Vital Crime Fiction: Charlie 316 by Frank Zafiro and Colin Conway
Here’s a story: Me and Frank Zafiro once drank with a mummy. In St. Petersburg, Florida. It’s true—another Bouchercon tale for the ages. But that’s for another day…Point is, Frank knows how to craft a captivating story, whether in real life or in a novel. Much of his work brings to bear the unique experience of being a police officer. His new one—written with Colin Conway—is no exception. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Frank for a chat—no mummies this time…But there’s always next Bouchercon.
Frank served in the U.S. Army from 1986–91 in Military Intelligence as a Czechoslovak linguist. In 1993, he became a police officer in Spokane, Washington. During his career, he worked as a patrol officer, corporal, and detective. In 2002, he became a sergeant and entered into leadership roles. He was fortunate enough to command patrol officers, investigators, the K-9 unit, and the SWAT team. Frank retired from law enforcement in 2013 as a captain in order to write full time and to teach. His crime stories include the River City Crime series and the novels Fallen City and Charlie 316, among many others. Frank also led the charge on creating the popular new novella series called A Grifter’s Song.
Great to have you, Frank. Tell me something: You worked as a law enforcement officer for many years, but you were also writing during that time. How’d you do both and, beyond that, how does being a retired officer/commander/detective influence your work? Are you a stickler for accuracy? or more driven by character and story? A little of both?
Working full time and writing is a balance I think a great number of writers face. And there’s no easy answer, other than you have to find the time. The real choice is what you don’t do when you’re writing instead. Sometimes I made good choices. Other times, maybe I should have realized the book isn’t as important as I thought.
Being retired from law enforcement certainly has an influence on my police procedurals. I wouldn’t say I’m a stickler for details, although I always make an effort to get them right (or right enough). But as you point out in your question, character and story are paramount, so that’s where my focus lies. The nice part about having had the experiences I had while on the job is that I don’t often have to think about getting it right — it just comes naturally.
Of course, I’ve been retired now for six years, so many of the technical details have already changed, so at some point, I’m going to need a refresher course….
The work I’ve read of yours moves fast, but it also takes time with the details — I’d like to ask you about other writers who are touchstones for you. Do you feel like you work within a tradition of specific writers? If so, who are they? If you could have your books set next to somebody else’s on the shelf…Who is it?
Any retired cop who is writing procedurals owes a lot to Joseph Wambaugh, and I’m no different. I don’t purposely pattern myself after his work, but some similarity is unavoidable when you’re talking about ensemble cast police procedurals. W.E.B. Griffin’s Badge of Honor series influenced me, too, in the sense that he liked to show the stories going on at all levels of a police department, not just patrol or investigations.
But I write books in the PI and hardboiled sub-genres as well, so I look to masters like Lawrence Block and Donald Westlake and Sue Grafton for some influence in those. The thing about influence, though, is that while it is there, it can’t really be visible or it isn’t influence anymore, is it? It’s imitation. And I think it is important to be true to your own voice. Sure, that voice likely developed due to its influence, but it has to be its own thing.
I’d be proud as hell to have my books sit next to any of the above, but the list is actually longer than that. There are so many good writers out there today, and I’m fortunate to be friends with some of them. Actually, I’m fortunate to have written with some of them!
Charlie-316, your new release with Colin Conway, is timely in its subject matter. The book unfolds in the aftermath of an officer-involved shooting. Seems like if anybody is meant to tackle this subject/plot — it’s got to be you. Do you feel a responsibility to examine the way modern policing occurs and is examined by a hyperactive media and social audience? Seems like there’s two sides to this collective story…It’s hard to get both sides though. Your thoughts? Your approach as a writer?
It’s a hot button topic, for sure. One of the agents who declined to represent us cited that as her reason for taking a pass. Your point that there is always two (or more) sides to the story is an important one.
Having both been police officers, Colin and I certainly wanted to approach the subject in a way that was measured. I’ve seen this from the police side of things, and understand details that are sometimes misconstrued by the public. Moreover, I’ve been around cops from all over the US and Canada when I taught police leadership after retiring. It’s my considered opinion that the vast majority of law enforcement officers out there are dedicated, hard-working, good people who are doing the best they can in oftentimes difficult situations.
