Q & A with Alexandra Amor

I had the pleasure to ask Alexandra Amor, author of the Freddie Lark series and podcaster some questions about her work and PI fiction in general.

Q:What makes Freddie Lark different from other hardboiled characters?

Well, first she’s a woman, which is somewhat unusual in the hardboiled genre, though not as much as it used to be. Second, she’s accidentally falling into solving mysteries. She’s not an ex-cop, doesn’t have a PI license, and defines herself as an artist, not a detective. She leads with compassion and kindness rather than with a tough attitude. And she doesn’t even own pepper spray, let alone a gun.

Q: How did you come up with the character?

It’s sometimes difficult to describe the process of how a character emerges but I’ll try. I wanted to write about Vancouver, where I’d lived for 30 years, and I wanted the books to be contemporary. I’d been writing a historical mystery series, so writing about the present-day was a change. Freddie just gradually evolved as I began to think about writing mysteries set in that city. I knew I wanted her to be mature (she’s 40) and independent (no kids or spouse). As I began to write the prequel novella that starts the series, I got to know her. She’s observant and kind, she has a sassy mouth, and she’s surrounded by a rag-tag bunch of friends who would do anything for her (and vice versa).

Q: What are your thoughts on eBooks?

Love ebooks! I personally read on my iPad on one of the ebook apps. Lately I only seem to buy books in print if they’re not available in ebook. I love that I can travel and take 50 books with me if I want to without having to lug 50 paperbacks around. And I also believe that every reader has the right to choose the format that works for them best; audiobook, ebook, or paperback. I also love it that ebooks are more affordable for readers.

Q: What's next for you and your characters?

I’m working on the next Freddie Lark book, called Lark Goes Back. Freddie is embroiled in a financial fraud case that may or may not involve her sister. I also write a short mystery story every month for my patrons on Patreon. So far in 2021 those stories have all been set in Freddie Lark’s world, though they don’t always have her as the main character, as the books do. Some of the short mysteries feature her sister or mother or friend and tenant, Ellie.

Q: What do you do when you're not writing?

I live in a tiny fishing village on an island off the British Columbia coast and we are very close to nature here. So I love walking on the beaches and trails around town. I also read a lot (of course). I have plans to learn to play the ukulele.

Q: How do you promote your work?

I promote my work any way I can. I run Amazon ads on that platform. I host a weekly podcast for mystery readers where I interview other mystery authors and have them read to us from their books. I have two free novellas available on my website and when readers sign up for those I keep in touch with them via a monthly newsletter. The first novel in the Freddie Lark series (Lark Underground) is free in ebook format at all the online retailers, so I run promotions about that a few times a year. I submit my books to Kobo promotions regularly. Next on my list is learning about BookBub ads.

Q: What other genres besides crime do you like?

I love the memoir genre. And when I’m not reading mysteries or memoirs I’m reading books about writing, or ones about running an author business.

Q: In the last century we've seen new waves of PI writers, first influenced by Hammett, then Chandler, Macdonald, Parker, later Lehane. Who do you think will influence the coming generation?

I’m terrible at predicting the future, but what I would love to see is increasing diversity in the mystery genre; that is, books by those authors we haven’t heard from yet or have barely heard from. Indigenous authors, books by trans and other LGBTQ authors. Books for readers who have not yet seen themselves represented in literature and art. All the authors you mentioned above are white men. Won’t it be great when those writers who are influencing the coming generations of writers are as diverse as the real world is?

Q: Why do you write in this genre?

Even when I try to write something that isn’t a mystery, it always ends up with a mystery in the plot. So I think this is just who I am; a mystery author. I love it. I love that solving crime is a metaphor for making sense out of the mysteries in our lives. And I love that one of the things I get to do with my life is make up stories that hopefully entertain readers.

For those of you wanting to know more about this author, check out:

Website: https://alexandraamor.com

2 Free novellas: https://alexandraamor.com/library/

Podcast: http://itsamysterypodcast.com

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/alexandraamor

Q & A with John Ryder

John Ryder is the pen name of a British crimewriter  who just came out with the first book in an exciting new series of thrillers starring tough guy loner Grant Fletcher. Of course I wanted to know more...


Q: What makes Grant Fletcher different from other hardboiled characters? 
This is a really good (hard to answer) question as Fletcher has many of the traits found in so many hardboiled characters. He’s comfortable operating alone, ready with his fists when necessary, brave, cynical, and dogged by past events that won’t give him inner peace.
I think his USP has to be that he’s not one of the love-em-and-leave-em characters. His wife died years ago and he still loves her, and to this end he’s never once looked at another woman.

Q: How did you come up with the character? 
I’ve read a lot of books featuring similar characters by authors such as Lee Child, Matt Hilton, Zoe Sharp and many others so I knew the basics that had to be included in a character who features in crime action thrillers. What I wanted to do when building Fletcher was imbue him with enough commonalities to make him familiar, yet also to have enough differences to make him stand out in a crowded field. Fletcher’s back story came from events that happened in the Sam Carver series by Tom Cain. The series ended on a bombshell with a hugely emotional thread that had me wondering about its psychological impact for years afterwards. I’ve been lucky enough to befriend Tom and receive permission to appropriate the event he never tied up. I did of course put my own spin on things and I consider what I have done to be a homage to a fantastic piece of writing rather than a continuation of his character’s story.

Q: What are your thoughts on eBooks? 
I like them for their convenience as commuters approaching the end of a book don’t have to lug their next read along for the journey home and holidaymakers can take a supply of books that don’t require a separate suitace. When it comes to my own reading I’m probably a 70 / 30 split in favour of paper or hardbacks, but that’s largely because I’m fortunate enough to have books sent to me. I also think that ebooks offer fantastic value for money as where else could you get many hours of entertainment for 99p or even £1.99?

 Q: What's next for you and your characters? 
Things are looking busy for myself, Fletcher and Quadrado. Book 2 is written and the copy edits have been sent back so there’s only the proofing stages to go through. The title and blurb are still to be finalised, but book 2 sees Quadrado calling on Fletcher to investigate the murder of her lifelong friend. Naturally for one of my stories, the killing has only just begun.

Q: What do you do when you're not writing? 
All the usual boring stuff. Read, watch TV, support my local football team, socialise with friends and family and plan murders.

Q: How do you promote your work? 
I’m lucky to have a fantastic publicist who does most of the heavy lifting. There are blog tours, social media posts, engaging with readers and writers. Occasionally I’ll run some ads to support what my publisher is doing, but mostly it’s about social media engagement.

