V.G. Burke discusses how the years he lived in Savannah, GA helped inspire his story “Skeleton Crew,” which features in the Jan/Feb issue of EQMM
Home is where the heart is . . . I know, right? Still, it’s true. Though I haven’t lived in Savannah for six years, my heart never left. That beautiful, unique city has always fueled my fiction muse. I’ve completed one novel (unpublished . . . seeking an agent) and the first draft of a second, both set in the Hostess City. Savannah’s fame is, of course, its history, the squares, those magnificent oaks and, fairly recently, its food scene. And SCAD, never forget SCAD.
But since 1974, Savannah has also been the home of the 1st Ranger Battalion. They’re based at Hunter Army Airfield, nestled on the Southside. I tended bar on River Street in my early twenties, and many of my regulars were Rangers. Looking back, most of them were (1) still-maturing twenty-somethings who missed home more than they’d admit, and (2) legitimate bad-asses. I’ve never cared for formulaic novels, movies or television series built around such characters; the lack of character development erases their humanity. But they sell . . . especially recently.
Also, the skyrocketing suicide rate among our veterans, particularly in the Spec Ops community, which became the tip of the spear following 9/11, saddens me.
These realities provoked two questions in my heart:
- What would happen if the military mentally broke one of its deadliest Operators?
- Can I write a good character-driven story about such a character?
My test lab was “Skeleton Crew” (thank you, Webb Wilder). Jackie Sherbow’s request to buy it was both a blessing and an answer. I hope “Skeleton Crew” provokes the heart of everyone who reads it, to ponder how we treat our vets, maybe to visit my hometown and, when you see that guy at the bar with the high-and-tight haircut, buy him a drink.
SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN 