Today’s post was supposed be the first Fact or Fiction article of 2023, however, I experienced an unusual act of kindness I just had to share. Can You Imagine?
What most writers dread
The 90th Birthday Celebration!
Marketing is the bane of most writers’ existence, and I’m no exception. My trip to South Florida was a combination of business and my dad’s 90th birthday celebration. While there, I decided to take photos of Search Beyond Lies with natural backgrounds to use in marketing. I found what I believed to be an ideal location on the bridge that crosses the inlet.
the bridge
Since currents are extremely rough, it opens
on demand and there is always a bridge operator. I selected a great spot and
started taking photos and videos. I didn’t think about the dynamics of how I
needed to move to capture these photos and the thought of what I may have
looked like never occurred to me until…
the bridge operator
The bridge operator came rushing out of his shelter to make sure I was alright — carrying a beautiful rose. Can you imagine what he must have thought?
When I explained what I was doing, a grin spread across his face. He handed me the rose and wished me blessings on my day. I can only imagine why he had this picture-perfect rose in the first place…
What an incredible act of kindness!! He definitely made my day as I took the remainder of my photos with the rose.
My walk
My 3-mile walk turned into 6.5 miles. With a smile on my face, I took photos of my book and special rose in a multitude of scenic places:
Along the inlet…
On the beach next to the inlet…
In the park, and …
My day was truly blessed!
A writer friend of mine started sharing quotes as a ministry during COVID and one of her primary topics is kindness. What are the most unusual acts of kindness you have experienced? Any ideas to share? We’d love to hear about them!
The first Fact or Fiction article of 2023 will reveal what was fact and what was fiction about the paintings found in Search Beyond Lies. Stay tuned!
What about that New Year’s resolution? Did you make yours? If you did, how long is your list? My New Year’s resolutions started in middle school and continued for more years than I’d like to count. They included what most people placed on their list, although they varied based on the time of my life:
avoiding sweets,
exercising,
losing weight (especially after having babies),
meeting new people (I was very shy — notice the past tense), and
providing additional community service hours…. .
Although my resolutions were made with good intentions and were always meritorious, there was an undeniable common thread — I inevitably broke them. The question was how long did I maintain before I failed?
new year’s resolutions: overcoming failure
With failure came disappointment, frustration, and a sense of loss. My motivation went out the window, after all, I already failed. I stopped making New Year’s resolutions a number of years ago, however, I never threw the baby out with the bath water. My thinking, focus, and approach changed.
new year’s goals
I no longer make New Year’s resolutions, I make New Year’s goals. According to the dictionary, a goal is “the result or achievement toward which effort is directed; aim; end.” I create goals and strive to achieve them.
It’s okay to get off track, I can always get myself back on without a sense of failure. It’s a healthier, positive outlook that keeps me on track.
My article, On the Road to Healthy Living: Foolproof Your Plan! provides the road map to successfully meet your New Year’s goals. Encouraged by the success of Search Beyond Lies, the first book in the Search & Recovery International (SRI) series, my professional goals for 2023 include:
releasing the audio version of Search Beyond Lies;
continuing to grow my law practice;
continuing the Fact or Fiction Series for Search Beyond Lies as well as other Fact or Fiction articles for guest authors;
releasing the second in the SRI series, After the Verdict;
working toward getting the third in the SRI series, Pattern of Deception, ready for my editors; and
doing the research for the 4th in the SRI series which takes place in Hawaii.
My other goals include remaining physically fit, increasing my physical performance, staying within the low range of my ideal body weight in anticipation of the planning and celebration that goes into the next goal — my son’s wedding!
There is no doubt that 2023 will be a big year! Accordingly, I plan to post at least twice monthly, more with guest authors.
Wishing you all a very happy, healthy, and productive 2023! God bless!
In The Clues Part 1 of the last Fact or Fiction article for Search Beyond Lies, we learned that the existence of the glasses Charlie discovered was fact. The way they were discovered was fiction. The story behind the glasses still makes my head spin….
The History Behind the Glasses
Brian was an avid hiker with a goal of hiking all the 14ers. Par for the course, his sunglasses took a beating. J.C. was also hard on sunglasses so as a tit for tat type of joke, they gave each other their favorite sunglasses for their birthdays. At the time, J.C. liked a certain style of Ray-Ban® sunglasses.
Brian & J.C. hiking wearing the infamous sunglasses.