Q: What other genres besides crime do you like? 
I tend to be firmly stuck in the crime camp, but I read across almost all of its sub-genreswith the exception of cosy. I tend to mix things up with police procedurals, crime action thrillers, conspiracy thrillers, lost artefact stories and PI fiction to name but a few styles of the crime novels I read.

 Q: In the last century we've seen new waves of PI writers, first influenced by Hammett, then Chandler, Macdonald, Parker, later Lehane. Who do you think will influence the coming generation? 
This is another toughie to answer as I’d be very wary of burdening another writer with expectation, but some authors who write PI style fiction I read are Matt Hilton, LJ Morris and Rob Sinclair.

 Q: Why do you write in this genre? 
Because I get to read the story I want to read is the simple answer, but on a deeper level I think it’s because I love the puzzle element. While it’s always easier to set a puzzle than solve one, I take great enjoyment in seeding in clues and red herrings to misdirect readers while also worrying that I’m either being too obtuse or too obvious. Another great thing about writing crime stories is that I can explore themes and topics that interest me or that I feel ought to be brought to a wider audience.

Q & A with Mike Baron

I have been a fan of Mike Baron's comic books for decades (Punisher, Badger, Butcher) and he has been an influence on my early writing. So it's a delight to be able to ask him some questions.

Q: What makes Josh "Biker" Pratt different from other hardboiled characters?
John D. MacDonald grabbed me by the throat and wouldn't let go. Travis McGee is a brilliant character. He's of a type. Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade, Jack Reacher. You know the type. A man of integrity, close-lipped (except for Marlowe,) who stands with one foot in civility and the other outside. I've been a biker all my life. I wanted to create a character in Travis' vein, but unique. The name Josh Pratt comes from a roadside memorial I passed one day. I have friends who were patched in bikers and they generously shared their knowledge with me.

Q: How did you come up with the character?
The name came from a roadside memorial. A bicyclist killed in a traffic accident. The protagonist must be sympathetic, someone with whom the reader can identify. He must be violent, when necessary. He must not be a smart ass. There's room for smart asses in hard-boiled fiction. Marlowe. Spenser. But my guy had been through the mill and had all the smart ass beaten out of him in prison. Abandoned at fifteen, bounced from foster home to foster home, the Bedouins were the only family Josh ever knew. Josh came together while I was writing Biker. I wrote it five times before I was satisfied. Now I see his path clearly. Josh became a Christian in prison. This informs his personality. Man needs to believe in something larger than himself if he is going to be happy. Josh doesn't spread the word. He speaks as little as possible. He prays regularly.

Q: What are your thoughts on the whole eBook revolution?
Hell, I'd still be typing on a manual if it were up to me. I'm grateful for ebooks expanding readership. Most of my sales are ebooks. But I prefer a book I can hold in my hand. I like gas-burning vehicles with manual transmissions. I like vinyl. Thank God for small, independent booksellers, who keep this vital tradition alive.

Q: What's next for you and your characters?
 I just turned in the 7th Biker, Unfortunate Son. Josh's father Duane, who abandoned Josh at fifteen, returns to hit Josh up for money. Duane's in a whole lot of trouble. He stole something from Ryan Gehrke, the former Miami Running Back who took a knee, and now spends most of his time partying.

Q: What do you do when you're not writing?
Ride my bike, sleep, go to karate.

Q: How do you promote your work? 
I just talk. I have no idea how to promote myself. I wish I did! I do what Ann says. She's my promo expert. She's got me on a schedule.
Monday: artwork or graphic
Tuesday: blurb of book
Wednesday: video
Thursday: writing tips “Never Say Nebudchadnezzar Again”
Friday: blog

Q: What other genres besides crime do you like? 
Historical novels, horror, biography.

Q: In the last century we've seen new waves of PI writers, first influenced by Hammett, then Chandler, Macdonald, Parker, later Lehane. Who do you think will influence the coming generation?
Those same guys.

Q: How has having been a comic book writer influenced your work?
It helps me visualize, so I can show rather than tell. You can show in prose almost as effectively as in comics.

Q: I was a huge fan of your Butcher series? Any chance we will see any of that work back again?
I don't know. I understand DC has brought him back for some adventures.

Q: Why do you write in this genre?
I don't choose my stories, my stories choose me.

Q & A with A.J. Devlin

A.J. Devlin surprised me this year with a great, fast-paced PI novel featuring a fun new private eye. Of course that made me eager to learn more about the writer and his work.


Q: What makes "Hammerhead" Jed different from other hardboiled characters?
A: I would say what makes Jed different first and foremost would be his professional wrestling pedigree, followed by his sense of humour. While he has several trademarks of a hardboiled detective in that he's emotionally damaged and drinks too much, he also has a really big heart and cracks wise in a way that I hope comes across as unique due to his wrestling history.


Q: How did you come up with the character?
A: I conceived of the character at a time when I had come across professional wrestling documentaries and biographies and was concurrently reading lots of books from what I like to call the "hybrid-athlete detective" mystery novel sub-genre. I've read mysteries about private eyes / amateur detectives who balanced sleuthing with their backgrounds and careers in boxing, surfing, hockey, basketball, working as a sports agent -- but as far as I could tell no one had ever cooked up a wrestler detective before. So that along with my longtime passion for professional wrestling was definitely my inspiration. I also sort of set out to write a classic Chandler / Spillane style story set in Vancouver, but by the time I finished the book it had morphed into a mystery-comedy. Since professional wrestling is rife with comical in-ring theatrics but also has a real life dark underbelly, it felt like the only way to accurately reflect the world of sports entertainment was to embrace the over-the-top action while also showcasing the behind the scenes drama.


Q: What are your thoughts on the whole eBook revolution?
A: I think anything that gets people reading more is a great thing. COBRA CLUTCH was my debut novel and only came out last Spring, so I'm still navigating my way through this new career as I go and am learning lots about the publishing industry along the way. But since I know of so many people whose amount of reading has significantly spiked due to the advent of eBooks it's hard not to see it as something very beneficial to authors overall.


Q: What's next for you and your characters?
A: ROLLING THUNDER, book two in the "Hammerhead" Jed series, is set to be released in Spring 2020 by NeWest Press and I'm currently working on book three.


Q: What do you do when you're not writing?
A: I keep pretty busy as a stay-at-home dad for my 7 year old son and 4 year old daughter. I also really enjoy going on long walks or runs with our family dog and tend to do a lot of outlining in my head for the "Hammerhead" Jed series when it's just the two of us alone on a trail or out in nature. And of course I try to read as much crime fiction as I can.


Q: How do you promote your work? 
A: I'm very fortunate that my publisher has the most awesome and tireless Production & Marketing Coordinator and GM who do so much to get the word out about the "Hammerhead" Jed series. Also, due to my stay-at-home dad lifestyle, I have a certain degree of flexibility when it comes to attending author events or arranging in-store signings at bookstores. And of course having a social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram has been invaluable.


