When Worlds Collide: Jonathan Stride, Meet Cab Bolton: Guest Post by Brian Freeman

BRIAN FREEMAN:
When Worlds Collide: Jonathan Stride, Meet Cab Bolton

Fans of my Florida detective Cab Bolton have been asking for some time when they would meet Cab again in one of my books. So when I wrote those words in my new thriller ALTER EGO – “Jonathan Stride, meet Cab Bolton” – I got a shiver of excitement down my back. Yes, ALTER EGO is not only the tenth novel to feature Duluth police lieutenant Jonathan Stride, it’s also the third novel to feature Cab Bolton.

Readers love the idea of fictional characters crossing over from one world into another. Agatha Christie reported that readers were always urging her to write a book where Hercule Poirot met Jane Marple. I noticed that as soon as Cab made his first appearance, readers at library events and book clubs began asking if Cab and Stride would ever come together.

But writers don’t necessarily share the enthusiasm that readers have for crossovers. (Christie said Poirot and Marple would have hated each other if they’d met.) Before starting ALTER EGO, I thought long and hard about the creative challenges of two of my series detectives meeting in one book.

The Series That Almost Wasn’t 

From 2005 to 2010, I wrote five novels featuring Jonathan Stride, starting with my Macavity-winning debut novel IMMORAL and continuing to THE BURYING PLACE, which was a finalist for Best Hardcover Novel in the ITW Thriller Awards. I felt like I’d put Stride through such hell over the course of five books that he needed a vacation.

So I wrote what I intended to be a stand-alone – one of my most popular books, a novel called THE BONE HOUSE. It was set both in Florida and in the remote Wisconsin region known as Door County. The heroes of the book were a married couple named Mark and Hillary Bradley, but the novel also introduced a supporting character – a quirky Florida detective named Cab Bolton. Cab was six-foot-six, with spiky blond hair and a wealthy Hollywood pedigree thanks to his actress mother. His ironic sense of humor made him a lot of fun to write.

I never intended this book to launch a Cab Bolton series, but I began getting notes from readers almost immediately after THE BONE HOUSE to ask when I’d be doing another Cab novel. And I admit, I liked the idea of writing another story featuring this distinctive hero. It took me a few years, but eventually, I released SEASON OF FEAR, set entirely in Florida, with Cab as the star.

Now I had two series, with Jonathan Stride and Cab Bolton.

The Pros and Cons of Crossovers

For writers, the advantage of multiple series is that it gives us the opportunity to go in new creative directions. Stride and Cab are so different as heroes that I can tell stories with one that I could never tell with the other. Cab is a more glamorous figure than Stride, and he travels in wealthier circles. His emotional baggage is very different. And he has a much more casual outlook on life than the intense, determined Lieutenant Stride.

Cab also gives me the opportunity to explore new settings. Most of my books have been set in the bitter winters of the Midwest, but Cab took me to the heat and storms of central Florida. And giving readers a “you are there” feel in my settings is a vital part of my thrillers.

However, the differences between the two series also argue against bringing the two characters together. If they are such different men, living in different worlds, you run the risk of having a crossover feel artificial. So when readers asked me about Stride meeting Cab, I usually responded – probably not. But I also knew that if there was one character who might somehow bring the two series together, it was Stride’s partner, my sexy, snarky Chinese detective, Maggie Bei. Maggie, I said, would get along just fine with Cab.

And that’s exactly what happened.

ALTER EGO 

The plot for ALTER EGO actually started in my mind as a novel for Cab. It features a Hollywood actor with a dark side, and given Cab’s Hollywood connections, it seemed like a natural book for him.

But as I thought about the next steps for Stride, I realized that I could do a lot with the idea of a Hollywood actor playing Stride in the movies (ahem, film agents). I turned this actor into Stride’s “alter ego,” and that’s how the dark plotline began to take shape.

However, Cab still lingered in my mind. If there were one book where the two heroes might meet, this was it. And I thought about Maggie acting as a creative bridge to bring Cab into Stride’s world.

So when a murder investigation takes Maggie to Florida, she finds herself talking to the detective who handled a case with ties to the crime in Duluth – in this case, a tall, glamorous man named Cab Bolton. Soon enough, Maggie and Cab are romantically involved – and they’re heading back to Minnesota for a rendezvous with Stride.

Never Say Never 

Stride and Cab have met now, and the dynamics of ALTER EGO advance the characters in both series in profound ways. After saying for years that I thought Stride and Cab would never get together, I’m glad they did. Their differences as men are actually what make ALTER EGO work.

Of course, now I have a third series for readers, too: my San Francisco-based series featuring Homicide Inspector Frost Easton that includes THE NIGHT BIRD and THE VOICE INSIDE (with the third book, THE CROOKED STREET, arriving next January). I know the questions I’m going to get.

Will Frost ever meet Stride?

Will Cab ever meet Frost?

Or will the three of them ever find themselves together in one book?

My first thought is to say – probably not. Then again, I’ve said that before, and look what happened in ALTER EGO. So I’ve learned to never say never.

