Travis, Spenser and Duffy

by Tom Schreck
Author of TKO, A Duffy Dombrowski Mystery

“You Duff?” The voice came from the deck of this big ass boat. “Come on aboard.” The tall beefy guy said. I wouldn’t exactly call it a friendly greeting. It was more along the lines of cordial.



I had to climb this four rung latter to get on the deck, which wasn’t easy because Al my 85 pound basset hound was with me. “Busted Flush” was inscribed on the side of the boat. Another guy appeared on the deck. He was wearing Ray Bands and a Red Sox hat. I was going to have to really try to like him.

I struggled to hand the Red Sox guy Al and he hoisted him up but got slobbered pretty bad across his shirt. It was one of those with the little guy riding a horse.

“I’m Travis McGee and this is Spenser,” the first guy said.
“You really do have pale grey eyes, don’t you?” I said to Travis.
“Well, yeah,” he said. He seemed a little embarrassed.
“I didn’t think anyone in real life had grey eyes,” I said.
“Have a seat kid, we got to talk to you,” Spenser said.
“Can I get you a drink? I’m having a Boodles and Spenser is having a Catamount. I also have some Tuborg,” Travis said.

“Uh, I never heard of any of that shit. You gotta Schlitz?” Travis hung his head and looked up at Spenser who winced and sighed.
“That’s what we got to talk to you about,” Spenser said.
“We’ve read the reviews son. They’re calling you the new Travis or the New Spenser and, well, we like you but, uh…” Travis trailed off.

“We have our concerns.” Spenser said.
I didn’t know what they were talking about. I took a hit off the Tuborg and almost barfed.

“Damn, this shit is skunky as hell,” I said. I looked over at Al who was licking his nutbag right next to Spenser.



“Son, if they’re going to compare you to us there’s some things we liked to see changed,” Travis said. He sipped his gin and tonic out of a rocks glass that looked like it weighed 12 pounds.

“Change?’ I said.
“Yeah, change,” Spenser said. I might’ve been mistaken but it seemed like he was trying to act tough.

“Let’s start with the Schlitz. It’s not…uh…classy enough. Why don’t you drink something expensive and esoteric. Get a nice microbrew that no one’s ever heard of,” Travis said.
“I think those beers take like piss,’ I said.

“Alright, alright—let’s get off beer. How about the women in your life? There always dysfunctional and screwed up. Why not get a really thin, arrogant, intellectual psychologist gal who thinks its cool to barely eat anything?” Spenser said.

I just starred at him.
“Or nurse wounded bird type women back to health while sailing in the Caribbean. It helps if they have names like Bunny, Pogo or Tucky,” McGee said.

“What fuckin’ planet are you guys livin’ on?” I said. “Who has a boat like this and where do you find ‘wounded bird –women,’ sheesh.”

“The other thing is your fights. You lose as often as you win—we never get in fights and lose unless someone does something dirty or underhanded,” Travis said.

“I’m a mediocre boxer not a superhero,” I said.
“I fought Jersey Joe Walcott when I boxed,” Spenser said a little too quickly. I knew from reading books that Walcott’s last fight was in 1953.

“Yeah, well, in real life mediocre fighters don’t get to fight hall of famers,” I said.

The Spenser guy didn’t like that and tried to stare me down. Al barked at him and Spenser kind of jumped a little but tried to cover it.

“Your dog is a problem,” Travis said. Al did that tornado thing to clear his slobber and a loogey landed on Spenser’s loafers.

“You see that—those are Brooks Brothers and they cost $350 and the dog slobbered on them.”

I smiled and wished Al had slobbered on the “B” on his hat.

“I have a German Shorthaired pointer who is refined. She doesn’t do everything she’s told but she’s, you know…” Spenser struggled for the right word.

“Cute?” I said. Spenser frowned but he knew it was the right word. No one ever accused Al of being cute.

“Look son, it’s just that if you catch on we’re afraid people will, uh, you know, see us as maybe a little unrealistic and overblown. We’re worried,” Travis said.

“Why don’t you listen to jazz. You know, make obtuse references to Coltrane and Miles and how great jazz is,” Spenser said. Now he was sort of pleading.

