Hi, everyone, and welcome to the newest edition of Genre Talk here on The Novel Approach Reviews. Today we’ve coaxed DSP Publications author Michael Rupured out of his writing cave to come talk to us about the very serious subject of discrimination, the not-so-serious subject of guard chihuahuas, and his spanking-new Mystery & Suspense release The Case of the Missing Drag Queen. So grab your cuppa, sit back, and let’s visit for a bit. :)
The Case of the Missing Drag Queen
Broke, saddled with a mountain of debt, and dependent on his Aunt Callie’s support, aspiring writer Luke Tanner has returned to Kentucky to put his life back together after a failed five-year relationship.
On his twenty-fifth birthday, Luke meets diminutive Pixie Wilder, a long-time performer at the Gilded Lily. After headliner Ruby Dubonnet doesn’t show up, Pixie takes her place as the star of the show—a motive that makes her a suspect in Ruby’s disappearance.
Luke reluctantly agrees to help his new-found friend clear her name. He and Pixie set out to find the missing drag queen, and in the process, put themselves in danger.
Available now from: DSP Publications, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, GooglePlay
Carole: Wow, that’s a lot packed into one story. It sounds like this book not only develops an intricate plot but also deals with several queer issues along the way with an almost noir slant to it all. Is this level of inclusion something that just kind of happened, or would you call it more of a drive?
Michael: I’m driven to write…something. My motivation for writing novels stems from a desire to show how much things have changed for the LGBT community in my lifetime. Throughout most of the 20th Century, homosexuality was considered a mental illness, same-sex relations were illegal, and discrimination was the norm. Mysteries revolve around murder or the threat of murder. Being homosexual could be downright dangerous, which makes mysteries an ideal genre for my stories.
Carole: How did you apply that to The Case of the Missing Drag Queen?
Michael: The Case of the Missing Drag Queen takes place in the fall of 1982 in Lexington KY—the town where I grew up, came out, and sowed my wild oats. The first of my novels to be set entirely in my hometown takes place at a time when, famous or not, homosexuals were still more likely to be outed than to come out. Pretending to be straight with family, coworkers, roommates, and others was common and stressful. Gay bars were a refuge—a place to relax, find friends, and fall in love—and a theme throughout the story. I’m amazed by how much has changed, glad that gay bars are no longer needed, but also a little sad.
Carole: Usually when we talk about diversity as it pertains to sexuality, the definition defaults to straight or not straight. You’ve gone a lot further into it with this book.
Michael: The LGBT community has always been diverse and included individuals of every race, ethnicity, age, religion, and, of course, gender, gender identity, and sexual preference. In towns big enough to support just one gay establishment, everyone came together. In 1982, the LGBT community in Lexington and the surrounding area supported a lesbian bar, a couple of little neighborhood watering holes (all downtown), and a complex where everyone went with three bars including a disco and a showroom. That diversity is represented in The Case of the Missing Drag Queen with characters who are black, white, straight, gay, young, middle-aged, elderly, and from different rungs on the economic ladder. Several are drag queens. There’s even a drag king.
Carole: The Case of the Missing Drag Queen 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 The Case of the Missing Drag Queen and why it doesn’t fit the accepted definition of Romance in the M/M genre.
Michael: This is my third novel with DSP Publications and my first to have never been marketed as a romance (No Good Deed and Happy Independence Day are second editions). Characters in my previous novels have had enough of a love life to satisfy Dreamspinner Press, but the stories revolve around something else. DSP Publications’ focus on genre fiction other than romance is right up my alley. Luke Tanner has no love life at all in the first Luke Tanner Mystery. The series is a cross between James Patterson’s Alex Cross series and Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City.
Carole: Fine company! And time to segue over to the lighter side, I think. So what do you do for fun?
Michael: Lots of hobbies, interests, and a demanding day job keep me busy. Whether another entry in the journal I’ve kept since 1979, a post for my blog, or a new novel, writing tops the list of things I do for fun. Running, gardening, going to the gym, and watching too much television are also on the list.
Carole: Gah, you’re making us tired! (Does anyone else feel lazy right now?) What about pets? Do you have one who supervises your writing?
Michael: Toodles lays at my feet when I write to protect me, growling low in her throat in response to threats only she can sense. Anyone wanting a piece of me has to get past my fiercely protective six-pound chihuahua.
Carole: Awww! Well, she’s apparently supervised a rather impressive backlist for you. You’ve been at this publishing gig for a while now. How has your writing changed since you published your first book?
Michael: I’ve learned a lot about writing and the publishing industry since my first novel was released in 2012. Going through editing is educational. Opinions vary about which story is the best, but if you ask me, each is better written than the one before. What’s changed the most, however, is my writing process—especially for The Case of the Missing Drag Queen. Instead of roaming wherever the characters took me as was true with my first four novels, I had a list of major plot points and detailed character profiles to keep me on track before I wrote the first word. The biggest change, however, was not allowing myself to go back more than two or three chapters to edit or revise until the first draft was finished. Following this long-ignored expert advice shaved months off the 12- to 18-months it took to write any of my other novels. By the time I went back to Chapter One, the story was fresh. Going through the editing process was less tedious too as I hadn’t already read the story fifty times.
Carole: Well, it sounds like we’ll happily benefit from many more releases to come without the wait, so good news all around! Thanks so much for joining us today, Michael, and we wish you every good thing for your new release.
And thank you, Awesome Readers, for coming along. Scroll down for links!
About the Author
Michael Rupured writes stories true enough for government work about gay life from the 1960s to today. This life-long Southerner was born in Fayetteville NC, grew up in Lexington KY, and after 18 months in Washington DC, moved to Athens GA where he’s lived since 1999. By day, he’s senior faculty in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Georgia. He’s an avid fan of the Georgia Bulldogs, the Kentucky Wildcats, and any team playing the Florida Gators. In his free time, Michael tinkers with his garden, plays with Toodles (his diabetic chihuahua), and keeps up with his many friends around the country. Previous novels include Until Thanksgiving (thriller), No Good Deed (mystery/thriller), Whippersnapper (regional), and Happy Independence Day (historical).
Where to Find Michael Rupured: Website, Facebook, Twitter, GoodreadsWhere to buy The case of the Missing Drag Queen: DSP Publications, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, GooglePlay
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!
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