A to Z II - W is for Wake

Holy crow, kids. We are nearing the end of the month and the end of the alphabet! Today's letter is w. W is for wake.

Wake? You ask.

Yes, wake. If you've ever spent any time boating, you might have heard of the term, wake. A wake is the waves a motorboat leaves behind as it is speeding along. See picture below.

What does that have to do with Trajectory?

Well, in life, we all leave a wake. Some good, some bad. We all leave a ripple effect, if you will, right? We touch people, and create some kind of an impact on the world around us. Same principle. I'm just going on a bigger scale.

Joe, for all that he does and all that he is, leaves not just a ripple effect, but a wake behind him.

The streets of Detroit are safer, but people are still affected by those he has shot.

Michael was an incredibly unhealthy and unstable person, but he didn't necessarily deserve his fate.

There is a huge effect touched by many because of Joe. It's not all bad. It's just very broad.

That wake seems to come full circle at the end of the story, which is how and why he ends up back at Claudette's apartment, begging for her acceptance.

The world around us - indeed, life itself - is like water. Moving, ever changing, free, malleable. We have the potential and the power to move it and cause a ripple effect, or even a full blown wake effect based on our words and actions with those around us. It is up to us to decide if we are going to make it good or bad. Joe's story in Trajectory  can be an example to us all.

A to Z II - V is for Victory

Welcome to another day, folks! Another day means another letter. Today's letter is....v. V is for victory.

Trajectory is a victory of sorts.

It's a victory in just how different it is from my other work and in that it is able to stand on its own. It may not compare to a work by James Patterson, but for what it is, it is a victory for me.

It's also a victory for Joe. Joe was a character that came to me in a dream, and I absolutely loved him. I still do. I felt that I did him a disservice with the first Trajectory. Now, I feel much more proud of this work.

That same feeling applies to a man named Shane. He is a police SWAT sniper that I interviewed when I first began to put this story together. I truly felt as though I did him a great disservice. I think now, this new, completed piece honors him and his donation to me much more.

It's also a victory for you. Really, you are the biggest winner here. You get a full, well-rounded, engaging story. If that isn't the greatest victory, I don't know what is!

So yes, Trajectory is a victory. It is a victory for us all!

A to Z II - U is for Unique

Wow! It's Wednesday already! It's another day deeper in my personal A to Z challenge. Today's challenge is the letter u. U is for unique.

Unique is applicable to Trajectory in a few ways.

It is unique in that it is my first story with a male lead.

It is unique in that it is my first story with a bisexual lead.

It is unique in that it is not your typical love triangle story.

It is unique in that it is not just a love story.

It is unique in that it is not just a police story.

It is unique in that the characters are all very human: flawed and yet perfect. Deep, dark, emotional, each driven by their own hopes and fears.

There are many layers to Trajectory, and I have done that purposefully. I wanted to create a story of intrigue. Not just an LGBT story. Not just a SWAT sniper story. Not just... I wanted to create a story that was going to entertain, but also one that was going to make you think. Think about life. Think about the difficulties and perspectives that someone in Joe's position might have. Think about how much damage one unhealthy person like Michael can cause. Think about the importance of our relationships, like the relationships between Joe and Pete, and of course, Joe and Claudette.

Trajectory truly is unique.

A to Z II - T is for Time

Welcome to the twentieth day of my personal A to Z challenge for the month of May. Since today is day twenty, it means we are on the letter t. T is for time.

Time is an interesting concept in Trajectory.

You have time where Joe observes for hours and days on end, yet the story does not drag.

You have the expenditure of time for the complications of his situation with Claudette, as well as the unfolding of events between Joe and Michael.

You have the passage of time while Joe recuperates and rehabilitates  after Michael's attack.

When you're writing about a sniper who can lay still for hours or even days at a clip, but who also suffered serious injuries and has a long road of recovery ahead of them, time can be a tricky thing. It is sometimes difficult to write about the passage of time, this new and improved Trajectory, though, handles it perfectly.

A to Z II - S is for Sniper

It's Monday! Which means we are back at it with my personal A to Z challenge. We are kicking off this week and this day with the letter s. S is for sniper.

What else were you expecting?


Yes, we know Joe is a sniper.

He was a sniper in the Marines before he was a sniper with Detroit SWAT.

Joe's father was a sniper.

It's in his blood, in his DNA.

He has the eyesight and patience that very few people have.

Call it a gift.

Call it a curse.

It is simply Joe's destiny.