DSP Publications Presents: Genre Talk with Carole Cummings and S.A. Stovall

Happy Spring, everyone, and thanks for dropping in to spend some time with us! For today’s edition of Genre Talk here on The Novel Approach Reviews, we’ve got DSP Publications author S.A. Stovall who’s agreed to come by to tell us about her brand new Mystery & Suspense release, Vice Enforcer, Book Two of the Vice City series. So, kick up your feet, grab a cuppa, and let’s see where S.A. takes us.

Vice City: Book Two
Vice Enforcer

Holding on to a life worth living can be hard when the nightmares of the past come knocking.

Eight months ago, Nicholas Pierce, ex-mob enforcer, faked his death and assumed a new identity to escape sadistic mob boss Jeremy Vice. With no contacts outside the underworld, Pierce finds work with a washed-up PI. It’s an easy enough gig—until investigating a human trafficking ring drags him back to his old stomping grounds.

Miles Devonport, Pierce’s partner, is top of his class at the police academy while single-handedly holding his family together. But when one lieutenant questions Pierce’s past and his involvement in the investigation, Miles must put his future on the line to keep Pierce’s secrets.

The situation becomes dire when it’s discovered the traffickers have connections to the Vice family. The lives of everyone Pierce cares about are in danger—not least of all his own, if Jeremy Vice learns he’s back from the dead. Pierce and Miles face a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels—one that will gladly destroy them to keep operating. As Pierce uses every dirty trick he learned from organized crime to protect the new life he’s building, he realizes that no matter how hard he tries, he might never escape his past.

But he’s not going down without a fight.

Available now from: DSP Publications, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo

Carole: So let’s start with genre. Besides Mystery & Suspense, how would you define this book?

S.A.: I’d say my genre is noir thriller—gritty, underworld crime and the good guys who fight against it. I love the genre so much, but it’s kind of a rarity. There are mysteries (a close cousin to the genre) and there are standard thrillers (also fun) but there’s something about the cynicism, fatalism, and moral ambiguity in noir that always gets me. I love incorporating all those elements into my writing (usually because it makes for super entertaining characters!).

Carole: Well, the blurb definitely sucks a reader right in, and it sounds like this is one of those series you can’t put down once you start. Why don’t you tell us a bit more about Vice Enforcer.

S.A.: This story picks up after the first ended—with our ex-mobster hero (Nicholas Pierce) trying to lead a “normal” life. He tries keeping a garden, being nice to neighbors, getting a “real job” but there’s always something that goes wrong (either hilariously or dangerously). When it becomes apparent that a local lieutenant on the police force knows who Pierce really is, the story takes a dire turn. Good thing Pierce has Miles! The two live together in this novel, and Pierce tries to maintain a relationship when he’s never really done that before. Like I said, lots of good character dynamics going on. It was super fun to write.

Carole: Super fun to read too, no doubt. ;) So, we know there’s diversity in this story as far as a nonheteronormative relationship. Are there other kinds of diversity as well?

S.A.: I have diversity in every sense of the word—life is diverse, after all, and I like real life to reflect in my writing. Miles is Chinese-American, Pierce has cataracts and has trouble seeing, the local lieutenant is an Eagle Scout who had to come to terms with sexuality, and Pierce’s neighbors are an elderly lady and the granddaughter she has to raise after her son was put in jail.

Carole: Vice Enforcer is being published through DSP Publications, Dreamspinner Press’s imprint for genre novels that don’t necessarily focus on or even contain romance. Tell us about the relationship in Vice Enforcer and why it doesn’t fit the accepted definition of Romance in the M/M genre.

S.A.: Pierce and Miles are together in this novel after meeting in Vice City. While the story doesn’t focus on their romance, they do have major issues to deal with in their relationship. Miles is training to become a cop and Pierce has a twenty year long criminal record—which is why it doesn’t fit the standard romance plot.

The main plot is about Pierce trying to work as a private investigator while keeping his identity hidden. Think The Grave Man, by David Archer.

Carole: And do you write in different genres?

S.A.: I do write in different genres! I love fantasy and science-fiction.

Carole: Awesome! *spec fic fist bump* Do you find it difficult to switch between genres?

S.A.: I don’t find it difficult to switch between them, but each genre presents its own unique difficulties. Thrillers require twists and action—fantasy requires a lot of world building and planning—and science-fiction requires a lot of research. Depending on my mood, I’ll switch between them. I work on lots of books at once!

Carole: What sort of research did you need to do for this book?

S.A.: For Vice Enforcer I did a lot of research into the criminal system. Pierce stumbles upon a human trafficking ring and I had to get very acquainted with how such criminal organizations work. I’ve worked in lots of drug courts and law offices, so some details came naturally, but not all.

Carole: So what’s next for you? What projects are you working on now and what is coming next from you?

S.A.: I have a WWI fantasy coming out in a few months that I’m super excited about! I’m also working on an m/m epic fantasy, a post-apocalyptic thriller, and an urban fantasy. I can’t wait to share them with the world, so look forward to them in the future!

Carole: And I for one can’t wait to see them! Thanks so much for coming to chat with us today, S.A., and best of luck to you on your new release!

About the AuthorS.A. Stovall grew up in California’s central valley with a single mother and little brother. Despite no one in her family having a degree higher than a GED, she put herself through college (earning a BA in History), and then continued on to law school where she obtained her Juris Doctorate.

As a child, Stovall’s favorite novel was Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. The adventure on a deserted island opened her mind to ideas and realities she had never given thought before—and it was the moment Stovall realized that story telling (specifically fiction) became her passion. Anything that told a story, be it a movie, book, video game or comic, she had to experience. Now, as a professor and author, Stovall wants to add her voice to the myriad of stories in the world, and she hopes you enjoy.

Where to Find S.A. Stovall: Website, Facebook, and TwitterWhere to buy Vice Enforcer: DSP Publications, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo

And that will do it for us this week. Thanks for joining us, everyone! If you’d like to keep tabs on Genre Talk and never miss a post, hop on over and like our Facebook page, join our Facebook group, and check out our web page.

On behalf of me and Co-pilot Extraordinaire Elizabeth Noble, thanks for spending some time with us, and have a great week!