“I only know people who pretend to listen to jazz because they think its cool. I never actually hear anyone listen to jazz,” I said. “Besides I like Elvis.” I said.

“Elvis was--” Spenser was about to say something I wasn’t going to like. I stood up and held my hand up signifying I had had enough. Spenser took a step toward me.

I didn’t back up.

“Fellas…come on!” Travis said.

“Don’t ever say anything about Elvis,” I said. I was almost nose-to-nose with Spenser.

“I told you I fought Walcott, didn’t I?” Spenser said as menacing as he could.

“Yeah, you did.” I kind of laughed a little. “By my calculations that would make you 70 at the youngest,” I said.

Spenser’s shoulders slumped.

“Yeah, you’re right,’ he said. He looked down at the slobber that had gathered on the tassel of his loafer.

I decided it was time for me to go.

“It was nice meeting you guys and thanks for the beer. I don’t mind comparisons but I got my show to run just like you guys did,” I said.

The two of them just looked at each other. McGee shrugged while Spenser sat back hard in his deck chair.

‘The kid’s got some balls, I’ll give ‘em that,” I heard Travis say as I was leaving.

Interview with Lee Child--Part I

We contacted Lee Child while he was in the midst of a book tour. His webmaven, Maggie, was kind enough to set up an interview. Since Lee's website is a treasure trove of interviews(http://www.leechild.com/interviews.html), Maggie noted that "some of the questions have been asked and answered often enough for Lee to really appreciate a fresh take."

The gauntlet hit the ground and so did I. First thing, I called in reinforcements. I asked Linda Hengerer ("She Who Knows All Things Reacher") of the Florida Chapter of MWA for assistance.

And we were rewarded! Lee appreciated how interesting the questions were. And we appreciate his candor!

Q. John Dalton, a novelist and writing instructor, says that authors should try to find the perfect action or situation that "defines" their characters. In his book Heaven Lake, that happens early when the protagonist tries to make friends in China by clumsily buying-and overpaying-for a stick of gum that he does not need. That becomes the central metaphor for the book: How in our eagerness to be well-regarded we may act obsequious, and therefore, invite disrespect. Can you think of a scene in your books that best "defines" Jack Reacher? A scene that perfectly illuminates his character? Does that happen in every book?

A. Well, maybe Dalton would say I overdo it, but every Reacher book contains a string of such defining scenes. In a sense, readers ask only that they see Reacher "do stuff" ... and obviously he's going to do stuff in his own way. I didn't consciously plan it that way - I write entirely by instinct and don't care to delve too deeply into the process in case I upset it (to paraphrase Yogi Berra, I can't write and think at the same time) - but in retrospect I see that the first defining scene was the very first scene I wrote, which was the opening of Killing Floor. Reacher is about to be arrested - he's correctly foreseen what's going to happen, in itself characteristic - and he makes sure he has paid for his cup of coffee before he's hauled away ... that's right there on the second page I wrote, and it was immediately picked up as indicative of Reacher's moral compass, his ability to compartmentalize, his cool nature.

Q. You have noted that women like your books, and when asked they gave four reasons: 1.) women have a keener sense of injustice than men do 2.) women still find it difficult to express anger in ways that are socially acceptable 3.) women find Reacher attractive 4.) women like that Reacher is the ultimate "no strings-attached, one-night stand" because he's guaranteed to move on without entanglements.

A. Actually, as I recall it, reasons #3 and #4 above were amalgamated as the fourth reason, and reason #3 was, "Reacher respects women," which is pretty much what you went ahead to say. He's a post-everything guy. Post-feminist, certainly. Equality is a settled question for him.

Q. You grew up as one of four brothers. Where and how did you develop such high regard for women, and especially a fondness for strong, smart, sassy women? Does Reacher's willingness to trust women, even in high risk situations, stem from knowledge of his mother's work in the French Resistance?

A. Over the years I have come to understand that as a person, my biggest strengths and weaknesses stem from the fact that I was born without the "faith" gene. I am completely unable to accept anything - either explicit or implicit - unless I have proved it or experienced it for myself. In some ways, that's a pain, but in most it's useful. Thus, although I grew up in a male-dominated household back during a very traditional era, my mind remained a blank until I had formed my own conclusions. All my friends were girls, I enjoyed their company ... still do, almost exclusively. So the short answer is that I learned for myself that women are at least equal with and very often superior to men.

