Naked Came the Detective follows an escort working in Washington, D.C., who decides to investigate the murder of one of her clients, putting herself in danger. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

There is a lot of misinformation about sex work in the media and I thought using a literary format might get closer to the truth than a typical nonfiction account. I recalled that a U.S. government analyst had once written a detective novel set in North Korea because he wanted to portray the reality of that country without worrying about the typical negative judgements required in government intelligence reports. I decided the same concept could be applied to a novel about sex work. Many people do not realize that high-end sex workers learn a lot about their client’s lives and secrets. That gave me the idea that a sex worker could investigate a murder using her client list.

You provided some interesting perspectives into the life of high-end escorts. What kind of research did you do for this novel to ensure you captured the essence of the story’s theme?

I have written two nonfiction books, so I used journalistic tools. I started by interviewing several sex workers. In particular, a retired sex worker provided a great deal of insight into her experiences and clients and even provided some helpful documentation. Then I had various drafts reviewed by sex workers, including a prominent writer on sex work, to ensure accuracy. It was a challenge as a man to write from a woman’s perspective and so I needed feedback to make sure the main character’s thoughts and commentary were as realistic as possible. My first drafts showed how little I really understood about the sex-work business — or writing from the perspective of a woman — but I have a thick skin and so did not mind getting honest and forthright critiques. In the end, the process was worth it. I have been gratified by the response I have received from many sex workers who have praised the novel for its accuracy and insights about their lives.

Writing nonfiction and mystery novels have to take different approaches when revealing information to readers. What was the hardest part about writing a mystery story, where you constantly have to give just enough to keep the mystery alive until the big reveal?

The hardest part was coming up with an interesting and compelling plot. As a nonfiction writer, I am used to writing about things that have already happened and finding out why. Now I had to invent a storyline — a part of my brain I had not used much before. I didn’t really know where the story was going until I started writing it and adding in the puzzle pieces. As part of the writing process, I focused at first on the story and getting that right. Then I went back and filled in the details and description that help make the main character’s life compelling,

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

Good question! I now am focused on getting readers for this novel first. I enjoyed trying my hand at fiction and some reviewers have suggested my main character should be part of a series. I hadn’t considered that before, but I am thinking of how that could be done.

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