Counting Down to Release Day

Thanks to Chris for yesterday's post. I think any writer here will agree that it's something we love, and we need to remember that. And don't forget, you have until Friday to leave a comment and be entered in the drawing for her books, so scroll down to her post.

Also, in conjunction with my generous donor of copies of What's in a Name? I'm extending my donation until Sunday, so there's still time to help cancer research. Buy links here.

The "official" release day for WHERE DANGER HIDES is May 18th, one week from today. What this means for me is that the publisher will start filling orders. Most go to libraries, but there will be some stock sent to Amazon and Barnes and Noble, based on pre-orders. Since my book isn't going to hit the shelves of your local bookstores, it's not like I'll be able to drop into any local stores and see it on the shelf.

But, if you do like to buy books "in person" rather than on line, you can go to the customer service desk and request it. If you're a library user, and I'm sure most of us are, then the best thing you can do is ask your library if they have the book in their collection, and if not, you can request they order it.

So, what do I have for you as part of the countdown celebration? How about a look back to the very beginning of the book. I don't plot much, but as I play with ideas about the book, I'll jot things down in a disjointed document. Digging back through my files, I have one for this book called, "Brainstorming." Because this was a book connected to another, there were some things that were already established. Dalton appears in When Danger Calls, but he wasn't fully fleshed out (I didn't know his first name in that one), and since I didn't know he was going to demand his own book, I didn't bother with too many details. At this phase, I do try to consider the all-important GMC: Goal, Motivation and Conflict, so I'll list some of those possibilities as well.

You're now invited to step inside my head and see where the book began. And, of course, if you want to see how much of this actually ended up in the book, you know where to go to find out.



Hero:
Dalton (Ambrose?)
Cousin via his mother to Horace Blackthorne
Texan 6'2
Brown hair, wears it short,
Brown eyes.
Recent arm injury – grazed by a bullet.
Good dancer

Family:
Oldest of 3

Secret past – was married right out of high school. Burned by loss. Betrayal? Death? Drugs? Lost a baby? Motivation – payback for his wife.

Shelter – conflict w/ anyone associated? Wife ended up on the street?

Ladies' man now to avoid attachments.
Secret – volunteers – "baby cuddler"?
After a violent mission – release – cries?

Believed dead to terrorists in previous book – work back to Phantom?
Wants to return to "important" field work, cut drug smuggling.
Bodyguard/escort/rescue duty.
Has to watch heroine

Mission – find XX, has intel about drug smuggling.

The meet?
Catering cover job to plant bugs? Eavesdropping on drug/arms/slave trade/smuggling operations?

Dalton wants to deal with drug smuggling--- but he has to babysit XX … because she has information.

Miri – works at "Galloway House"
2 sisters
Mom a Star Trek fan – check other names

Missing people from shelter – she goes undercover? Dalton has to find her.

Conflicts?
Blows Dalt's cover
Steals what Dalt needs
Druglord bluffs – hires Blackthorne to keep her 'safe' to get her out of the way.
Accident investigation
Dalt finds her

Dalton told woman being held against her will …

Daughter of high government official; drug related, needs to be kept out of the press.

Miri approaches Blackthorne? Sister is missing?

Rafael is underling – 1 wants him caught; other needs him to get to the real druglord.

Needs drug laundering – Patterson connection?

(clicking should enlarge table)



Others:
Grace – elderly woman, met her at the fundraiser.
Samantha – works at Galloway house; has baby. Miri's 'confidant?"
Nancy – Miri's sister. Rich, needs to keep her past hidden.

Has discovered ties to drug ring.
Thinks Dalton is a contact.

Miri needs to stay on Romero's good side; she fingers Dalton; Dalton needs to go beyond for his superior. Exposing Romero will

Miri = "loose cannon"
Suspects Patterson is sabotaging GH –
Woman comes to shelter; turns up dead?
Doesn't want GH implicated.