The Risks of Writing Tundavala
The Naive Dream of Writing
I once naively imagined writing to be a relaxing, leisurely pursuit—me sitting by the fire in a cozy tweed jacket with elbow patches, pipe in hand, and a purring cat curled lovingly at my feet. The words would flow effortlessly onto the page, like a waterfall too powerful to contain. Little did I know that I’d soon be lying awake at night, wondering if the FBI might kick down my door.
The Reality of Research
You see, while “The Treasure of Tundavala Gap” is a thriller fiction novel, crafting an authentic, believable story required some… well… unorthodox research. I needed to dive into the unsettling realities of action and adventure scenes, in the hunt for visceral reality.
From Innocent Inquiries to Dark Questions
My descent into potential criminality started innocently enough. I had my Angolan friend Tome checking out the interiors of Luandan cathedrals to help set a scene. But then the questions got darker—how exactly does one synthesize cocaine without access to tons of coca leaves? Not your average DIY project, right? Do you know how to do this? It is not trivial.
Navigating Illegal Territory
The method also could not involve tons of coca leaves. The campus of Cal Tech does not have any coca plants. I thought having my main character back up a semi-truck and bring wheelbarrows of the leaves into the chemistry lab might attract the wrong attention. So, no coca leaves, which makes it tougher. My brilliant protagonist Mateus is a chemistry whiz, so I had to learn the intricate process myself, complete with chemicals like tropinone and methylecgonine.
The Digital Footprint Dilemma
Of course, that meant subjecting my innocent search history to queries like “how to make cocaine” and “cocaine synthesis methods.” I can only imagine what that must have looked like to the NSA analyzing my digital footprint. Google now thinks I moonlight as a drug kingpin of San Luis Obispo County. Hi guys!
Descending Further into Authenticity
The rabbit hole only got deeper from there. To craft gripping action sequences, I found myself researching everything from the anatomy of a throat-slitting. Ever wonder where exactly you should cut a throat? Does the knife go right through? How much blood is there? Yeah, me neither until this writing thing.
Guns, Blood, and Realism
Finally, there is the AK-47. The machine gun. My only firearm is an antique World War II Japanese rifle without any bullets, courtesy of my WWII Marine father-in-law. I don’t own a machine gun. Still, I needed to know things. What happens when five AK-47 rounds hit a body? Does the body fly backward? If so, how far? Does the blood flow immediately, or does it take a while? All perfectly reasonable questions to ask if you want to paint a vivid scene, but also very suspicious if you ask me.
Sleepless Nights and FBI Nightmares
So while “The Treasure of Tundavala Gap” is a gripping work of fiction meant to entertain readers, the process of writing it has been… let’s say educational. These white-knuckled, dark reality research rabbit holes have me terrified I’m on some watch list.
No cozy fireplace or curled up cat at my feet, just sleepless nights wondering when black-suited FBI agents will be breaking down my front door. Want to be a writer? Think twice before embarking on this dangerous life. Or just write children’s books.
A Dangerous Invitation
I’d suggest locking your doors, because this novel just might attract some unexpected… companions. Are you ready to join me in danger?