. Leveraging my background, I like to look for a real event and go from there; “what if” this or that happened.
Patrick Parker
I’m in the final edit stages of a thriller / suspense novel. I will be providing more on the synopsis in the coming weeks but I will say it is about leaks in intelligence, terrorism, loyalty and lack of loyalty, betrayal and more.
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