Q: What other genres besides crime do you like? 
A: Interesting question! Although at this point I pretty much exclusively read crime I would have to say I enjoy a good sci-fi story for sure.


Q: In the last century we've seen new waves of PI writers, first influenced by Hammett, then Chandler, Macdonald, Parker, later Lehane. Who do you think will influence the coming generation?
A: For me personally I was heavily influenced by the works of current master storytellers like Joe R. Lansdale, Michael Connelly, Carl Hiaasen, and Robert Crais — and they are all still consistently publishing outstanding crime novels. However what I've found most exciting is the recent surge of top notch mystery novels set Vancouver, led by award-winning authors like Sam Wiebe and Sheena Kamal, who are fearless in depicting what a unique and rich city my hometown truly is, and something I aspired to emulate in COBRA CLUTCH.


Q: Why do you write in this genre?
A: Probably because I've been a massive fan of crime fiction since I was a boy and once spent a summer tearing through the entire HARDY BOYS series, so it definitely got into me early. And also because I grew up on movies like THE GOONIES, BACK TO THE FUTURE, and DIE HARD, and I believe that crime fiction lends itself beautifully to escapist entertainment, which is ultimately the thing I hope people take away if they give COBRA CLUTCH a read.

Q & A with Richard Godwin

Ex-military PI, Tammy Wayne, tracks serial killers for a living in Richard Godwin's novel “Insincerity”, coming out in June. I grilled Richard about his characters and PI fiction...

Q: What makes Tammy Wayne different from other hardboiled characters? 

Tammy Wayne is a unique creation, in that she is not hard boiled at all, but a vulnerable intelligent woman who uses her own grit and realism to tackle an extreme psychopathic killer. She allows herself to feel all the raw grief of her sister's violation and murder at the hands of the very man she is pursuing, a man known as The Pimp, who has her and her lover under deep surveillance. In this way she exploits his need to harden her by psychological  brutality and she does do by resisting and overcoming it. She is an extremely strong female who does not lapse into stereotype once.

Q: How did you come up with the character?

I heard her voice and began writing. It stemmed from the desire to write something about a non-cop pursuing a killer, rather than the other way around.

Q: What are your thoughts on the whole eBook revolution?

Like anything else it has its pros and cons. On the one hand it has opened the world of books up to a much wider audience and allowed for an accessibility that is breathtaking and great, in that you can download a book anywhere. On the other hand there is a lot of crap out there. It has also exposed the greed and dishonesty of many publishers.

Q: What's next for you and your characters?

I have 7 more lined up for publication, including the sequel to my first novel Apostle Rising, Apostle Unbound. I am of course writing new novels also.

Q: What do you do when you're not writing?

I am a regular at the gym, training 5 times a week. I socialise a lot. I also like sport. I travel. I like Art exhibitions. I love music, most genres. 

Q: How do you promote your work? 

My publishers do a lot of that for me. I have two Pr's working for me. I do a lot of online stuff. I create a stir.

Q: What other genres besides crime do you like? 

All of them apart from YA, which I consider to be a spurious genre cooked up by prurient and bored right wing theocrats intent on turning America into a theocracy. It is based around the control of developing sexuality and absurd. It lacks all realism. In the old days you read the classics. I say read the classics.

I read a lot of crime fiction of all types from Noir to mystery. I also like sci fi, slipstream, horror, literary, experimental, avant garde, Westerns, giallo, and erotica. There is also well written porn. Of course there is.

Q: In the last century we've seen new waves of PI writers, first influenced by Hammett, then Chandler, Macdonald, Parker, later Lehane. Who do you think will influence the coming generation?

Robots, the rise in ethnology is a foregone conclusion. We will have android PI's with huge and morally untethered sexual and Erotic appetites influenced by the canonical and prophetic works of Philip K Dick and also by incisive works such as Android Love, Human Skin, and Paranoia and The Destiny Programme.

Q: Why do you write in this genre?

Because it allows me to explore both the human condition without too much enclosure created by over labelling, and I dislike the need to genre classify, as it is primarily an academic and publisher-driven pursuit aimed at historicising the living and profiteering from them, and because in Noir, which I am best know for, you have men and women who are not necessarily criminals, nor recidivists or hardened criminals in any way whatsoever, but who step over a moral line and become criminalised by the society they inhabit and as such it allows for a lot of psychological excavation of the kind I enjoy as a Novelist. Noir is the genre of losers since they always fuck it up, be it  a heist or a blackmail, be it a murder or a con trick perpetrated on the corrupt deserving gulls they may seek to fleece. It is the genre of seductions in bars. Note I also write in many other genres.

 

Q & A with Tom Fowler

Tom Fowler writes books about a PI without a cop background who's a bit younger then a lot of private eyes and has a soft spot for novellas. Sounds like my kind of guy, you will understand if you know my Noah Milano stuff. All in all, a guy I just had to interview...


Q: What makes C.T. Ferguson different from other hardboiled characters? 
A: Mainly that he doesn’t come from a law enforcement background. Characters like Spenser and Scudder are great, but I didn’t want to write someone who’s an ex-cop. I wanted a character who would be more of a fish out of water. I think the series starts more “medium-boiled” in the first book, but the more C.T. sees and does, the more the harder edge comes in.


Q: How did you come up with the character?
A: Basically, I asked a lot of questions once I knew I didn’t want to write another ex-cop. What’s his background? Is he licensed? What makes him want to be a PI? Is it his full-time job? Etc. It didn’t take long to come up with a character bankrolled by his parents, and the reasons why flowed pretty well from there. I spent a few months cranking out short stories. Most of them were terrible and unprintable, but they allowed me to flesh out the character more and find his voice.


Q: What are your thoughts on the whole eBook revolution?
A: I say this as someone who loves physical books: it’s great. Paper books will never go out of style. Look at music: vinyl is still a thing (niche, but it’s around), even though we’ve had CDs for a generation or more, and despite the ease of downloading and streaming songs. Ebooks allow people to read more easily, in more places, and to carry entire libraries in their pocket, purse, or backpack. It’s terrific. As an author, anything that makes it easier to reach readers is a good thing.


Q: What's next for you and your characters?
A: I have the next couple of C.T. novels written, and a couple more plotted out. Obviously, I don’t want to spoil anything, but in coming books, C.T. is going to have some personal conflicts he never expected, and he’ll deal with a case that rocks him right down to his core.
As for me, I have a couple other characters I want to explore at some point. I wrote two spy thrillers years ago. They’re awful, but the main character is good, and I can salvage elements of the plots. I also have another crime thriller protagonist I’m kicking around and developing. Those will come after I’ve published a few more C.T. books and established both him as a character and myself as an author. Later this year, I’d also like to get into audiobooks. I want a bigger platform first, and I’m hoping that sometime in the fall or winter will be good for that.


