Sometimes story inspiration comes from unusual places. Scrolling through TikTok past the mind-numbing videos of Jojo Siwa and Gypsy Rose Blanchard can rot a person's brain, but every now and then a little nugget in the form of a conspiracy theory pauses my thumb, and I find a story that ignites the question where most of my books start.
What if?
Let me give you a peek into one of the theories that is shaping the story I'm writing.
1. MK Ultra
The CIA has been involved in some pretty suspicious activities. From bringing Nazi scientists to the US after World War II in their mission called Operation Paperclip to helping assassins kill leaders around the world. But, in my opinion, the most interesting of their many unscrupulous dealings is MK Ultra.
Mind Control.
From 1953 to 1973, the CIA preformed tortuous experiments on some unwitting victims. Prisoners and mental asylum patients seemed to be the most at-risk groups for the rounds of LSD- induced mind erasing.
The scientists performing these experiments on their human test subjects believed that once the mind was wiped clean, they could form a person's thinking, making them a kind of robot that would kill on command.
Their dreams never came to fruition. Or did they?
Since Charles Manson was incarcerated during the time the CIA was performing the MK Ultra experiments, some believe he was a victim of this attempt at reprogramming the human mind. It is speculated that though the CIA was unable to successfully turn people into killing machines, Manson found a way to make their dreams a reality. After all, he brainwashed the members of his "family" who willingly killed quite a few people at his command.
What if Manson beat the CIA at their own game? What if that's the reason he was given such a harsh prison sentence even though he personally never killed anyone?
What if?
The funny thing about conspiracy theories is that there's usually a bit of truth to them. If there weren't, so many people wouldn't believe the theories so wholeheartedly.
What's a conspiracy theory you'd like to see written about in a future suspense novel? Comment below for a chance to win an ebook copy of The Purple Nightgown.
don't know any
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
The Kennedy assassination. Was there really a second shooter? Don't enter me in your contest. I have "The Purple Nightgown." It's awesome!
ReplyDeleteThat whole thing definitely leaves room for questions!
DeleteOne I’ve heard a lot lately, but never heard until recently, is that the moon landings were a hoax. I don’t know how to put my name on this, but I am Laura @laurawestall3.com
ReplyDeleteThe moon landing story has enough holes in it to make me scratch my head. How could they place a call to the moon in 1969, but I can't get signal to place a call when I'm driving through the country. Technology gets better ... not worse.
DeleteOne of the most famous ones is Area 51. Scary what our government is hiding from us. lesncyn@att.net
ReplyDeleteI agree with Nancy Mehl! I think one based on the Kennedy assassination would be great. There's also the 9/11 conspiracies that has the potential of a good political thriller/suspense.
ReplyDeletewileyluvstabby(at)comcast(dot)net
I saw a show that mentioned D. B. Cooper. I had never heard that story again but found the story to be fascinating. I don't think the mystery has been solved yet. lexihenegar at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteOh, I think there are a couple! The Kennedy assassination, for sure, that 9/11 was an inside job, and the moon landing was a hoax. It would be interesting to find the actual truth!
ReplyDeleteHeather Mitchell crhbmitchellfam at gmail dot com
I really do not pay attention to conspiracy theories. The one that comes to mind that you hear the most about is Kennedy's assassination. God bless you. dpruss@prodigy.net
ReplyDeleteThe Area 51 Aliens and all that I find super interesting! Also there’s the recent attempt on Trump that looked sort of like a conspiracy. Or the whole Covid thing. Andreadrake1@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThe Trump attempted assassination. legallyblonde1961@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteWow! I never give things like that much thought. Manson really had control over his peers. I would like to know more about this. jozywails@gmail.com
ReplyDelete( CINDY MERRILL): The worst conspiracy theory I heard was that the US Government knowingly allowed infected COVID 19 persons into the US- in a bid to boost the pharmaceutical companies' stocks and to increase government control. Considering how inflation has wrecked so many lives, I can't help but wonder if it's true.
ReplyDeleteOh, wow! I had no idea. Conspiracy theories are so fascinating!
ReplyDeleteFamous assassinations would be interesting to spin around...
ReplyDeletekykla99ATgmailDOTcom
The Purple Nightgown is an excellent read!
ReplyDeleteConspiracy theories are a tricky thing.
ReplyDeleteI would like to read a book that is about the conspiracy about aliens living among us and have for decades!
ReplyDeleteI love me some conspiracy theories. I find them fascinating.
ReplyDeleteI don't really know much about conspiracy theories, but it sounds like a fun thing to read about.
ReplyDelete