From Page to Screen: A Thrilling Journey with Mickey Ray and James
“Lights, Camera, Action!” Explosion heard in the background as Mickey Ray and James run for the Humvee. Fire and shrapnel rain down around them….
“Cut,” calls the director!
Okay, it’s not a movie. It’s a book, and the book doesn’t even start that way, but reader interviews say that the book grabs you and engages you right from the first page. I hope you feel the same way when you read it. When the representative of “Author’s Lounge” contacted me and asked me to write an article, I didn’t know where to start! But I was excited to tell more readers about my new series.
This is a quick synopsis of the storyline of the book that started it all:
The Landlord’s Inheritance
Siblings Mickey Ray and Darcy Jean learn that the automobile disaster that caused the death of their mother and their father’s multiple injuries, including brain damage, was not an accident. The local police seem ambivalent, and their aunt produces a forgotten power of attorney signed by their father, Daniel, to take control of the family’s real estate holdings. The brother and sister team begin a power struggle and are physically threatened by unknown thugs, which results in Mickey’s girlfriend’s disappearance and Darcy Jean going into hiding. James, Mickey’s best friend, a disfigured former military black op operative, assists in the hunt to put a stop to the “takeover.”
Realistic Characters in a Fictional World: Action, Adventure, and Romance Await in ‘The Landlord’s Inheritance’ Series
Readers say that the characters are realistic in a fictional world. They all have strengths and weaknesses. Each story shows a situation that if we were put into, how would we deal with it? They all have action, adventure, and a bit of romance. Statistics show that 69% of my readers are women and look forward to the next adventure of the “Landlord.” Amazon.com: The Landlord’s Inheritance: 9781961416468: Gunnels, Terry Joe: Books The first four books, can be found at https://terryjoegunnelsbooks.com Some people have said my books give little life lessons. I admit I never intended that but am glad if my readers see it. My original intent was to provide good nail-biting action and entertainment. According to my readers, I have accomplished that goal.
From Bond Fan to Author: A Journey of Persistence and Passion
When I first told people I was going to write a book, they laughed. I had no training in writing. As a matter of record, in high school, I took a semester in creative writing. I wanted to learn how to write a book, not poetry and Japanese Haiku. It took fifty-five years, but I learned. I joined a book club when I was only twelve years old, because of the new James Bond movies. I wasn’t old enough to see them on the big screen, so I got the books through mail order. During the summer between school years, I read all the original Ian Fleming novels. I saw 007 in action in my mind. Like so many people, especially kids, in my fertile mind I was “James… James Bond!”
Even though I wanted to write, life took precedence. There was marriage, a family and various businesses. That was my priority. Through all of this, I had written only workbooks to be presented at investment seminars I taught.
From Surgery to Success: A Writer’s Journey of Learning and Persistence
Many times, I worked alone, and would listen to recorded books but didn’t like the ending. If I had written it, I would have taken a different storyline path. Finally, one day I had surgery on my shoulder, and couldn’t work, so to pass the time, I started writing. I wrote from early morning to late at night. When I didn’t know how to do something, I’d look it up. By reading articles on storylines, character development, and scene description, I learned. I educated myself on things that should and should not be included in a novel. I learned about the hook, and how to get readers involved in the storyline, and the all-important, “Chekov’s gun.” After six weeks of writing, I had what I felt was a good rough draft. I consulted with an editor friend I had known since college. She called me out on so many things and again, I learned. I did re-writes. She removed thousands of words from my manuscript, but I persisted in writing until we were satisfied.
From Submission to Success: Embracing Life’s Inspiration in Writing
Since I knew nothing about how to publish a book, I contacted publishers. Four of them accepted my submission. Within nine months, my first novel was in print, and I was working on the sequel. I was having the time of my life with my new characters. For the first time in my life, things were going as I planned. Life wasn’t always easy for my characters, and they might end up bloody and bruised, but they prevailed.
To specifically answer the question: What was my inspiration? Life. It doesn’t always go as we planned, but we keep on going. Even as we walk through the shadow of hell, we keep our goal in sight and never stop. It will all turn out, if only in our mind.
Striving for Success: A Novelist’s Vision of Quality and Achievement
The next question people ask is: What’s my goal in my literary adventure? That’s a simple answer. To be a successful author. When I was a kid in school, I was a daydreamer, dreaming of being a successful businessman. I achieved that goal.
Now, being a novelist, what’s my goal? I want to provide quality storyline books without the sex, and profanity. I want them stocked in bookstores all over the country and have several novels on the bestseller list. Being successful in other ventures, I’ll continue this trend in my newest endeavor.
Be sure to take a few minutes to check out all my books aside from “The Landlord’s Inheritance” on these websites:
Amazon, Barne’s & Noble, and my website. Just type in my full name, and I’ll pop up! They’re at a reduced price now for a short time, then they go back to regular price! Many thanks again to “Author’s Lounge” for letting me tell you about my books.
Terry Joe Gunnels
