July 2018
Hello from New York City!
I’ve got some pictures to share with you, but first let me give you a quick update on my trip to NYC this week. On Monday I arrived and the first thing I did was head downtown to revisit the places I wrote about in my 3rd Blake Jordan adventure, In Plain Sight.
I walked by the secret government spy building at 33 Thomas (yes, it’s real). Saw cameras watching my every move. A couple of guys stepped outside and watched me. I could imagine a character like Morgan Lennox, the computer genius in my books, tracking me as I passed. It was a little creepy, but interesting watching New Yorkers pass by totally unaware of what’s really going on inside the building with no windows.
But I know. And if you read the book, you do, too.
Then I went down to Dona Bella to have a slice of pizza. This is where Blake and Jami got something to eat at the end of the novel. The guys were super cool and the pizza was amazing as usual. After that, I walked by Federal Plaza, where the Bureau has their New York field office, and where the last scene in the novel takes place.
So that was Monday. On Tuesday, I was in an all-day writing workshop called Master CraftFest where I got to critique other writers’ work and they critiqued mine. Good news: I learned A LOT to improve my writing. Bad news: I need to start at the beginning of my second draft for Blake Jordan #5. We’ll see how it goes, but I’ll probably have to tell my editor to give me another month. That was really the whole point of the trip, to become a better writer. So a minor delay, but it’ll give you a better story to read and it’ll help me sleep at night knowing I gave you my very best.
Wednesday and Thursday was CraftFest. I learned about story structure, creating better villains, and other topics. Yesterday kicked off ThrillerFest. I met R. L. Stine (Goosebumps), George R. R. Martin (Game of Thrones) and Lee Child.
I SAID LEE CHILD, PEOPLE!
We talked about my thrillers and he took my card. So who knows, the guy who writes Jack Reacher might read one of Blake Jordan’s adventures. A guy can dream!
Thursday ended with me pitching the Blake Jordan series to countless agents and acquisition editors from the top New York agencies and publishing houses. I got six No Thanks, but the last person I pitched to liked the idea and asked me to send Blake Jordan #1 (The Senator) to read. I’m not sure if it’ll go anywhere, but it goes to show that you should never give up and never stop believing in yourself. And if it doesn’t work out, I’ll stay self-published because I want to keep writing more Jordan stories.
Today, ThrillerFest continues. I need to get ready and head downstairs so I can learn about outlining, creating compelling twists, and hear James Rollins interviewed by Steve Berry. Then I’m headed back home to Orlando at noon. I can’t wait to see my family and be back in my office. This was a fun trip, but overwhelming for an introvert.
Here are a few pictures from this week. I’ll keep you updated on Blake Jordan #5. -Ken