The sunglasses
The day before J.C.’s birthday, 8 months after Brian’s last hike, a small package was delivered to our home for J.C. By this time, J.C. had started a new job back east, so he asked me to open it. They were Ray-Ban® sunglasses. He asked who the sender was and where it originated from. Logical questions.
Estonia
The answers, however, did not make sense. They were sent from Estonia and the sender was his father, my husband. Clearly, he did not send them. Not only had my husband never been to Estonia, but even if he had, he would have sent a gift to his son’s new residence.
Hmmm. I took a picture of the sunglasses and texted it to J.C. They were his favorite style….
The investigation
I called Ray-Ban® and was advised that they could be counterfeits. They did not distribute from Estonia, and they were made only in Italy or China. I checked the packaging and tag. These were made in Italy, or so the tag said. The next step was to take it to an authorized distributor who had the capabilities to inspect and determine whether they were genuine Ray-Ban® sunglasses.
Italy City Scape
I did and they were genuine Ray-Ban® sunglasses. Hmmm.
friends and family
J.C. called every one of his family and friends who may have given him those sunglasses for his birthday. He struck out. No one he knew sent him those glasses.
conclusion
Who sent those sunglasses? Maybe it’s only my novelist’s
imagination, but I’m not 100% sure Brian is no longer with us….
In our last Search Beyond Lies Fact or Fiction article on the university, we discovered that the university within the book is fiction. Colorado State University’s Radiation Health Physics program is the real deal where Brian Perri and J.C. Fischer obtained their graduate degrees. But what about the top-secret research project at the heart of the novel? Did Brian in fact work on such a project?
Colorado State University – Science Quad
Search Beyond Lies’ Top-Secret Research Project
The top-secret research project with world-wide implications at the heart of Search Beyond Lies is pure fiction—a figment of my active imagination. Although Brian and other graduate students had the opportunity to work with several world-renowned Health Physicists, none of the projects rose to the level described in the book.
The Real Research Project
Both Brian and J.C. had very interesting research projects, but neither were top-secret.
Fukushima
Brian took advantage of one of the many graduate student opportunities mentioned in the last article regarding the university. Through CSU’s partnership with Fukushima University in Japan, “Brian used Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) modeling to determine lens dose conversion factors for mice living in the Fukushima exclusion zone in various exposure scenarios.” (In Memoriam Brian Joseph Perri, by Amber Harshman, Health Physics Journal, May 2019). It is my understanding that the data from Brian’s research could be used to counteract the harmful effects of the sun’s radiation.
Safety
J.C.’s project was part of a Department of Defense grant. The mathematical formula described within the book is fact. “The purpose of his research was to further improve and advance detection capabilities of shielded and unshielded radioactive sources in elevated background environments using a string or series of measurements.” In other words, his research was used improve the detection of radioactive materials/nuclear “bombs” that are “shielded” in lead or other such shielding in defense of our country.
PhD or Masters?
Both Brian’s and J.C.’s research projects were for a master’s thesis, not a PhD. So, the existence of J.C.’s defense was fact, the level was fiction. The purpose of elevating the projects to that of a PhD was two-fold:
A top-secret project with worldwide implications would only be done at the PhD level; and
The hero, James, would not be old enough for Charlie if he went straight through from undergraduate unless it was for a PhD.
My son-in-law, Rob, is finishing up his PhD in Intergraded Biomedical Sciences in the discipline of Neuroscience. I received the low-down from him and witnessed a PhD defense at CSU for the Radiation Health Physics Program. The protocol as outlined in the book is fact.
Brian Perri’s Graduation with Dr. Thomas Johnson, Dr. Amber Harshman, & J.C. Fischer
Both J.C. and Brian earned their master’s degrees, however Brian’s was posthumously. At the time Brian made his last climb, he had the initial draft of his thesis completed. His professor finalized it and published it in his name posthumously.
What would you like me to reveal in the next Fact or Fiction article for Search Beyond Lies?
In the first Fact or Fiction article, I introduced a new series to reveal how authors use real life characters, places, and events to write fiction. The series was targeted to what was fact and what was fiction in Search Beyond Lies, a romantic suspense thriller inspired by true events.
Search Beyond Lies — Fact or Fiction
I’ve had so much interest from my readers, that I’ve invited some favorite authors to share the inspiration behind their novels and reveal the facts behind their fiction. My plan is to publish the Search Beyond Lies Fact or Fiction series every other week and share guest articles on the alternate weeks. Some weeks 2 articles will be released.
