Following The Trail

 

I had a story idea very recently. Just an idea. One simple line. Unlike most of my story ideas, it did not come replete with supporting details.

Of course I wrote it down. Well, to be honest, it did come with one more notion. That was to compose another tale involving my favourite Integrated Investigator Nick Bannister, and of course his two cohorts.

Now when a decision is made like this, to revive old friends you have more than a story line. You have your characters already assembled and ready for whatever action you send them. This is huge, because good characters are hard to find, and voila, you have them.

Now I've mentioned before, that my characters are living breathing people to me. And I know them well enough to realize that soon enough they will start to tell me where they want to go.

No I am not looney. Most people have favourite heroes on screen or in literature and fantasize about their next adventure. Why, because you are so close to them, it's only a small step to putting them to work.

Surely enough, a time and place came to me. It was London in the time of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. It was going to include my boys merging their twentieth century know how and gadgets with the late 1800's. So perhaps I was looking at my first attempt at Steampunk, a brand of fiction which does exactly that. 

Then I needed a premise. Well that was easy. They were transported back there. Remember when you have an idea, it's not necessary to explain it right away, just take it for what it is. You'll figure it out later.

Then I needed a reason they were whisked so far away. Obviously they were there to present some manner of disaster. 

At that time there were two reprehensible characters kicking around, one real by the name of Jack the Ripper. The other fictional, none other than that most sinister of evil geniuses, Professor James Moriarty, foil to Detective Sherlock Holmes. Either of them would fit the bill of maker of mayhem.

I would never presume as some have. However, to compose a new Sherlock Holmes yarn. But what about if his partner Doctor John H. Watson became part of the fun? 

This all fit together nicely. And i will say no more, because that would be a monumental spoiler of a story I plan to include in my next book.

The point here is that this meal did not come with a side dish of suggestions. It came one course at a time and from there, blossomed a ripping good yarn which I have enjoyed written immensely. If you are lucky, and alert, this may happen to you.

More details to follow.