Vernon, B.C. B次元官网网址� Lawrence B次元官网网址淟arryB次元官网网址� Ricketts took the old adage of B次元官网网址榳rite what you knowB次元官网网址� to heart while penning his debut novel The Third Law.

Ricketts spent 30 years working for the RCMP, 29 of which as an undercover operator.

Initially, he admits that he never considered becoming a police officer due to his small build and short stature. He described a somewhat serendipitous meeting with an RCMP recruiter which eventually landed him a spot in an RCMP training program.

B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 even know I wanted to be a cop until I had a bad day at work at Woodwards department store B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 where I worked at the time,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 was having lunch when I noticed a guy looking for a place to sit and asked him if he wanted to sit down. Turns out, the man was an RCMP recruiting officer.B次元官网网址�

After speaking with the recruiter, Ricketts committed to attending the RCMP training program and soon found himself pegged as an informant. He admits that, with a vast theatre background, the job came quite naturally to him.

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B次元官网网址淲hen I first got into the training program in 1967, I had done a lot of acting and theatre acting and I guess it showed up in my resume because I had no idea what I was in for,B次元官网网址� said Ricketts. B次元官网网址淭hey have what they call an undercover pool and that is run out of Ottawa and so if thereB次元官网网址檚 a murder or a drug problem, any kind of major crime anywhere in Canada and they need a person with certain qualifications, theyB次元官网网址檒l type that into the computer and if your name pops out, theyB次元官网网址檒l ask you if youB次元官网网址檇 take on the project.B次元官网网址�

This is where he spent most of his career B次元官网网址� specifically in drug sections and major crimes. Starting in Ontario, he worked in Toronto drugs for eight years before moving back out west. He worked in a similar unit in Vancouver for 20 years and spent two years in Victoria doing major crime work.

B次元官网网址淎fter that long, you become B次元官网网址� not an expert by any means B次元官网网址� but you have a pretty good handle on human behaviour and what causes people to be bad and then use that to exploit as much as you can after studying a specific target,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淵ou look for any weakness thatB次元官网网址檚 going to help you get close to them and be friendly and thatB次元官网网址檚 the one thing I found. ThereB次元官网网址檚 always a weakness.B次元官网网址�

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After retiring from the RCMP in 1997, he spent about ten years doing private consulting work, setting up operations and training others. Meanwhile, Ricketts began toying with the idea of writing a novel, jotting down ideas when inspiration hit.

B次元官网网址淭he job was like a 30-year course in human behaviour,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 how I would probably nutshell it and thatB次元官网网址檚 what I used when I started writing.B次元官网网址�

He describes his stories as a way to relive his career. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 what makes it fun.B次元官网网址�

Set in the late 1990s, the book uses his own experiences, he loosely based all the characters on people he met throughout his career. Authenticity and truth, he said, are his main goal.

B次元官网网址淭he main reason for writing this was to show how fragile things are and even in bad guys, thereB次元官网网址檚 a bit of good B次元官网网址� not a whole lot but no one is totally black and no one is totally white B次元官网网址� hence the coverB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� a yin and yang symbol.

B次元官网网址淲riting what I know saves hundreds of hours of research B次元官网网址� especially if you want it to be truthful and accurate. My whole idea with this book was to make it as truthful as possible and make the characters as believable as possible using the people I had met and worked with and against.B次元官网网址�

Since the bookB次元官网网址檚 conception, Ricketts said itB次元官网网址檚 taken 18 years in total B次元官网网址� though the result is almost unrecognizable to his first draft.

B次元官网网址淏y the time youB次元官网网址檝e finished your first novel, youB次元官网网址檝e written at least ten.B次元官网网址�

Produced by Tellwell publishing, the final draft was released in June. Unlike large publishing houses like Harper Collins or Random House, Tellwell is a type of self-publishing platform.

B次元官网网址淭he difficulty if you arenB次元官网网址檛 a known author, the traditional publishing houses are very skeptical to take you, plus theyB次元官网网址檝e got a lineup of manuscripts from authors who are known and established,B次元官网网址� Ricketts said. B次元官网网址淭hen youB次元官网网址檝e got the self-publishing companies who would publish 400 blank pages if you want because youB次元官网网址檙e paying for it. Tellwell is one of the ones now where youB次元官网网址檝e kind of got an in-between B次元官网网址� they edit it and tell you if itB次元官网网址檚 good enough to publish.B次元官网网址�

He said he decided on this route because they offer an honest review of the book before publishing. Though he believes this was the right decision for his debut novel, heB次元官网网址檚 hopeful his future novels will be picked up by larger publishers.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e done everything I thought I could to get it out to people and get their true feeling about it and thatB次元官网网址檚 why IB次元官网网址檓 excited about it now. And with reviews from well-known writers and being approved by Indie Reader, IB次元官网网址檓 confident itB次元官网网址檚 a good book.B次元官网网址�

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For those interested, the synopsis allows for some valuable insight into its content: B次元官网网址淪tarting over for Paul Goldman and his family had been quiet, and peaceful, everything life should be, until one night his world was torn apart. Now, with the leader of a South American drug cartel vowing to have him killed, and the police, trying to protect him, Paul enlists the help of two former comrades from his past to help him stay alive and go after everyone responsible.B次元官网网址�

Ricketts assures his fans that the story doesnB次元官网网址檛 end with this book. Though it has the ability to stand alone, he has already begun writing his second novel and tells this reporter that many of the same characters are also included. The Third Law is available on amazon or through Coles, Indigo and Chapters.

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