Q: What do you do when you're not writing?
A: Well, I do have a full-time job. Besides work and writing, my wife and I bought a house last summer, so we’re doing projects and working on some things to make it our own. It’s coming along nicely. As a writer, reading is a big hobby. I like movies and TV, and there seems to be a lot of good TV these days now that we have so many more people and networks making shows. There isn’t enough time for us to watch all the shows that look interesting. I’m also a sports fan and am a total homer for Baltimore teams. Both my full-time job and writing are sedentary, so I try to get to the gym three or four days a week.


Q: How do you promote your work? 
Probably not very well yet. 😊 I have a website with a blog (www.tomfowlerwrites.com). It’s not super important for a fiction writer, but people have found me that way. I’ve promoted my free novella, The Confessional, on Instafreebie and BookFunnel (and I’ll have another free one out in early March called Land of the Brave). I try to write good book descriptions and have engaging covers. Especially since The Unknown Devil came out, I’ve dabbled in ads on various platforms. With only two books at the moment, I can’t get a ton of read-through, so I haven’t immersed myself yet. My initial impressions are that AMS ads on Amazon are probably the best, and that Facebook ads are better at building a mailing list. Other authors’ mileages may vary, of course.


Q: What other genres besides crime do you like? 
I do most of my reading in the mystery-crime-thriller space. Outside of that, I read graphic novels and trade paperbacks (I’m liking some of the DC Rebirth stories after not caring for The New 52). I’ll also read some occasional fantasy, urban fantasy, supernatural thrillers, and science fiction. In the nonfiction world, I like books that teach me something or come at an idea from an interesting angle. And, of course, books for writers.


Q: In the last century we've seen new waves of PI writers, first influenced by Hammett, then Chandler, Macdonald, Parker, later Lehane. Who do you think will influence the coming generation?
I hope those classic writers (and a few others) will continue to be influences. It’s hard to innovate in the genre without knowing the tropes and understanding what came before you. But I also think the coming generation will take their cues from more than just books. Teens and college-aged people today absorb information and stories in ways that just weren’t possible when I was younger. I think you’ll see people influenced by movies and TV, especially now that more studios and networks are creating content.
TV and movies can also lead people back to books. Someone could see the Jack Reacher movies, for instance, and like them enough to check out the books. (This is how I got started with the series—I watched Jack Reacher on a long flight, bought Killing Floor a few days later, and have since read all the books.) Then, after twenty-some books, our hypothetical person may fancy him or herself the next Lee Child. I wonder how many people watch Bosch on Amazon, read the Michael Connelly books, and are inspired to write their own crime stories? Or maybe someone streams House, M.D. on Netflix and goes on to write a medical mystery.
I don’t know which newer writers will be the influencers. Reading some of them, I can tell they were inspired by the masters. If you don’t know and understand what Chandler, Parker, Block, Grafton, etc. did, I think you’ll have a hard time meeting reader expectations. And meeting those expectations is important, regardless of what genre you write in.


Q: Why do you write in this genre?
Crime stories are great. You have a hero, usually flawed with his or her own problems, trying to solve a major problem for someone else. Done well, you get a lot of elements of the hero’s journey. They’re classic, timeless tales. You can graft anything onto a crime story and it still has the same heart. Look at The Dresden Files—magic and supernatural creatures play a big part in it, but if you strip all that away, you’re left with a damaged detective trying to solve a mystery. There’s not much better than that.

Q & A with Ed Robinson

There's a long line of Florida adventurers that started with the great Travis McGee. I'm always interested in learning about new ones.  Ed Robinson introduced us to Meade Breeze in his Trawler Trash series that I wanted to know more about...

Q: What makes Meade Breeze different from other hardboiled  characters?  
He lives off the grid, on a boat. No cell phone or computer, no license, no bank account. He deals with the fringes of society, but somehow manages to get into trouble no matter where he goes. Additionally, he’s more often the criminal than the hero. 

Q: How did you come up with the character? 
There’s a lot of myself in Breeze. I live on a boat, mostly at anchor, and travel all over Florida and the Bahamas. Toss in a little Travis McGee and James Hall’s Thorn character, and you end up with a guy like Breeze.
 
Q: What are your thoughts on the whole eBook revolution? 
I sell 100 ebooks for every paperback, so obviously I’m all for it. Convenience, price, and our ever-growing dependence on electronic devices tells me ebooks are the future. 

Q: What's next for you and your characters? 
I’m working on the tenth book in the Trawler Trash Series, and hope to keep Breeze alive for many more. Every time we travel on our boat, we meet new and interesting characters which become fodder for more story lines. 

Q: What do you do when you're not writing? 
Boat, beachcomb, and beer. 

Q: How do you promote your work? 
Almost exclusively through Facebook. My fan page has over 10,000 followers. 
https://www.facebook.com/quityourjobandliveonaboat/?ref=bookmarks

Q: What other genres besides crime do you like? 
Anything and everything Florida. There’s a whole subset of Florida writers that I enjoy; Randy Wayne White, Carl Hiassen, Tim Dorsey, Wayne Stinnett, etc. 

Q: In the last century we've seen new waves of PI writers, first influenced by Hammett, then Chandler, Macdonald, Parker, later Lehane. Who do you think will influence the coming generation?
Ed Robinson, of course! Actually it’s hard to say, but I think some of the current indy writers with big followings will change the future of writing and authorship. 

Q: Why do you write in this genre?
Write what you know, right? 

Q & A with Sheena Kamal

Sheena Kamal is a fast-rising star with her excellent debut The Lost Ones featuring Nora Watts. This Canadian researcher for crime investigation reporting will be picking up all the awards this year. So I was happy to interview her...

How did you come up with the character?

I was working as a researcher for a television crime drama series and was compelled by stories of gender violence in Canada. An idea came to me, of a complicated woman with a dark past. Her voice was present almost immediately, and it's through this voice that the rest of the story fell into place. 

Q: What are your thoughts on the whole eBook revolution?

However a reader connects with a book is fine by me. I read both ebooks and physical editions, so it's really about how books fit into the reader's lifestyle. As long as people are reading and finding books that excite them, I'm happy. 

Q: What’s next for you and your characters?

I'm working on the sequel, and planning the third instalment of Nora's story. For the time being, I'm completely immersed in her world, so to keep things fresh I use different settings to create new challenges for Nora to work against. It's research-intensive, which I enjoy immensely. 

