My entire life, books have won a special place in my heart. I read ferociously and can’t put down a delightful book. I had a lifelong dream of writing my book, but I didn’t know where to start.

Someone said, ”Go to the library…”

I knew about the library as a book reader but not as a writer. I had this idea which kept me awake in the night, mentally figuring out a plot line and how to start writing. As days and months went by, the idea concretized in my thoughts, but fear kept me on a tight leash. I didn’t know if I could write a full-novel, let alone sustain the interest to finish writing it and get it published.

The idea kept brewing in my head. It clung to me, tending towards obsession, demanding to be acted upon. I cast aside my fears and took a pen to paper. I started weaving words like a thread to create a piece of work worthy of sharing with the world. I kept going, though I didn’t know where I was going.

I went to the library; I researched the idea; read books on various subjects. At home, I read the daily newspapers, magazine articles, and even comics. I read medical books and journals. The internet is an invaluable source of information, but I had to be careful to stick to reliable sites.

Research provided ample material to work with, more than I could fit into a single book. I felt the pressure of cutting it down and fitting it into a single book, but it became an impossible task. A lot of material would go to waste. So, the idea of the Traitors Trilogy was born. I turned the idea into three books.

I drew the characters partly from personal observations of people and partly from my imagination. I considered the positive and negative traits of each character; their likes and dislikes, as well as how they behaved when they’re not being observed. I created character arcs for each individual. A person I read about in the daily newspaper inspired one character in the story. There is nothing more charming than a character having both complex and contradictory traits at the same time.

Travel was a valuable asset in creating the story. The learning and exploring of rich cultural landscapes; rhythms, sounds, and sights offered a treasure of ideas and memories from which I drew from when writing. Things that interest, and inspire, found similarities and opportunities to be connected with actions in the writing process. While there are places I created out of my imagination, personally I have visited most of the cities and countries featured in the story.

The idea was to study and follow movements, trends, and phases in life-cycles. Everything that made sense was vital. I tried not to limit my perspective, but focused on what wasn’t said, like reading between the lines. I tweaked facts by asking myself, what if and why not?

Many events in the Traitors Trilogy books had happened somewhere in the world. I wanted to create a story of fiction, from facts to educate the unknowing, depicting the turbulent world we live in.

As a corporate executive, the corporate world is my stepping stone to crafting dialogue that flows naturally. The never-ending story of the conflict between resources and humankind is ever so present in my work. Over the years, I have worked in various companies: Public Health Insurance, The Military, The Stock Exchange, and an Oil Refinery Company. The experience I gained in my field of work added a touch of reality to the story.

I came up with a writing schedule and promised myself I would never read another book until and when I finished writing the trilogy. It was about focus and commitment.

Something moved within me, as if I had just found my first love. I gained confidence, and five years later I finished writing the trilogy books and had them published.

There is nothing more satisfying than sharing your story with the world.

In love and light!