Something happened to me a few years ago when I was working on a series for Google authorship. I had my dense whiteboard outline finished, but I needed a hook.
Some uncommon theme to tie all the articles together. That theme appeared in the character of gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson.
He would become the mascot of the series. Our ideal. Our standard. The shadow that swept across every paragraph.
And I stumbled upon this idea by following a rabbit trail that terminated on his entry in Wikipedia. I had no reason to read the article. But I was curious and bored.
Besides, I had a hunch.