Q: What do you do when you’re not writing?

I've taken to running in the woods. I'm not happy about it and I don't know exactly why I'm compelled to do it all of a sudden, but this is what I do when I'm not writing these days.

Q: How do you promote your work?

Badly, and after much self-recrimination. I wish I was better at it, but I do try my best. I have a website. 

Q: What other genres beside crime do you like?

I read just about everything and what I choose depends largely on my mood. These days, however, I'm all about shameless escapism and books that will give me a laugh. The news cycle these days is brutal-- and what I write is quite dark, as well, so I'm getting my fun in my fiction. 

Q: In the last century we’ve seen new waves of PI writers, first influenced by Hammett, then Chandler, Macdonald, Parker, later Lehane. Who do you think will influence the coming generation?

Hmm, good question. I'm not sure. I personally hope that genre boundaries are being erased and that there is so much crossover that you never know who the influencers may be. There's something exciting about that.

Q: Why do you write in this genre?

I think a story presented itself to me this way and I was pulled more by this particular character and her journey, rather than deciding to write crime fiction and then figuring out how to do it. Dark suspense is how The Lost Ones took shape-- and I followed where it led rather than allowing the genre to lead me. It felt organic and that feeling is something that now I work hard to hold onto. 

Q & A with Sam Wiebe

It's not just the guys from the USA writing good PI fiction. Sam Wiebe is a Canadian example of that. Here's a little talk with the author of the Dave Wakeland series

Q: What makes Dave Wakeland different from other hardboiled characters? 
He's young, in his late twenties, and successful--he and his partner Jeff Chen run a growing security company. This causes Dave some unease, as he's more comfortable taking a hands-on, street-level approach.  Wakeland has a social conscience, but like all of us he must temper that with the dictates of making a living, and trying to make ethical choices that he can live with.

Q: How did you come up with the character?
 When I finished grad school I was buried in student debt and searching for my niche, a way to make money in an ethical manner. When I started the book I'd gotten a job at a private college teaching, and was falling back in love with the city of Vancouver. At the same time, there was a major judicial hearing, the Oppal Conmission, looking into the many disappearances of at-risk women in the city. I wanted to write about that doubleness, that sense of not really knowing a place that you've lived all your life, and not quite knowing your place in it. Wakeland was born out of those tensions.

Q: What are your thoughts on the whole eBook revolution?
If you prefer reading on a tablet or phone, that's great; I prefer paper, but ultimately it's about the story.

Q: What's next for you and your characters?
The second Wakeland novel, CUT YOU DOWN, will be out February 2018 from Random House Canada and Quercus USA.

Q: What do you do when you're not writing?
Hang out with my girlfriend and watch NYPD Blue reruns, or take walks around East Vancouver.

Q: How do you promote your work? 
 As well as I can. I'm on twitter, @sam_wiebe, on Facebook at facebook.com/wiebesam, and at samwiebe.com.

Q: What other genres besides crime do you like? 
I'll read pretty much anything, if it's good and if I'm in the mood.

Q: In the last century we've seen new waves of PI writers, first influenced by Hammett, then Chandler, Macdonald, Parker, later Lehane. Who do you think will influence the coming generation?
That list is great, but leaves off Walter Mosley, John D MacDonald, Sue Grafton, Laura Lippmann, Sara Paretsky and others. I think the future of PI fiction will have to be diverse, but will stay working class. I hope it keeps a little philosophical and sociological insight, because that's what I love about those authors--they have something to say.

Q: Why do you write in this genre?
I'm fascinated by work, and ultimately that's what the PI genre is about--not trenchoats or fistfights, but the ethical dilemmas of running an independent business, testing your ethical boundaries while trying to get ahead. As Chandler put it, "How to be in business and stay reasonably honest." That's the heart of the genre, to me, and that's something that applies to everyone.

Q & A with John D. Brown

John D. Brown writes, besides a fantasy series, a series about ex-con, Special Forces vet Frank Shaw. The series is doing pretty good, so I figured I'd ask him all about his series and his view on our favorite genre.

Q: What makes Frank Shaw different from other hardboiled characters? 
Frank is an ex-con who is out of prison and trying to fly straight. Yes, he has skills. He is a Special Forces veteran and worked for a private contractor afterwards. But the thing that distinguishes Frank from many other characters is his down-to-earth appeal. There are some action thriller characters who never make a mistake and always seem to have the upper hand. Not Frank. I also enjoy his sardonic wit.

 Q: How did you come up with the character?
Frank was inspired by a fine old brother in my church in Ohio who was one of those salt of the earth folks who also happened to have at one time been a bank robber. When he got out of prison, he determined his life would change. He married a good Methodist girl he met at a church dance, went into the laundry business, and never looked back. It was my privilege to record his life history. At the time, it struck me that I rarely saw stories about ex-cons who actually make it out of the recidivism cycle. I thought, I’m going to write one and have a ball doing it.

Q: What are your thoughts on the whole eBook revolution?
I love it. My debut was with a big New York publisher, and I learned a lot working with them. But there’s so much freedom with indie ebooks.

 Q: What's next for you and your characters?
Frank’s nephew Tony makes a reappearance in the third book, which is called Gray Hat. I’ll be working on that in the coming months. Tony and a group of his nerd friends have stumbled onto a crime and have gotten way in over their heads. And Frank comes in to work with them to save the day. After that, I was invited to co-author a book with New York Times bestselling author Larry Correia. That one will be a big, fun, high-action science fiction story about gun runners in space.

 Q: What do you do when you're not writing?
Teach, hike, and enjoy my time with my wife and children. And have a blast researching the next book. For example, some of that recent research included shooting carbines, riding horses, taking a class from those who have trained our special operations forces on how to disable an attacker, and traveling to Southern Utah where my second novel is set.

Q: How do you promote your work? 
The most effective promotions I’ve found are advertisements on social media and discount book services.

Q: What other genres besides crime do you like? 
I like almost all genres. What I’m looking for is a good story.

 Q: In the last century we've seen new waves of PI writers, first influenced by Hammett, then Chandler, Macdonald, Parker, later Lehane. Who do you think will influence the coming generation?
I have no idea. In the last century you had a small set of publishers effectively controlling which stories and authors made it to the market. With the ebook revolution those constraints are gone. And so you will have thousands of authors inspiring thousands of other authors. As for who the next biggie will be, that’s like predicting who will win the lottery.

 Q: Why do you write in this genre?
Because it’s fun. Really, it boils down to that.

Q & A with J.T. Brannan

I always love it when writers put some kind of fresh spin on the PI job. J.T. Brannan created a cool spin of his one with  Colt Ryder, The Thousand Dollar Man. Here's what he had to tell us.

