Please note that I am not a monster
truck driver. Nor have I ever been in a monster truck or been to a monster
truck show. That’s the beauty of research. With enough research, you can make
anything realistic and convincing.
Donovan Goldwyn, the hero in Hurricane Crimes is a monster truck driver and I had the opportunity to let him do his
thing in Seismic Crimes, which I am still waiting to hear back from my publisher about. FINGERS CROSSED EVERYONE!
I am only going to address three main
things about monster truck driving if you want to write about it:
1. The Truck
If you ever write about a monster
truck, it would be smart to briefly mention the things that make it a MONSTER
truck.
Monster trucks have massive tires,
which are usually Terra tires, and about 4-link suspension to allow four feet
of clearance when the truck moves over mounds and other obstacles. The
supercharged engines (575 cubic inches) live off methanol oil. The driver is
usually positioned in the middle of the cab for full visibility behind a sheet
of Lexan to protect the driver from flying debris. However, it’s not unheard of
for a truck to have two seats. Every truck is equipped with at least three kill
switches for safety precautions. There are also safety harnesses as well as
head and neck restraints, and drivers wear fire suits and helmets. Monster
trucks are used for competitions and entertainment.
TIP: Don’t forget to
mention the design and colors of the truck. People get really creative. You can
even give the truck a name.
2. Arena
Arenas for monster truck driving are
compiled completely of dirt, sometimes even mud in some areas. Small mounds,
large ramps of dirt, and even cars are added to arenas for trucks to jump over
or crush with their giant tires. If there’s a race, you can bet on seeing
lanes, obstacles, and a finish line.
TIP: If your MC goes to a
monster truck show, have him/her be in awe of the trucks and what is going on:
the roar of the crowd, the packed stands, etc.
3. Stunts
Monster trucks can do quite a lot of
stunts. This is called freestyle. Some stunts/tricks are wheelies, jumps, and
slap wheelies/wheel stands. Donovan does a wheel stand for Beth in Seismic
Crimes. It was a fun moment to write.
These stunts are judged by timing,
speed, aggression, height/length/verticality of jumps, and “saves.” If there’s
a tie, it is often broken by a “cheer-off” or a secret “tie-breaking judge.”
TIP: Imagine you're the
driver or at the show. Show their excitement with their body language and the
things they say and do.
The main thing to remember is to have
fun with this!
QUESTIONS: Have you ever been
to a monster truck show? What was it like? If you could, would you try driving
a monster truck?
QUESTION: What's the best job
you've ever had?
MY ANSWER: Okay, so if I’m being
honest I haven’t had many jobs in my life and that’s due to the spine surgery I
had when I was fifteen. I’ve never revealed this before but I am disabled. I'm
not in a wheelchair, but I struggle to do some normal things like sitting and
standing as long as others.
When I was a teen, I
sold Florida Today newspaper subscriptions door-to-door. I was pretty good
because no one could say no to the sweet little girl on their doorstep. I was
also an Avon lady. But neither of those are the best jobs I’ve ever had. My
best job is being a writer, although I hardly get paid for that. It’s my
passion though and that’s what makes it the best. :)
