Monday, May 8, 2023

The Story Behind Fateful Connections by Karen Charles

 


 

The Story Behind Fateful Connections by Karen Charles

 The inspiration for my book began at a Christmas brunch.  My friend, Sandy, told a story of what happened to her brother who was at a CEO conference in Seattle on 9/11.  I was intrigued by the bazaar events of her story.  The more I thought about it, the more I realized this could be the foundation for an exciting thriller.  I also liked the fact that the history of the attack on 9/11 would be an integral part of the story, reminding us of the horror, survival, and our country’s patriotic response.  

It took me a year and a half of thinking about the plot before I finally sat down and began writing.  I first made an outline and wrote down major events of the story.  Then I developed the characters, deciding on their names and personalities.  When I began actually writing the chapters, it went together fairly smoothly.  Once-in-a-while I would have to stop to do research on a topic I wasn’t familiar with or the details of a setting.  That made the writing even more interesting and challenging.  

When I write, I curl up in a quiet spot and write a chapter in my notebook first.  Then, after making changes, I type it on the computer, copy it, and edit.  After I begin, it may turn out quite differently than my original outline.  The last step is to hire a professional editor.

The settings I developed in the story are from my own personal experiences.  The ranch in Santa Clarita is owned by my son.  I own a condo in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where one of the main characters lives.  It gives the story development more depth and authenticity when I have actually experienced the locations myself.

Writing is not a career for me but rather a hobby.  Self-publishing allows me freedom to publish at any time and keep all the rights to my books.  Social media platforms allow expansion far beyond what I could do on my own.  Self-publishing gives me the freedom to be myself, preserving the dignity and genius of my objective.  


Fateful Connections tells the story of four people brought together by the tragic events of 9/11 in the United States. These four individuals were attending a conference in Seattle, Washington, and found it nearly impossible to make it back to their homes, which were scattered across the country. They decide to rent a car and drive together, as they cannot get any flights home. As rental cars are also impossible to come upon, they find a friend who has access to a repossessed car, which he is willing to rent out. Unbeknownst to the friends, the rightful owner of the car wants his car back, and as they find out, hidden inside the car are drugs and guns. What ensues is a dangerous journey which impacts the four friends’ lives forever. The story follows them on their harrowing journey home, then one and two years later as they meet up for an annual reunion. 

The strengths of this story are the easy-to-read narrative and compelling plot. The author introduces four intriguing main characters, as well as a number of antagonists, who hunt down the friends and engage in dangerous and illegal plans to not only recapture their guns and drugs, but also kill the friends so there are no witnesses to their illegal activities. The reader is instantly drawn into the storyline, and moves along with the characters as they experience fear, joy, love, and relief. The plot is compelling, and the reader cannot help but become invested in the lives of these four main characters.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/41WDECT



Karen Charles is a children’s book author and educator. She lives with her husband on a beautiful bay in Washington State. Her latest book is the thriller, Fateful Connections.

Website: https://karenrabe18.wixsite.com/my-site-2

Twitter: https://twitter.com/karenra24229683

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