The Perfect Setting For Noir
Posted by Literary Titan
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The Loneliest Places follows a private investigator who has everything going against him when he makes a last-ditch effort to change his situation and ends up investigating a brutal cartel. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I was inspired by all the great Los-Angeles-based crime fiction and noir that came before me, and is being written now—everything from Nathaniel West and Raymond Chandler to James Ellroy and Michael Connelly. Initially, my only goal was to insinuate myself into that legacy and hopefully honor it.
Was there a reason why you chose this location as the backdrop for your story?
I love Los Angeles. What shows on the city’s face, often tragically, belies what’s in its heart. That makes it the perfect setting for noir. I knew The Loneliest Places would be set in L.A. even before I knew my detective Ellis Dunaway’s name.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
The scene where Ellis visits his old friend Kent at the TV studio. Ellis can barely contain his envy and resentment while the mega-successful Kent struts around, humble bragging and grandstanding. Also, the scenes where Ellis talks to Bettina were a lot of fun, because she is so shallow and self-involved, requiring Ellis, again, to try and hide his irritation in the interest of getting hired by her. Writing dialogue that plays against what Ellis is actually feeling is always fun.
Will this novel be the start of a series or are you working on a different story?
The answer to both parts of the question is yes. I just started taking notes for a second Ellis Dunaway novel. And I am currently drafting a couple of stand-alone novels about other characters in the Ellis Dunaway universe.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Website
About Literary Titan
The Literary Titan is an organization of professional editors, writers, and professors that have a passion for the written word. We review fiction and non-fiction books in many different genres, as well as conduct author interviews, and recognize talented authors with our Literary Book Award. We are privileged to work with so many creative authors around the globe.Posted on July 29, 2023, in Interviews and tagged author, author interview, book, book recommendations, book review, book reviews, book shelf, bookblogger, books, books to read, crime fiction, crime thriller, ebook, goodreads, indie author, Keith Edward Vaughn, kindle, kobo, literature, murder mystery, mystery, nook, novel, read, reader, reading, story, suspense, The Loneliest Places, thriller, writer, writing. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.
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