Our first guest is Jane M. Choate, author of 41 romantic suspense novels, the latest being Rocky Mountain Vendetta – a definite must read that spent 2 weeks on the Publishers Weekly Bestseller List.
This article is the introduction, the first in a three-part series by Jane that will look at how the pandemic affected the creative writing process in developing the story, characters, and “Aha” moment.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PANDEMIC
BY JANE M. CHOATE
On the Other Side of the Pandemic
We are now on the other side of the pandemic (at least until a new one or another life-altering thing hits). What do we do now? If you’re like me, you’ve faltered, may have doubted yourself, even questioned whether you could or should continue writing at all. We get it. We’re all feeling our way to a new kind of living, a new kind of dressing (how many of us have pretty much lived in pajama pants over the last couple of years?), and, for the writers among us, a new kind of writing.
How do we find our way back to our writing or forging a new
path in that writing? This may be changing genres or it may be developing a new
schedule or changing how we look at the world.
It may be letting go of something that fit the you that you were and
finding something different that fits the you that you are now.
In the last two-plus years, I’ve been practicing new life
skills, adding some things, subtracting others.
How are any of these things helping with my writing? Truthfully, I don’t know how much they are
helping, but I can see and feel a difference in myself. They are helping me keep myself in balance. And that’s important. For my writing. For my life.
In the next article, I’ll discuss what I’ve added.
Jane M. Choate dreamed of writing since she was a little girl and entertained her friends with made-up stories about them. She postponed her dream of writing to get married and have children. On one particularly hard day when it seemed all she had done was to clean toilets (she had two small boys at the time), she wrote a short story and sent it in to a magazine on a whim. To her surprise and delight, it was accepted.
Jane now writes for Love Inspired Suspense where she combines romance, danger, and faith. Jane is the mother of five children, grandmother to ten grandchildren, and great-grandmother to one adorable baby girl. When she is not writing, she can be found trying to keep up with her grandchildren. (The operative word there is “trying.”)
In Search Beyond Lies, a key place is the university. Both James and Brett were graduate students at the university and obtained PhDs in Health Physics. Is the university a real place?
The University
Although the university within the book is fictitious, both Brian Perri and J.C. were graduate students in Colorado State University’s Health Physics program. Because my intention was to create a fictitious university, I intentionally did no research on CSU at the time of my writing Search Beyond Lies.
The Real University – Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is located in Fort Collins, Colorado. Its Health Physics program was created over 40 years ago and was fully accredited by ABET in July 2007 and continually reaccredited in subsequent years. CSU is recognized as one of the premier health physics/radiation protection graduate training programs in the country.
ABET and the Accreditation Process
In case you are wondering what ABET is, it’s a nonprofit, ISO 9001 certified organization that accredits university and college programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.
Every year the entire
Health Physics program is critically examined by an advisory board, and in
depth every 6 years by the ABET external review team.
CSU’s External Advisory
Board contains representatives from nuclear power facilities, consulting
experts, mining and milling operations, and national laboratories.
What is Health Physics?
I reached out to one of the key faculty members who provided me with the best definition of health physics: “Protection of workers, the public and the environment from harmful effects of radiation while facilitating beneficial use of radiation.”
You might wonder why someone who works in the field of radiation is called a Health Physicist. Why not a Radiation Physicist? I touched a little bit about this within the book.
The professor provided me with further insight. “The health physics profession was named in an effort to obfuscate what we do. It was named in WWII to try to deflect the actual work that was done.”
Unique Offerings in CSU’s Health Physics Program
Unlike other programs, CSU’s health physics program offers classes in Radioecology and Radiochemistry. Both of these areas are important for evaluating reactor chemistry and making human health and environmental impact assessments for all segments of the nuclear fuel cycle. Additionally, these areas are very important in evaluating and periodically revising the environmental regulations for nuclear power and other nuclear activities, especially nuclear accidents.
There are many opportunities for their graduate
students, including the ability to work in radiation research through CSU’s
partnership with Japan’s Fukushima University.
Job Opportunities
Where do graduates of CSU’s Health Physics program work? Since there are very few graduate programs in this highly specialized field, opportunities abound. Graduates are working in nuclear power plants, at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Monaco and Austria, most of the national laboratories, and hospitals. Many alumni hold leadership positions in the Health Physics Society, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, and nuclear power plants.
