New Release: The Puzzle Within by Gina Holder

Gina Holder here. 

Yesterday, my newest novel, The Puzzle Within, was released from Scrivenings Press LLC. I've been an independent author since 2017, but this is my first traditionally published book. The Puzzle Within is book #1 of a new romantic suspense series called The Game Masters. This series spurred from my love of escape rooms. The initial spark for The Puzzle Within was the idea of a villain who takes an escape game and moves it into the real world. 

Have you ever participated in an escape room? 

You’ve got one hour to escape a locked room by solving a variety of puzzles and figuring out clues before the time runs out.

Have you ever considered how writing a fictional novel is like creating and solving an escape room?

First, you must create a setting and a backstory. The book (and room) needs a theme and a story line that precedes the current conflict. Is the book set on Mars, in a medieval castle, or a mad scientist lab? What events have led the characters up to where our story begins?

Then, you need motivation and a goal. What are the characters (or players) trying to accomplish and why is it important? In a good escape room, the story gives the gamers a stronger motive to escape than just the accomplishment of escaping. There is the sensation of getting caught or “dying” that drives the game play. It’s the same way in a good book. The characters need a goal they are trying to reach and a motive to work toward that goal.

Next, you need characters (or gamers). The best characters (and players) have varying strengths and weaknesses that will help them face the current conflict. You want to create circumstances that will highlight each character’s talents and test their flaws. A good escape room uses a wide variety of different puzzles and logic skills. Some people are better at problem-solving, map-reading, association, physical puzzles, word puzzles… A talented writer creates a variety of characters who each have unique skills needed to accomplish the story goal.

Finally, you need a series of logical clues. In the writing world, we call them plot points. One action leads to a reaction, which leads to another action, and so forth… In an escape room, the players complete a series of tasks that eventually unlock the door or solve the mystery. Usually, if a clue is tried out of turn, nothing will happen and sometimes things come to a stalemate. When writing a book, it’s important that all the plot points occur in the proper order and follow a logical path to the ending. How confusing it would be to the readers if events happened with no logical order and characters went about willy-nilly!

Sometimes, writers feel like they’re in an escape room while writing a novel. There are moments when you can feel like you’re backed into a corner, and you have no idea how to escape. When you read a book that the author successfully navigated the labyrinth of plot, remember how much work was put into creating the perfect escape!

FBI agent Arizona Powers, recovering from a nervous breakdown, isn’t ready to call it quits. Hoping to prove herself, she takes on a protection assignment for Bridgette Van Sloan, the spoiled teenage daughter of an ambassador.

Nick Trueheart, a former escape artist, joined DSS as a risk analyst after the tragic death of his wife. Consumed by his obsession to learn the identity of his wife’s killer, Nick lacks the time and patience to handle the unstable field agent.

When Bridgette disappears from an escape room, Nick and Arizona become entangled in a dangerous game and a race against time. The risks are high as they confront their own failures and unravel secrets hidden within to save Bridgette—and themselves—from a sinister plot.

To Learn More: https://scriveningspress.com/book/the-puzzle-within/

Giveaway!

I am giving away to one commenter a signed copy of The Puzzle Within and a pair of jigsaw-puzzle-shaped earrings from Baker Blessed Designs.