Q. You have said you are surprised that women like Reacher despite the fact he is "unhygienic." We've never looked at him that way. Do you say that because he doesn't do laundry? He showers daily (when possible) -- doesn't try to avoid it. Gets a shave and haircut in One Shot. And then there's that famous toothbrush. (Five of which will be auctioned off at Sisters in Crime's Forensic University of St. Louis's Muddy Brew-Ha-Ha Party on November 3, 2007, to benefit the Crime Lab Project Foundation.) Comment?

A. It's what I hear. I guess our consumer culture demands so much now. Reacher certainly maintains himself to an adequate degree - as you point out- and in practice it's all a person needs to do. But it doesn't match current standards, and some readers express discomfort with that. Makes one wonder how the human race ever got this far.

Q. Unlike James Bond, Reacher isn't a "heat-seeking missile." Reacher seems to regard sex as a way of communicating, comforting and responding to attraction, but not as target practice. In one interview, you said that Reacher wouldn't have sex with a woman who was emotionally vulnerable. Is this part of Jack Reacher's "play fair" attitude? Is it because he hates bullies? Have your male readers ever complained that Jack isn't more of a"Jack-the-lad"?

A. Reacher sees sex as a fun mutual pastime. He avoids partners who might be seeking more transcendence. In part it's because of his fair-play attitude. In part it's me as a writer moving away from the James Bond/Travis McGee trope, where the guy was so awesome in the sack that women could get healed by it. Reacher's good, but not that good. I'm not sure that anyone is. Some male readers have a "he should get laid more" thing going ... but I ignore it.

Q. In Bad Luck and Trouble, Karla gives him her zip code in the bank deposit breakdown -- but he'd already told her he doesn't make plans, so he gets on a bus not heading for NYC, knowing that Karla won't be waiting for him or devastated when he doesn't show up. Does Reacher feel more comfortable leaving a woman, or not making a commitment, knowing he hasn't given any false promises about what he can or can't give? Or is it because an emotionally stable woman can handle what an emotionally vulnerable woman couldn't? Your thoughts, please.

A. It's a question he doesn't even understand. He knows and they know he won't show up. They say stuff like that as a fondness, not a realistic proposition. And the point is the women understand completely. He's often described as a "love them and leave them" type of guy, but that's lazy. At least half of the time it's the woman who breaks things up. It's a Catch-22- he likes smart women, but smart women understand it won't work.

Q. You faced bullies as a boy growing up in Birmingham. (I've been there, and I got the impression it's a "hard scrabble" type of place: no wimps need apply.) You were a union shop steward when you left Granada. You've created an avenger, Jack Reacher. And in all circumstances, you and Jack are willing to sacrifice everything for what's right. Tell us about that strong impulse to do the thing that cannot be done. Where did it come from? How has it shaped your life?

A. I was born without a faith gene, but to compensate I got a huge belligerence gene. And a rather unattractive arrogance gene. Most of the time - hell, all of the time - I would rather slit my wrists than back down. Physically, intellectually, it's all the same to me. If you push the wrong buttons, I'll destroy you and your family and piss on your ancestors' graves. It's not an attractive way to live, but I literally cannot envisage an alternative. In my defense I would say that I also seem to have a Robin Hood gene working ... in serious matters I'm almost always doing it for someone else. But I have constant trivial fights. Like right now, they're trying to call me for jury duty. But I'm not eligible - I'm not a citizen. Prove it, they say. Can't prove a negative, I say. Xerox your green card, they say. Illegal to photocopy government ID, I say. I quote US Code at them. I tell them I assume they have lawyers working in their building. On and on we go ... stupid and pointless, but I hate being told what to do.

Look for Part 2 of our Lee Child interview in this blog next month.

Meanwhile visit Lee Child and his books at http://www.leechild.com/ His most recent novel is Bad Luck and Trouble. Lee will be a guest author at the Love Is Murder on Dark and Stormy Nights Conference in Chicago.

**Midnight Ink will release Joanna Campbell Slan's debut mystery Over Exposed in the Fall of 2008. Linda Hengerer is working on her first novel.