Nuclear Power Plant
It’s an incredible program with global opportunities. In the next article we’ll delve into the truth behind the top-secret research project with world-wide implications at the heart of Search Beyond Lies. Is it fact or fiction?
One of the key characters in Search Beyond Lies is a schnauzer mutt name Brady. Is Brady a real dog? Is his story fact or fiction?
brady the dog
Brady is a real dog. He is our incredibly smart, well-trained family dog.
He rings a bell when he has to go out.
With Rob and J.C. he does all kinds of tricks, walks off leash at their heels, will not bark at their command or even chase rabbits.
Notice how the above did not include me. He is smart enough to know I’m a pushover and he can get away with … .
Although he is not a trained service dog or search and rescue working dog, he could easily be trained for both.
Brady knew his mask and neck ring protected him from the ash during the worst of the Colorado fires.
The Story behind how brady was “found”
Search Beyond Lies tells a story of how Brady was
found and slept in a suitcase as a result. Is this story fact or fiction?
The story of how Brady was found is a true story with a major fictional twist. In the book, the animal that was found by Brett was Brady. The real story is that a kitten was found in the exact same manner by J.C. So, the story itself was true but fictionalized with different characters.
Brady belonged to my daughter, Victoria, and her husband Rob who is responsible for training him. After graduating from medical school, Rob had to move Victoria from Washington, D.C. to San Antonio, TX for her neurosurgery residence program (one year later he was able to transfer to the University of Texas for his doctoral program).
Brady looking back in Rocky Mountain National Park
We were to only watch Brady for 2 weeks for the move, however, since both of their programs were extremely time intensive where Brady would be alone most of the day, we offered to keep him for the duration of their programs. Needless to say, we got attached to him and they gifted Brady to us (one of the best gifts we have ever received).
the suitcase
Brady does in fact sleep in a suitcase but for a different reason. When Brady first came to live with us my husband, Joe, did a lot of travel for his work. Brady wasn’t happy when he left and clearly thought Joe would take him along if he slept in his carry-on suitcase. My husband’s carry-on became Brady’s bed, and we bought another one for Joe.
Brady–The Name
The story behind Brady’s name is true. Brady was very tiny when Victoria and Rob first got him. My daughter wanted a small dog and Rob wanted a big dog, but they were living in an apartment and small it was. Their compromise was a small dog with a big name — Rob named him after his favorite quarterback, Tom Brady.
I’ve been asked if Brady will appear in future books. I’m working on Book 2, Pattern of Deception, which takes place in Alaska. He just may… .
The setting for Search Beyond Lies moves into Idaho as the adventure continues. Although Idaho National Lab is not the setting for the story, it has a key role in the backstory. Idaho National Lab is a real place, formally known as Idaho National Laboratory (“INL”).
A Little History
The Idaho National Laboratory was previously known as the National Reactor Testing Station.
It was intentionally located in a remote area of the Idaho desert which would limit public exposure to any radiation in the event of an incident with the nuclear power reactor. The historic incident was SL-1 in Idaho in 1961, one of 4 historic incidents.
According to INL, Just the Facts SL-1 , “The Stationary Low-Power Plant Number 1 (SL-1) was a 3-megawatt experimental reactor designed for the U.S. Army to use in remote locations.”
The SL-1 accident resulted in 3 deaths and is “considered the only fatal nuclear reactor accident in the United States…caused by the process of making nuclear energy.” This does not take into consideration “industrial fatalities at other generating stations.”
Today
The U.S. Department of Energy complex has 17 national labs, one of which is INL. There are more that 5,700 employees including researchers and various support staff. Innovation is their focus in nuclear research, security solutions, and renewable energy systems. They are always looking to attract scientists and others in an effort to “redefine what’s possible.”
The Grand Tetons Across the Sagebrush Flats
Search Beyond Lies
What is revealed in Search Beyond Lies regarding INL and some of their recruitment efforts are fact. However, the story is fiction.
With respect to targeted radioactive waste from the Rocky Mountain Flats, from 1954 to 1970 it was packaged in boxes and storage drums and then sent to the high-desert, sagebrush prairie land of eastern Idaho where it was buried in trenches and unlined pits. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, they completed the removal of this waste from the 97-acre landfill at its 890-square-mile site that includes INL. For more on these more fairly recent developments, there’s a good article in the Denver Post.
One of the important characters is a schnauzer mutt name Brady. Is Brady a real dog? Is he fact or fiction?
