Guest Post

Guest Chick: Greg Rhyno + Giveaway

We’re thrilled to welcome guest Greg Rhyno to the coop, and not just because he’s pro-Chick in every sense of the word. Read on to see what Greg has to say about exploring a new genre, forays into unfamiliar territory, and guesting in his protagonist’s world–then comment for a chance to win his latest, Who by the Fire.

Take it away, Greg!

The Guest Chick

I’m very excited to be a Chicks on the Case Guest Chick. The truth is, I’ve been feeling like a guest in a few respects lately, not only in the world of detective fiction, but — to be perfectly honest —in the world of “chicks.”

The protagonist of my new novel, Who by Fire, is a woman named Dame Polara. As she herself is quick to observe, Dame is “not a detective,” but “a thirty-six-year-old divorcee trying to subsidize a geriatric pregnancy by playing private investigator.” Regardless, Dame is also the daughter of David “Dodge” Polara, a retired Toronto private eye who taught her how to pick locks and tail bad guys with the best of them. Dame knows all the tricks of the sleuthing trade, so when she finds herself unexpectedly embroiled in a dangerous arson conspiracy, she has all the necessary skills to tackle the big case.

In writing this novel, I found myself a little out of place — a guest in unfamiliar territory, if you will. I’d never written a crime novel before, and I’d never written a novel from the perspective of a female character.

My debut novel (To Me You Seem Giant, NeWest Press, 2017) is a not-quite-autobiographical coming-of-age story about a musician — an indie rock dude — who can’t quite seem to escape his hometown. Busting out with a bildungsroman is a pretty standard first step for any author with mildly literary aspirations, so why then, you might ask, make an unscheduled detour into the detective genre?

Not long after I finished writing that first book, I overheard a colleague of mine complaining that her husband was sick, and that she was going to have to fill in for him at work. His job? Private investigator.

I couldn’t get the premise out of my head. What did it mean to be a substitute private investigator? And a reluctant one at that? What happened when a person sought out family and security but was instead tossed headfirst into a world of cheating spouses, insurance scams, and the occasional conspiracy to commit murder?

I’d long had an affection for slightly-offbeat crime fiction by authors like Elmore Leonard, Douglas Adams, Sara Gran, and Thomas King. I also loved darkly funny thrillers like Fargo, Inherent Vice, and Knives Out. I wondered: could I take a crack at detective fiction?

Part and parcel with this premise came the idea of writing from the perspective of a female character. In his essay, “The Simple Art of Murder,” Raymond Chandler argues: “Down these mean streets a man must go … who is neither tarnished nor afraid. The detective in this kind of story must be such a man.” While I love Chandler, I knew I wasn’t going to follow his model. I didn’t want my detective to be untarnished or unafraid, and I didn’t want my character to be a man. I wanted her to be a woman who has the courage to walk down “mean streets,” not because of some romantic code of honour, but because she has bills to pay and people who count on her. Dame Polara is broke, divorced, and despite a number of expensive procedures, still childless. She lost her mother at age eleven and cares for her aging father.

Again, I found myself in unfamiliar territory. So many of the problems Dame faces in the novel are burdens that women often shoulder alone, and as a male writer, I knew it would be very easy to get it wrong.  As I wrote her character, I tried to keep in mind the love I have for all the smart and resilient women who inspired her. Luckily, I was also blessed to work with incredible editors like Sarah Wyche, Elyse Friedman, Leanne Toshiko Simpson, and Diane Terrana, who were never afraid to call me on my bull.

Who by Fire is the first book in a three-book series. At least, that’s the arrangement I’ve made with my publisher. After that, who knows? Even though I’m only a guest, I have to say that I’ve enjoyed my time in this unfamiliar territory. And while I certainly wouldn’t want to overstay my welcome, the idea of leaving is getting more and more difficult every day.

GIVEAWAY: Ask me anything for a chance to win a signed copy of Who By Fire. (Bonus points for most interesting question.)

About Greg

Greg Rhyno is the author of Who By Fire, the first novel in the Dame Polara mystery series, forthcoming from Cormorant Books. His debut novel, To Me You Seem Giant, was nominated for a ReLit Award and an Alberta Book Publishing Award. He lives with his family in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Find him at his website or on Facebook.

Praise for By the Fire

“Suspenseful, funny, touching, terrifying — I don’t know how Greg Rhyno managed to balance all of these elements in one outstanding story, but I’m so glad he did. Who by Fire is brilliant. And Dame Polara is my absolute favourite new detective. Long may she snoop!” — Elyse Friedman, author of The Opportunist.

31 thoughts on “Guest Chick: Greg Rhyno + Giveaway”

  1. Kudos, Greg, for stepping into unfamiliar territory, I did the same thing when I decided to write my first Natalie McMasters Mystery, narrated by a twentysomething bisexual college student. At the time, I was a 65-year old married straight guy. I did a lot of reading on the internet and a lot of talking to young LGBTQ women at cons to make sure I got it right. I found that there are at least a million stories in the Naked City, so it would have been hard to get it wrong.

