Blog Archives
More Than He Bargains For
Route 666: Highway to Hell follows an aspiring author as his research takes him into battle with supernatural forces and an age-old war of good vs evil. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The initial inspiration for the book was the existence of a real Route 666 which is on the outskirts of Culpeper, Virginia. For the nearly 30 years I have lived in Northern Virginia, I have passed by this road several times, wondering why state authorities would ever have a Route 666 given the evil connotations of this number. Coming back from a weekend getaway with my wife, I passed by the road again and the idea of a man wanting to write a book and getting more than he bargains for was born.
Is there anything about Jack that came from yourself or your life experiences?
One of the writing rules I developed for myself when I started was “write about what you know.” Honestly, much of what has happened to Jack and his family is true and based on my own experiences. Writing this book was very much my way of wrestling with my owner “personal demons” and hopefully brings an authenticity to the story. Finally, there also was a real Jack Aitken. My Grandfather passed away when I was far too young to get to know him well. Naming the main character for him is my way of honoring his memory.
How much research did you undertake for this book and how much time did it take to put it all together?
Writing the book from the beginning to the day it was first published took about eighteen months. The historical research in particular, helped to fulfill another of my writing rules which is to “blur the lines between fact and fiction.” I have had a number of readers who have commented that one of the things that made the story enjoyable for them was the realization that many of the historical references and places are true.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Sins of the Fathers is the next installment in the Highway to Hell series and was self-published last fall. It picks up where Route 666 ended and leads Jack and his family deeper into the dystopian nightmare that was set in motion in the first novel. I am currently working on the third installment in the series which is tentatively titled The Gathering Storm.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
It is human nature to dream and plan for an idyllic future. But random twists of fate have caused Jack Aitken’s dreams to be altered, postponed, or abandoned. He’s played by the rules all his life, but living years on the knife’s edge has drained him mentally and spiritually. Now, he has a plan to change the trajectory of his life.
Chasing his dream of becoming an author, Jack completely throws himself into researching Route 666, a road closed by the government due to an unusual number of deadly accidents. Ignoring the warning signs and the pleas of his wife, Amanda, Jack uses an ancient map provided by a suspicious museum curator to search for a previously unknown Native American burial mound.
Instead, he interrupts a satanic ritual and ignites a chain reaction of events that leave him in a life and death struggle with a malevolent being whose power rivals the devil himself.
Route 666 is a wild ride that will leave you breathless as Jack Aitken fights to save his family, his soul, and humanity itself from the essence of pure evil.
About the novel’s thrilling conclusion, editor Emily Marquart stated, “I loved the twists and turns, and I honestly had no idea how it would pan out!”
Get ready to travel Route 666, the Highway to Hell!
Route 666
Jack Aitken could have never imagined that the seemingly innocuous idea of penning a book would instead open the door to a nightmare of biblical proportions. Adrift in life and wondering what had happened to all the dreams he once held, Jack found vigor and purpose in his plan to write, throwing himself into research regarding Native American legends, reported odd occurrences, and anything else he could find regarding route 666 in rural Virginia. He soon found that legends often have a basis in truth and that route 666 was indeed on the path to Hell. With the literal balance of good and evil at stake, Jack has to rely on the aid of an old friend, a strength he never knew existed, and faith in a God he had long felt removed from to save life as he knew it.
Route 666: Highway to Hell by J.D. Toepher is an incredible thriller with twists and turns that continue up to the last page. Combining various elements and themes that cover a broad spectrum, Toepher risks overloading his book with too much information and plot lines. However, at no point does the book venture into that territory; each new character and story melds perfectly into the action already in play. Meticulous research was done in the process of writing this book (mirroring Jack’s own journey, but hopefully with better results!) as Toepher places everyone in context, down to the religious rituals and history.
Hopelessness, redemption, the ideas of good and evil, and doing the wrong things for the right reasons are the themes that keep the narrative rolling in this book. Jack is written as a complex character and supplied with enough backstory to truly be a complete and well-rounded character, easy to feel sorry for as he travels his unfortunate path. However, as each layer unravels and every new twist is revealed, it soon becomes obvious that there’s no way to predict what will happen next.
Route 666: Highway to Hell is a suspenseful horror that gives readers bits of historical information, occult and supernatural, all combined into a thrilling read. It is extremely well written, and the ending will leave readers shocked. In addition, the background and history in the book are interesting enough to encourage you to look further into those aspects of it. I hope to see more from Toepher in the future because this was a fantastic thriller!
Pages: 382 | ASIN : B09FS54PV6
LITERARY TITAN 