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October 31, 2023 The Perfect Book Club Companion
As a 45-minute read, Do Or Die is the perfect companion story for your book club. Think of it as an appetizer, aperitif, or dessert to enhance your main title of discussion.
Here are 21 questions to stimulate a thought-provoking discourse at your next event.
I'd love to hear how it went. Feel free to email me with a quick update after your meeting and tell me about the most engaging part of your discussion.
1. How does the title "Do or Die" relate to the themes or events in the story? What do you think it signifies?
2. How does Tyler's background and childhood influence his motivations and actions? How does this tendency get him into trouble?
3. What did you think of Drakos as an antagonist? Did you find him menacing? Sympathetic at all?
4. Tyler faces several ethical dilemmas in the story. Which decision was the most difficult for him? What would you have done in his situation?
5. Discuss the relationship between Tyler and Hank. How does their friendship grow and change over the course of the story?
6. Discuss how issues of pride, trust, and sacrifice factor into Tyler's relationships.
7. Discuss the role of fighting and martial arts in Tyler's character arc. What purpose does it serve?
8. How does Tyler's hacking ability drive the plot forward? Do you think his skills were portrayed realistically?
9. Tyler debates different ways to stand up to Drakos. What option would you have chosen in his shoes?
10. Tyler chooses to handle the situation with Drakos on his own at first. What might have happened if he involved others sooner?
11. What did you think of the ending? Was it satisfying? Open-ended? Did it leave you wanting more?
12. Tyler excels academically but struggles with discrete math. Why do you think he has difficulty with this particular subject? Have you experienced something similar?
13. Do you think Drakos was portrayed as a complex villain or more one-dimensional? Is he purely evil or motivated by other factors?
14. Drakos claims that "No one just hands you power. You have to fight for it." Do you agree with this perspective? Why or why not?
15. Discuss the role money plays in motivating characters and advancing the plot.
16. What did you think of the way the author portrayed the fraternity and brotherhood? Did it challenge or confirm any preconceived notions you had?
17. How did you interpret the ending confrontation scene? Was it ethical or wise? Do you think Tyler made the right choice?
18. How does the setting of Boston, Somerville, and MIT impact the atmosphere of the story?
19. Which supporting character did you find most interesting or compelling? Why?
20. Does this story make you think differently about fraternities, hackers, or the mob? How so?
21. Would you want to read more adventures with Tyler and Hank in the future? What would you want to see next?
October 30, 2023 Behind the Scenes: The Journey to Publishing My First Novel
After spending decades working in technology, I never imagined I'd pivot to writing fiction. But when the pandemic hit, I found myself with rare downtime to explore creative pursuits. I dusted off an old idea for a thriller brewing in the back of my mind, inspired by my experiences in school and the tech world. With encouragement from my family, I decided to give novel writing a try.
What started as a quarantine hobby quickly snowballed into an all-consuming passion. The story flowed easily at first, but crafting a multilayered plot with twists and realistic characters proved challenging. I went through countless drafts and rewrites over two years to hone the narrative. I did extensive research to portray the technology accurately, even reaching out to contacts for insights.
When I felt it was ready, I gathered feedback from beta readers. Their constructive criticism led to more polishing. I worked closely with talented editors to catch inconsistencies and enhance the pacing. Their guidance made the story infinitely better.
Just when I thought the manuscript was finished, I got rejected by dozens of literary agents. I wondered if my story would ever see the light of day. Finally, I decided to self-publish the book. I did yet another round of edits. Now that the story is live, it is a dream come true!
Seeing my name on the cover was surreal. The long hours of writing and revising were well worth it. The journey challenged me in ways I never expected, but taught me so much. I'm humbled by how many people supported me in making my vision a reality. Now I can't wait to share it with the world and hopefully entertain some readers!