The Story Behind the Writing of AWWD
by William Joseph


2Nov2007rw70
All of my life, I have had a passion for literature. Although there are incredible fiction stories in all genres, I gravitated towards science fiction, and specifically negative utopia works (from Orwell’s ‘1984,’ to Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’ to Zamaytin’s ‘We’). I also enjoy contemporary writers such as Cussler, Rollins, Paterson and Koontz to name a few. Given this, I should not be surprised that one reader described my novel, A World Without Divide (AWWD), as a cross between Orwell and Cussler. Upon seeking further clarification of this perspective, it became clear that thematically the book resembled authors such as Orwell, but the themes were carefully weaved into a storyline that had action, adventure and good pace like a Cussler novel. Although flattered, I felt altogether unworthy at the same time to have any work of mine even mentioned in the same sentence as two such renowned authors.


The question I am commonly asked by readers is; “How long did it take to write this book?” I usually put my hand over my mouth and mumble inaudibly- “around 20 years …” Unfortunately, some pesky people will persist in wanting an audible answer and will follow up with, “What did you say?” After getting past the shock of the length of time, I’ll usually say, “Yep, it all started when I had a ‘moment’ back in college at Clemson University in South Carolina …

In the fall of 1988, while I was supposed to be studying for a college test, I found myself staring at the wall, having a ‘moment’ (ie: procrastinating) and thinking about a storyline I had made up when I was in middle school in the early 1980’s. That storyline, having grown up in the cold war era, of course involved a confrontation with the Soviet Union. Without knowing why that storyline came to my mind at that moment, I began to think about the beginning and end of that story. It did not have either. All I really had was an intricate battle. As ideas started to hit me about how it could begin and end, I started to write down my ideas in a notebook. Like Linus from Peanuts with his infamous blanket, I carried my notebook around at college everywhere I went. Dorm room, bathroom, class, bathroom, lunch, bathroom, class, bathroom, dorm room, bathroom, dinner, bathroom, dorm room, bathroom … I couldn’t put it down.

3Mar1989
In the spring of 1989, I was a little homesick, but my home had moved. My parents had already moved to Louisiana from my hometown at the New Jersey (NJ) shore. Wanting to get back to the NJ shore, I decided to return there for spring break 1989. While in NJ, I took a few pictures at Seaside Beach and under the two large piers, and when the pictures were developed, I put them on my wall back at Clemson. At the time, I was disappointed that the pictures were taken on such a cloudy day. Ironically, without the ambiance of those hazy pictures, I firmly doubt this story would have ever become clear. The next time I found myself staring at the wall at college, my eyes settled on 2 specific pictures from NJ; one from underneath a pier and one of the beach and pier from a distance. Like connecting a series of scattered dots, or staring at color collage until a picture emerges, the story just came together. Off of the coast in the one picture, I saw three large ships, even though they weren’t there. Under the pier, I saw a small fire, and people sitting in a circle. Almost in an instant, the primary storyline came together, including where, who, how and why, and I also envisioned a beginning and an ending. I had found the storyline that would become AWWD.

I began writing feverishly (by hand I might add, I didn’t have a computer yet). Then life got busy for me. In the early 1990’s I finally typed the manuscript on a computer and as I slowly tweaked it, life motored ahead full-bore. Years passed. As I read the manuscript, I loved the story concept, but wasn’t sure it was written well enough. All the while I graduated college, became a CPA, got married, bought a house, played in 2 bands, wrote nearly 50 original songs myself, had 2 children and took on jobs that required way too much time. Within the few hours per day left for sleep, I dabbled in editing the manuscript. Finally in the late 1990’s, I had an epiphany. Having added parts, plot twists and changes to the story over the course of many years, I finally sat down and thought through the entire updated storyline from beginning to end. As I finished that long mental process, I had a chill. ‘That … was intense’ I involuntarily said aloud. My next words, were quite voluntary, “I have to finish this book.’ So by early 2000, the first full drafts of the manuscript were completed. After getting feedback from many readers and making several edits and changes over the years, the manuscript was submitted to several book publishers and agents. After getting a positive response from James A. Rock and Company and signing a publishing agreement in the fall of 2007, the book is expected to be ready for release in fall/winter of 2008. With the first book in the trilogy completed and scheduled to be published, I am now writing the second AWWD book and already have the outline for the third book. Thank you for checking out my website. I hope you’ll consider taking this wild journey with me, and that we will all approach the future with our eyes wide open.