An Authentic Coming Of Age Story
Spiral follows a teenage boy grieving his mother’s death who has his entire life uprooted twice and heads for a life of self-destruction. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Though Spiral is certainly a work of fiction, I must admit that there are some biographical events woven in. I think most writers can be at their best when they are writing from experiences that they have had, or had witnessed personally. I also enjoy tossing in a bit of history to season the place and the time, as a way to add more flavor into the body of the story. The inspiration began after emptying out a box I had found in the attic. It had stacks of old punk vinyl records in it. In the process, a floodgate of emotions and memories began to stir, or perhaps it was a hornet’s nest that had burst open, either way, I go into greater detail of that moment on my website at jmfisherauthor.com.
Is there anything about Michael that came from yourself or your life experiences?
Yes, for sure. I think that happens a lot when writing an authentic Coming of Age story. Michael and I do have a lot in common. We both are from California and love to surf. We went to Catholic high schools and we were both uprooted to Utah and attended Weber State. And, we both like classic punk music. That is about it. Michael started writing his own story from page one and I just sat back and held the pen. I had wonderful parents; he had a nightmare.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Certainly, the lumps, bumps, and hiccups of adolescence, discovering what love is, perhaps could be, and what it’s probably not, the insane pressure of religion on young people and the existential leftovers that can linger on for the rest of their lives. Friendships, betrayals, and the pursuit of trying to be cool. These were all the necessary ingredients for a perfect storm called “Spiral.”
Can you tell us a little about where the story goes in book two and when the novel will be available?
Thank you so much for asking that! Spiral does leave you hanging. However, readers will find an invitation to my website at the end of the book. When you come to visit and hit subscribe, I will send you the new cover art for Flux and a free copy of Chapter I, “Dead Man’s Curve.” This will also allow me to keep in touch, send release dates along with a special preorder price for Spiral/Flux subscribers.
Book II, “Flux” starts right up where Spiral left off. An event happens at the end of Spiral and it carries over into book II. Dead Man’s Curve begins again with our hero rising from the ashes only to find himself in a state of, you guessed it, Flux. Who is Tony and Sarge really? What is going on with Dave? Will our hero ever find “The One”? There has been a murder, somebody is going to jail, the cops are swarming, there are cartels moving in the distance, and somehow the boys find themselves in Costa Rica in the middle of the Contra War. Find out how, and the choices that got them deep into the jungles of Flux. This action-packed book is planned to be released before Christmas 2023.
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Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/03/18/an-authentic-coming-of-age-story/
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