Inspiration
I’ve recently been in England and to some of the sites that provided inspiration for scenes early in the Minerva Agenda. I thought it might be interesting to share what was in the authors head when he wrote the story. High risk, I know, as readers will already have formed in their heads what people and places look like. My suggestion on that is, don’t let reality get in the way of a good story – hang on to your images!
Give that man a hand
Ever since I was a kid I had a love of parachuting. Not sure why. It was so cool watching the small specks exit from the aircraft, slowly getting larger as they hurtled towards the earth. Then the emerging fluttering of cloth that turned into a perfectly round bloom of colour.
Irish Roots
I’m Irish on both sides. My mother’s family trace back to County Cork (Republic of Ireland) and my father’s back to County Armagh (Northern Ireland). Somehow they got together… Figure that out. As a result, all my life, Ireland and the Irish have been prominent. I love my Irish ancestry and culture, maybe my desire to write and tell stories comes from kissing the Blarney Stone! Who knows.
We’ve Stopped Leading
All of us know what good leadership looks like, we should demand it. The Minerva Agenda at its heart is all about leadership. It invites the reader to consider not only what leadership is about but how it is conducted. People reading the book will see different aspects of leadership from different characters. Some of the characters in the book we’ll admire, others we’ll detest, just like the leaders in real life today – if you can find them.
How it started
I’ve loved writing from the start. Creating things was fun. I think my love of writing came from my love of reading. This isn’t terribly insightful, I’ve read of many writers who say their desire to write came from their passion for books and reading. My parents read to me when I was small and always bought me books and encouraged storytelling.