The Interview - [email protected]

I am a first-time author and worked on this novel for 3 years.  I grew up in the Midwest, surrounded by people who served.  My Grandfather on my mother’s side served in World War I and my mother’s brother served during World War II as did the man who inspired me to write this story, Charlie Stainer.  I always knew I wanted to write and tried many times to write scripts for plays I would have in my basement.  I have had many opportunities to write while working in high tech having written articles for trade magazines and authoring training material for fortune 100 companies.  While completing my MBA many years ago, I wrote a 10-to-15-page paper every week for 2 years.  I found that I had the ability to turn out large volumes of words, but I needed a story that captured my attention.

Through the stories told to me by my stepfather Charlie, the seeds of the story began to grow.  Entertaining as Charlie’s stories were for our family, the elements for creating a strong story were not there.  I needed to have a protagonist to provide the tension needed to create an exciting story, one that would draw the reader in and not let go until the end.  Here is the hook I use when talking to people about my book.

The Secret Eye is the story of a young man who joins the US Navy at the age of 17 right after Pearl Harbor and becomes the best Radar operator in the US fleet.  It is also about another young man from Japan who joins his military and through a series of events, becomes the Kamikaze pilot who hits the USS Lexington in November 1944.

Now, I have something that captures my attention. The Navy Radarman against the Kamikaze pilot who wants to destroy his ship. The juxtaposition of following a Japanese and an American soldier through the war helps the reader see the war through both perspectives. I only had to write the book!

Distractions are the death knehll of any writing process. Allowing yourself to become distracted only waters down your passion for your work. This does not mean that you should not capture the idea for future flushing of the storyline and characters. I use an online program (AutoCrit) and I am able to pause, capture the idea in a new document and get back to my current project.

My full-time job is working for a fortune 100 technology company, so I write only on weekends and vacations.  Writing in the Historical Fiction genre, I used the arch of history to guide the story line, inserting my characters to explain the military strategy and technology used by each side.

I researched well known historical figures and gave them voice through their dialog.  I would listen, if possible, to the speaking cadence of a character and craft dialog that would remind the reader of the historical figure.  For example, many recordings still survive of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and they guided me while writing his dialog.  Try to imagine Roosevelt say these words.

“Gentlemen,” began Roosevelt, “these are tragic days we are in with much grievous news to endure. However, I am confident that we will soon turn the tide of this horrible war and drive our enemies into submission. The American people are sturdy, and we have proven we can fight if the cause is just. Japan attacked us, and the American people want justice. You, the men of the Joint Chiefs, will be the weight behind the spear that will guide and direct our forces to victory. Your vision and planning will light our path to victory.”

Instead of researching every part of the Pacific Theater during World War 2, I chose to break the war down into major sections.  The development in England of Radar and the Cavity Magnetron and how the United States mass produced the technology, pre-World War 2 preparations by Japan and the United States, and each major battle from the attack on Pearl Harbor to the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  As a natural procrastinator, breaking down the story into manageable sections reduced the anxiety I felt tackling the entirety of World War 2.

After researching a section, I would sit down to write about a battle sequence or important technology.  Using character dialog to describe technology or the environment of the scene, prevented overly dense text blocks enhancing the readability and enjoyment for my reader.  Switching scenes (chapters) between the Japanese and United States perspective helped the reader understand the motivations and decisions of each side, creating a complete understanding of the Pacific Theater.

Through the backstory of Charlie and Hadaki, I was able to give context to the decisions and motivations of each character. Humanizing both men, the reader could dispassionately follow their role in the historical drama while creating empathy for each man as he experiences loss through life changing decisions.

For those who love military and technical stories, Tom Clancy is definitely the goto man. John Grisham inspired me through his character development and story creation and finally James Patterson because his books are fast reads.

I am a procrastinator which inhibits my ability to be productive during my writing sessions.  I will find many reasons to avoid researching or writing.  Over many years, I have learned to break down tasks into more manageable sections making it easier to power through the entirety of the Pacific Theater during World War II.  My book is not intended to be a complete history lesson about the war but an overview of the major events of the war told through the dialog of the characters.  Using short chapters, five to six pages, progressed the story forward enticing the reader to continue.  It also helped me to feel a sense of accomplishment as I was not trying to write 40-page chapters in 1 sitting.

American protects his ship during WW2 from Japanese attack using secret weapon

I hope that people will see how special that generation of men was to the soul of America.  Young men, barely able to vote leaving everything they knew to fight somewhere they never heard of should impress everyone.  The influence of Radar in the outcome of the war has not been well documented in other books and movies about the war.  When the war began, we would be lucky if we could see 5 to 10 miles away from a ship leaving our forces completely vulnerable.  As the tide of the war turned for America, we could see almost 100 miles (over the horizon), farther than any ship in the Japanese navy.  All thanks to our best ally, Great Britain.  Because of our technological innovations and our industrial might, we were able to defeat a formidable enemy.  Through the innovations of Radar, every person in the United States enjoys a better life.  Your microwave popcorn, the medical radiology scans, and of course our ability to track and forecast weather are all because of a gift from Great Britain.

