Vernon, B.C. 害羞草研究所� Lawrence 害羞草研究所淟arry害羞草研究所� Ricketts took the old adage of 害羞草研究所榳rite what you know害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淚 didn害羞草研究所檛 even know I wanted to be a cop until I had a bad day at work at Woodwards department store 害羞草研究所� that害羞草研究所檚 where I worked at the time,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 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.害羞草研究所�

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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害羞草研究所淲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,害羞草研究所� said Ricketts. 害羞草研究所淭hey have what they call an undercover pool and that is run out of Ottawa and so if there害羞草研究所檚 a murder or a drug problem, any kind of major crime anywhere in Canada and they need a person with certain qualifications, they害羞草研究所檒l type that into the computer and if your name pops out, they害羞草研究所檒l ask you if you害羞草研究所檇 take on the project.害羞草研究所�

This is where he spent most of his career 害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淎fter that long, you become 害羞草研究所� not an expert by any means 害羞草研究所� 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,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淵ou look for any weakness that害羞草研究所檚 going to help you get close to them and be friendly and that害羞草研究所檚 the one thing I found. There害羞草研究所檚 always a weakness.害羞草研究所�

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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.

害羞草研究所淭he job was like a 30-year course in human behaviour,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 how I would probably nutshell it and that害羞草研究所檚 what I used when I started writing.害羞草研究所�

He describes his stories as a way to relive his career. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 what makes it fun.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淭he main reason for writing this was to show how fragile things are and even in bad guys, there害羞草研究所檚 a bit of good 害羞草研究所� not a whole lot but no one is totally black and no one is totally white 害羞草研究所� hence the cover害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� a yin and yang symbol.

害羞草研究所淲riting what I know saves hundreds of hours of research 害羞草研究所� 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.害羞草研究所�

Since the book害羞草研究所檚 conception, Ricketts said it害羞草研究所檚 taken 18 years in total 害羞草研究所� though the result is almost unrecognizable to his first draft.

害羞草研究所淏y the time you害羞草研究所檝e finished your first novel, you害羞草研究所檝e written at least ten.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淭he difficulty if you aren害羞草研究所檛 a known author, the traditional publishing houses are very skeptical to take you, plus they害羞草研究所檝e got a lineup of manuscripts from authors who are known and established,害羞草研究所� Ricketts said. 害羞草研究所淭hen you害羞草研究所檝e got the self-publishing companies who would publish 400 blank pages if you want because you害羞草研究所檙e paying for it. Tellwell is one of the ones now where you害羞草研究所檝e kind of got an in-between 害羞草研究所� they edit it and tell you if it害羞草研究所檚 good enough to publish.害羞草研究所�

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, he害羞草研究所檚 hopeful his future novels will be picked up by larger publishers.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e done everything I thought I could to get it out to people and get their true feeling about it and that害羞草研究所檚 why I害羞草研究所檓 excited about it now. And with reviews from well-known writers and being approved by Indie Reader, I害羞草研究所檓 confident it害羞草研究所檚 a good book.害羞草研究所�

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For those interested, the synopsis allows for some valuable insight into its content: 害羞草研究所淪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.害羞草研究所�

Ricketts assures his fans that the story doesn害羞草研究所檛 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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