An Introduction to The Puppy Bomb

09Feb09

Texas Ranger Jonah LeClaire is investigating the exceptionally vicious deaths of several state highway troopers near Dallas. He ventures into a world of enduring boyhood friendships, religious beliefs that defy rationality, and prejudices that simmer just beneath a surface façade of normality.

I did not write from an outline because I did not want Jonah to know what would happen next. I wanted him to be surprised and to have to try to figure out how the very diverse pieces of information fit together. I was just as surprised as the characters with the various twists and turns. Almost every chapter ends with Jonah sending his notes for a particular day to his boss and to his secretary. The notes, which are presented as bullet points, provide a nice review of a chapter and help advance the story logically to the next chapter. With one exception, each chapter represents one day in the investigation.

The book has a very definite ending and what happens next to each of the main characters is detailed. On the back cover of the book is a web address for a site that contains more information related to the story. Based on the content often added to a movie DVD, the site presents scenes deleted from the final manuscript. Some of these are plot spoilers so do not go to the site before you read the book!

I hope you enjoy The Puppy Bomb. The characters were too good to let go of, so I am presently writing a sequel. It will also feature Jonah, his boss, his family, and Patti (a character you will either love or hate).