Everybody’s best writing advice was, “Never kill a dog in your story.” Then along came John Wick, and even that tried-and-true nugget was thrown out the window. To tremendous success, I might add. This reinforces (for the umptimillionth time) that William Goldman was right. “Nobody knows anything.”
Solid writing advice was passed on to me from a film producer:
“If it plays, it plays.”
Some things will work, and some things won’t. When it comes to fiction, often we don’t find out what works best until it’s tested in the marketplace. In The Night Man, truth be told, I killed off some dogs, but I hedged my bets. I saved a couple who became integral to the story.
But what’s the story?
In The Night Man, Easy Jack is a wounded veteran with a bum knee and a bad dad. When he returns home to Orion, Michigan, he plans to go back to training guard dogs. Unfortunately, he discovers the town has a long memory of his past deeds and his high school sweetheart is in deep trouble. Worse, dirty cops pull him into a billionaire’s bomb plot.
But how do you make the hard turn acceptable to animal lovers?
I love dogs. I get the aversion, but I did a few things in this thriller to make the conflict more palatable.
- It’s not gratuitous. I don’t care for gore, so the worst stuff happens out of the hero’s (and the reader’s) view.
- It makes sense for the plot. I didn’t throw it in there for shock value alone.
- This loss ups the stakes and steels the protagonist’s spine.
- There is revenge and redemption to be had following the hero’s loss.
- Two treasured dogs survive and are an ongoing presence through the thriller’s twists and turns.
So, you love dogs. I love dogs. Trust me, you’re in good hands when you decide to try The Night Man.
FIND OUT MORE AFTER THE JUMP:
Your universal Amazon link: https://books2read.com/u/3RMPDx
The bad guys have money, power, and a jet packed with explosives. To make his stand, our hero is armed with quick wit and a Smith and Wesson. Easy Jack also has a loyal German Shepherd named Sophie by his side. To combat the shady side of small-town America, this wounded Army Ranger will have to enter the darkness he hoped to leave behind.
From the author of the Hit Man Series comes a killer thriller. The Night Man won first prize in the genre category at the Hollywood Book Festival!
“You’re guaranteed a mighty fine read.” ~ Claude Bouchard, USA Today Bestselling author of the Vigilante Series.
Easy Jack isn’t a bad guy, but to survive, he will have to act like one.
Returning home after serving his country, Ernest “Easy” Jack hoped his family’s reputation had been forgotten. No such luck in Lake Orion. Small towns have long memories. Grudges run deep. Worse, his high school sweetheart is trapped in an abusive marriage. Family bonds, love, and loyalty will be tested when a sociopathic billionaire and a dirty cop conspire to use Easy in a deadly bomb plot.
Escape is unlikely. Easy’s odds are not even.