My wife is my worst critic. As I shared my manuscript with her, she constantly asked questions and poked holes in my story. There were many conversation had where I asked myself, why does she not understand this? But there it is. If the person most invested in your success (other than you) does not get what you are trying to say, are you sure you said it well?

I submitted my work to a literary contest and received a very fair review of my book. What made it even better was that the reviewer was a veteran himself. Any time I hear that someone enjoyed my book and that it was exciting and a page turner, I am more motivated to do it again.

Without passion for your characters and their story, you cannot create a world your readers want to experience.  Careful research of your characters and their place in history is essential to spinning a story that will motivate your readers to “pull” on the thread of the story through your book.  Developing characters with real life problems and decisions helps the reader relate to their predicament within the story.

The hardest part of writing a book is starting.  But before you can start, you need to have a strong premise for your story.  Over the years, I heard many stories from my real-life Charlie, the man who inspired Charlie Brand, describing his time on the USS Lexington, especially the Kamikaze attack.  My Charlie was just another navy man no one had ever heard of before.  But how interesting a story would it be if we looked at two men from each side of the war and followed their journey until the attack on the USS Lexington?  Now that is a premise I could write about!

Consistency is the key to being successful in a writing career.  You must find a consistent time to write and stick to it.  Nothing will derail you from your goal of completing a manuscript faster than deviating from a consistent writing schedule.  This does not mean you have to write every day or every week for a specific time.  Time to refresh is just as important as your time writing.  Give yourself time to let the story marinate in your mind.  My regular Saturday routine consisted of buying donuts and driving around the rural areas surrounding my home.  Driving was where my story crystalized before me, presenting the details I would later put to paper.  Find something that prepares you write.

Finally, if this is not fun for you, then you may be writing the wrong story.  I craved the time when I could write but be wary of burnout.  The grind of writing and counting the number of completed pages can wear you down to inaction.  You will have days where the writing is difficult, and you may not produce what you feel is required.  Allow yourself some grace on those days and your inspiration will soon return.  Do not crave the ending of your book, let your book dictate its own ending.  Listen closely and you will know when to say, the end.

I guess there were actually 2.  The first is the introduction of Charlie Brand who is a mischievous young man, determined to have some fun at the expense of a streetcar in Little Rock Arkansas.  He pulls a prank with his best friend Ed where they soap the rails of the streetcar line at the bottom of a sizeable hill.  No one was hurt but he did get in trouble for his prank.

The second scene is the attack of the Kamikaze on the USS Lexington.  My real-life Charlie told us about this attack many times and it was my honor to recall this for my readers.  The toll on the Lexington and Charlie Brand were great and I remember feeling the emotion of the results of the attack.  I was surprised to find myself crying while I completed the scene.  I believe if you allow yourself to feel the emotions of your character while writing, your readers will react in kind.

I have experienced writers block. Writers block happens because writers are overwhelmed by either the story arc, a character dilemma, or merely the daunting task of finishing a manuscript. The only way to deal with writers block is to focus on a small simple task to complete. Once that is done, take on a bigger chunk and before you know it, you are either done or well on your way!

I am very busy playing in our church band and teach Sunday School classes. I also volunteer with our media ministry as well as our men's ministry. I love to create things with my hands and have completed many project including 13 feet of book shelves for my office, a crib for my grandson, and other projects for my daughter. When I have time, I do enjoy golfing.

I spent 3 years researching all aspects of Radar and its use in the Pacific Theater during World War II.  I watched many documentaries where I heard stories from brave men faced with impossible odds but still finding the will to come back alive.  I had the privilege of knowing Charlie for over 50 years, but it was not until he was interviewed for a documentary on US Carriers that we truly began to hear the true stories of his bravery and service.  During the war, Charlie also served on the USS Yorktown and several years before his death, he was interviewed by the staff historian where he recounted his World War II service.  Fortunately, I have this recording as well.

I was able to view now declassified documents from World War II including after action reports from Pearl Harbor and every major Pacific Theater battle.  I also subscribed to Fold3, an Ancestory.com site, where I could view documents from the Lexington including muster reports (who is on the ship) and intelligence debriefs from every engagement they had with the enemy. The reports even included the number of bullets expended and ordinances dropped.  Way too much detail for an Historical Fiction novel.

As an independent writer, I used BookBaby to publish my book. The graphics folks asked me for ideas including colors. I gave them my vision and they made it better. A perfect way to collaborate.

John Grisham "The Exchange"

If someone wants to make a movie of my story, I would gladly work on a script. As part of my selling process, I sold books at my local grocery stores. There, I met a real-life screen play writer. He bought one of my books but has yet to reach out to collaborate. A WW2 story, especially a story set in the Pacific Theater could be very expensive to produce and the environment in Hollywood would have to match the tone and message of my book.

I have a home office where I do most of my writing. As The Secret Eye took 3 years to write, I brought my laptop with me on vacation where I carved time to write while on vacation or attending family functions. Inspiration comes from the historical events I capture in my writing but I never miss the opportunity to visit the places I write about to catch smell and feel of these locations.

The main character Charlie Brand is based on my Step Father Charlie Stainer who served on the same ships during WW2