Q&A by Pat Stinson. All images courtesy of the author.
Fans of political thrillers will be able to meet Joseph “Joe” Suchocki, author of the new book “Collective Vengeance”, during a wine and cheese reception to be held 4-6 p.m., June 28, at Patina, an art gallery and resale shop located at 4850 Main St. in Onekama.
Suchocki writes under the pen name Joseph Stanley. Signed copies of his book will be available for sale at the event.
He and his wife Patty moved to Onekama in 2021 to be near their daughter and son-in-law. Suchocki said they love living in the village and both are “very involved” in the community. A Vietnam veteran, he built a consulting service into a company serving 1,500 medical clinics nationwide. So, his busy retirement schedule isn’t surprising. What is remarkable is the journey of self-discovery he took that eventually led him to write his first fiction novel.
“Collective Vengeance” is billed as a gripping political thriller set in New York City that combines suspense, romance and revenge. The book addresses “individual rights, recent Supreme Court rulings, and political interference in the judiciary,” using a “fast-paced style and character-focused chapters” said to be “reminiscent of a James Patterson novel.”
We asked Suchocki to give us some background about his first novel and to expand on his author’s biography.
FR: You wrote policy manuals and training materials involving some complicated healthcare legal issues. How did you come to write a work of fiction rather than a memoir or work of nonfiction?
Rather than a memoir, I transitioned into writing fiction as a result of counseling for depression.
FR: You’re upfront in your author’s biography about your struggle with depression. Was your depression situational, a result of your retirement?
My depression was a simultaneous cascade of facing retirement, selling our 25-year-old, 15-acre country home, downsizing to city condo living, and selling our 30-year-old business to our employees. My counselor started me on doing daily journaling to help me see and cope with my depression. The journaling evolved into writing free-verse poems. The very first poem I wrote (“Storms”) became the origin of my first novel, “Collective Vengeance”.
FR: How many years was the story in the making, and how did the idea for the plot arise? The characters?
The research for the novel started in 2017 with multiple trips to NYC (where the story takes place). I had an outline of the story and the main character’s problem with a Supreme Court nominee when the (Brett) Kavanaugh issue unfolded, which turned out to be a surprising coincidence. As I said earlier, the concept of facing turmoil and conflict originated in my poem, “Storms”. The characters were a result of astrology, Briggs Myers Personality scoring, and research on women with strong personalities. I wrote extensive profiles/backgrounds for every character in the first book. (Most of them continue on to the next two books in the “Vengeance” Series). They have become some of my “best friends” over the past 7 years …
I am planning and working on creating live interviews of the characters using people I know who will be interviewed (by someone other than me) … My publisher and I will release the interviews between the first and second book as a bridge for readers and to build continued interest. My publisher is unaware of anyone doing this before and is intrigued to see how it resonates.
FR: What in your background gave you the interest to write this story; do you consider yourself politically active or aware?
Good question. I feel that my ability to overcome depression (I learned to believe in myself) and my desire to defend personal rights, especially women’s rights, drive the plot. Most of my characters are women with strong personalities who fit my beliefs of getting things done in spite of opposition. Politically, I consider myself an independent centrist. So, while I have some strong political opinions, I keep them to myself and listen to what people have to say before saying too much.
FR: What other books do you plan to write?
JS: There are two books to follow … “Counter Vengeance” and “Serial Vengeance” … I have another book project about a sailing vessel from New Zealand that raced around the world and eventually made it to races on the Great Lakes. It sank twice, was salvaged twice, and is now a beached wreck in Onekama. I am collaborating with a group of sailing people who crewed the vessel. My concept is to tell the life of adventure from the sailboat’s perspective.
FR: Your biography mentions that you performed in a garage band. What instrument did you/do you play? Have your tastes changed or expanded to include other genres?
JS: I played rhythm guitar in the Quests and now tinker with my guitars along with photography as diversions and to find inspiration in writing. My musical taste today is diverse, ranging from the energy of rock to the timeless soft notes of classical. However, my heart always returns to the ’60s oldies (Beach Boys, Beatles, Hollies, Dave Clark Five, and the list goes on), because it was the music that shaped my youth and our band’s sound.
FR: Where do you do your writing?
JS: My writing occurs in my home office. I develop many ideas while riding my Peloton bike (while listening to great music) and cruising on my outdoor bike to the beach and around the village. A lot of the characteristics of my characters are a result of talking with local people. I combine my visual and audible images with other research I’ve done to develop characters.
FR: Do you have any writing routines or rituals?
JS: My writing ritual starts with a Peloton ride to get the endorphins going, then sorting emails, and then writing. My goal is to write two new chapters per day. I ascribe to James Patterson’s rule of writing: Keep chatters short and sweet, make the dialogue rich, (this is where I lean on how I hear people talk), and tell my story like I’m sitting across the table from someone and I don’t want them to leave.
For more about the author, visit his website: StanleyWrites.com and follow him on Facebook: @JosephStanleyWrites.
