Inside the Mind - Richard R. Becker

I've always been a storyteller of sorts. When I was young, all of my toy soldiers and stuffed animals had backstories. Most often, however, I told these stories with pictures because I wanted to be an artist. While I was studying art and psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno, an advisor suggested I enroll in the Reynolds School of Journalism because they had a program with an emphasis in advertising. Instead of graphic design, the program focused on writing articles and advertising copy for print ads, television commercials, etc. Since graduating, I've been a commercial writer for over 35 years. Five years or so ago, I finally found a way to prioritize writing fiction like I would any other deadline I had on my desk. I set out to write 50 short stories in 50 weeks. The project became my debut book, "50 States," which won four literary awards and became a literary short story best seller.

My latest novel, "Born on Monday," will be released this Oct. 21. It's a gripping tale of resilience, moral ambiguity, and small-town sins — a literary thriller where three lives collide in a desperate fight for survival while truth becomes a casualty and redemption carries a cost. The story follows Billy Stevens, a quarry worker haunted by loss, is drawn into a web of betrayal when a brutal crime pins him as a suspect; Jessica Michaud, who returns to care for her ailing mother, only to find herself hunted by a vengeful ex whose chilling threats awaken old wounds; and journalist Andrea Kearney digs into a local dynasty’s corruption as the storm’s fury mirrors the rising tide of violence. The three of them must come to terms with past and present threats while a historic nor’easter descends on Augusta, Maine.

To me, characters develop in relation to the plot. For example, my psychological thriller, "Born on Monday," originally began as a short story called Time Capsule, which was published in my short story collection, "50 States." The initial story was about two 20-something adults who dated in high school but broke up after one decided to attend college and the other stayed home to pursue the trades. I wanted to write about how one life remained an extension of high school, while the other became a more worldly individual, very different from her small-town roots. As Time Capsule evolved into "Born on Monday," it became clear that another supporting character, Andrea, required a more prominent presence in the book. As the story developed, she earned her own chapters and became a principal character, along with the other two.

Since I also work as a commercial writer, I developed an approach whereby I dedicate Mondays to writing fiction. I generally dedicate a large part of the short story or chapter I'm working on during this day, and then work on it throughout the week after my commercial deadlines are met. I developed this approach by writing one short story a week for 50 weeks to finish "50 States," and then again for my debut novel, "Third Wheel." Instead, I wrote one chapter a week for 25 weeks until it was complete. "Born on Monday" started in a much similar way, except the first 10 chapters took a little longer, and the remaining 23 chapters tumbled out in a single month.

Aside from seeing my work in print, I absolutely love meeting readers on the road at book signings. I've been very fortunate to have been on three national book tours, which have really put me in touch with readers from all over the country. I really love the experience. Some of my fondest memories will forever be the first reader who brought a copy of book she had already purchased and read for me to sign, two younger readers who were so excited to meet an author that they send their dad back to the book store to buy one of my other books, and another time when someone came into the bookstore specifically because a friend recommended my work. These are priceless experiences for an author because they reveal how deeply the work truly resonates with people.

The biggest challenge I've faced on my writing journey happened just weeks ago. I was all set to embark on my fourth cross-country book signing tour, but unfortunately, I suffered a terrible accident. I broke my femur and have been working toward recovery ever since. Still, I was very blessed in that I was able to salvage some of the book signings. We did a virtual signing for the Barnes & Noble in Pueblo, Colorado. I sent them signed bookplates and bookmarks and then hosted live events on Facebook and TikTok. I was able to reschedule a signing with Barnes & Noble in Flagstaff. And, last but not least, I worked out details for my friends at Wordsmith Bookshoppe in Galesburg, Illinois, to host a special pre-order promotion of my upcoming novel, "Born on Monday." The other two stores have also invited me to reschedule with them at any time I'm able to recreate the original tour.

Ironically, I'm old-school. I mostly write using Pages on Mac. And although I prefer to write at my desk on a desktop, I have learned more ways than one to be creative. Most recently, since I can only sit at my desk for a limited time with a broken femur, I use a lap easel, iPad, and Bluetooth keyboard as a means to write in bed while icing my leg.

The advice I give to most aspiring authors is to make their project a priority. After all, if an aspiring writer cannot make their story a priority to write, then why would they expect anybody to make reading it a priority? As a more practical suggestion, I also advise that they set aside dedicated time every week to work on their project, and then always establish a deadline to complete a certain amount of work. For me, one short story or one chapter a week served me well. However, others may find that one short story or chapter every two weeks or a month is good enough.

Book marketing is unquestionably unique compared to other products and services. It generally requires marketing the book on both a macro scale (ads, interviews, etc.) and a micro scale (grassroots efforts) simultaneously. So, I'm always looking for new ways to do both, often in tandem. The other thing I have learned along the way is that, unless it is a series, all books and novels require their own approach. What works well for one may not work as well for another, because each book might have a unique look, hook, and audience. While it can be challenging, this is what makes it so exciting to be hands-on in writing and then promoting my work.

While most of my effort is dedicated to releasing "Born on Monday" on October 21, especially since I lost a few weeks after the accident, I am always busy working on my next WIP. It is shaping up to be a sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat speculative techno-thriller. In addition, I've been submitting short stories to various literary magazines from time to time. It's a win-win for me because either the literary magazine accepts them or I have more stories to share with readers who subscribe to my newsletter as exclusive content. I love it.