VICKY'S KEY BY P M TERRELL

RESEARCH CAN LEAD TO SURPRISING RESULTS

By P M Terrell

Ever since my first suspense was published, I’ve been asked to write a series. I resisted the temptation because I didn’t want to become a formula writer. I’m sure you know the type: after the second or third book, you can predict exactly what’s going to happen and how the book will end.

But while I was perusing some CIA declassified documents, I stumbled upon something that would change my mind.

It turned out that during the Cold War, American intelligence discovered the Soviet Union had begun a psychic spy program. The intent was to train psychics to infiltrate America’s top level meetings, our nuclear facilities and weapons arsenals, even stealing blueprints of our latest technology—through the mind.

It could have been hocus pocus that would lead to nothing more than wasted money, but the American intelligence community asked for funding so they, too, could see whether psychic spying was possible. If it was, they did not want to learn about it twenty years down the road—and learn that the Soviets were that far ahead of us.

I found the concept intriguing. Studied from a writer’s perspective, it meant I could have endless plots. I could send the main character, Vicki Boyd, around the world on missions of international importance, into areas she never could have plausibly gone in physical form. I could continue to surprise my readers with interesting and varied stories.

But I didn’t want to stop there. I am an avid fan of television shows with ensemble casts. I love Vikings, Grimm, Justified and True Blood, to name a few. What makes them great? Varied plots that are interwoven through an entire cast of characters. You might hate some and love some but you end up week after week tuning in to see what they’re all up to.

So I paired my psychic spy with Dylan Maguire, a charming and handsome Irishman with a mysterious past. In the next book of the series, I introduced Vicki’s sister Brenda, a computer hacker who prefers to remain on the wrong side of the law, along with Christopher Sandige, a political strategist.

The result: with Vicki, I have psychological suspense. With Dylan, I have action and adventure. With Brenda, I have techno thrillers. And with Chris, I have political suspense. Blood and circumstance tie them all together for a series that I hope will always surprise and entertain you.

And that psychic spy program I stumbled upon? It’s still in use and funded today—fifty years later. It turned out there was something to it after all.

P M Terrell is giving away this lovely Celtic necklace to one lucky commenter during her tour. You can learn how to follow the tour at http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/04/nbtm-tour-vickis-key-by-pm-terrell.html  

Author P M Terrell

p.m.terrell is the pen name for Patricia McClelland Terrell. She is the author of more than 18 books in four genres: suspense, historical adventure/suspense, a how-to book for authors, and computer how-to books.

She gained international attention with THE CHINA CONSPIRACY and PBS has made five thirty-minute shows based on her books.

RIVER PASSAGE won the 2010 Best Book Award (Bengal Book Reviews) and  Vicki's Key placed as a finalist in both the 2012 International Book Awards and the 2012 USA Best Book Awards.

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