What first sparked your love for writing stories filled with high stakes and emotional growth?
Renee – As far back as I can remember, my life has always been drama-filled and unbelievable! I find it therapeutic to apply these experiences to our characters.
Patrick – As a child, I used my family’s library cards to borrow nine novels at a time during our weekly trips to the library. After a while, I began creating fictional worlds and characters of my own.
How do you balance the thrill of a plot twist with the emotional depth of your characters’ arcs?
We develop the plot outline and character arc before writing the first draft. No one empathizes with an invulnerable hero, no matter how intriguing the plot twist! Emotional depth is equally as important to the story and causes our readers to care about what happens to the protagonist.
What kinds of fears or flaws do you most enjoy exploring in your protagonists and antagonists?
We are only at liberty to say we most enjoy exploring major and fatal flaws in our protagonists and antagonists.
Can you walk us through your brainstorming process—how does a story take shape in your “mind’s eye”?
The early stages are purely creative, where we entertain all ideas regarding the plot and the characters. The next stages are more structured, where the plot and characters interact within a three-act structure. The final stage is intuitive, where the characters say and do things that surprise us while driving the plot toward an exciting conclusion.
Janice Wellington is such a layered character—a former soldier dealing with anxiety while training with MI6. What drew you to create a protagonist with that kind of vulnerability?
Everyone one of us can relate to grappling with anxiety, especially when undergoing major internal and external changes. Our readers are no different.
How did you balance the psychological aspects of Janice’s anxiety with the demands of fast-paced espionage storytelling?
The novel is written from the third person omniscient point of view, to allow the reader to experience multiple characters, especially during the action sequences. Janice’s life depends on resolving her bouts with anxiety in real-time; meanwhile, the reader closely follows the antagonist’s next steps!
Do you start with a character, a plot idea, or a theme when crafting a new story?
Our process starts with a plot idea or one of Renee’s vivid dreams, followed by the theme and lastly colorful characters.
Without giving too much away, can you hint at the kind of antagonist Janice is up against in this first installment?
Janice encounters the following combination of adversaries: Internal Struggle, Group Antagonist, Conflict Creator as well as the Ally Antagonist.
What kind of research did you dive into to portray MI6 training and operations realistically?
We closely studied interviews of former spies, combined with in-depth reports from the BBC, Reuters, and various news media outlets. Art does indeed imitate life.
Spy thrillers often rely on gadgets, codes, and shadowy informants. What unique spy elements or twists can readers expect in Rise of the Jade Dragon?
MI6: Rise of the Jade Dragon leans heavily on human intelligence combined with major elements of Cybersecurity. We wrote with the intent to effectively differentiate our protagonist from Ian Flemming’s James Bond series.
Which authors or stories have influenced your approach to layered, emotionally resonant storytelling?
Renee – Maya Angelou and Joel Osteen.
Patrick – My favorite authors were established early in my teens: Robert Ludlum, Issac Asimov, and Robert A. Heinlein.
How do you ensure each twist in your plot serves the story rather than simply shocking the reader?
Patrick is the plotter (i.e. plans the story before writing) while Renee is the pantser (i.e. lets the story unfold as she writes). Together, we make for one intense planster (a combination of the two)!
Do you and Renee have distinct roles in the writing process, or do you collaborate on every part?
We collaborate on both the story and theme. Patrick maps the plot-driven first draft while Renee defines each character’s unique voice during the second round. We work closely together on the third and final pass.
As “MI6: Rise of the Jade Dragon” is the first book in a trilogy, what can you tease about Janice’s arc across the next installments?
The MI6 trilogy tracks the evolving crises that propel Janice from rookie spy to spymaster!
How has your experience working with AllAuthor been?
It has been an extremely positive experience!
