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L.J. Sellers: A Character Takes Over and Paying It Forward with a Giveaway

L.J. Sellers, author of provocative mysteries and thrillers, kicks off the beginning of 2014 for us. Welcome back to the Blood-Red Pencil, L.J.


When I sat down with my contact at the FBI to talk about a story in progress, I was expecting just a broad overview of how an eco-terrorist case would be handled. I soon learned that my agent-friend had been the lead on the investigation into the Eugene cell of the Earth Liberation Front, an eco-terrorist group that sabotaged and burned businesses across the northwest, doing millions of dollars in damage.

One of the key components of the investigation was to send in an undercover agent to infiltrate the group, and a second strategy was to try and turn those connected to the core member into informants. After hearing how exciting that work had been for him, I knew I had to incorporate both tactics into my story, Crimes of Memory (Jackson #8).

And so Agent Jamie Dallas was conceived. I had so much fun crafting her character and writing her part that I knew right away she needed her own series. Unlike Detective Jackson, Agent Dallas is free to travel. She’s also young, unencumbered, and willing to take risks. Oh yes, she needed her own series—so I could become Dallas for every other story.

The Trigger, launching today, is the first book in which Agent Dallas has the starring protagonist role. Here’s the book description:

Agent Jamie Dallas loves undercover assignments that get her out of the Phoenix Bureau. But when a woman and her baby disappear from an isolated community of preppers in Northern California, she knows the risk of infiltrating the armed group is dangerously high.
Once inside the compound, she discovers that the brothers who founded Destiny are scheming something far more devious than kidnapping or murder. Meanwhile, her local FBI contact, Agent McCullen, is pulled from her team and assigned to investigate the murder of a woman with a phony ID, found at the bottom of a motel pool.
Soon Dallas finds herself in deeper trouble than she's ever encountered—with no way to reach her contacts. Can she break free of the bunker and stop their bizarre end-of-world plans? Will Agent McCullen identify the killer in time to help?
The Trigger is a gripping story that highlights our greatest fear—how a megalomaniac and a hacker-for-hire can threaten civilization as we know it.
Early readers have given it 5 stars, and reviewers call it “an exciting mystery with a kick-ass heroine. Great fun!”

The e-book is priced at $.99 for the first couple of days, but I also have a huge giveaway going on just today. Stop at my website for details (http://ljsellers.com/thrillers/the-trigger).


Have you had a character demand his or her own series? Do your readers go along?  


L.J. Sellers writes the bestselling Detective Jackson mystery series—a two-time Readers Favorite Award winner—as well as provocative standalone thrillers. Her novels have been highly praised by reviewers, and her Jackson books are the highest-rated crime fiction on Amazon. L.J. resides in Eugene, Oregon where most of her novels are set and is an award-winning journalist who earned the Grand Neal. When not plotting murders, she enjoys standup comedy, cycling, social networking, and attending mystery conferences. She’s also been known to jump out of airplanes.  

Comments

  1. Good advice!! It's amazing the lives some of our friends/family lead and the information/ideas they can help us discover for our stories.

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    1. Agreed. That's why I love making connections. You never know where they'll lead.

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  2. It is so exciting to see this new series and this new character. Have fun with the launch today.

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    1. Thank you! Dallas is a blast to write. I'm working on book #2 now.

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  3. I had a male character totally take over my writing recently... and change the genre! Wild times.

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  4. I'm writing a sequel to a book that was originally intended to be a "one only." Will it become a series? I don't know yet. With three protagonists, it has considerable potential to go on and on.

    Strong characters are great fun, Dani. Yours sounds like a handful. :-)

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  5. Welcome back, LJ! Sounds like Jamie Dallas has invigorated your writing, congratulations!

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    1. Thanks. In some ways, she has, because she's so different from my other main character. I have so many personalities, I hope I can keep tapping into them for years to come. :)

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  6. Love the premise. Will definitely go on my to be read list!

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  7. Looks like movie material!

    Morgan Mandel

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    1. That would be pretty special. I keep thinking I should try to find a film agent, but it takes so much time. :)

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    2. Seems like there are more opps than ever. http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/selling-your-books-movie-and-tv-rights-what-you-need-to-know

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