Reimaging and Moving On

The Novel Covid-19 pandemic has turned our world upside down. We are beginning to accept the fact that this is our new normal—social distancing, wearing masks in public places, and most of all, learning/adapting to new lifestyles to strengthen our immune systems. Of everything that we now have to do, strengthening our immune systems is probably the most important. And this has been my biggest frustration. The daily press briefings provide a perfect opportunity for our government leaders and health professionals to educate the American public on healthier eating choices, exercises, and alternative ways to strengthen the immune system. Why aren't they?

But I digress. The pandemic brought a sudden halt to the suspense story I had been working on for the last year and a half. I had 30,000 words written of the carefully thought out plot line. The story, set in Savannah, Georgia, was about a super virus developed in a China biotech firm by an American pharmaceutical company. One of the firm’s vice presidents would release a small amount of the live virus, and when the CEO of the pharmaceutical company resigned because of that, the antidote and vaccine would be revealed and the vice president would be named CEO. My characters, former WHO doctor Alaina Carter and Detective Denton Parker were the main characters.

You see the problem. Novel Covid-19 stole my plot line. No one would read my story when they had lived through, or were still living through the nightmare. Can I sue China for copyright infringement? Probably not. [Smile]

The situation caused some doldrums until I decided not to be defeated. I started my fourth Caitlyn Jamison mystery and love getting back with these characters. I’m trying a different story line that I hope will work. If not, then I’ll readjust. I am also sketching out a completely different suspense story for Alaina and Denton to pursue.

I am reimaging like all businesses are going to have to do to survive in the new normal. I am also moving on with my stories. I am not going to let Novel Covid-19 defeat me. And you shouldn’t either.