CLEMSON — “Refraction,” the debut novel from Jan Dynes, begins with murder in a Mercedes Benz traveling down a Denver highway.

After Diane Lindsey’s husband and son die in the opening sequence, the protagonist begins a manic flight. To keep out of the crosshairs, Lindsey takes refuge on a cruise ship. The liner zips from Miami to the Caribbean, South America and other juicy locales.

The travel component makes sense. After all, Dynes penned “Refraction” while on a six-month solo sailing trip. The 55-year-old began her solo trek from Lake Erie in September. Some 3,700 miles later, Dynes' course had included all the Great Lakes and the length of the East Coast.

She dubbed her 41-foot craft the Adastra, Latin for “reach for the stars.” Since operating her boat commanded much of Dynes' daylight, “Refraction” was written mostly at night after she anchored. Aboard the Adastra, she was free from modern distractions. She had a TV onboard, but the generator used to power the device was so loud, it turned viewing into noise pollution.

After devouring several books early in her trip, Jane decided to give novel writing a try herself. (She’d previously penned short stories and journalistic pieces.) Amid the night and water, she would pound away at her laptop until the battery went out. Jan discovered writing was an escape from the solitude that enveloped her on the Adastra.

“Most people are very social people. We all get used to talking to people every day. My characters became a way to have a dialogue,” Dyne said.

The Clemson-based author’s family also became part of “Refraction.” Dynes named the book’s heroine after her real-life sister, Diane Flett.

“I always loved Diane’s name. Mom gave her the good name,” Dynes said.

Dynes' sons Damon and Chase also have namesakes in the tome. But, like the Diane character, similarities end at appellation.

“It’s impossible for an author not to put bits and pieces of their own experience into their writing,” Dynes said. “But all theses characters are made up. They’re not based entirely on anyone. As a story unfolds there are strange symmetries that we recognize only in retrospect from our life experiences.”

LIFE MIRRORS FICTION

What started as a thoughtful ode took a spooky turn on Sept. 16. Flett and her husband Bill were involved in a serious motorcycle accident, leaving Dynes' sister in a coma. The circumstance bore a resemblance to happenings in “Refraction.”

Initially, Dynes thought of changing the lead character’s name. But in the end, she left it as is. Diane had already voiced her approval upon seeing a manuscript before her accident.

Two years later, Diane Flett is out of her coma, but with a lengthy recovery still in front of her.

Dynes has vowed never again to lend her loved one’s names to fiction.

Like many writers, musicians and filmmakers before her, Dynes found out that once commerce became involved with her art, the game changed. “Refraction” was issued by 1 Book Publishing.

“When I started working with a publisher, everybody had a different idea of what was going to turn out,” Dynes said.

“Refraction” went through three major revisions. There was no romantic subplot until 1 Book suggested including one. Then, the publisher wanted more focus on the killer. The third edit spliced melded elements of the first two versions.

“It started off to be a literary novel, and every move that was made was an effort to make it more commercial,” Dynes said. “Money would certainly be a nice thing, although other people were involved more than I had hoped.”

It appears the hybrid worked. So far, “Refractions” has received some glowing reviews from numerous outlets, including the Portsmouth Book Review and Anchorage Readers Guild.

THE BUCKET LIST

When Dynes turned 50 five years ago, she decided to act on her adventurous impulses. Dynes mushed on a dogsled through Alaskan snow. She photographed native Alaskans as they fought for whaling rights. Perhaps the biggest undertaking: adopting seven inner-city teenagers.

An epic sailing trip was Jan’s latest dream. She thought it would be an idyllic existence with a calypso soundtrack. But reality proved to be quite different.

“It was dirty, cold, nasty and boring, although there were certainly some exciting times,” Dynes said.

Before her daring golden years, Dynes managed art galleries in Colorado and Alaska.

“I didn’t want to be 83 someday and wish I had skydived. I’ll keep adding to the list as long as I can walk across the room,” Dynes said.

When it comes to literary influences, Dynes looks to crime fiction bigwigs: John Grisham, Patterson North, Robert Ludlum, Jan Patterson. Dynes said her second novel will be a legal thriller set in Alaska.

“There’s something about the criminal mind and people triumphing over evil,” Dynes said.