We recently reviewed noir fiction writer, Chris Rhatigan’s, new book, Squeeze. He has kindly agreed to answer a few questions on the book, along with a few questions about the genre and his writing process.
What drew you to the genre of noir fiction?
Everything. The style, the desperate characters, the fatalistic worldview that all things are shitty and will only get shittier. It’s a genre with endless possibilities—all that has to happen is the main character needs to get kicked from the curb to the gutter. How you make that happen is what makes it interesting.
What would you say was the most challenging aspect of writing Squeeze?
Finding time. I’m a full-time high school teacher and (along with Mike Monson) I run a publishing company. So writing has been less of a priority lately. But by fitting in thirty minutes here and there I got a draft down that I could start working with.
What was the inspiration behind Lionel Kaspar’s character?
I wanted to write about a criminal working an everyday job. Someone who had to keep their identity a secret from everyone around them. I used to be a reporter and kept thinking about how many criminal opportunities there are in that job—most people pass those up because they’re scared of being caught or have a conscious, but Kaspar isn’t worried about any of that. Kaspar really doesn’t have a choice—he is a con artist first, so he never questions his decisions.
Lionel Kaspar first featured in your novella A Pack of Lies. Why did you decide to continue his story in Squeeze?
I found writing in his voice to be natural. Also, A Pack of Lies picks up Kaspar at a time when he already has a criminal operation (albeit a small one) running in full gear. I wanted to go back and track how and why that happened. So Squeeze is kind of like a prequel, even though I hate that word because it reminds me of Lord of the Rings or something.
Do you think that Kaspar will feature in any of your forthcoming writing endeavours?
Yeah, I’d like to bring him back at some point, though I’m not exactly sure how.
What are some works and authors that have influenced you in your writing career?
The biggest influence is Pablo D’Stair, especially his series about petty criminal Trevor English. They were the first books I read that dealt with ordinary, low-level crime in a very strong first-person voice.
What is the biggest motivation behind your writing?
I don’t know. Avoid death, I guess?
Can you describe your writing process for us?
Make coffee. Sit at computer or with notebook and pen. Wait. Type. Edit. Repeat.
I don’t plan much. I come up with an idea, take a page or two of notes, maybe start writing little bits of dialogue, then I jump in.
Aside from writing, what are some of your interests and hobbies?
I play old video games and walk my dog. But publishing with All Due Respect Books takes up most of my time these days. I’m involved in every step of the process from accepting and rejecting manuscripts to promotion, so that takes up a lot of my time.
Finally, is there any advice you would give to writers who are interested in noir fiction?
Don’t expect to make money. Don’t give a shit about marketing and building a fucking platform or some other bullshit. Read as much as you can in the genre and go beyond the big names. There are a number of exciting writers in crime fiction these days and few of them write for the major publishing houses.
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