| Mike Johnson’s book, “Blonde to the | | | | me or anyone else I know, other than minutia, those |
| Bone,” has just been released this week (2/27 | | | | little things that help to bring life to a scene, or those |
| 06). We are proud to be able to interview Mike in all his | | | | personality traits that define a character. |
| excitement. Welcome to Reader Views, Mike. | | | | To say what those things are specifically, I’d |
| Irene: “Blonde to the Bone” was just | | | | have to go back page by page and see which |
| published this week. This is exciting news. Tell our | | | | one’s came from my personal experience and |
| readers the gist of the story. | | | | which one’s I projected into characters based |
| Mike: Leo Calvet, a fashion magnate, disappears. | | | | upon observations of real people. One does come to |
| Daniele and Michele, his feuding, beautiful twin | | | | mind: In one scene, one of the main characters says |
| daughters, embark on a baffling journey to find him, | | | | he thought the CIA was in a different part of the D.C. |
| following surreptitious clues. Things are not as real as | | | | area. That was actually me. While on business, |
| they seem when Michele’s fiancé, Rick, | | | | I’d driven through Langley a couple of times on |
| vanishes right before their eyes and the sun stands still. | | | | my way to Patuxent River, and thought the facility |
| The search takes the sisters, Rick and Jack – | | | | was located there. It wasn’t until I was |
| Daniele’s “date” – on an | | | | researching that I found, in a global satellite image |
| extraordinary quest from Washington D.C. to Paris | | | | program, that the CIA is in a different Langley. |
| where they discover a terrorist conspiracy to topple | | | | To answer your question more directly, I guess |
| the Eiffel Tower. In the course of the adventure, the | | | | I’d have to say I’m a combination of Jack |
| sisters uncover the truth about their rivalry while each | | | | and Rick, leaning toward Jack. Maybe someday when |
| falls in love with the other’s man. | | | | I grow up, I’ll be Leo. |
| Irene: “Blonde to the Bone” is your second | | | | Irene: When reading your book, I found that you set up |
| published novel. What inspired you to write it? | | | | the scenes very well. I felt like I was “right |
| Mike: I could say that it was the full moon on a beautiful | | | | there” with the characters. Would you tell our |
| August night in San Diego. That night in the backyard I | | | | audience how you set up these scenes so that the |
| had already decided that I was ready to begin another | | | | reader feels like they could take on the character and |
| project, and while staring at the moon Blonde to the | | | | be part of the plot? |
| Bone just came to me – of course it was a | | | | Mike: I’d say it’s a combination of |
| take-off on George Thorogood’s song, Bad to | | | | imagination and searching. I imagine myself in every |
| the Bone. I just liked the title. Sounded fun. So you | | | | scene and become every character. From there I just |
| could say I reverse-engineered a story that I thought | | | | look around and write down what I experience, trying |
| would fit the title, but with enough depth to keep it out | | | | to engage all five senses, and look for those details |
| of the slapstick comedy arena. | | | | that are common to everyone. For details that might |
| Irene: Although this book is entertaining, it also gives a | | | | not be so common to an average American reader, I |
| unique approach to familial problem solving. What was | | | | make a painstaking effort to describe them such that |
| your mission to include this approach in the book? | | | | the reader will understand, and thus, share the |
| Mike: No real mission there. My primary intention for the | | | | experience. For example, in an action scene I try to |
| book was entertainment. Something to give the reader | | | | feel what the character is feeling so that I can put |
| a mini-vacation. Just fun. Beyond that, I suppose you | | | | those sensations in the writing. If a car is driven off of |
| could say that I wanted my characters to be | | | | a pier, the driver would have a feeling of |
| “good” and “loving” people. The | | | | weightlessness. The vicarious experience becomes |
| world will never have too much of people caring for | | | | much more real, and enjoyable, if when the character |
| each other, and in my novels I espouse those virtues. | | | | is feeling it, the reader is feeling it as well. |
| But anyone who reads the book will know that the | | | | Irene: What kind of research did you do before you |
| approach presented is impossible considering the | | | | wrote the book? Did you actually visit some of the |
| current state of technology. I would like to think that | | | | places you mention in your book? |
| Leo is acting like any loving father: willing to go to any | | | | Mike: My wife and I did go to Paris on vacation, and I |
| extreme to ensure his daughter’s happiness and | | | | did go with the intent of researching locations for the |
| well-being. I actually worried quite a bit that many | | | | mystery. I was pleasantly surprised at some things I |
