The Story Behind Half Moon Lake by Steve Brock

 

The Story Behind Half Moon Lake

The inspiration for the book really began as a simple inspiration for a book, any book. Not this one in particular. That is because writing was my intended vocation when I was in high school. I had prepared myself to become a writer and intended to continue to prepare by attending Missouri University after high school graduation.

As often happens, however, life had other plans for me. Writing got put on the back burner and over the years, raising a family didn’t leave time to pursue writing a novel. After I turned sixty-one, I realized time was running out for me and if I were ever going to become an author, now was the time. I became focused on the idea of writing a novel.

The novel itself was inspired incrementally. The first component of the novel I settled on was the name of the main character, Crease. I had heard that name before and I really wanted to use it for my protagonist. I didn’t see Crease as a given name, but rather a nickname. I needed to find a way for him to have earned that nickname, which is how the football part of the story was born. I was still a long way from a completed plot, and I had read an article that suggested readers liked to read about unusual professions.

 I began looking for a profession. I googled unusual jobs and looked through the list, but nothing interested me. I continued to search for inspiration. I couldn’t begin writing until I had settled on something.

One evening my wife and I were dining in a little café after a day of antiquing. We had a table along a wall with other tables lined up behind us. As we waited to be served, I noticed the gentleman sitting at the table behind my wife was wearing a tee-shirt advertising a microbrewery in the area. One of the beers pictured had a floatplane on the label. I had found my inspiration in the most unusual way.

After that day the rest of the story fell into place. There were still details to be worked out, but I was able to begin writing and continued steadily until I had a complete manuscript. I hope people will take the opportunity to read it as it was a long time coming.

Crease Williams lived a charmed life with a bright future. Only in his junior year at Texas Christian University, his skills as a wide receiver had already captured the attention of NFL scouts.

Then a tragedy cost him his family and his desire to play football. Personally devastated, he left his old life behind and got as far from Ft. Worth, TX, and football as he could get.

Keeping mostly to himself, he became a float-plane pilot in the far north of Minnesota. Flying fisherman and hunters into remote locations was how he spent his time. When a group he had flown to Roudy’s Cabin goes missing, he faces accusations and more turmoil than he could have ever imagined. To make matters worse, his quiet existence is upturned by an element from his past bent on vengeance.

Half Moon Lake is Steve Brock’s first novel. A suspenseful mystery written with likable characters and a lighthearted flavor.

Book Information

Release Date: March 30, 2022

Publisher:  Steve Brock

Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-0578391977; 187 pages; $9.99; Kindle Unlimited FREE

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3knaPfd

I’ve been an author in search of a novel for just about forty years now. Writing was the first thing I ever wanted to do seriously. Over the years I’ve done quite a variety of things. My first real job, the kind where you have a schedule and get paid hourly, was as a cook at the local Sonic Drive-In. I’ve been a machinist, a forklift driver, a production worker, a computer programmer, an IT guy, an installation manager, a software trainer, and an education department manager. Those are just the employment highlights. Through it all, I was a husband and father, and I attended college at night to get my bachelor’s degree in technology management.

Before all that started, I wanted to be a writer. It just didn’t work out that way. Maybe that’s ok, I’ve had a good life and I have a wonderful family that I am proud to have. I don’t regret any of what I’ve done to support my family over the years. The desire to write has persisted, however, and I took a look at my odometer one day and it read 61 years old. None of us know how high our personal odometer will go, but I knew if I was ever going to be a writer, now was the time.

I’m bringing my lifetime of experience to my novel writing. Many of my characters are loosely based upon people I’ve known in real life. Some of my plot elements are also influenced by real-life experiences as well. As of this writing, my first novel, Half Moon Lake, will be published on Amazon in a few weeks. I have begun work on my second book as well. I hope you will take time to register your email address so I may keep you apprised of announcements and special offers. I’d be thrilled to count you as one of my first dedicated readers.

Steve Brock’s latest novel is Half Moon Lake.

You can visit his website at www.BrockNovels.com or connect with him at Twitter.