Nothing Original by Alan Cupp
In the Book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon wrote, “there is
nothing new under the sun.” He was right. A person’s first response to such a
statement might be to challenge it. After all, that was thousands of years ago.
How can anyone say there’s nothing new? Look at the age we live in, with all
the advances in technology and medicine. That’s all true. Our way of living,
the way we communicate, travel, entertain, work, has all progressed through the
centuries. However, human nature really hasn’t changed at all. The things that
motivated and inspired us in the early days of civilization are the same things
that drive us now. We still have the need to survive and be secure. We all want
to be loved and accepted. The same human emotions that dictate our actions
remain unchanged, whether it’s love, hate, greed, revenge, fear, or anger, just
to name a few.
As a writer this is the challenge of coming up with a story
that seems original. The reality is that nothing is truly original. In any
story dealing with the human condition, the foundations of why people interact
the way they do are the same as they’ve always been. The key to coming up with
a great story is to start with those ever-existing foundations, and try to
build something different and fresh in the mind of the reader. You mix and
match characters with different personalities, abilities, and motives. It’s a
lot like music. There’s a limited number of notes available to create a song.
It would seem there are only so many combinations that those notes can be
arranged in to create something unique. Yet year after year, we get a steady
stream of new musical compositions. I marvel at that.
Like those limited number of musical notes, the basic human
behaviors can be arranged in a story with different styles, settings, and
circumstances to develop a fresh new story that engages the reader from start
to finish. That’s both the challenge and reward of a writer.
Malicious Masquerade Blurb Chicago PI Carter Mays is thrust into a
perilous masquerade when local rich girl Cindy Bedford hires him. Turns out her
fiancé failed to show up on their wedding day, the same day millions of dollars
are stolen from her father’s company. While Carter takes the case, Cindy’s
father tries to find him his own way. With nasty secrets, hidden finances, and
a trail of revenge, it’s soon apparent no one is who they say they are.
Carter searches for the truth, but the situation
grows more volatile as panic collides with vulnerability. Broken relationships
and blurred loyalties turn deadly, fueled by past offenses and present
vendettas in a quest to reveal the truth behind the masks before no one,
including Carter, gets out alive.
Alan Cupp's Bio:
Alan Cupp loves to create and entertain, whether it’s with a
captivating mystery novel or a funny promotional video for his church, he’s
always anticipating his next creative endeavor. In addition to writing fiction,
Alan enjoys acting, music, travel, and playing sports. His life’s motto is,
“It’s better to wear out than rust out.” Alan places a high value on time spent
with his beautiful wife and their two sons. He lives his life according to his
4F philosophy: Faith, Family, Friends, and Fun.
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