Q: What makes Colt Ryder different from other hardboiled characters? 

He’s motivated by a deep-rooted sense of justice, it controls who he is as a person; and even though he charges a thousand dollars a job, he is not motivated by money at all. The money is only a symbol, to ascertain the seriousness of his potential clients. In this way, he’s not really tied to the things which define a normal person, or even a normal detective/PI/hardboiled character – money, property, personal relationships, and so on. He owns nothing except the clothes on his back, and his only friend is his dog, Kane. He is kind of like a monk, someone who has divested himself of the normal concerns of life and dedicates himself entirely to his cause. Although he is perhaps not quite as well-behaved as a monk!

Q: How did you come up with the character?

When I was planning the series, I was reminded of the old A-Team TV show – combat vets from Vietnam roaming America, helping people in trouble. I thought it might be fun to come up with a ‘one-man A-team’, which is how Colt Ryder was born. And I thought that if he’s just one man alone, wandering the United States, he could do with a friend, which is why I came up with Kane, his half-Alsatian, half-Mastiff buddy. I love dogs, so I was very happy to have one as a character in the series; he keeps Colt company, and often helps him out when he needs it!

Q: What are your thoughts on the whole eBook revolution?

I’m a bit of a traditionalist really, so initially it took me by surprise. But it’s an amazing thing, it brings the joy of reading to a lot more people than may have been the case in the past. It’s also great from an author’s perspective, it has enabled writers to break free from the yoke of the big publishers and given everyone a relatively equal chance to be discovered. It’s democratized the industry to a large extent, and that can only be a good thing, for both writers and readers.

Q: What's next for you and your characters?

Colt Ryder is up to his neck in trouble next month, when THE THOUSAND DOLLAR BREAKOUT sees him uncovering an illegal fight club in San Quentin prison. I’ve got a new Mark Cole thriller out at the end of the year too, but before that, I’m also launching a new series called THE EXTRACTOR, which will definitely be interesting – watch this space!

Q: What do you do when you're not writing?

Take my children to all of their activities! But other than that, I teach Karate and enjoy working out at the gym, playing tennis and walking the dogs. I also read at pretty much any opportunity I can get.

Q: How do you promote your work? 

I often do interviews, and I am active on Twitter and Facebook. Through Grey Arrow Publishing, we also do certain sales promotions – sometimes we offer my eBooks for free for a limited period, or for a lower cost using tools such as Kindle Countdown, and so on, whilst with paperbacks we do prize giveaways. But mainly it’s through word of mouth and positive reviews, which help to create a loyal readership.

Q: What other genres besides crime do you like? 

I’m a big fan of political, military and espionage thrillers. Any sort of thriller, really!

Q: In the last century we've seen new waves of PI writers, first influenced by Hammett, then Chandler, Macdonald, Parker, later Lehane. Who do you think will influence the coming generation?

It’s got to be Lee Child, really – almost everyone has read a Jack Reacher novel at some stage, and with the added exposure from the recent movies, I think he’s going to leave an important legacy that will continue to influence writers in this genre for years to come.

Q: Why do you write in this genre?

I think it offers great scope for creating exciting stories which are rooted in a gritty reality that people like to read about. You can use real events, things that you read about in the papers – whether it’s the Mexican drugs trade, or government corruption scandals, or countless other examples – and develop exciting fictional stories out of them, darker stories with real atmosphere. It’s a fantastic genre, and I always hope that my passion for it shows through in my work.

Q & A with Bob Kroll

Author Bob Kroll is doing a blog tour for his latest novel The Hell of it All, featuring TJ Peterson. I was happy to have him visit over at my blog for a nice set of questions.

Q: How did you come up with the character TJ Peterson?

In one form or another, Peterson has been following me around for most of my adult life. He has been like a shadow, both literally and figuratively. He is a tragic figure seeking to find purification for a failed life. He is everyman.


Q: What's next for you and your characters?

As he seeks retribution for criminals, Peterson must further descend into his own living hell before he can climb from its sordid depths. Will he make it, and if so how? That intrigues me, and drives me to keep writing.


Q: What do you do when you're not writing?

I have been making a living as a writer since the 1970s. I write everyday, from 8 am to noon. When I’m done writing, I spend time with my wife, and now my grandchildren. I also make furniture.


Q: In the last century we've seen new waves of PI writers, first influenced by Hammett, then Chandler, Macdonald, Parker, later Lehane. Who do you think will influence the coming generation?

I think Richard Price will leave a mark, as will those writing cutting edge crime dramas for television and film. Steven Knight comes to mind for his writing in “Peaky Blinders,” “Taboo”, and “Locke”.


Q: Why do you write in this genre?

Writing crime novels allows me the freedom to explore the depths of human degradation, as well as the righteousness of retribution. The world I create is a dark one, but there is always some light that penetrates the darkness. Also, I don’t believe people are good all the way through, and it is the veins of badness that fascinate me.

Q & A with Glen Erik Hamilton

The series featuring ex-con Van Shaw by Glen Erik Hamilton seems to be quite popular, winning several awards and good reviews. Time for me to interview Mr. Hamilton...

Q: How did you come up with the character Van Shaw?

I started with the idea of writing a character raised with a different set of moral standards than mainstream society.  Given my love of crime thrillers, that quickly progressed to the world of lawbreakers, in particular independent thieves unaffiliated with organized crime or gangs.  I wanted Van to have broken away from that life on the cusp of adulthood, only to revisit it with a different outlook years later.  Simply having him move away seemed weak, and it was logical that a tough young man with no job prospects might enter the military to build a new life.   That's where we find Van at the start of the first book, having served with distinction -- accumulating scars both physical and emotional -- for ten years.

Q: What are your thoughts on the whole eBook revolution?

Anything that gets books into the hands of readers is a plus.  Ten or fifteen years after the first rush to market, eBooks have never quite gained momentum into the anticipated revolution to overthrow the old world of publishing.   They became a new frontier all their own.  While eBooks have opened huge new opportunities for authors, readers, and publishers, evidence shows the reading public still has a serious hunger for physical copies, and for independent booksellers.   That's all to the good.

Q: What's next for you and your characters?

My third Van Shaw novel will be out in July.  With each book, I invest a lot of thought into where Van is at the start and how the book's events -- often violent, often morally challenging -- leave him at the end.  I'm not interested in having Van remain status quo.  The concept of families, both blood and chosen, is a running theme.  Van thought he could do without that for a long time, with the exception of his brothers and sisters in the Army.  Now, he has people around him he loves, and that means new responsibilities.  And new risks.

Q: What do you do when you're not writing?

