Brenda Wilkins reads an excerpt from Universal Justice, a thriller with a scifi twist.
Wrongly accused of murder and rape, Brian has been sitting on death row for three years. Once known as the black Walter Cronkite, he now recalls how his nightmare began.
We have an amazing group of writers in the Writers’ Mastermind, and we love to find out more about them. Today, we talk to Brenda Wilkins, an aspiring lawyer turned writer who is now working on her first novel called Universal Justice.
Fiction allows the reader to see the world through the eyes of the main character with whom they can identify without being judgmental.
Brenda Wilkins
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from? Where are you now? What has your life been like?
I was born, Brenda Ann Roberson, in Savannah, GA in January of 1959. In 1960 my mother moved us to Brooklyn, NY where we lived until I was fourteen years old. Then my mother had to move back to her hometown of Homerville, GA in order to be closer to her family. I was not a fan of small town life so I promised myself that I would be making my exit as soon as I graduated high school.
I attended college at Mercer University in Macon, GA from 1977-1981, earning a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in journalism. I’ve always had a pioneering spirit, so after graduating from college, I relocated to Fort Worth, TX where I currently reside.
I met Michael Wilkins in 1986 and we married in 1987. We have two sons who now each have one daughter…I love being Granny!
I am now retired but my past employments have mostly been in the area of clerk, Secretary and Administrative Assistant. I never thought of myself as a writer. I had always wanted to be a lawyer. But after college, I had no money for further education. I thought that I could work a couple of years and save money to attend law school. Well, a couple of years turned into a few years, then marriage, then kids, and so on, and so on.
When I was pregnant with my second child, I came up with an idea for the “perfect novel”. That’s when I knew that I wanted to be a writer. I read and studied everything that I could get my hands on about writing. The perfect novel that I was working on, I put it down after a few chapters with the intention of finishing it later. I found it many years later and read over what I’d written…it was awful! I’ve come a long way since then-thank goodness!
2. What kind of stories do you like to write?
I’m a fiction writer, for sure. Presently, I can’t say that my writing consists of any particular genre. I consider myself to be a character writer. I’m all about character development and progression. I like to know who the characters are and what makes them tick. I give them birthdays from which I choose traits based on their astrological chart. I know where they were born and their personal and family history. My stories are about how certain situations affect or change the characters involved.
3. What sets you apart from other writers in your space?
I am one who can see both sides of any argument. I have learned and have come to believe that there is no right or wrong when it comes to opinions or beliefs. It’s all about point of view. I have mine and you have yours. As a writer, it is not my job, or my desire, to change someone else’s opinion or convince them that what they believe in is wrong. My desire is to create a situation that will allow them to see, understand, and maybe even respect the viewpoint from the other side.
4. What drives your writing? What do you mean to accomplish with your stories?
I have read stories of fiction that have been written in such a way as to show an otherwise obscure situation or concept in a different light; whereby the obscurity dissipates and the situation/concept is now crystal clear. I call it an “aha! moment”. I want to write stories that will give someone that experience.
5. Who are your favorite writers and books? What are your other creative influences?
I can’t really say I have a favorite writer, although I do like John Grisham novels. I am a fan of the classics. I’ve read A Tale of Two Cities twice as well as Wuthering Heights. Those are two of the greatest love stories you could imagine. I really enjoy Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes mysteries. I also love period pieces, especially from the 1800’s and early 1900’s. I’m also a fan of poetry. As a child, my mother read to us a lot. She had a book called “The Best Loved Poems of the American People”. I still have that book. The spine is taped together and the pages are faded but it’s still one of my favorite books. It includes the original version of, A Visit From St. Nicholas, which we now refer to as, “Twas the Night Before Christmas”.
6. Tell us about your writing space. When and where do you write? Do you work in silence? Or music?
When my sons moved away from home, we turned one of our three bedrooms into an office. This is my main work space. However, I sometimes work from the dining room table when I’m not working on the computer and I need space to work with lots of material. When I am contemplating a story idea I will sometimes grab a pen and pad and sit out on my patio. Nature is very inspiring for me. I do tend to work better when it’s quiet if I am in the process of writing, however, the creative process is different. Whether it’s an idea for a new story or a story that I am currently working on, ideas tend to come to me when I am busy. It can be driving, walking, making the bed, or folding clothes. If I can, I will stop and write them down.
7. What is your favorite thing to do when you are not writing?
I have a few television shows that I like to watch. I get some good story ideas from watching television. I also have a word game, a puzzle game, a coloring app, and Sudoku on my phone. It gives me a break while still allowing me to keep my brain active. But my favorite pastime is to sit quietly on my patio with a cup of tea and watch the birds and squirrels. It’s really relaxing.
8. Who or what is your current artistic muse?
I would have to say that life is my muse. It is when I am contemplating or reflecting on life that I get my most profound story ideas.
