I am frequently asked how I get my ideas for writing, where do the plots come from. Well it is said that generally you write what you know. The story behind Pacific Flyways evolved in this manner.
I live in one of the most spectacular region’s of the earth. At least in my humble opinion, you can’t beat Vancouver Island for it’s geography, bio-diversity or climate. The natural setting inspired me to try and capture a background that a reader might enjoy, even if they can’t relate to it. Every story setting impacts upon readers. My story seeks to employ the surrounding environment as the tale unfolds. Whether it be a chilling Pacific fog, or a sun baked outcrop of rock warming the hypothermia ravaged body of my protagonist, the background plays a role in making the tale come alive in the readers mind.
The characters in Pacific Flyways are composites of various individuals I have met, worked with, or observed. Some are close to reality and the real persons reading about them might recognize themselves. Having said this, I did not befriend terrorists or psychotic masterminds. I encountered a few in my career but none intimately enough to delve deeply into their inner beings. Before the more carnally driven members of my reader following have a collective ah ha, intimate scenes are fictional, not based on personal experience.
H5 N1 is a reality and as recently as February 24, 2012 there have been articles written in scientific journals warning about the militarization of the virus.
http://ojs.st-andrews.ac.uk/index.php/jtr/article/view/417/378 Ihttp://www.naturalnews.com/035056_avian_flu_bioweapon_science_journals.html
I pray that the beast is never unleashed.
Animal rights activists have been a reality for many years. The Animal Protection Brigade does not exist but is modeled after the Animal Liberation Front. ALF has never, to my knowledge, wilfully targeted human life as a means of promoting their agenda.
The manipulation of one activist group by another is not a figment of my imagination. During the early 1970s the First Nations and American Indian movements were infiltrated and manipulated my elements of the Marxist Leninist movement. Through cash infusion and otherwise , ML extremists perverted a legitimate struggle for rights and recognition into their own agenda. In Canada this culminated in a riot on the grounds of the Canadian Parliament buildings.
The town of Pasquin Cove does not appear on any map although many from the northern end of Vancouver Island will recognize it is existing next door. A certain cafe might actually be found in Port Alberni.
I hope all of my followers will enjoy the read. They can look forward to my next thriller Chasing the Dragon’s Tail which should be along in a few months.
Leave a Reply