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The Key West setting, characters, and sport of fishing are so vividly described. I was wondering what inspired you to write this series. Are you an avid fisherman? Did you live in Key West or a town with a similar lifestyle? All the elements I mentioned are spot on.

Great questions and I will add another one.

I found Slacker a unique character. Is he based on a real person?

Since Slacker grew up in Minnesota before moving to Key West, were you inspired by a similar move to a radically different climate and/or lifestyle?

From a broad perspective, I wanted to create a character and experience that a reader would not forget a day or two after finishing the book. The End of the Road Motel. The Rusty Hook. The Ayudame. These are places and things I wanted to plant in a reader's mind forever.

I live in South Florida and visit Key West. Dozens of authors publish Key West mysteries. There's a new one every other day. Murder victims are everywhere, like flies on a window sill. In truth, it's one of the most peaceful towns anywhere ... one murder every few years. I wanted to represent the town properly.

As to the characters, Jerry Porter said it all early in the first chapter. People move to Key West to be themselves, find themselves, or reinvent themselves. Jerry fit into the latter category (you came to find out). Slacker believed himself to be in the first category, but wound up in the second, thanks to Jerry.

Thanks for the info. The setting was like an extra character in the story. There are two characters (no spoilers yet!) where I wonder if they will stay away forever or will move back. I was disappointed when they decided to move.

bookowlie wrote:Thanks for the info. The setting was like an extra character in the story. There are two characters (no spoilers yet!) where I wonder if they will stay away forever or will move back. I was disappointed when they decided to move.

If you are referring to the two girls who drove off together, they are the principal characters in "Barracuda."

No...I know about them because Devan mentioned them at the end of the book. I don't want to give spoilers yet (maybe in a week or two!), but I am referring to the married couple that had a successful establishment.

Thank you for the answers.

Since this book is the first installment in the series, do you already have a broad vision for the entire series or do you approach each installment's plot as a new idea to be formed after you've written each installment? For example, J.K. Rowling has stated that she plotted out the entire Harry Potter series right from the start.

Future Slacker adventures will be determined by where I want to visit! I'm going to Costa Rica in December. I am currently writing in an entirely different genre ... young adult contemporary. "The Student Council." Why would a sixteen-year-old want to burn down her high school? For young Amy Westin, the answer was simple: because of all the good that could from it!

I have it on good authority that the 3rd installment of Slacker's adventures is a great storyline. Turns out, trouble can find Slacker even in Costa Rica... Before that though, the author is working on a different book entirely. No spoilers, but think (Michelle) Corleone.

Great! That also answers another question I had - if the future installments were going to be set in Key West or in different locales.

-- 16 Oct 2015, 12:34 --

eskimoses wrote:I have it on good authority that the 3rd installment of Slacker's adventures is a great storyline. Turns out, trouble can find Slacker even in Costa Rica... Before that though, the author is working on a different book entirely. No spoilers, but think (Michelle) Corelone.

I assume you are referring to a female version of Michael Corleone from The Godfather? Sounds awesome.

Lee Stone wrote:Future Slacker adventures will be determined by where I want to visit! I'm going to Costa Rica in December. I am currently writing in an entirely different genre ... young adult contemporary. "The Student Council." Why would a sixteen-year-old want to burn down her high school? For young Amy Westin, the answer was simple: because of all the good that could from it!

Sounds interesting! Good luck!

Lee Stone wrote:Future Slacker adventures will be determined by where I want to visit! I'm going to Costa Rica in December. I am currently writing in an entirely different genre ... young adult contemporary. "The Student Council." Why would a sixteen-year-old want to burn down her high school? For young Amy Westin, the answer was simple: because of all the good that could from it!

Interesting concept... Looking forward to it!

gali wrote:Great questions and I will add another one.

I found Slacker a unique character. Is he based on a real person?

I realized that I didn't really answer this very good question. My visual and perceptual image of Slacker is embodied by actor Owen Wilson. Specifically, Owen as he presents himself in my all-time favorite comedy, "Wedding Crashers." I think it is valuable, even essential, to have a tangible image of a main character. To convey that visual to my reader, I even referred to Slacker's bent nose as an "Owen Wilson." I attempted to establish Jerry Porter's identity immediately - referring to him as "George Costanza-like." Costanza was a Seinfeld character.