Does that mean that every police shooting is a “good” one? Surely not. (I hate that terminology, btw. Every time deadly force is used, it is tragic. I wish there was a better way to describe an unfortunate incident like this in a way that recognizes the tragedy but also the reality that the officer’s actions were justified). But this is a bigger issue than just a police issue. Because of the nature of the police/citizen interaction, this greater issue is playing out in the law enforcement arena, but it is something we have to tackle as a nation.
That said, our first desire was to tell a compelling story. Far and away, that is our primary goal. But if we can tell that story in a way that flips the script a little, maybe that keeps people from going directly to their already entrenched positions on this subject, then maybe it engenders a little thought on the bigger issue, or gives someone a little insight to the other perspective. So often, we don’t even consider that other perspective, and unfortunately, this nation seems to be becoming more polarized instead of less.
What got you started writing with other crime writers? I know I can barely pull of a handshake — I consider that teamwork! How does it work for you writing with Conway or Eric Beetner? Tell us the process.
My first collaboration was with Colin on Some Degree of Murder. The conversation just came up organically, and we kicked around writing a book set in my River City world. We came up with a dual first person narrative with alternating first person chapters. So in other words, I wrote Detective Tower and Colin wrote Virgil Kelley. We alternated back and forth by chapters, telling the story through their respective eyes. It worked well for us. When Jim Wilsky had an idea to write Blood on Blood together, we used this same dual first person narrative and ended up writing four books in that series. I bothered Eric Beetner for a couple of years or so before he gave in, coming to the table with the idea of two competing hit men for The Backlist. Same with Bonnie Paulson in Trade Off.
It wasn’t until I worked with Larry Kelter on The Last Collar that I deviated from this model. Larry wanted to go with a single POV, so we gave it a go. I was concerned that it would make Mocha sound schizophrenic, but in the end, he has a singular voice. I believe part of the reason we accomplished this was due to how vigorously (and ruthlessly) we edited each other’s work. This resulted in a real melding of style and voice that ultimately created Mocha’s voice.
The bigger challenge was doing that again in a novel with multiple third person viewpoints, which is what Larry and I did in Fallen City. Moreover, neither of us wrote any of the characters’ POV chapters exclusively. Once again, the liberal approach to editing seemed to be an answer to making this work. That experience was incredibly valuable when it came to writing with Colin again for Charlie-316, because that book has multiple third person viewpoints, too.
As for process, it’s been pretty similar all the way through. For example, say I write chapter one. I send it to my co-author, who reads and revises my chapter one. Then s/he writes chapter two and sends it back. I review the chapter one edits, read and revise chapter two, then write chapter three. This continues through to the end.
I like this process for several reasons. For one, it keeps you motivated. You want to do your best and get it to your partner. Plus you’re excited to get it back and see the new chapter. It’s like getting to read a book while you’re writing it. Secondly, by the time the first draft is finished, it is really more like a second draft.
Give us the skinny on Charlie-316. Why is it one of the great books this year?
Well, you’re kind to suggest it could end up in that category. We certainly hope it will be. I will say that I think it might be my best book yet, for what that is worth.
Charlie-316 opens with a model police officer, Tyler Garrett, involved in a shooting. Almost immediately, details of the event appear troubling. Things are further complicated by the issue of race — Garrett is black and the suspect/civilian is white. The book explores the reactions to this event by the investigators, the police department, city hall, the media, special interests, the public at large, and of course what Garrett goes through. Our desire was to show all sides of this discussion in some fashion, with each side looking out for its own best interests.
But this is only the set up. Soon after, the story starts on its twisty path, because nothing is ever exactly what you think it is going to be, right?
Charlie-316 is the first of what will be a four-book arc, though each tale stands alone, too. There is a meta-story in this saga, though, and I think it is a journey readers will enjoy.
Thanks so much, Frank—great to bend your ear for a bit.
Buy the book: Pick up Charlie 316 or one of Frank’s other books on Amazon.
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