    Tom Burns

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    1. Thanks Tom!! That sounds interesting. I’ve never been to Naked City. All the cities in Canada require clothing year round (it gets cold here!).

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  2. I’m always intrigued by how a “premise worm” burrows into our minds and removal requires writing. Thanks for sharing the process, Greg, and congratulations on your latest book.

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  4. Greg

    Congrats on the new book.
    Do you plan on continuing to name books after CanCon song titles? If so, I anxiously look forward to “Cosmic Meatball” or, more boldly, “Margaret Atwood.”

    Book nerds forever,

    Cory

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    1. Hi Cory! Great question! I do enjoy a good Canadian content reference now and then. “Margaret Atwood” might be a little too daring, but I could imagine a Who By Fire spinoff called “Not-So-Sweet-Lorraine”!

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    1. Thanks Leslie! This is such a cool community. I was really happy with the way the cover turned out as well! We actually had match books made up with the same design!

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  7. Greg,

    Hestia here. This sounds like the kind of story I’d love to read. Many times we get thrown into roles we don’t want, but have to go.
    i have a couple of questions.

    When you thought of the main character, you obviously went female, because of that colleague. Did you ever consider changing it to a male character midstream? Say, this is too nuts, let me flip Dame to a him?

    Did you have someone specific in mind when you created your main character? Was it an amalgamation of people? Did you think of what she would look like and create personality based on looks? (FYI, you made me use a 5 syllable word in a question. That requires some intrigue for me to use more than 2 😂)

    I feel you on uncharted territory. Writing a story (for me, really), involving 2 male POVs, with one a normal goof, and the other a 100% formal character that is a challenge.

    Can’t wait to read the book

    Hestia

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    1. Hi Hestia!

      Wow, these are great questions. I think once I started ‘working’ with Dame, she was so clearly a woman, I never looked back. The challenges that (I hope) make her an interesting character are challenges that women (unfortunately) face far more often than men.

      I didn’t have one person in mind as I was developing Dame, but I have no shortage of smart, strong women in my life. She started as a bit of an amalgamation, but eventually, she started to feel like her own, unique individual.

      I think so many male writers who write about women tend to objectify them in their descriptions, so I actually made the choice to not describe Dame’s physicality at all. Her only physical attributes are the glasses she wears and a lot of vintage duds.

      Good luck with your story! If you need any tips on being a goof, I’m your guy!

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  8. Hi Greg! Thanks so much for guesting with us. Your book sounds great.

    Here’s my question: you mention getting inspiration for the book from a colleague. Do you have a day job? If so, what do you do?

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    1. Hi Kathleen!

      Thanks for your question. When I was doing research for the novel, I taught myself how to pick a lock. The first time I was able to do it successfully was a fantastic feeling!

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    1. Hi Mary! When I was developing Dame’s character, I wanted her to be a reluctant detective, but as I started writing the story (without giving anything away) the reason she stops sleuthing with her father kind of caught me off guard!

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  12. Greg, we’re excited to have you on Chicks today–sorry I’m a little late to the party. Congrats on charting a new path, with great success! So how did Dame get her name, and does she like it?

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    1. Hi Lisa!

      Sorry I missed this last night! Dame’s father named her “Dame” because he’s a big noir film fan (there’s a little joke in the novel that her mother must’ve still been woozy from the epidural … ). I think Dame has mixed feelings about having such an unusual name, just as she has mixed feelings about her unusual childhood.

      By the way, Dame’s father’s name is David “Dodge” Polara, and he got his nickname from his high school football career. I actually saw a Dodge Polara at a classic car show once and thought it would be a great name for a detective.

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  13. Hi folks!

    It’s getting to be past my bedtime, so I think it’s best I sign-off.

    Congrats to Hestia Athena for coming up with a barrage of interesting questions (one of which, as noted, included a five syllable word — impressive!). She’s won a free copy of Who By Fire from Cormorant Books (Hestia, please reach out to the Chicks and we can sort it out from there).

    Thanks again for making me feel like welcome guest. As I said, this is all unfamiliar territory, but I can’t wait to explore it further!

    All the best,

    Greg

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  14. Dodge Polara–that is awesome, Greg! I kinda guessed re: the “Dame”–love the epidural joke. I’m sure Dame will become a classic, too.

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  15. Sounds like an interesting book and premise. I was an English teacher along with being an art teacher, an AP art history teacher, and along the way taught one year each of Texas history, computer science, journalism, and speech. I produced the yearbook for 6 years and the school newspaper for two years at different schools here in Georgia and my home state of Texas to the tune of 38 1/2 years, retiring in both Texas and then Georgia. I admire you writing books. I always wanted to, but I am not good enough. I like the same offbeat authors also that you like. I like that Dame is different and doesn’t want to be a PI. It seems many cozy characters turn onto sleuths reluctantly also. Why does Dame want to get pregnant when she is broke, divorced and taking care of her father? Will you give us this answer? Also, will you tell us how she got to where she is in the book?

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