How did I come up with the idea that a car could run on
water?
For me, ideas for books come in the strangest ways. I’ve
written books or articles from ideas that woke me up in the middle of the
night, from thoughts that came to me while running triathlons, and while taking
hikes deep in the Rocky Mountains. I’ve even had some
ideas come while sitting on a ski lift during a freezing blizzard.
The genesis behind Chasing Hindy came from a surprising
source—a hypnotist. When I was in high school, we had an assembly where a
hypnotist put a group of volunteers under hypnosis. One of the questions he
asked them was what would be the fuel of the future. What fuel would people
pump into their tank? Almost without exception they all said, “water!” The
hypnotist then told the audience that every time he asked that question he
received the same answer.
That was several decades ago, but I’ve always wondered
whether that could possibly be true—and why all these people thought we’d all
be driving cars that used water. In the following years, I realized that a car
wouldn’t run on water per se, but from hydrogen that is extracted from water.
The question, of course, is that if we know how to produce hydrogen, why aren’t
there hydrogen cars? The answer is quite simple. As an engineer and patent
attorney I know the science behind extracting hydrogen from water. The problem
is that it takes more energy to do this than to just run a car on gasoline, or
even electricity.
But what if somebody invented a way to make it happen?
That’s the germ of an idea that led to Chasing Hindy.
Then, of course, is finding an idea for a main character.
For me, a good character is far more difficult than finding a story idea. Not
only does the character need to make the story line happen, but the readers
need to relate to what the character is experiencing. I struggled with such a
character for years, and, in fact, rewrote the book several times with other
characters that just didn’t seem to work.
What made the story finally click was my discovery of Addy—a
patent attorney with a dream to change the world. I decided on a female
character (who was also a patent attorney) for several reasons. Perhaps the
main reason was that female patent attorneys are in short supply and I wanted
to encourage women to enter the profession. So I created Addy to hopefully show
what a difference one person can make, and through her experience more women
would want to become patent attorneys. What I love about Addy is her
determination to make the world a better place, no matter the cost. But you’ll have to read the book to see what
obstacles she must overcome.
Regards,
Darin
About the Author
In addition to a thriving career as a novelist, author Darin Gibby is also
one of the country’s premiere patent attorneys and a partner at the prestigious
firm of Kilpatrick Townsend (www.kilpatricktownsend.com).
With over twenty years of experience in obtaining patents on hundreds of
inventions from the latest drug delivery systems to life-saving cardiac
equipment, he has built IP portfolios for numerous Fortune 500 companies. In
addition to securing patents, Gibby helps clients enforce and license their
patents around the world, and he has monetized patents on a range of products.Darin’s first book, Why Has America Stopped Inventing?, explored the critical issue of America’s broken patent system. His second book, The Vintage Club, tells the story of a group of the world’s wealthiest men who are chasing a legend about a wine that can make you live forever. His third book, Gil, is about a high school coach who discovers that he can pitch with deadly speed and is given an offer to play with the Rockies during a player’s strike. Gil soon discovers, however, that his unexpected gift is the result of a rare disease, and continuing to pitch may hasten his own death.
With a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering and a Master of Business Administration degree, he is highly regarded in Denver’s legal and business community as a patent strategist, business manager, and community leader. He is also a sought-after speaker on IP issues at businesses, colleges and technology forums, where he demonstrates the value of patents using simple lessons from working on products such as Crocs shoes, Izzo golf straps and Trek bicycles.
An avid traveler and accomplished triathlete, Darin also enjoys back country fly-fishing trips and skiing in the Rocky Mountains. He lives in Denver with his wife, Robin, and their four children.
His latest book is the thriller, Chasing Hindy.
WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:
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About the Book:
When she is arrested for stealing US
technology from the patent office she realizes Quinn has used her. Now, Addy
must find a way to clear her name while salvaging her dream of propelling this
technology to the world, all while powerful forces attempt to stop her.
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