Inspiration from Three Great Thriller Authors
The question I've been asked frequently over my years of developing the character of "Robert McCall" and creating exciting storylines in my work on "The Equalizer" is fairly common for many writers: what inspires you to write in the suspense-thriller genre?
My answer is always the same: the work of other authors that I enjoy. The "inside secret" behind all successful writers is that they're also inveterate, almost compulsive readers themselves, and I firmly believe that the more one reads, the better one will write. The writing profession demands more than just sitting down and scribbling whatever comes to mind. It's a business of constant learning and of a never-ending quest for the improvement of the craft. In my case, the "hard work" of that constant learning is actually one of my greatest pleasures. Discovering a great character driving great stories, written with the skill of a fine craftsman is not only inspiring to me as a writer, but a great bit of fun. There are three truly fine suspense-thriller authors who manage to both entertain and inspire me every time I pick up one of their books... |
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Lee Child - "Jack Reacher"
I first picked up a paperback book on Lee Child in a Ralph's Market in Los Angeles for my son's birthday some years ago. The book was "61 Hours." I had never heard of Child before, nor of his character Jack Reacher. But it looked interesting at first glance, so I gave the book to my son. His enthusiasm for it was so great that he thrust it upon me, and within a few pages, I was completely riveted. Lee Child has a serious knack for hooking his readers from Page One, and he sure had me on board. The character of Jack Reacher is complex and dangerous and Child's plotting is flawless. I finished "61 Hours" and immediately read the next one in the Jack Reacher series, "Worth Dying For." This book was just as taut and compelling as "61 Hours" had been, if not better! From that moment on, I became a BIG Lee Child fan, and I've read all of the Jack Reacher novels to date. I can relate to Reacher because he has own moral code and sense of justice, much like Robert McCall in "The Equalizer." Lee Child's books are intricately plotted, and filled with quirky characters, most of whom are very bad guys whom Reacher deals with imaginative dispatch. He's a one-man force-of-nature...but he's on the side of the angels. |
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