Becoming Jarvis Mann PI

Of the 5 people who've read my Jarvis Mann PI stories, OK maybe it's little more than 5, they ask me if the character Jarvis Mann is actually me in written form. Well my answer is a definite, Maybe!

The cliche is "You write what you know." In the case of Jarvis that is true. Since my stories about him are in the first person I become Jarvis while writing. I see, hear, feel, speak and react as him. Describing through his eyes all that he is experiencing, his inner most thoughts and emotions.So there are things about him that are similar. Examples are:

• Jarvis grew up in Iowa, as did I
• Jarvis now lives in Colorado as do I
• Jarvis likes the finest in fast foods (oxymoron), as do I
• Jarvis is a big Green Bay Packers fan to be revealed in next book. My bio picture tells you I am as well
• Jarvis has a witty personality. Many comment I have a odd sense of humor, though some in my immediate family don't think so some times!

But there are many difference as well:

• Jarvis is a Private Investigator. I'm an IT professional full time, Though at one time I wanted to be a police officer
• Jarvis drives 1969 Mustang Boss 302. I drive a slightly less exciting Toyota Corolla and a Honda Forza Motorcycle
• Jarvis is much more of a ladies man. I was much too quiet and shy in my single days to ever be a ladies man
• Jarvis is in his mid-thirties, while it's been a couple of decades since I was that age

I pull some of my life experiences into my stories, as I'm sure all writers do. I try to use real life locations when it's appropriate. The people in the story are made up, designed to fit the story. Some aspects of my characters may be similar to people I've known through the years, but nobody is a carbon copy. In some ways Jarvis is me, but mostly he isn't. The common denominator between us is, we are flawed, with weaknesses and some bad character traits. While he also has some strengths I wish I had, as I live vicariously through him. I will be exploring more of these strength's and weaknesses in future novels already in the works

Jarvis Mann is not me, and I'm not him. Yet we are one in the same on the printed page.