Tell a joke
Some things are hard to write about. War, violence, abuse, assault, terrorism, torture…especially if it involves any research. Tragically, all these horrors, and more, are reality for too many people across the world.
I’ve found that as I get older, I have a harder time dealing with other people’s fiction that delves into such matters, but an easier time with my own. I think it’s because I control the outcome. Yes, some characters will do terrible things; others will try to stop them; by and large, the good guys will win. There’s comfort in that.
But sometimes a writer has to peer into the abyss for the sake of the story.
I remember exactly where I was when the idea for The Edge of the Night, book 2 in The Sandstorm Series, hit me. And to be clear, it hit me like a sucker punch. I grabbed some hotel letterhead and outlined the story. I also remember thinking to myself: What on earth is wrong with me? Why do I want to write about this?
The book is set against the backdrop of the rise of a very specific terrorist group in Syria. This is very real, very recent history (and an ongoing problem, unfortunately). It’s not a ripped-from-the-headlines story, not exactly, but it is a story that has its roots in real-life tragedies, especially for women and girls.
I consider The Sandstorm Series a collection of action-adventure romps with no shortage of humor. The Edge of the Night is the least rompy, if you’ll indulge my use of a made-up word, but I think it stays true to the heart and soul of the characters and their purpose in this life.
Perhaps the thing I love most about this cast of characters is their ability to make me laugh, to tell a joke when it’s needed most. And in The Edge of the Night, there are times when a moment of levity is most welcome, especially for the characters themselves.
That last part is important to remember. At times I found myself thinking, Is this really a joking matter?
On the face of it, perhaps not. But like everything in life, the only stuff that isn’t funny is the stuff that is funny.
Kate, Nick, and their friends have an unexpected assignment: prevent a young Frenchwoman from joining the terrorists in Syria. This is where we get into ripped-from-the-headlines territory—this group attracted prolific numbers from France and other Western European countries. And some of the best (and most WTF-worthy) accounts come from Francophone women.
Now, will the Sandstorm crew parachute into Syria and defeat tens of thousands of fanatics, devoted to their so-called caliphate, whose barbarity is impressively and appallingly extreme? Nope.
But can they engage in a bit of psychological warfare against one young woman who wants to join those fanatics in that caliphate? That seems more credible. And compelling, I would argue. It's their chance to save one life amidst a global catastrophe and moral outrage.
But in order to save that life, the characters have to create a certain reality, moored in actual reality, for this young woman who intends to join the most brutal terrorist group on the planet. Then, for the sake of the success of the operation, they have to act it out, in convincing fashion.
Some characters struggle more than others—one man in particular. As the ostensible aggressor, he has to demonstrate reprehensible behavior that the women in his life have been confronting, avoiding, or escaping for most of their existence. It so happens that the most important women in his life are his partners in the operation, and he doesn’t understand their blithe disregard—or what he believes to be their blithe disregard—for the gravity of the situation.
They get it, though. In some way, this game is cathartic for them, a chance to act out their own deep, dark fears in a protected setting and work through their own feelings. Because they are who they are, in many instances they cope with humor. If you know the Sandstorm crew, though, you know that they much prefer to laugh than cry.
Terrorism isn’t funny, not in the slightest, but the people who fight it are entitled to a laugh every now and then. And so are you if you choose to join them on their quest to save a life.
Just remember, by and large, the good guys win. Happy reading.
