Hardwired
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Keller History Museum
When I accepted an invitation to visit the Keller History Museum in Old Town Keller, spring had arrived in Texas with abundant sunshine, clear skies, and balmy temperatures. What does the weather have to do with the museum? These were perfect conditions for a photo shoot, so I grabbed my Canon off the passenger seat and went to work snapping shots of the art on Bates Street. Hope you enjoy them.
I had no idea Keller had established a history museum in the heart of downtown until a friend, who currently lives in Keller, told me about this “quiet treasure in the heart of a growing city.” A welcome addition that needs more publicity and deservedly so.
I felt a bit sheepish not knowing of the museum’s existence as I had set the opening chapter of CLON-X in Keller, and I had lived there for well over a decade but had moved some twenty years ago. The history of Keller didn’t play a part in CLON-X, but the setting certainly did.
Standing in Old Town and soaking up the sunshine, I reminisced about my walks with Shotz, my first giant schnauzer, who was the inspiration for Bullet, Darcy’s K-9 partner in my thriller series. It was Shotz who scripted the first chapter of CLON-X. In real life, while out for a walk along Bear Creek, Shotz found a sack submerged in the drainage culvert beneath Rufe Snow Drive. The contents of the sack turned out to be a poached deer carcass, but for a writer, there always has to be more drama. This chance event became an entire book.
I paused my photo shoot to take in my surroundings. As was custom after our park walks, Shotz and I would often detour to Old Town to continue our stroll. Back then, the landscape was mostly residential and Shotz reveled in the K-9 attention that greeted her from the local residents. Today, many of those homes are now businesses and Shotz’s K-9 friends have moved on.
After my outdoor photo shoot, I headed into the museum to meet up with my Keller friend. I was looking forward to learning more about the museum as, years ago, I had met one of its founders Joyce Gibson Roach.
As the website states, “Every town has a story.” And “Whether you’re a longtime resident, a curious visitor, or a student seeing Keller through fresh eyes, you’ll find something here that resonates—something that brings the past into sharper focus. A place where yesterday’s voices still speak, and every photo, artifact, and display tells a tale of resilience, community, and change.”
When my tour ended, what resonated most was my memories of a book club talk hosted by the local Keller library. The key speaker was the notable western author Joyce Gibson Roach. I bought her book, Wild Rose: A Folk History of a Cross Timbers Settlement, Keller, Texas, and she graciously autographed it for me. It wasn’t until I started doing research for CLON-X that I delved into the history of the Cross Timbers Settlement. Now, I’m quickly becoming a Texas history junkie.
A sweet, surprising twist to my visit was discovering the Texas Harvest Pie Company residing in the same building that houses the museum. Sweet treats will definitely be on my list prior to my next visit. Place your order before you go.
This blog post is dedicated to my friend, Lisa Harper Wood, who was a librarian for 32 years, including 20 years as the Library Director for the City of Keller and another 5 years as the Director in North Richland Hills. She was named Library Director of the Year in 1994 by the Texas Municipal League. She was also a strong supporter of the Friends of the Keller Library and looked forward to the monthly gathering of her book group, “As the Pages Turn,” which she started with a dozen close friends. Lisa passed away in April 2021.
Side note: For the curious among us, myself included, Rufe Snow Drive was named after Rufus “Rufe” Snow (1867–1957). He was a prominent farmer, school board member, and Tarrant County Commissioner in North Richland Hills, Texas. He is best known for his civic contributions, including building a hospital, an orphans’ home, and a criminal court building, and is honored by the naming of Rufe Snow Drive.
Book Cover Designs
I was grappling with ideas for my next blog post when I received an email from a first-time reader. His question, “Where do you get your book cover designs? LOVE them!” That got me to thinking.
Brainwash
After I completed the rough draft of Brainwash and polished the book several times, I sent the manuscript to my editor. In the course of conversation, I asked her if she knew a good book cover designer. Without hesitation she replied, “Fiona of Fiona Raven Book Design.”
Those ghoulish zombie-looking characters on the cover were her idea, and I’ve had a lot of compliments on the design. She also suggested splitting the book’s title, Brainwash, into two words to make the title larger, more “grabby.”
Gadgets
As for Gadgets, the cover images were a no-brainer: hot air balloons. All I had to do was pull from my collection of photographs—the 800+ shots I had snapped during my attendance at two Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Fiestas.
In fact, while photographing the events, I found myself contemplating the gruesome thought of shooting a hot air balloon out of the sky, not with a conventional projectile, but with something more technologically advanced. With my background in medical lasers while working for an ophthalmic corporation, I thought, “Laser? Hmm. Why not?”
Genocide
In keeping with the morbid plot line, a morgue scene with dead bodies piling up seemed fitting for the cover. As for the book’s colors, I drew upon the premise for Genocide: Sean Ireland, the first gay presidential candidate in US history, is guaranteed the election—until he’s found dead at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.
Throughout history, the color purple, has had special significance. By the mid-20th century, it and its vibrant cousin lavender had become synonymous with the LGBTQ+ community. To complement my purple/lavender choice, I went with a vivid lime green. In retrospect, a darker green would’ve been more complimentary and striking.
During a visit to Vancouver, BC, I had the chance to meet Fiona. I spent a delightful day touring Granville Island and after lunch met with her. She was putting the finishing touches to my cover for Genocide. Not long thereafter, Fiona retired and sold her business. That’s when I hired Alan and Ian of the Book Designers (https://bookdesigners.com/) to do the paperback and Kindle versions of Genocide, as well as the audiobook for Brainwash.
CLON-X
Again, the book’s plot guided my choice for the cover. Out for a run in Keller, Texas, former FBI Special Agent Darcy McClain and her giant schnauzer Bullet find a canvas sack submerged in a creek. Inside are the pulverized remains of renowned geneticist Dr. Catherine (Cate) Lord, who has been receiving death threats for her alleged research on human cloning.
Pulverized remains. Red of course for the background. As for the central emblem on the cover, I chose a DNA strand for human cloning. The text for the title and author name was an easy decision—another one of my favorite colors: turquoise.
Blue Angel
While writing Blue Angel, my mind wandered to what the cover would look like. My imagination played upon the dark, life-altering secrets that would challenge Darcy throughout the plot. That’s when I envisioned a black background for the cover. As for the blue angel, would the person be good or bad? Regardless, I chose blue for the title and author color. As for the book cover image? Hold that thought. You’ll know soon!