In those precious hours that aren't taken up by the day job or writing, I'll play with my family (Legos and re-enacting scenes from the Harry Potter books are current favorites), get in some reading (see below), and exercise (boxing, mainly, with no delusions of being a bad-ass).

Q: How do you promote your work?

I'll invest time in the usual social media platforms, and often write guest articles or do interviews when a book launch is nigh.  There's also attending conventions, which can be a great way to meet readers as well as other authors.  But in truth, I'm not certain if all of that really helps book sales to a large degree (a small degree, yes -- and careers can be built on small degrees).  Mostly, being part of the writing community is fun -- and if it's not fun, why do it?

Q: What other genres besides crime do you like?

Leaving aside other branches of mystery fiction -- I enjoy everything from cozies to espionage thrillers -- I like history, biographies, and the occasional how-to manual.  It's amazing how often real life is far more bizarre and magical than we could ever get away with in writing fiction.

Q: What's your idea about the psychotic sidekick in PI novels like Hawk and Joe Pike?

Your examples are solid evidence that it's been done, and done well.  Ideally, the sidekick gives a reflection on the main character -- the limits of what he or she is willing to do -- and provides complications.  Mouse might get Easy Rawlins out of trouble, or just make the situation immeasurably worse by murdering people.  Unfortunately, the tough sidekick can also become a weak cop-out, killing off the villains while letting the main character retain the moral high ground.

Q: In the last century we've seen new waves of PI writers, first influenced by Hammett, then Chandler, Macdonald, Parker, later Lehane. Who do you think will influence the coming generation?

Lehane of course is still producing great work to influence the newest generation, including me.  Looking at private eye writers who have broken out in the last decade or so, and who are likely to have long and influential careers ahead, there's Julia Dahl, Duane Swierczynski, Alison Gaylin. And my friend Ingrid Thoft, writing the Fina Ludlow series set in Boston.  All award winners, and all superb at making a reader turn the next page.   There's no shortage of serious talent out there.

Q: Why do you write in this genre?

Crime is endlessly fascinating.  It exists in every society, for many reasons: greed, power, protest, or simple survival.  The kinds of crimes that flourish or wither are reflective of that society.  And the individuals who choose crime, fight crime, or are victims of crime have their own motivations and their own viewpoints.  Viewpoints make characters, and characters make a book more than just a recounting of what happens next.

Q & A with Nichole Christoff

There's not just Sons of Spade... There's also a healthy amount of Daughters of Spade. Nichole Christoff created one, Jamie Sinclair. I asked her all about the character and her thoughts on PI fiction...

Q: How did you come up with the character?
In many ways, the character of Jamie Sinclair has been with me all my life. Even as a young girl, I gravitated toward stories with a strong female protagonist in the lead, so I’m not surprised that that kind of character is at the forefront of my own work as an adult. As for Jamie specifically, I would go to events at embassies and official residences during my days as a military spouse, and among the members of the security teams, there would be plenty of highly-trained men keeping us safe, but there would be highly-trained women, too. These professionals’ deep-seated desire to take on what, traditionally, hasn’t always been considered a woman’s cup of tea stayed with me. By the time I began work out the crime at the crux of my first Jamie Sinclair novel, THE KILL LIST, I knew that for my protagonist to come out on top, she would need to embody the professional capabilities of those interesting women I’d met. I also knew there needed to be a vulnerability and even fallibility to Jamie—not because she’s a woman, but because that’s what it means to be human.

Q: What are your thoughts on the whole eBook revolution?
eBooks have come a long way since their inception. Distribution and discoverability are certainly not the hurdles they once were, though they can still be a challenge, especially for authors who go the independent or small e-press route. On the bright side, however, I think readers now regard eBooks as high quality works. Years ago, as you may remember, eBooks were often regarded as the books of authors who weren’t very good writers. That has definitely changed. In every genre, talented writers have authored eBooks and eBooks have found a new appreciation among readers. They’ve also found a new appreciation among publishers. Many major publishers have e-original imprints now and I think that’s indicative of eBooks coming into their own as a respected form.

Q: What's next for you and your characters?

The fifth Jamie Sinclair novel will hit the virtual bookshelves in late 2017 or early 2018, with more to follow. Jamie continues to be challenged by hard circumstances and tough characters, and readers can count on that. I’m also working on a brand-new project, which should be finished later this summer.

Q: What do you do when you're not writing?
I don’t know any writers who aren’t thinking about writing, reading for writing, or talking about writing when she isn’t actually writing. I definitely do those things, too. Also, I live in an old house, so I always have a do-it-yourself home improvement project going on. I love to get outside with my dogs and clear my head, too. The trouble with clearing your head, of course, is that you’ve made room for so many more ideas pop into it.

Q: How do you promote your work?
Fortunately, I have a terrific publisher who is very interested in promotion. In addition to their efforts, I’m always open to invitations to guest blog or to write articles. Also, I give presentations and workshops for students and writers’ groups. I belong to a number of writers’ groups as well, and while attending conferences or networking isn’t strictly promotion, connection with others is never a negative, in my opinion. Further to that, I’m on social media and I’m quite active on Twitter. If you follow me there, the person you get to know is very much who I am, and I think it’s this sense of getting to know me, as much as getting to know the Jamie Sinclair novels themselves, that has opened the door for readers to promote me to their family, friends, and coworkers.

Q: What other genres besides crime do you like?
I appreciate any genre that holds up a mirror to our society and asks us tough questions we normally may be too skittish to answer, and that means I love really good Science Fiction. William Gibson’s Pattern Recognition continues to be one of my favorite novels. I re-read it nearly every year.

Q: What's your idea about the psychotic sidekick in PI novels like Hawk and Joe Pike?
I’m not sure I’d consider Hawk and Joe Pike to be clinically psychotic, but maybe I’m an optimist. I’d rather think Hawk and Joe live closer to true justice than the rest of us. Joe Pike is one of my favorite characters because he also lives closer to honor and mercy than many of us can or do. Robert Crais’ L.A. REQUIEM, where I first met Joe Pike, had a profound impact on me as a developing writer for a number of reasons, but mainly for the depth Crais creates in Joe. Joe Pike is not a one-dimensional sidekick. With that being said, sidekicks can add extraordinary richness to a novel. I do think a PI protagonist can benefit from a sidekick, and the best sidekicks, in my opinion, are more than a reflection of the protagonist. They may be foils, or they may be something else altogether. I’m often asked about “old soldier” Matty Donnelly, Jamie Sinclair’s sidekick in my first novel, THE KILL LIST. He echoes Jamie or enables her in that book, but he hasn’t made a come-back so far in the series. Rather, Lieutenant Colonel Adam Barrett has become a recurring character, because as a sidekick, he’s uniquely positioned to bring out Jamie’s best traits, and her worst ones, sometimes in the same scene. On some level, Barrett is always challenging Jamie even as he supports her. It’s that dynamic that can make a sidekick an integral part of the PI’s story.

