Most authors dislike the question ‘Where do you get your ideas?’. I mean, it’s like asking a person ‘where do you get your food?’. It’s all around you. At a restaurant, in a grocery store, on the vine, in the trees…

Authors get their ideas everywhere. Newspapers, on a plane, from a billboard, on the internet…and in a social gathering. (my editor hates it when I … She’s not editing this so I will continue to do this…) Authors get their ideas from being curious. How did that happen? What was that person thinking? How is this situation going to end? Why? What if?

My March first release, Bahama Burnout, came from a social meeting with a bunch of guys in Sarasota. I was having lunch with about 20 business men and one of them walked up to me and said, “You write mystery novels about the music industry, right?”

I assured him I did.

“I was a recording engineer back in the 70’s and worked with some pretty big acts.”

I knew right away he wanted me to write his life story. And unless he was going to pay me some big bucks, it wasn’t going to happen.

“Do you know the story about the 70’s recording studio in Teluride, Colorado?”

I had enough ideas of my own. Didn’t need new ones.

“There was this studio that all the big acts used. America, The Eagles, Crosby Stills and Nash…and every record out of this place was a hit. I mean, magic. Every act in the country wanted to record there and abosrb the buzz.”

“Okay.”

“And then, one day it mysteriously burned to the ground. It seemed to be arson, but no one knew for sure.”

“So they found out eventually?” Yeah, I was interested. Vaguely.

“Never. But, they rebuilt the studio, added state of the art recording facilities, and the place was overbooked before it even opened.”

Of course.

“Then, the first band inside came in the next morning to find their session had been mysteriously erased. The tapes were blank, after 8 hours of session work. The second group to record came in one day to find their equipment smashed on the studio floor.”

“Who did it?” I was hooked?

“I don’t know.”

“Well, they must have figured out who was behind the fire, the erased session, the smashed instruments…”

“No, they never did. Bands cancelled, business fell off, and the place closed. Today, it’s a deserted building.”

I needed to know what happened. “Come on, Jerry. Tell me what happened.”

“Hey, you’re a writer. You tell ME what happened.”

So, I moved the studio to the Bahamas, put Mick Sever, entertainment reporter, on the case, and he solved the mystery. I wanted an answer, and Bahama Burnout has the answer. It’s as simple as that.

Bahama Burnout is getting some great advanced reviews, and if you are curious…pick it up in March! Thanks.