Brian Freeman released two new thrillers in 2018, THE VOICE INSIDE (featuring Frost Easton) and ALTER EGO (featuring both Jonathan Stride and Cab Bolton). His stand-alone novel SPILLED BLOOD won the award for Best Hardcover Novel in the ITW Thriller Awards. Find out more about him and his books at bfreemanbooks.com. 

FAMILY AFFAIR: The Author's Life and the Author's Wife: Marcia Freeman

Today I'm starting a new feature on Mystery Fanfare: The Author's Spouse. First up is Marcia Freeman, wife of Thriller writer Brian Freeman. Love this duo!

Marcia Freeman (aka The Author’s Wife) is married to Brian Freeman and “mom” to cats Heathrow, Gatwick and Baltic. In addition to everything listed above, she’s also responsible for locking Brian away at the beginning of the day to write (and letting him out in the evening). Before her book marketing responsibilities, she spent almost twenty years in professional fundraising. 

Brian Freeman is a bestselling author of psychological thrillers, including the Jonathan Stride and Cab Bolton series. He won the award for Best Hardcover Novel in the International Thriller Writers Awards, and his books have been sold in 46 countries and 20 languages. His debut, IMMORAL, won the Macavity Award for Best First Novel. GOODBYE TO THE DEAD is the newest in his Jonathan Stride series and launches today.

Marcia Freeman:
FAMILY AFFAIR: The Author’s Life and The Author’s Wife 

Back in the 1960s (yes, I’m dating myself!), I grew up watching a TV show called “Family Affair.” That’s now the phrase that Brian and I use to describe our partnership in the book business. Obviously, we’re married — but we also have a unique joint approach to Brian’s career as an author. Brian writes the books, but we work very closely—as a team—on every phase of the business, and we each have our own roles throughout the entire process. As a guest blogger, I wanted to give you an inside look at how we share our duties.

When you read Brian’s newest book, GOODBYE TO THE DEAD, you’ll see that Brian likes to give his readers a “you are there” feeling in his settings. In order to do that, he carefully maps out his scenes, much the same way a film director does for a movie. Then, off we go together to scout out actual locations. Glamorous? Well, not so much. Perhaps you’ve heard about some of the research trips we’ve taken? Duluth in January…? Tampa in August…? (Yes, we need to work on our timing.)

We’ve spent many hours tromping around deserted buildings or driving up and down streets and across bridges. Brian’s usually at the wheel, and I’m hanging out the window—snapping pictures and videos all the way.

Once the research is done, Brian gets down to the nitty gritty of drafting the actual manuscript. During this writing phase, we adopt a “mysterious” philosophy—Brian doesn’t tell me anything about the plot. Why? Because when the manuscript is completed, I’m his first advance reader and it’s crucial that I not know anything about the plot before I begin. It’s his job to tell the story in way that builds suspense for the reader from the beginning to the ending…it’s my job to tell him whether he’s succeeded in doing that. And if I already know details of the plot, then I can’t give him an accurate and objective critique.

I’m the first to admit…my critique is brutally honest. Of course, I look at the overall plot, as well as descriptive details, but I also look for typographical errors. That’s because we want the readers to have the best reading experience possible. Nothing stops a reader faster than a plot detail that doesn’t fit—or a misspelled word…!

Once I’ve been through the manuscript and given Brian my feedback, it goes to several other advance readers for their thoughts. Brian compiles all of these into the book, and then it goes to his publishers for review and publication.

However, the process doesn’t end there. When the book is released, we often travel together to bookstores, libraries and book clubs—talking about Brian and his books. As you might guess, there’s a lot that goes into these arrangements and keeping it all straight—so I’m the primary liaison with librarians, booksellers, publishers, media outlets, and bloggers to set up events and maintain our calendars and travel arrangements. Thank goodness for a nicely integrated computer/phone set-up!

Brian also maintain his website (www.bfreemanbooks.com) and Facebook pages (www.facebook.com/bfreemanfans), and he sends out periodic emails to readers—telling them about upcoming book releases and local events in their areas. The internet and social media have given readers around the world a wonderful way to keep in touch with their favorite authors—and Brian responds to all of his fan mail and messages personally.

Several years ago, it became apparent that readers also wanted to talk to me! Brian writes dark stories, but he’s such a nice guy—they want the “inside scoop” about what he’s really like. We decided to broaden that opportunity, so I created a Facebook page called “The Author’s Wife” (www.facebook.com/theauthorswife). I can’t believe that title hadn’t already been taken…! This is a place where I can share stories about our lives at home and out on the road. Readers can write to me and ask questions or share pictures—and just like Brian, I write my own posts and respond to the messages and emails personally. It’s a great way to stay in touch with readers throughout the year.

So, you can see that when it comes to the book business, it really is a “family affair” in the Freeman household. But now I’ll let you in on a little secret. There is one area that most definitely is NOT a partnership…scooping the litter boxes for our three cats is entirely Brian’s job…!