Q: In the last century we've seen new waves of PI writers, first influenced by Hammett, then Chandler, Macdonald, Parker, later Lehane. Who do you think will influence the coming generation?
I hope we all will. I hope the next generation will not just define our work as “good” or “bad,” but rather in us discover a multitude of ways to approach the PI story, and that this discovery will prompt them to find a new style or approach of their own. As for specific writers, I definitely think the coming generation should look to Steve Hamilton, not just for his Alex McKnight series and great novels like THE LOCK ARTIST, but also for the way he chooses to approach the writing life in a way that’s personal, and true to his vision and goals. I also see Sue Grafton and Walter Mosley as writers who’ll continue to influence the future of the PI novel. The out-of-order storytelling of Lisa Lutz should be on the next generation’s reading list, and that’s a list that’s very long.

Q: Why do you write in this genre?
At my very first writers’ conference, Bloody Words in Ottawa, Canada, I attended a panel which discussed that whether mystery and thriller writers write because they need to see justice in this unjust world of ours. And I think this theory may be true. I’d never go as far as Joe Pike or Hawk in righting wrongs, but in a small sense, writing novels may be a way of seeing some good come about, at least in fiction.

Q & A with Grant Bywaters

When you win the prize for  Best First Private Eye Novel in the PWA competition you are bound to draw my attention. So I interview Grant Bywaters about his debut novel and his own PI work.

Q: What makes your William Fletcher different from other hardboiled  characters?
Fletcher is a black man trying to make a living as a private detective in the late 1930s New Orleans. Unlike your conventional detective of that time period, Fletcher has to navigate through segregation laws and racial tensions which make his job more difficult.
Fletcher also carries a deep bitterness from not getting a chance at fighting for the heavyweight title in his youth which was due to the color line being drawn after the country’s call for a Great White Hope to defeat the first black heavyweight champion Jack Johnson were answered. Fletcher was one of many great black heavyweights during this period that never got a chance to fight for the title for decades until Joe Louis came around.

Q: How did you come up with the character?
During the time I was getting my private investigator license, I was also working on my Associate’s Degree. I was taking an African American history class and the two things going on in my life kind of blended together. I got to thinking how difficult it would be doing my job during times of segregation. That’s when the first concepts of my character started emerging.

Q: What are your thoughts on the whole eBook revolution?
eBooks are today’s version of the paperback novel and before that dime novels and magazines. Which is interesting since the great writers that defined the hardboiled genre all started off writing in dime magazines, like The Black Mask. They also faced the same unfair stigmas that eBook authors face. That it is not a legit form of publication. That the majority of work in this format is unreadable.
For me personally, I have no issues whatsoever for eBooks and indie authors. I am all for getting your work out there.

Q: What's next for you and your characters?
I will be starting the next installment very soon. I have a vague concept of what will play out. What I can say is Fletcher’s years in the ring will continue to haunt him.

Q: What do you do when you're not writing?
I went back to school recently to finish my BA in Psychology and will be graduating next year. So outside of school, I like playing and watching sports. I am a big sports fan. I also like motorbiking and I am planning on taking the bike out on some trails this summer.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about how you won the PWA First PI Novel?
I sent my manuscript into the contest in June of 2014 and a couple of months passed and I had forgotten I had even sent it. Then in September just before I was to start fall classes I check my phone and saw the email congratulating me on winning. I had to read it over a few times to make sure it was legit. It was a very surreal moment. So that November they had me go out to Bouchercon in Long Beach where I got my award and then I started working with my editor to get the story ready for publication.

Q: How has being a real PI influenced your work?
I worked mostly in workman compensation fraud. For instance, catching individuals reroofing their house on the weekend when they claim that their back is broken and they can’t even get out of bed. For my writing, I tried to do away with some of the unpractical things you see in literature and movies involving private investigators. For example, we all know the now cliché scene of the femme fatal showing up to the detective’s office wanting help. Well, I never had an office nor did the investigators I know have one. It was just an unnecessary added expense. You usually met clients at their home, their office, or a coffee shop. Your car was pretty much your office because you were always in it. So Fletcher also does not have an office.
Also, I had Fletcher actually do some sort of paperwork, something you hardly ever see. Paperwork is pretty much your job because that’s how you get paid and represent yourself if you ever get called to court. From day one, you are constantly being told: “If it is not written down, it did not happen.”

Q: How do you promote your work?
I was fortunate enough that my publisher provided me with a great publicist, Shailyn Tavella. On my own end, I have been working on building up my hometown readership by doing the local media and radio show circuit along with an upcoming book signing. I am also a big fan of doing giveaways and other interactive ways of promotions.

Q: What other genres besides crime do you like?
I am a big history buff, so I like to read a lot of non-fiction historical books. I like to know how things came about. From Augustus Octavius building The Roman Empire to the story of Hannibal crossing the Alps on elephants in the Punic Was to how the Hoover Dam was built and the history behind it. I am a sucker for it all.

Q: What's your idea about the psychotic sidekick in PI novels like Hawk and Joe Pike?
It is a vital dynamic. You can have a psychotic sidekick as long as the main character is more grounded. It doesn’t work if both characters are crazy because then it just becomes the norm and usually the story will suffer for it.
For example, in the first season of True Detective, McConaughey’s character was eccentric and the almost crazy one while Woody Harrelson’s character the was more grounded one. However, in the second season, all the characters had psychological issues so nobody really stood out the way McConaughey’s Rust Cohle did.

Q: In the last century we've seen new waves of PI writers, first influenced by Hammett, then Chandler, Macdonald, Parker, later Lehane. Who do you think will influence the coming generation?
Only time will tell. There are a lot of great new mystery writers out there, but it seems the entire genre is changing. I read an article in the New York Times a few years back proclaiming the death of PI fiction because of the internet and investigators being able to do their work without getting out of their bathrobes. I wish that was the case when I was doing the job instead of following people and doing a lot of waiting. Yes, you can now do more stuff online, but it is only a tool. And more and more modern detective stories have incorporated the new technology. The biggest example, of course, being Lisbeth Salander from the Millennium Trilogy.

Q: Why do you write in this genre?
I have always like writing and investigative work. So the two really just go hand and hand. Eventually I’d like to branch out to other genres like thrillers and suspense. But detective fiction and noirs really are my calling. I love the rich characters, the realism, and psychological aspects of the genre.