9. Why do you think it’s important to write fiction?
People can see flaws in other people that they can’t see in themselves. Fiction allows the reader to see the world through the eyes of the main character with whom they can identify without being judgmental. Once they recognize these flaws as being part of who they are, perhaps they can then be less judgmental and more understanding of the flaws in others.
Fiction allows us to experience what could be, and to live out the “what if” without having to personally experience those events.
10. Who would be the best writer, alive or dead, to tell the story of your life?
Me. No amount of research or interviews can get inside an individual’s true nature and motivation other than to hear it from them personally. You might think that extensive interviews can accomplish this, and in some cases, it can. But if I am to tell the story of my life, and have you understand the motivations behind my actions: and why I have done the things that I have done, it must be done in my own voice.
11. How had being in the Writers’ Mastermind helped you? What’s the best part of being with a writing group?
There is nothing more exhilarating than being in the company of people who get you! The Writers’ Mastermind is a community of writers from around the world representing nearly every segment of humanity. People of different nationalities, cultures, spiritual/religious beliefs, races, genders and orientations, who understand the writer’s life and the writer’s mind all coming together to encourage and support one another. It helps me to know that others are going through the same things that I am going through. Their advice and collective knowledge is invaluable. The best part of being with a writing group is that it serves as a sounding board. You can bounce ideas off one another and get honest and helpful feedback as well as present your work-in-progress to others without fear of being laughed out of the room!
12. What are you working on right now?
I am currently working on a novel entitled, Universal Justice. It involves an unjust execution and the Universe stepping in to balance the scales of Justice, while the main characters race to right this wrong by finding the true killer and clearing the name of the man wrongly executed. Once my works gets out there, you will find that most of my stories deal with the metaphysical, time travel, past lives, life after life and even a parallel Universe or two. I have several story ideas in the works. One of my biggest challenges is trying to stay focused on one story at a time in order to complete one novel. My second biggest challenge is to keep my stories from getting out of control. My stories are complete inside my head. I know my characters and their backgrounds. But, the more I write, the more ideas I come up with so I find myself having to reign the story in just to stay on task. I love coming up with story ideas!
Thanks to Brenda Wilkins for sharing her writing insights with us.We’ll keep you posted on Universal Justice!
Every other Monday, we introduce you to a writer from the Writers’ Mastermind. Today we are excited to present Christie Adams. She is a storyteller, blogger, podcaster and videographer who writes short stories, children’s books, mysteries, thrillers, YA novels, and even erotica.
Learn how Christie left the rat race to pursue a life she loves and why she says that mid-life is anything but a crisis.
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from? Where are you now? What has your life been like?
I’m a Yorkshire woman, over 50, rebellious grandmother and global online entrepreneur. Storyteller, blogger, podcaster, videographer, motivational and creativity coach, eco advocate, travel addict (on hold right now) and multi-passionate ‘squirrel.’
Whilst bringing up my family, as a single mum, and working full time, I completed a BA Hons in Literature. I didn’t want to settle for something I knew wouldn’t be fulfilling or rewarding, but leaving the rat race was a hard decision. Since age 13 I’d always had a pay slip, a regular income. There’s been tears, doubts, rebellion even anger. I’ve come out the other side and I’ve never been happier!
History… In my teens… left home, joined the army and then left again to start buying my first home. I worked two jobs, and spent Saturday nights from 2am until 8am at the cinema watching Kung Fu films. In my 20s… worked hard, partied hard – well maybe a little. Moved from my first apartment to a house with a garden and had no idea what I wanted to do when I grew up. In my 30s… moved house again, became a single parent to my awesome daughter. Adopted a dog, a big dog! Faced redundancy, a few times, got promoted, and still didn’t know what I wanted to do when I grew up. Volunteered for the YHA, painted hostels, worked with teenagers. I read to nursery children each week. My first official taste of giving back in the community. Promotion and redundancy and led to numerous pivots in direction. In my 40s… realised my career wasn’t what I wanted to do ‘when I grew up’ so I went back into education, still working full time to afford the fees. After 6 years of deadlines and assignments I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Literature, oh and trained as a swimming teacher. Adopted a dog, a different loopy dog, and volunteered as a mentor for teenagers and students. In my 50s… having gone through yet more pivots and changes. I got married. Became a grandmother. Moved to another town, co-incidentally ending up back where I was born. I was yet again offered a change in role. You may notice a theme here! This time I decided to take the redundancy offer. I took a gap year, travelled, wrote fiction and had family time. Some of my life’s changes were my choice, some certainly came out of the blue and were well beyond my control. I’ve been there, done it, acquired quite a few t-shirts but I’ll tell you now it certainly wasn’t all plain sailing. Sometimes it was downright scary. Anyway, I’m super proud to tell you I’ve learned to embrace change and now move forward with optimism and confidence. In my 60s… Watch this space!
I write short stories, children’s books, mystery, thriller and YA novels, and even erotica.
