613 Media — Telling the Story

November 4, 2008 was a day that will live in history. America made that history because of its unique right to vote. We call this democracy and the world was watching. No matter how  you voted, I encourage you to pray for out leaders as we are facing problems that are unprecedented in the history of our nation.

But, there is one thing that happened on this day that many may not have noticed.

For me, the journey to becoming a published writer began at an early age. I wrote my first short story at age 13. But, it was a book I picked up at a book store downtown on Marshall street that changed my life. The book was unlike anything I had ever read. I was an avid science fiction fan but I also loved mysteries and animal stories. The science fiction I enjoyed reading was always out of this world. Authors such as Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Larry Niven were among my favorites. But, here is this strange new book was a kind of science fiction story that was outside the norm. It was a book that moved with a rapid, heart pounding pace. It was a book with a story that was rooted in hard, real science. It was a book that made me look up at the sky at night and wonder when we were going to die. But, it was ultimately a book of hope and the triumph of our own humanity over our destructive failures.

The name, “The Andromeda Strain”. I read the book through at least three times. I marveled at the spare but effective writing. I loved the interweaving of real facts with fiction. The book even had primitive computer graphics, unheard of in 1970! And this author, Michael Crichton was in medical school when he wrote it!

Two years later, I would make the decision to go to medical school. And, realizing that the years of study would cut into my desire to write, I decided to become like Michael Crichton. I wrote and wrote and wrote even though I was not published. And, I picked up every book he wrote.

I came to understand that Michael Crichton’s stories were perfect templates for movies. But, his one failing was his characters. They were always somewhat interesting but they never just jumped out and grabbed me. So, I set about to develop two skills with my writing. First, I wanted to learn how to make effective, believable dialogue. Second, I wanted to learn how to create interesting and intriguing characters. Let’s face it. None of the above mentioned writers (with perhaps the exception of Ray Bradbury) could create wonderfully complex characters. Their strength was in their plot and story lines.

Little did I realize that I was on a journey into a world I never planned on being a part of that would fulfill both of my needs. When, in 1989, I sat down with Bruce Edwards to help him write a play, I discovered the power of dialogue. And, the power of making the dialogue sell the character and the exposition. Soon, I was writing my own full length plays filled with memorable and unusual characters. I learned early on that effective dialogue worked by the following principle: If you could remove everything from the story except the dialogue and still know exactly who was speaking, then you had great dialogue. That required creating memorable, effective dialogue AND interesting characters.

But, enough of that writer talk. My birthday in 1993. It was ten o’clock at night. We celebrated at home and then I told my wife I wanted to go to the movie and see the new film, “Jurassic Park”. The book had blown me away. And, when I came home at midnight after seeing the movie all by myself, I could not sleep. Michael Crichton had created something that would forever change Hollywood.

His creativity and his devotion to using real facts in his stories still inspires me. When I sat down to write my Jonathan Steel Chronicles, I consciously decided to be the “Michael Crichton of Christian fiction”. That is how much he affected me.

And, when a certain television show known as ER emerged, I just couldn’t watch it. It was too realistic and too much like my everyday life in medicine. That show was created by Michael Crichton.

He passed away on November 4, 2008 at the age of 66. It was unexpected and there is some mention in the news of cancer. I hate to see this happen. Even at the age of 66, he was vibrant, alive, and very, very creative. I will miss going to the book store and scanning the shelves for his latest book. I will miss waiting for his latest books to be made into blockbuster movies.

This day will be remembered for years, decades, and probably centuries for the election of our first African American President. While the country celebrates this achievement, I do not want to diminish its significance. But, I do want to pause and remember one of my favorite authors and most creative doctors — Michael Crichton. You will be missed!