By writing fiction, I’ve tried to expand on my history and the events I have observed. I still have a long way to go in tapping into all of that rich material, particularly since politics and entertainment so often go hand in hand, as I hope I have demonstrated in my work. These will be exciting areas for me to investigate and discuss while I continue to write about them. As I mentioned earlier, the third book in the trilogy concerns the interactions between the campaigns and the time of history of Ross Perot, Bill Clinton, and George Bush, a vast political world for me to plumb. I have stories to tell.
MY STORY Visit Jay Becks Website https://jaybeck.net/
What does your family think of your writing?
Ans. => They are enthusiastic and supportive. Many of my early books were about family members’ biographies.,
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
Ans. => Writing is a growth process, exciting and difficult at the same time. I love the process of trying to get better at something love.
How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
Ans. => I’ve written about 15 books counting family histories. My favorite so far has always been the next one. That’s where the creative energy is.
A NEW NOVEL BY JAY BECK
Third Party
This novel is a continuation of the adventures of political consultant Mark Young, his wife Vicki and the murky CIA associate, Bruce. It has been almost six years since Mark’s Greece campaign and we find him co-managing a domestic presidential campaign for a third-party candidate.
It’s now 1992 and an eccentric billionaire is the candidate who is fond of frequent television appearances, and has little regard for facts. Mark, in addition to his work, is also trying to keep at bay U.S. intelligence agents and dirty tricksters out to sabotage the campaign. The book follows his desperate effort to reveal the most destructive secret in the Federal Government which is in danger of never being exposed. BUY NOW ON AMAZON
Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?
Ans. => To write – read. Read fiction and non-fiction. Take classes, and join writer’s groups. Do whatever keeps you getting better technically and most importantly – write every day. Observe. Keep a journal. Learn to accept criticism.
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
Ans. => So far the feedback for the finished products has been positive. I try to share stages of the books with people I trust to give me good, hard criticism during the writing process. It has been a big help, but it is a lot to ask someone.
NOVEL BY JAY BECK
Casting Stones
“Casting Stones” continues the fascinating adventures of political consultant, Mark Young that began in “Panama’s Rusty Lock.” Set in Greece during the 1985 elections, the historical political thriller pits the United States against the Soviet Union in a battle over Greece’s future political and economic future.
The novel is set in the turbulent times of airline hijackings, terror bombing and assignations. The Soviet KGB, Greek secret police and terrorists all conspire against Mark Young as he tries to win a national election while simultaneously rescuing twelve invaluable ancient sculptures.
Mark is torn between the turmoil in Greece and a critical situation threatening his relationship with his girlfriend, Vicki, back in Washington, D.C. All of these diverse threads come together in an unexpected and powerful conclusion.
Do you like to create books for adults or children…Why?
Ans. => Adults. It’s just the stories I have to tell.
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
Ans. => I wanted to be a writer, but got sidetracked by life into doing other things, related like advertising and public relations, but kept writing poetry, stories, journals, etc. until I had the time and finances to write mostly full-time.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Ans. => In high school
Panama’s Rusty Lock:
A novel of the 1984 Presidential Election
A small team of political consultants working on a presidential campaign to break the military rule of General Manuel Noriega and reestablish the nation of Panama to self-determination, runs into mine fields of fraud, CIA sponsored wars, manipulation of worldwide commerce, and drug trafficking. The historical novel reveals a trail of international intrigue and espionage. In 1984 the election would begin a 25-year process to return the Panama Canal as mandated in the Canal Treaties of 1977-8. No one at the time could have imagined the effort it would take to change 16 years of government corruption and oppression in the most important nation of Central America.
How long does it take you to write this book?
Ans. => Most of these are a thought process of many years. Some take the maturation of my life to the point I’m ready and capable of telling the stores. I’d say about two years per book for the full process, although I’ve turned out a book per year for about 15 years.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?
Ans. => I write in the morning and then when thoughts congeal. Sometimes in the middle of the night, I’ll jump up to write three words.
What brought you to write this book series?
Ans. => I’m writing three novels now that are sort of a trilogy based on events in my life, but highly fictionalized.
ISLAND IN THE STORM
How Albany, Georgia, Survived the Apocalypse
This story of survival is set in Albany, Georgia, after the COVID 19 virus has come under control, and considers the very real challenges faced by a society under great stress and the choices it must make to survive. Although the novel dramatizes the dynamics of handling a crisis, at its core, it is a love story of an unlikely couple thrown together from morally and socially divergent backgrounds in an apocalypse caused by catastrophic political failure.
Jay Beck is a marketing and communications veteran and political consultant. He worked in the Executive Office of the President under Jimmy Carter, and is a decorated Vietnam veteran with experience in finance, sports, government, as well as many political campaigns both domestic and international.