3. What sets you apart from other writers in your space?
I believe passionately that everyone should use their voice. Mine is no better than another but is unique. We bring our own experiences, culture, perceptions, imagination and opinions to all our work. The more I write, the more I’m confident to allow my own voice be heard.
4. What drives your writing? What do you mean to accomplish with your stories?
My ‘Why’ is to support my family. I’d love to buy my daughter a home, it’s so difficult to get on the property ladder in the UK. I have always been a book addict, so writing them was a natural development.
My grand-babies love being part of the process too, and I’m thrilled to have instilled a love of books in them too. If I get a chance to mention my beloved Yorkshire I will. So far, I’ve written ‘escapism’ books to allow people to enjoy a fictional world. I am working on various non-fiction books.
My book ‘Well Really, Fairy Rose, by Ruby and Angelica Brave’ was the most ‘important’ book for me on a personal level. I want all children to see themselves in books. I commissioned an artist to base the main character on photographs of my mixed-race grandbaby. Diversity in books is improving but still a long way to go. WRFR encourages care for the planet and nature without being ‘preachy.’
5. Who are you favourite writers and books? What are your other creative influences?
I studied literature and over the years have read so many I can’t pick one favourite. I do love The Color Purple, Jane Eyre and other classics.
The recent books that have blown my mind are Sapiens and Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari. I will at some point read his others, but they are truly life changing.
Peter James writes great detective novels. I’ve just discovered Gregg Hurwitz who is a genius at page-turning thrillers. Stieg Larsson books are dark but inspire me to embrace a darker story.
6. Do you write in silence? Background noise? Or music? What kind?
Depends on what I’m writing. I can’t write fiction is anything with lyrics is playing. If I play music, classical, instrumental, even whale music I cut off anyway and don’t hear it as I’m deep inside the world of my characters. If I’m doing admin etc I listen to podcasts.
7. What is your favourite thing to do when you are not writing?
Toddler wrangling, board games, Top Trumps or drawing on Procreate with my grandbabies. We also have a great game of storytelling. We each get a couple of sentences and then take turns to build a story. I hope it’s helping them know it’s OK to have fun with words. We also watch Tiktok together. I love that they know their Nannan works on social media, so they see a positive side.
Helping my daughter as she builds her new business. Knitting, sewing, rock painting, creative stuff. TV, addicted to real crime, NCIS, Law & Order etc.
8. Who is your current celebrity crush?
Along with the other 5 million, @taylor_thatdancer on Tiktok.
It’s important to remember that fiction is not desire or ambition. The darkest fiction is often written by the most generous and settled writers. By allowing our shadow side to be indulged in our writing, we release from our ‘real’ world.
9. Why do you think it’s important to write fiction?
It’s important to remember that fiction is not desire or ambition. The darkest fiction is often written by the most generous and settled writers. By allowing our shadow side to be indulged in our writing, we release from our ‘real’ world.
Books have power. It can be a way to give a political or revolutionary thought. Story can be life changing or life affirming. It can also just be a good read. It doesn’t always have to be ‘important.’
I have no idea why I love it, but I will always make things up.
10. Who would be the best writer, alive or dead, to tell the story of your life?
Great question. Stephen Fry does ridiculously well researched books and makes the facts easily understandable. I guess me, coz there’s so much that others don’t know. Lately I have been thinking of writing a bio. Kafka, too dark. Attwood, I’m too humble. Dickens would be fun, just to show he can write good women after all.
11. What are you working on right now?
Lol! Erotica, as it’s bringing some money in. Editing (ugh) my next thriller. A business planning book. A children’s book. I’ve also got a book that I’m writing twice. No idea if it’ll work, but I’m toning it down to a YA book, and making it extremely dark as a post-apocalyptic horror.
Ashes – A Jezzabelle Jones Mystery
A warehouse fire leaves a homeless military veteran dead. In his pocket a dog-eared birthday card, and a faded photograph of a young girl.
Jezzabelle ‘Belle’ Jones, insurance investigator, is surprised when she’s trusted with the case. It could finally lead to her long-awaited promotion. Her instincts tell her this fire wasn’t an accident.
When her boss comes under pressure from the wealthy warehouse owner, she’s told to close the case quickly. She knows she should follow the rules, but Belle’s never liked doing as she’s told.
She calls on Barnaby ‘Mac’ St John, a reclusive ex-firefighter, to help her work out what happened. The little girl in the photograph deserves answers.
Then there’s another fatal fire… Can Belle keep her job long enough to catch the arsonist? How many more people will die before she solves the case?
This first Jezzabelle Jones murder mystery is set in Yorkshire, England. If you love crime solving duos, this new pairing will not disappoint.
June 2021 – This version is a rewrite and edit. It is the same story, but the book has been improved overall for the reader’s enjoyment. Link: https://books2read.com/ashesmystery
