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They Were People Like You And Me
The Melancholy Strumpet Master follows an anthropology doctorate student who is writing a dissertation on Tijuana streetwalkers. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I traveled extensively throughout Mexico when I was younger and in my mid-twenties would cross into Tijuana to buy and consume hard drugs. In the neighborhoods where those substances were available, I crossed paths with streetwalkers. A few became friends, and I discovered — surprise, surprise — they were people like you and me with intelligence, families, problems, and future goals. For the record, I haven’t used drugs in many years. Please don’t misconstrue my answer.
Why choose this place and time for the setting of the story?
The story straddles Los Angeles, one of the wealthiest cities in the world, and the more run-down neighborhoods of Tijuana. I think the juxtaposed settings work well to advance themes I was interested in.
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
The most interesting thing is that we’re all human and we haven’t really changed as the centuries have rolled on. That’s why the Iliad, Romeo and Juliet, and the Bhagavad Gita still ring true. The billionaire, despite his wealth, watches his marriage crumble, while the homeless person laughs on his park bench.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I’m outlining something right now with a fifteen-year-old teenage girl protagonist that will likely cross YA and psychological thriller. Give me a few years to get it right. I wish I could say more but I’m really liking the idea and don’t want to tip my hand.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Gil’s anthropological study of Tijuana streetwalkers had his dissertation advisor cheering him on. But that was years ago, before his best sources up and vanished. Now, with no connection to the sex worker community, his research has stalled and the faculty elders are about to kick him out of the grad program. Plus, he’s broke.
He takes a job teaching at a juvenile detention center. The steady income gives him the means to keep making his weekly trips across the border. Now he’s paying the girls to speak with him. In a sudden moment of insight, he realizes that giving them something besides cold hard cash might help him forge a new inroad to the community. But do they want what he’s offering?
The Melancholy Strumpet Master
The Melancholy Strumpet Master by Zeb Beck is a captivating work of fiction that will leave you thoroughly entertained. The story follows Gilmore Crowell, a Ph.D. student struggling to find new research material for his anthropology doctorate. Gil’s original study about Tijuana street walkers had been approved, but he is now stuck in an academic slump with deadlines looming over him. In an effort to get more material, Gil joins a juvenile center. He pays streetwalkers to speak with him, leading him to make connections with Mexican prostitutes and, ultimately, to conceive the idea of creating a website that promotes their services for free.
Set in 2002 Tijuana, Beck expertly applies references from that time period, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the story. Despite the book being eventful and covering Gil’s work life, academic life, and research pressures, it remains easily digestible and engrossing. Beck’s ability to incorporate the struggles of grad school life, tough work environments, and deadlines into the story makes it incredibly relatable. Seeing Gil persevere in the face of adversity is truly inspiring. Beck’s witty writing style is a highlight of the book and adds to its comical nature. The main character, Gil, is intriguing. The cast of side characters, including his boss Bertram and the various prostitutes who advise him on anthropology, are all well-developed and add to the story’s overall charm.
Overall, The Melancholy Strumpet Master is a humorous and uplifting book that will put you in a good mood. Fans of Dark Humor will immensely enjoy this story, and those that are looking for action and intriguing plotlines will not be disappointed.
Pages: 260 | ASIN : B0BW825D2M
LITERARY TITAN 