Brian Wutz was inspired by a scandal in the police department of the City of Fairview, Tennessee to write The Jingo.  In the novel the entire town, people, narrative, actions, and events are fictionalized. However, the City of Fairview did in fact struggle with a scandal in the police department that began with the resignation of a detective after only one day on the job and ended with the Chief of Police retiring, twice, in a three month period.

Author Question & Answer

Q:        What’s your book about?

A:        The storyline follows the rise and fall of Fullerton, GA Police Chief Thomas McDermott. The Chief handles everything in his world well until the arrest of a local detective on prostitution charges after one day on the job.  A city investigation into the matter comes too close to a deeper web of lies, public corruption, and blackmail and escalates to inquiries by county, state, and federal agencies.  As the chief navigates the fallout from each investigation he publicly destroys the reputation of his officers, the city commissioners, and the city’s leadership to conceal a much darker secret from his past involving illicit sex, betrayal, murder, and a daring cover-up. The book is a crime thriller with a good revenge twist that the reader doesn’t see coming.

Q:        Where did you come up with the idea for the novel?

A:        One of Fairview’s citizens suggested during open comments at a commission meeting this past summer that someone should create a movie or write a book about the shocking and outrageous happenings in the city so I thought, why not?

Q:        Is the book a factual account from Fairview or based on the 2016 police department scandal.

A:        No. The book draws from my experiences and news stories from many different states however the news media printed some pretty salacious and racy headlines about Fairview this year so there was a lot of local flare to work with.  The events from Fairview reported in the papers were an inspiration but certainly not the only place I pulled from.

Q:        I read the preview of the prologue and first two chapters you released.  Does the whole book have this kind of violence and sexual content in it?

A:        No. However, the storey is definitely for adults. I have listed the book as 18+. The prologue is the most graphic and disturbing part of the book. There are some graphic chapters depicting violence and sexual content but I tried to inject a fair amount of humor, character development, and action into the story.

Q:        One of your characters in the book is a homosexual. What social commentary are you trying to make?

A:        I suppose first off I simply consider him a character, not a homosexual character. So I don’t really have any particular agenda or point of view to push. Having said that, the character you are referencing is certainly the most interesting character from a psychological point of view, and that has nothing to do with his sexuality.

Q:        What do you hope your readers will come away with after reading your book?

A:        I hope that when someone finishes the book they get a The Usual Suspects or The Sixth Sense vibe and say, “I didn’t see that coming!” To my delight, that was certainly the reaction of my editor when she first reviewed the full story.

Q:        What’s your writing background?

A:        Of course anyone with a bachelors, masters, and a doctorate has significant training in writing style and grammar.  I have had many years of heavy writing, daily, as an attorney; however legal writing is a completely different style and worlds away from creating a fiction novel.  I expected fiction writing would be difficult, but it was very difficult to do.  I have a whole new appreciation for the profession of being an author. I am very grateful for the feedback I received from others while writing The Jingo.

Q:        Who are your favorite authors?

A:        I don’t know if I have favorites but I love suspense thrillers and have recently read books by Michael Connelly, Danielle Girard, Kendra Eilliot, Robert Dugoni , Ian Rankin, and James Patterson.  I suppose if you like their books or John Grisham you’ll enjoy this book.

Q:        If your book was a movie what titles would it be most related to?

A:        The usual suspects, the sixth sense, the Prestige, the Departed, the Skeleton Key, Shutter Island, City Hall, L.A. Confidential, Fight Club.

Q:        Do you have another project in the works? If so, what is it?

A:        Right now I plan to finish parts 2 and 3 of the Jingo Series.

Q:        Once you finish the series what would be your dream for its future?

A:        To collaborate with Christopher McQuarrie on a screenplay obviously.

Q:        What made you decide to self publish through your own publishing company?

A:        That’s a big question and a complicated one.  The short answer is the publishing industry has completely changed in the last decade and the power of internet marketing, print on demand services, e-books and access to excellent editors and cover designers it seems like the future of the business.

Q:        When you self publish, do you do it all yourself? 

A:        Absolutely not. I have a team of people helping me. My editor, photographer, and cover designer have all been excellent to bring the book itself to life.  Then there is the assistance of family, friends, and other “beta-readers” that have provided great feedback.  During printing and publication there are loads of resources to help navigate the wonderful world of shipping, copyrights, permissions, royalties, and marketing.

Q:        Why should someone want to read your book in particular?

A:        I think it is an interesting read with an ending that even experienced readers will not see coming and then will kick themselves for missing all of the clues throughout the book.  It is a thriller, inspired by real life events from many different places but completely fictionalized, and the characters are…well, unlike in the real world, the characters are not very nice or redeeming people.  The subjects underlying the action are relevant to today’s social and political landscape so there is an additional element of interest there.

Q:        Where can a person find a copy of your book?

A:        The book is for sale on Amazon and readers can get an autographed copy at no extra charge from www.leatherapronpublishing.com.

Q:        When can it be purchased?

A:        It’s available on Amazon and the publisher’s site currently. It will be available for order in retail bookstores in January 2017.

Mr. Wutz lives in Nashville, Tennessee.  He is a scholar of municipal law and public organizations having earned a Masters in Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Policy at Syracuse University and a Juris Doctor from Michigan State University.

Book Information:

Imprint (Publisher):    Leather Apron Publishing
ISBN-13:                     978-0-9984653-0-2
ISBN-10:                     0-9984653-0-5
Format:                       Paperback – perfect bound
Book Size:                   5” X 8”
Price:                           $19.99 USD
Pages:                          320
Editor:                         Teralyn Mitchell
Cover design:              Ivan Zanchetta
Photograph:                 Jim McLaughlin Photography
Category:                    Fiction
Subcategory:               Suspense, Thriller, Crime
Copyright © Brian Wutz (2016). All rights reserved.

Contact:

Leather Apron Publishing
Attn: Brian R. Wutz
Phone: (615) 674-2234
E-mail: brian@leatherapronpublishing.com
Website: www.leatherapronpublishing.com

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