Sharing imaginary friends since 1985

My name is Chuck Waldron, and I’m a writer. I love to write.

Previously, a professional mountain climber, if you view work as climbing mountains, I now spend most of my time trying to make sense of what to do when the plot bunny bites with story ideas.

Luckily, when the plot bunny bites, I have many imaginary friends, and yours truly is not afraid to use them. They allow me to tell their stories, on many occasions, even demanding it. Who can ignore their shouting? Not me.

My imaginary friends whisper stories that turn into thrillers mixed with mystery and action, character-driven stories spiced with plot twists.

I want to share my imaginary friends. That’s a tall order. I must keep them. It’s a crime to cheat readers out of their precious reading time.

I’m in awe of readers. They can give a story five stars. What writer doesn’t want that?

What about thumbs down. Oh no, you say? Smart writers learn from mistakes. The reader is the ultimate judge.

Credentials? Does one need a license to get creative?

When I found out I didn’t need a government-issued permit to write a story, it was simple. I just started. I still laugh at the what Anonymous said, “the beginning is easy; what comes next is hard.”

It started with a story in the local newspaper. My wife said, “you might be interested in something like this.” My writing education began with a class in writing short stories. It was serendipitous. Or was it? It was the beginning of a love affair and a short story oeuvre of fifty-six titles. Some are excellent, some good, some merely taking up space in the virtual file cabinet. The practice and discipline required to write a short story helped me leash a runaway imagination.

Those short stories still point at my writing compass true north.

I quit adding totaling writing workshops, conferences, and peer groups. Without a doubt, they’vel enhanced my craft. It’s my fault if I haven’t paid close attention to what I’m doing well . . . and not so well. Any writing errors of commission or omission rest entirely on my shoulders. However, I do wish I’d stayed awake in Miss Chalmer’s high school English class. Too late, now.

Writing my first novel, I reread my very first short story, Tears in the Dust. I wondered if the storyline had what it takes to grow it into my first manuscript. That short story is now buried in my first novel, near the halfway point of the story.  Later, I added: Remington and the Mysterious Fedora, Served Cold, and The CleanSweep Conspiracy. My imaginary friends told me to keep going. The sequel, The CleanSweep Counterstrike will be out early spring 2018

 Still under Construction

The CleanSweep Conspiracy is a story four years in the making. The plot finally crystallized into an ominous, sinister and creepy story. A cautionary tale, reading today’s news. It’s a conspiracy page-turner, touching on lack of privacy, intrusive surveillance, with mysterious figures behind the scenes. What thriller fan does not want a story like that, eh?

If you like Matt Tremain and friend in The CleanSweep Conspiracy, the conspiracy takes on global implications in the sequel, The CleanSweep Counterstrike.

There always seems to be an etc.

My writing and life have been anything but a journey traveling a straight line, beginning on an August morning so long ago. From then, so many zigs and zags. But the dead ends and detours have more often provided some splendid delights. Best of all, I’ve learned to wait for what comes next.

What began in America’s heartland, took a meandering wonderful Canadian journey, before coming to rest on Florida’s Treasure Coast.

I like to pretend interest, often lack perseverance, and could use a good talking . . .

. . . until it comes to writing. Then, it is all about the next story.

My wife and I are now warmed by a sub-tropical sun where I write while keeping an eye out for hurricanes, alligators, and Burmese Pythons.

Chuck

Port Saint Lucie, Florida