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| Richard A. Lester, Author THE CHECK OUT |
In addition to writing novels, Lester writes scripts and short stories; and he has directed an independent film. You might check out his blog
entitled A Reel Indication. As you can guess, he watches many movies. And he writes and writes!
entitled A Reel Indication. As you can guess, he watches many movies. And he writes and writes!
Q: Tell us
about THE CHECK OUT. Do you consider it a “hardboiled crime novel”? Why?
Richard A.
Lester: THECHECK OUT is a satirical thriller which finds a group of loathsome grocery
store employees planning to heist $10,000 worth of prize money on the same
night. They are each mired in their own dismal circumstances, and believe that
the money will dig them out. None of them know about the others’ plans, so
things get pretty crazy.
I
wouldn’t say that it is a “hardboiled crime novel” in the sense that there is a
crime that needs solving. There are definite references to the old Dashiell
Hammett novels, and it is rooted in pulp fiction. However, I think there are
other elements that push it out of that particular genre.
Q: I noticed
that you refer to film noir as influential to your writing THE CHECK OUT. I
truly enjoy film noir. Can you explain how your novel compares?
Richard A.
Lester: I
would say films like The Asphalt Jungle
were a big influence on this book. There is $10,000 worth of prize money, and a group of broken
characters who are trying to get to it. Each of the characters is flawed, as is
common in the film genre. Many of the people in THE CHECK OUT have shadowy
pasts, or are engaged in illicit activities. There are also a number of images
that are common to noir. I specifically reference Larry, the store manager,
staring out of his window blinds. I also describe the broken city that stands
around the store. The book is also inspired by Exploitation films of the 70’s,
so there is also a lot of that imagery, as well.
Q: What makes a
good villain? How important is a good villain to THE CHECK OUT?
Richard A.
Lester: In my mind, there are two types of bad
guys. There are great archetype villains like Darth Vader, who personify evil
itself. Then, there are those who don’t know that they are villains. I think
there are both types in THE CHECK OUT. There is an escaped convict who plans on
robbing the store. He is the straightforward bad guy. Other characters, though,
really become villains without realizing it. I like the reader to slowly come
to hate some of the people in my book.
Q: Why will
readers care about your protagonist?
Richard A.
Lester: THE CHECK OUT is really an ensemble
piece, so there’s not a definite protagonist. There are a couple of characters
that you feel empathy for, but they are complicated. Leonard Best comes closest
to being a protagonist. He anchors the story in an emotional sense, and
provides an avenue of redemption for other characters. I think readers care
about him, because he is a real person with a devastating back story. He could
be anyone’s grandfather. He is the only innocent in the entire book.
Q: How do you
create suspense?
Richard A.
Lester: First
of all, I have to create characters that the reader will care about. Even
though they are selfish, and engage in terrible activities, they all have parts
of them that are human. I build future events on each character’s flaw, and try
to cue the reader into what’s about to happen. The chapters are usually pretty
short, so I also end each one on a bit of a cliffhanger. In one section of the
book, when everyone’s story is coming to a head, I switch back and forth to
each character. The rapid pacing really raises the stakes, and draws the reader
in.
Q: Did you write THE CHECK OUT to deliver
a message – or primarily to entertain?
Richard A.
Lester: THE CHECK OUT is pure entertainment. I
love messages in books and film, but I was really just trying to tell a fun
story.
Q: How relevant
is setting to telling your story?
Richard A.
Lester: The setting is another character in THECHECK OUT, as far as I’m concerned. It informs the reader about each of the
people in the book. It can also foreshadow events, or build suspense. In this
book, I describe a specific type of location, without trying to tie it down to
an actual place. Every city has a bad part of town, with a crappy grocery
store. I want the reader to see that part of their own city. I think it makes
the story more relatable.
Q: What’s next? Will you be writing more
books like THE CHECK OUT?
Richard A.
Lester: I
am going to spend the next few months promoting THE CHECK OUT. During that
time, I have a short story that will be sent to subscribers of my email list.
It features characters that work at the same store that’s in the book, but it’s
a separate adventure.
After
that, I will begin writing my next novel. It will have one character from THECHECK OUT; however, it will be a totally different type of book. I aim to make
it much darker and more literary.
Q: Tell us about Richard Lester. What do
you like to do when you’re not writing?
Richard A.
Lester: It feels like I am always writing! In
addition to my novels, I also run a blog (Onthepageblog.com) dedicated to
writing. I have a Facebook and Twitter account that I try to post on daily. I
have also been running a movie review blog for two years or so now called A
Reel Indication. I am a huge film buff, so I watch a lot of movies. I have a
local DVD shop that specializes in the weird and wild, so I spend a lot of time
there. I work on short films for other people, occasionally, as well.
About Richard
A. Lester
Richard
A. Lester is an American writer/filmmaker. He has written scripts, short
stories, and one novel to date. He has also worked on several plays, and
directed an independent film. His writing is usually gritty and satirical;
focusing on outlandish characters and the wild situations that they embed
themselves in. He is heavily influenced by film; namely exploitation movies of
the 1970′s and noir titles of the 1930′s
and 1940′s. His literary influences include Carl Hiaasen,
Christopher Moore, and Donald Ray Pollock. His other interests include history,
science, and education. He also runs a film review blog
entitled A Reel Indication.
About THE CHECKOUT
THE CHECK OUT is a satirical thriller that will appeal to fans of Carl Hiaasen and Christopher Moore. It is the story of a $10,000 giveaway, and the employees who independently decide to heist the money on the same night. An ensemble piece, each chapter focuses on the motivations and actions of a different main character. Larry Prescott is an arrogant drunk whose affair quickly spirals towards danger. Maxine Watkins is a scheming liar, determined to claw her way out of indigence. Terrence Claybrook, the assistant manager, is an escaped convict trying to keep his past from catching up to him. Roland Tillman, a blood thirsty fugitive, reunites with his former cellmate during the MegaSaver robbery. Brad, an addiction ridden stocker, tries to turn his life around while picking up the pieces of a broken marriage. They each see the prize money as their only lifeline, and are determined to do everything necessary to grab it.
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