In my new techno-thriller, Flash Point, some of the voyagers “ascend” to a realm beyond physical confines. When they return, they’re possessed by a reptilian-like beast. My purpose in introducing this inhuman element of evil was straightforward. I wanted to rock the readers’ world. The issue was how to introduce an element of danger within…
Posts Tagged: Q&A
How a Political Hot Button Can Electrify Readers in the Opening Pages of Your Novel
Recreational marijuana is a “smoking” hot topic these days, particularly in Colorado and Washington, which were the first two states to legalize its recreational use. When I first read about the total chaos surrounding the “legal pot” issue, I thought, hmmmmm… I was looking for a hot topic, something that would electrify readers in the…
How to Write Multiple Points-of-View in a Novel
Readers often ask how I develop multiple points-of-view in a story. In this blog post, I’ll use Flash Point as an example, since it includes three parallel storylines (Lena’s, Brett’s, and Reese’s), which eventually intersect. The real challenge for new writers in having a dueling point-of view (POV) is establishing clear and distinctively different characters….
To achieve the impossible, we must first change our perspective
In Trial Run and Flash Point, two of the characters, Trent and Lena, “hear” their future selves giving them instructions. They are the only characters who have this ability without using technology. Let me explain why. When I started work on the Fault Lines techno-thriller series, one of the issues that dominated my thinking was…
Q&A With Thomas Locke: What is Near-Time Sci-Fi?
Q: You refer to Trial Run as “near-time sci-fi.” What does that term mean? Thomas Locke: Near-time sci-fi is a story that takes place in today’s world, but one where reality is drawn around the unseen corner. A perfect example is Jurassic Park, where dinosaur DNA is extracted from amber, inserted into frog embryos, and…
Q&A With Thomas Locke: Do you alter details of real places to suit the story?
Q: Several settings in Trial Run (Santa Barbara, CA, the Italian/Swiss border site) depict real places. How do you select these real-life settings for your stories, and do you alter details of these places to suit your stories? Thomas Locke: When John Grisham published The Client, a number of readers wrote in to say that he…
Q&A with Thomas Locke: How do you use the ‘Tapestry’ writing strategy in ‘Trial Run’?
Q: In Trial Run, you introduce several seemingly unrelated threads at the beginning of the story. By the end of the story, those threads have become woven together in an intricate tapestry. Please explain your thought process behind this writing strategy, and also, how you envision your reader as part of this tapestry. Thomas Locke: One…
Q&A with Thomas Locke: Who is the ideal reader of ‘Trial Run’?
Thomas Locke: I suspect there are a lot of readers out there like me, who love mainstream fiction in principle, but are dismayed by how dark it is becoming. I love to read. I am happiest with a good book in my hands. And most of my purchases are mainstream fiction. Too often, however, I find…
Q&A With Thomas Locke: Who Are Your Favorite Fantasy Authors?
Welcome to Tlocke.com! I’m so excited about the development of the Thomas Locke brand, which I’ll use to promote my epic fantasy and techno-thriller stories. For over a year now, a tremendous amount of behind-the-scenes planning has been coordinated by my publisher, Revell. They’re partnering with public relations firm Edify Media, and with Blogging Bistro,…
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