My New Adventure: Writing a Thriller "The Wilkes Insurrection"

I’m a committed life-long learner.? Even as I approach my 60th birthday, I don’t think I’ll ever retire in the traditional sense.? After working at Microsoft for 22+ years and serving as President of the Entertainment & Devices Division, I chose to move on to an “Act II” with a goal to inspire and empower an army of civic engineers.? That was about a decade ago.

In the process, I’ve learned and grown as a community activist, leadership mentor, and board member.? I’ve also refined my speaking skills and written a business and civic strategy book, Xbox Revisited:? A Game Plan for Corporate and Civic Renewal .? Exploring new areas, stretching my capabilities — sometimes succeeding big, sometimes failing (hopefully) gracefully — has been an immensely rewarding experience.

But the call of a new adventure is hard to deny.

So in 2016, when I decided to write a second book, I shelved the idea of another nonfiction effort and dove straight into writing . . . a novel.? My loving wife encouraged me to attend a writers camp (or seek “professional help”) — but being a stubborn, experiential learner, I just sat down and started writing a story.

Fiction

I’ve always been a storyteller.? And I can’t deny I’ve had a decades-long desire to write a novel.? In fact, I’ve had 4 or 5 characters bumping around in my head for years.? These people — along with dialog, scene description, and plot — all became opportunities for me to explore my creative side and challenge myself to bring to the surface new talents and skills.??

In typical Robbie Bach fashion, I actually didn’t start by crafting a story or even an outline.? Instead, I began with those 4 or 5 characters.? I’d written little vignettes about them in my imagination over the years . . . composed things they’d say or do in certain situations . . . and that eventually led to my writing almost a hundred pages of character arcs.? Then I started imagining how they all might interact.? What could bring them together amidst the challenges we face today?? And a story began to take shape.?

Today’s Challenges

What happens when a smart, anarchic villain attacks our country as it splits at the seams?? The Wilkes Insurrection is a contemporary thriller set in an era of fake news, red vs blue, “haves” vs. “have nots,” immigrant tensions, and more.? It’s a story driven by themes of revenge and hope, guilt and redemption, separation and family.? I call myself an optimistic patriot — but my protagonist, Air Force reservist Major Tamika Smith, must ultimately answer the difficult question, “How far would you go to save what you love?”

A Debut Novel

Attracting readers to a first novel is yet another interesting challenge.? For those of you that follow me on LinkedIn, I’ll be writing more about creativity, themes from the book, and encouraging you to enjoy it and spread the word to others.? For now, check out the website at www.wilkesinsurrection.com where you can read a free excerpt.? Or watch the book trailer . And there is even a playlist on Spotify . Of course, it's available for pre-order on all the major bookseller sites.

It has been a joy for a former business executive to explore his creative side.? I hope you enjoy the results and maybe challenge yourself in new ways, too.