Randy Wayne White Shares the Stories Behind His Thrillers

White signing his book. STEPHEN MITSKAVICH / BABCOCK RANCH TELEGRAPH

It wasn’t a dark and stormy night, and there appeared to be no intrigue, trail of clues, shadowy figures, or apparent mayhem at Lake Timber Lodge. Yet, fans of the Doc Ford’s mystery series eagerly lined up at the door on June 25 to meet prolific Florida fiction author Randy Wayne White and get a sneak peek at his latest book, “One Deadly Eye.”

The event saw attendees thrilled to engage with White and take a closer look at his ongoing series, which began with “Sanibel Flats,” published in 1990. White even inquired if anyone possessed a first-edition copy of the initial limited-edition press run from his early days as an unknown author, hinting at its potential value.

In “One Deadly Eye,” our fictional hero, marine biologist and retired NSA agent Marion Ford, gets entangled in a plot where a Russian crime ring uses a deadly hurricane as a cover to target coastal homes of Florida’s wealthy for valuable art and jewelry heists. Amidst the chaos, the island, supposedly deserted due to a mandatory evacuation, holds untold mysteries.

The room was filled with an eager crowd, waiting to meet Randy Wayne White and hear his captivating stories and insights. STEPHEN MITSKAVICH / BABCOCK RANCH TELEGRAPH

White, who discovered his calling in 1988 writing nonfiction on nature, travel, and adventure for magazines like Men’s Health and National Geographic Adventure, captivated a standing-room-only crowd with poignant and often humorous backstories. These tales, rich with real-life characters and locations from Sanibel Island and the Gulf’s Thousand Islands area, left the audience hanging on his every word.

White’s deep knowledge of the land, waters, climate, and people of Florida makes his fictional stories resonate strongly with readers. He paints vivid pictures of quaint beach towns and turquoise waters, backwater terrain, First Nation shell mounds, and the old salts who have inhabited these areas for generations.

White and Donna Byars.

Interestingly, writing was White’s fallback career. For 13 years, he worked as a soft-tackle fishing guide, having around 3,000 charters under his belt before the marina closed and left him jobless. Despite finding success in writing, White acknowledges that it remains hard work, one that hasn’t gotten any easier over time.

Fans have much to look forward to as the series continues. “One Deadly Eye” concludes with unresolved threads, leaving room for more adventures. White even teased some real-life characters who survived Hurricane Ian with him, much like characters in his book.

Left to right: Paul Primeaux, Wendy Webb, Randy Wayne White and Paul Primeaux’s son Alec. STEPHEN MITSKAVICH / BABCOCK RANCH TELEGRAPH

During the Q&A session, when asked about the future of the recurring character Tomlinson, White humorously noted his female readers’ fascination with the character. Despite being a womanizer with no moral compass, Tomlinson’s appeal remains a mystery even to his creator.

Though often pegged as romantic literature, White describes himself as more of a nerdy writer, emphasizing historical and geographic accuracy in his works. He regards “One Deadly Eye” as his best yet, though he concedes that authors often favor their most recent works due to the immense effort involved in their creation.

Encouraging aspiring writers in the audience, White stressed the importance of the written word. He advised them to encourage older folks to leave behind at least one honest page of writing, which will live on through future generations, outlasting even photographs.

White, like his character Doc Ford, is a ham radio operator. He shared how he and other residents engaged in rescue work post-Hurricane Ian, using ham radios when other communication lines were down. These real-life experiences provided authentic details for his book, enriching the story with genuine elements of the storm’s impact.

The event concluded with fans leaving not only with autographed copies of “One Deadly Eye” but also with the experience of meeting a Southwest Florida legend. Some even suggested future book settings inland, perhaps at the nearby former gun club.

Source: Babcock Ranch Telegraph