Q&A with J. Lee

 

 

 

J. Lee is the author of the new novel Coach's Corner. His other books include The Deadly Deal.  

 

Q: What inspired you to write Coach’s Corner?

 

A: It started with some personal experience. I spent my formative years in a town of 1,200 people and no stoplights. A lot of the details are pulled from memories I have, modern-day research, and a storyline I felt could tie all those things together.

 

A murder mystery where small-town realities collide with crime investigation felt like a way to effectively do this within the suspense genre. Local politics, everyone knowing everyone, familiar faces everywhere you turn…there’s a lot to like about that. I know I did.

 

But there’s also an opportunity for a lot of spins on the investigation of a crime. Especially one I created aiming to make people wonder what the right thing to do actually is…

 

Q: How did you create your character Charlie?

 

A: Charlie was based on several people I knew when I was about that age in a town about that size, and I tried to picture what a “typical” person at that point in time might do.

 

I wouldn’t say he was based on me, per say, but he was certainly meant to be based on the average small-town 20-something being thrust into an extraordinary situation. I did a fair amount of research and think – and hope – I got that part right.   

 

Q: How would you describe the dynamic between Charlie and Barry Ray?

 

A: Two good young adult friends in a small town where there isn’t a lot to do translates to spending a lot of time together doing things that, in some cases, aren’t the best choices. It’s a part of life, and it’s certainly in this book.

 

However, there’s also something rich about the late ‘90s before social media, screens, and virtual worlds took over as they have Generation X. 

 

Charlie and Barry Ray might’ve gotten into some trouble here and there, but it was nothing like what Barry Ray is accused of, and they always had each other’s backs.  That’s what sets Charlie up for the mysterious and eye-opening summer he experiences…

 

Q: How was the novel's title chosen, and what does it signify for you?

 

A: Great question. In the story, it precedes a conversation that is meant to stay between the people having that conversation. In other words, it’s a secret.

 

However, this title was a little different for me as an author from all my other novels. For the first time ever, I chose a title based on something purely personal. To spare everyone the details, I will just say that it’s between my dad and me, and that we had a good laugh when I told him.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from your book?

 

A: While it certainly wasn’t my intent to write a philosophical book, I hope people consider the context of this story and their own views of it on a personal level. This one is far more localized and specific than my other novels, meaning there’s no global terror threat or risk to humankind in general. 

 

In some regards, you could say that lowers the overall stakes. Yet in others, I believe it also allows people to more tangibly consider their positions on certain things, and lets them put themselves in the shoes of the characters in a more profound way. I’ll be curious to learn if readers agree.  

 

Q: What are you working on next?

 

A: Thanks for asking! I typically have a few irons in the writing fire, and right now I’m thinking through another thriller that may bring back some previous characters.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I appreciate your asking! Yes, actually there is. Recently, I’ve launched a brand new website at www.jleethrillers.com and would love for your feedback.

 

Included in it, along with each of the book backgrounds, reviews/feedback, etc., is a new section called Industry Advice. I’ve gotten enough questions from aspiring authors and fans that I decided to offer a platform to share some of my experiences. It’s by no means every answer to every question, and obviously there’s often more than one answer. 

 

But in that section, authors, industry professionals, and fans will get insight via three different categories – my background as an author and how it shaped my response to different challenges, industry-related topics and trends out there today, and a blend of the two to offer a perspective about a changing market, challenged business, and ever-evolving dynamic.

 

With the site, combined with a new YouTube page, my hope is that some of my experiences can help others along in their own journey.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with J. Lee.