How Ferris Wolfe Got Fired follows a corporate employee whose star is rising as the company crumbles amid sabotage. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?

I am a retired office worker. Most of the characters in Ferris Wolfe are inspired by real people I have worked with throughout my life. Their story represents a revenge fantasy of many dedicated employees who are oppressed by their own co-workers. The total disconnect between senior managers’ impression of their organization and the realities on the ground is also quite the norm and a phenomenon worth exploring.

Ferris Wolfe is an intriguing and well developed character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

Wolfe is typical of many successful executives – his interest is in advancing himself, and it does not extend much further than that. Wolfe also suffers from insecurity in the shadow of his more successful younger brother. These flaws blind him to the rot that has engulfed his company and render him helpless when calamity ultimately strikes.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

First and foremost I wanted to present a realistic office populated with real people. I find Hollywood’s stereotypes of office workers as either pathetic losers or high-flying schemers in designer suits to be stale and insulting. Most office workers simply run the gamut of ordinary folk and our stories are rarely told in fiction. I also wanted to introduce a fantasy with a hint of magic that would celebrate the people who manage to keep things running despite the obstacles and abuse that too often arise in any workplace. Finally I hoped to create a different, more natural approach to office humor. There are more than enough real human foibles in office life to get a good laugh without resorting to the demeaning stereotypes that have prevailed for too long.

What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?

This is still to-be-decided at this time.

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