Mount Beacon is the primary setting for the first part of Search Beyond Lies. Is it a real place? Although I have been known to use the real name of a real place in my writing, it’s not my norm.
Mount Beacon – The Name
My first book was a nonfiction book titled, A Beacon for Life. The name “beacon” was chosen for sentimental reasons. A Beacon for Life
is an inspirational written to help people through difficult times. For
me, it was cathartic since it helped me work through my difficult
journey while pregnant with my second child, Mary Kathryn, who was
trisomy 13.
The Place—Is It Real?
The place is real. It is Mount Meeker, one of the most dangerous mountains in Rocky Mountain National Park. The information presented in the book regarding the mountain is based on my research of Mount Meeker and discussions with a number of the volunteers.
Mount Meeker
The selfie taken on the summit of Mount Meeker is fact. When Brian Perri summited Mount Meeker on June 30, 2018, he took a selfie and sent it to a friend.
Nick Sangetta hiked Mount Meeker as a dedication to Brian, J.C., and the other volunteers. You can find his dedication on YouTube and get a first-hand feel for the danger presented on this treacherous mountain.
Mount Meeker Left / Longs Peak Right
My brother has hiked mountains all over the world and I asked him to view Nick’s video so he could provide me with insight into Charlie’s search for Brett and check my story for accuracy. I want my research and story to be correct always. He told me that Mount Meeker is very dangerous to hike, especially alone.
The descriptions presented, including the lone columbine in an area that seemed hopeless to support life are real. This photo was taken by Kimo during their search.
I had provided an advanced reader copy to a few of the volunteers who felt they were reliving their journey.
I am so happy to have Candee Fick as my guest today on Thyme for Writers! Candee Fick is a multi-published author in both fiction and non-fiction. She is also the wife of a high school football coach and the mother of three children, including a daughter with a rare genetic syndrome. When not busy with her day job or writing, she can be found cheering on the home team at sporting events, exploring the great Colorado outdoors, indulging in dark chocolate, and savoring happily-ever-after endings through a good book.
So Little Time to Conquer This Mountain
by Candee Fick
Most writers fall into the “I wish I had more time to write” camp while those lucky few who seem to have plenty of writing time are still members of the “My To-Do list never ends” club. The pursuit of publication or a writing career can seem as daunting and exhausting as scaling Everest, but every year thousands put their fingers on a keyboard…only to discover—or rather remember—that everyone has the same limited amount of time in which to get it all done.
And by all, I mean life. Take me for example. As a wife and mother, my days get filled with cleaning, cooking, laundry, homework, carpools, and sports. Relationships with family and friends require regular interactions and if I’m not taking care of myself with enough rest, exercise, and mental growth, I can fall apart quickly. Add in a day job and my calendar is stuffed to overflowing.
Except I’m also a writer with a coaching business. I dream up adventures and arrange words on a page in order to bring characters and settings to life. Once those polished stories are in the capable hands of my publisher, I do it all again. It might be easy to squeeze in an hour or two per day before the kids get up or in lieu of television in the evenings, but crafting stories is only one side of this mountain.
So Little Time to Conquer This Mountain
The other side of writing’s Everest is marketing. It’s the side that beginning writers don’t see in the excitement of starting a book, but soon the rumors swirl as old-timers drop words like social media, platform, website, tax deductions, book launches, and blog tours. The faint of heart stick their fingers in their ears, yell “Lalalalala,” and revise their first chapters again or jump from idea to idea, never finishing anything. Those who are serious about writing perk up and listen for tips about how to navigate the trail ahead.
The Author Toolbox
There are two main reasons that I wrote The Author Toolbox. First was to share what I’ve learned the hard way so newer authors can work smarter as they build their books, platforms, businesses, and careers. But mostly, I wrote it all down in order to give writers hope. It’s a long climb, but there is a way to get there and you are not alone in the journey.
If you know what the next steps of your personal journey involve, then you can deliberately and strategically focus your limited time on the activities that will move you closer to your goals. Your writing goal this week might be hitting a first draft word count or editing another chapter. You might even block out an hour to pre-schedule the week’s social media posts or organize office paperwork.
We have so little time available to conquer the mountains in our lives, but my hope is that you find your next steps…then take them. Because the view from the top is worth every moment of work.
You may reach Candee or obtain her works at the following links:
The Author Toolbox is filled with over 100 practical tools to help today’s author build a book, a platform, a business, and a career. Why? So we can get it all done while freeing up both time and mental energy to do the one thing we really desire…write.
