Wild Women Authors feature author Michael Walsh and This Wicked City,
book 3 in the Ocean Park series, a contemporary police procedural, published by
the Wild Rose Press.
About the Book: Crime and corruption
are rising in Ocean Park, a tired factory town in northern Massachusetts. The
police and fire departments are no help—they're staging a work slowdown to
protest a pay freeze caused by city budget cuts.
Police Detective Matt
Conley is disgusted with the dereliction of duty, and when tasked with solving
the murder of a young Haitian immigrant, he infuriates the force by teaming
with the victim's friend Emmanuel to find the killer. They encounter an enterprising
family of Voudou worshipers, a ruthless real estate magnate, and a clever,
love-struck arsonist in their search for justice. This Wicked City is a
mystery powered by its characters' struggles with love, loyalty, and sacrifice.
Good morning, Matt Conley. Let’s begin with you telling
us what made you choose law enforcement for a career. Giveback, pure and simple. I grew up in
Ocean Park, the best city in the world. It has a beautiful seashore, one of the
largest municipal wooded reservations in the country and is a short ride to the
cultural and sports mecca of Boston. O-P has problems like every city, but it’s
filled with people who value love, loyalty, and sacrifice.
Knowing
what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick with being a
cop or do something different? I toyed with law and
politics, but to be honest with you, those two professions seem to be the root
of Ocean Park’s problems. Go figure.
What
is your biggest fear? That the bad guys win, that I let
down friends and family, and the place I love becomes a battleground.
Who
is your favorite fictional character and why? Andy Dufresne,
the maligned protagonist of Stephen King’s brilliant novella Rita Hayworth
and the Shawshank Redemption. Andy’s smart, tough, and – most importantly –
insanely hopeful and optimistic.
What
is the best piece of advice you ever received?
A boss that I respected once told me that I didn’t realize how talented I was. I
think that goes for all of us. We doubt ourselves and spend too much of our
lives worrying about it - at least the humble ones do.
Thank you for spending time with us, Matt. Now we’d like to speak with your creator, Michael Walsh.
Which
writer or character[s], from either books or movies, have had an impact on your
writing? Authors Dennis Lehane, Stephen King, and John D. MacDonald
influenced me greatly. All of them create characters you can identify with. They
put you there in the story, and make you care about the characters. All
of them deliver on their promise to make you vicariously walk with their
characters. Those authors make you laugh, worry, marvel, and even cry
sometimes.
With
regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different
paths, thereby changing the original concept? Haitian
Voudou, arson, and love were the cornerstones. Those story elements are central
themes in This Wicked City. Action and conflict drive good fiction, and This
Wicked City has plenty of both. I spent a lot of time polishing the story,
and reviewers say that it shows.
Tell
us a bit about your publisher. I researched and queried
hundreds of publishers. The submission process is clean, easy, and relatively
quick. The Wild Rose Press is a great publisher, professional and supportive.
They’ve been doing this for a long time and have kept disciplined in a crazy,
ever-changing business. It took about three months to get my finished product
scheduled for release, which gave me time to put together the marketing plan.
What
are you reading right now? A Private Cathedral by James
Lee Burke. He’s one of the best writers today, and reading his books are both
enjoyable and like a writing class.
What’s
next for you? The Ocean Park Mystery series continues
with the fourth installment – The Fall of Ocean Park will test Matt
Conley’s will with the Dark Web, criminal social media influencers, temptation,
and a secret that could end his marriage.
What others are saying about This Wicked City:
“Walsh
successfully creates a vibrant setting and memorable main players. His
depiction of Ocean Park is strong and clear, quickly revealing a failing
factory town that’s trying desperately to reclaim its former glory” Kirkus
Reviews
To purchase This Wicked City, go to:
https://t.ly/1 54L (Amazon)
https://bit.ly/3Pe7wGw
(Barnes and Noble)
https://bit.ly/4j8cL8H
(Kobo)
https://bit.ly/40fiGjF
(Google)
https://bit.ly/40bbSV9
(Apple)
To
learn more about Michael Walsh and the stories he creates go to:
Facebook Page – Facebook.com/authormichaelwalsh
Twitter handle – https://twitter.com/AuthorMWalsh
Instagram - @authormichaelwalsh
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/michael_walsh
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