| readers would hold his approach against him. | | | | learned, and without giving away too much of the plot, |
| Personally I wouldn’t advocate spying on | | | | a certain line from a certain monument actually did |
| one’s adult children in order to learn the truth | | | | point to our hotel room. Most of the Parisian scenes |
| – but it sure would feel good, wouldn’t it? | | | | were based upon locations that we visited – |
| Irene: How did you create the characters in your | | | | including a plethora of sidewalk cafés. But |
| book? | | | | Blonde to the Bone was a lot of fun to write because I |
| Mike: I create them on demand. A writer has to ask, | | | | didn’t need a lot of research. In the age of the |
| “Who needs to be in this book?” With | | | | Internet, research is at the tips of our fingers – or |
| Blonde to the Bone for a title, I thought I needed a | | | | primarily the grip of a mouse, in my case. |
| beautiful young naïve woman (isn’t that | | | | Most of what I needed to know came from web sites |
| who we would normally associate with such a | | | | – like the CIA example in your previous question. |
| phrase?), and thought the idea of identical twins would | | | | To make the technology in the book plausible, I |
| be much more fun to work with than one character. | | | | researched DNA computing – both the current |
| Thus Michele and Daniele came to life. They are | | | | state of technology and projecting the potential out into |
| actually the same person with a juxtaposition of | | | | the future. I have also been to Washington D.C. many |
| internal decisions about two plausible paths to be taken | | | | times on business. And the original cover art for |
| in life by the same individual. Michele chose one way | | | | “Blonde to the Bone” was purchased from |
| and Daniele the other, from basically the same Tabla | | | | a Parisian artist halfway across a bridge over the |
| Rosa. Naturally, any light, entertaining story needs some | | | | Seine near the Louvre. |
| romance, so Rick and Jack came around. But what | | | | In a little side note, I work for a company called |
| was happening? The characters needed problems to | | | | Computer Sciences Corporation, who was the |
| be solved. | | | | sponsor of the Lance Armstrong Tour de France |
| Although I wanted the book to be fun, life is full of | | | | team. Our trip to Paris just happened to coincide with |
| serious problems. I think Daniele’s problem is | | | | the ending of the Tour de France, and Lance |
| probably fairly widespread at one level or another, and | | | | Armstrong was up for his record-breaking seventh |
| something that a great many female readers would | | | | Tour de France win. Our return flight was on the |
| understand at a depth of experience beyond my own. | | | | morning of the final day of the race. At around eight |
| I had no intention of making light of what I’m sure | | | | o’clock or so, we left our hotel (the Hilton Paris) |
| are very serious issues for many women, but I do | | | | and circled the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs |
| believe that the ability to laugh at life’s problems, | | | | Elysees on our way to the airport. They were already |
| even the serious ones, makes for a more healthy | | | | setting up the boulevard for the final race. We were |
| mental state. And I like to think that most men, as they | | | | halfway across the Atlantic when the race ended, and |
| age and have children, are loving like Leo, and would | | | | the pilot announced over the PA system that |
| like to find a means to resolve their daughter’s | | | | Armstrong had won. So I will forever be able to say |
| issues. Thus Leo was the catalyst to resolving the | | | | that I was on the Champs Elysees the day Armstrong |
| conflict. Other characters come and go as needed | | | | made history in the Tour de France. I just didn’t |
| – though I think I fell in love with Valerie! | | | | happen to see him do it. |
| (Don’t tell my wife…) | | | | Irene: Thank you Mike. Is there anything else that you |
| Irene: How much of “real-life” is there in this | | | | would like the readers to know about you or your |
| book? Is there much of you in “Blonde to the | | | | book? |
| Bone?” | | | | Mike: First of all, many thanks for providing me the |
| Mike: How can there not be? Writing, especially novels, | | | | opportunity to appear on the Reader Views website! I |
| comes from one’s own experience. Even if | | | | really appreciate it! “Blonde to the Bone” is |
| you’re writing something completely unknown to | | | | published by Suncoast Publishing. Readers can visit |
| you, you must embrace it before you can write | | | | Suncoast’s website to read the first chapter and |
| convincingly about it. Therefore, it becomes a part of | | | | get a glimpse into the story at [ “Blonde to the |
| your own experience. When you express yourself in | | | | Bone” can be ordered at your local bookstore, |
| writing, your personality will, by definition, come out. On | | | | but is also available at the following online stores. |
| the other hand, it is a novel, and completely fictional. | | | | I hope you enjoy it! |
| None of what happens in the book ever happened to | | | | |