Our Marc Wayne adventure series began with a phone call from a dynamite friend.
Patent attorney, inventor, electric engineer, university professor, and consultant to the military, Max Garwood shared his idea for a story with me.
Max is a really smart guy so the plot was brilliant.
“Brilliant,” I responded. “Write it messy, send it over, and I’ll polish the manuscript into a book.”
“I’m an engineer,” he reminded. “Here are the ten bullet points. You write the book.”
Max is married to Barb, one of my best friends on the planet. Barb was the first to extend friendship when I moved from California to the Midwest where, yes, they speak a different language. Southerners say bless your heart ya’ll, Easterners are wicked smart, and Wisconsin invented ope.
Barb was also the only other solo parent at the events we attended. She said Max was getting another degree and was attending class during each event. A couple years later, he graduated and stopped going to class every night after work and I met Mythical Max and, just like Barb said, he is real.
Collaboration
I wrote chapters of The Patent and sent them to Max. Every so often, I went over to sit at their dining table, drink mugs of Earl Grey tea laced with honey and cream, and look over the printed pages bloodied by Max’s red pen.
“Why wouldn’t the bad guy do this?” Max would outline a scenario.
Brilliant. “He would do that, actually.” I just wasn’t smart enough to think of it.
So I wrote in the new material and laid on the couch for three days trying to think of a way to write our hero out of the corner Max’s brilliant plot twist put him in.
Two-thirds through the story, Max asked, “Is there going to be any romance?”
What a good idea, wish I’d thought of it. “Good idea,” I agreed. “I’ll put some in.”
Additionally, as we were writing, both our sons were deployed. Theirs in a MASH unit and mine where he couldn’t say. We wanted to write something that would keep our sons turning pages. Short, action-packed chapters with a thrillingly suspenseful mystery plot, and just enough science fiction to make the reader wonder, “what if…”
Audiobooks next
“Are your books available in audio?”
This is the most frequently asked question I get. And I get it. As an award-winning and bestselling author of 46 books (so far), most of my own reading is via the convenience and drama of audiobooks.
So it’s natural that readers frequently ask if the action-packed Marc Wayne adventure series with a touch of science fiction is available on audio.
When Charles Martin’s son posted a review saying his dad’s book, The Water Keeper, was his best yet, I quickly ordered the audio version. Trust me, when your adult kid likes your work, it has to be stellar. Not only was the review on point, but the narrator amplified the excellence.
So I tracked him down. Jonathan K. Riggs is a talented and humble professional, skilled at bringing action adventures to life. Jonathan worked up the numbers to do his audio magic so we can offer the Marc Wayne adventures to audiobook listeners as well as to those who struggle to read, and those whose vision makes reading challenging or impossible.
Series
Readers liked The Patent which multiplied into Secrecy Order, winner of the mystery suspense of the year Unnatural Cause, Cohen Code, as well as prequels Chasing Sunrise and One In Ten.
Yes, we have lots of ideas to continue the series. And lots of surprises as our audience gets to know more about our characters.
Occasionally I write something into the storyline that surprises Max. If I can surprise Max, I know the reader will be delighted.
The short-term goal is to put the existing Marc Wayne series into audio format to broaden the audience and enhance the story experience for all our readers.
Our long-term goal is to keep Max and me penning audacious novels and Jonathan K. Riggs busy narrating.
ComicCon level Sci-fi
Current with the patent industry, science, and having his finger on the pulse of cutting-edge ingenuity, coauthor Max Garwood weaves sci-fi into the plot of each story.
How much? Enough reality to be believable to today’s intelligent reader. Enough sci-fi to fit the ComicCon audience. The technology appears theoretical. Or is it?
What others are saying about the Marc Wayne series
The Patent freakin’ rocks! There is a sequel, right? ~ Michael Enos, CFO
Each page explodes with thrilling excitement, and twists and turns. ~ DiAnn Mills, Award-winning, bestselling author Facing the Enemy
Opposite worlds and conflicting desires clash in this action-packed, page-turning suspense. If you like David Baldacci and John Grisham, you will like the Marc Wayne series. ~ Richard Paul Evans, #1 New York Times bestselling author A Christmas Memory, The Walk series, The Michael Vey series
You will cheer, cry, and feel with each member of the family. ~ Pam Farrel, Award-winning, bestselling author Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti, The Ten Best Decisions A Single Mom Can Make
An adventure thriller with strong writing from two authors who have what it takes ~ James L. Rubart Rooms and The Five Times I Met Myself
Scary good! ~ Jane Daly, The Girl in the Cardboard Box
Action-packed adventure. ~ Bill Myers, Multi-award-winning author Blood of Heaven series, My Life As series
Sheer genius! ~ Katie Leigh, Voice actor and author The Little Book of Codependency
PeggySue Wells’ writing grabs, squeezes, and pulses my heart. ~ Christy Lindsey, Freeing Colt
This is a tale that will keep you turning the pages. ~ Ace Collins, Award-winning author In the President’s Service and The Last Imprint
An extremely clever and amazingly well-written book by P.S. Wells and Max Garwood. ~ Deborah McCormick Maxey, PhD, Award-winning author The Endling
Technological espionage, the race for state-of-the-art weapons, and murder. Everything you need to keep turning pages. ~ Debbie Wilson, Christy Award-winning author Tiger in the Shadows
This edge-of-your-seat page-turner will keep you enthralled to the very last page. ~ Henry McLaughlin, Award-winning author Journey to Riverbend
Where can you find the books and ebooks?
The best place to find The Patent, Secrecy Order, Unnatural Cause, and Chasing Sunrise is my website, PeggySueWells.com
The books are also available at Barnes and Noble and on Amazon.
