Every so often, interesting synergies arise from my dating compulsion (previously confessed here).

I absorb myself infrequently in the overwhelming task of updating my library of personal notebooks. No, I’m not organized enough to schedule time for this, but once in awhile I find a few minutes.

And what did I discover this time? A brief scrawl indicating the original idea for Argon, including the vague nugget of “kids slide playground”. The note was clearly intended as a quick memory jog for later, possibly written while caught in a grocery line or a thrilling conversation with a friend.

(I won’t give the exact line because it contains a spoiler. You’re welcome.)

The germ that eventually became Argon entered my head on September 4, 2011 — my parents’ 40 year wedding anniversary. That brief idea had no creative connection with my parents or their anniversary, but as it turned out, I based the setting of the story largely on my small hometown and dedicated the book to my parents. If that isn’t the creative tail wagging the unwitting dog …

As the man said:

Life is a wheel, and if you wait long enough, it always comes back around to where it started.

Stephen King (Duma Key)

Speaking of which, the latest reviews are touting Argon as “a tense, breathless read” and drawing thematic comparisons to that man himself, Stephen King.

And as your good luck would have it, you can nab the digital version for 75% off during Read An Ebook Week right now at Smashwords!

Happy reading!