Novelist Indy Perro joins me today to chat about his new noir mystery, Journeyman.
Bio:
Indy Perro is a novelist and recovering academic. When he’s not at his desk, he loves to hike, run, and read the masters: Michael Connelly, Raymond Chandler, Dennis Lehane, Elmore Leonard, and James Sallis. Central City is his debut thriller and the first book in the hard-boiled Kulpa and Bayonne series. The second, Journeyman, is also out now. Book 3 will be published in the Spring of 2024.
Welcome, Indy. Please tell us about your current release.
Kane Kulpa is an ex-con with a conscience. Vincent Bayonne is the troubled detective that put him away.
Now, these two friends struggle to maintain order as the city’s underworld reaches a tipping point. Detective Bayonne breaks his personal code for a higher good, and Kane Kulpa realizes he’s his own worst enemy.
In a damaged town where it’s hard to tell the guilty from the innocent, how do you keep the peace?
A hard-boiled crime thriller that’s perfect for fans of Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane, and James Sallis!
What inspired you to write this book?
Journeyman is a bridge between the events of Central City, the first book in the series, and the events about to transpire in the subsequent novels. The title refers both to Vincent Bayonne and Kane Kulpa. Bayonne has entered the journeyman phase of his career and finds himself not quite at home in the department or in Central City. He’s doing the job he was always mean to do, but he’s doing it in a world he doesn’t quite understand. Kane, on the other hand, is transforming into a veteran of the underworld and learning what that means. Unfortunately, more is required of a man in his position of power and influence than he’d like.
What exciting project are you working on next?
I’m currently completing the third novel in the series and working on a novel about the origins of Central City.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I don’t know. Everyone’s a writer in one way or another. I guess I saw myself as a writer when I first saw one of my stories published, when I was seventeen. That was at least three lifetimes ago.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I do write full-time, but I also write a sports column and maintain a continuous flow of material on both of my websites. I have a methodical, some might say repetitive schedule. I walk my dogs, enjoy a workout, write throughout the heart of the day, and I conclude my workday by turning to maintenance odds and ends, responding to emails, etc.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
All of my work is built around a philosophical idea. In the Central City series of novels, I’m working with mythological archetypes and exploring their philosophical implications. I see this as a bit of a quirk because, while I understand the role of genre in my work, specifically mystery/noir/crime, I seem to be incapable of writing anything with a simple concept.
All of my fiction can certainly be read merely as entertainment, but if a reader wants to engage a little more deeply, the option is there.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A novelist.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Not only do my novels follow character arcs for Vincent Bayonne, Kane Kulpa, and many of the minor characters, but the larger project follows a character arc for Central City, the setting for my fiction. To explore more about Central City, please visit https://centralcitybooks.com/.
At CentralCityBooks.com, readers can wander the city, visit the neighborhoods, meet the characters, learn about the city’s history, and read newspaper articles about events that occur during or influence published and upcoming stories. There’s a whole world to explore, and I hope anyone who’s interested visits Central City.
Links:
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