The Monday Interview -- Ed Lynskey

Ed Lynskey is a crime fiction writer residing not too far from the Pentagon. His P.I. Frank Johnson mystery series include Pelham Fell Here, The Dirt-Brown Derby, The Blue Cheer, Troglodytes, and The Zinc Zoo. His small town cozy mystery is Quiet Anchorage, featuring his amateur sleuth sisters Alma and Isabel Trumbo. His standalone Appalachian noir is Lake Charles. Mr. Lynskey lives with his family and one black-and-white cat named Frannie, after P.I. Frank Johnson. Ed and Frank are both Washington National baseball fans. 

Tell us about your latest novel:

Lake Charles is an Appalachian noir set in 1979 amid Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains. Brendan Fishback, a young man who works as a pressman, takes a weekend off to fish at Lake Charles where his twin sister goes missing. He soon runs into trouble while searching for her with a local drug cabal. On top of that, he's just out of prison on bail for the murder of a girl he met at a rock concert. The next fast-paced events unwind from that point.

How is this novel different than your previous novels?

The main difference is Lake Charles is a stand alone novel after I've published six titles in the P.I. Frank Johnson mystery series. In that way Lake Charles is a refreshing change of pace because I know I'll never recycle any of the characters or the storyline for any future project. At least I have no plans to do so.

Do you feel like you ever have to defend yourself for writing genre fiction?

I know a schism divides the genre fiction from the literary fiction, and I guess there's some snobbery going on there. My approach is pretty much a basic one. I like to write books that people want or like to read, and I'm not sure all that many literary books get read. 

Why do you write mysteries?

Mysteries were the first books I recall from my boyhood as ever reading from cover to cover. Mysteries are still a pleasure to write and read for me today. 

When did you know you were a writer?

I'm still struggling with accepting that self-definition of myself. 

What’s a work day like for you?

I start at 4 a.m. and go until 4 p.m. with breaks for lunch and to stretch my legs. 

What’s a day off like for you?

My day involves a lot of coordinating, scheduling, hustling, and whatever it takes to get my multiple projects completed. 

If you could be anything other than writer, what would it be?

I've had a lifelong secret desire to be a successful criminal attorney. 

How do you define success?

That's a tough question. Money would be my immediate response. Beyond that, I'd say the respect of my peers and readers would be a nice thing to enjoy.

What’s next for you?

The two big projects will be finishing the second cozy mystery title after Quiet Anchorage and a mob novel.

Thanks for the great opportunity to hang out at your weblog, Larry, and share a few words with your readers.



Lake Charles links:

Amazon Kindle: http://tiny.cc/ey1a3
Barnes & Noble Nook: http://tiny.cc/alxcs