Two famous writers have joined forces to create a humorous mystery novel that they'll be talking about in Tallahassee come January 13. The two insist the event will be more like a comedy stand-up routine than a typical book signing.
The name of the new book is "House of Wolves." One of its two authors is James Patterson. He said his latest collaborative effort has a popular theme at its core.
"I think that people love these family sagas where the families are really screwed up. You got one in 'Yellowstone,' which is very popular. You got 'Succession,' which is different, but it's another very powerful screwed up family. Way back you got the Corleones in 'The Godfather.' And this is another family, the Wolfs where you get 'House of Wolves.' It refers both to the football stadium where the pro team plays out there and also the Wolf family."
And, since pro football is involved, Patterson wrote the saga in concert with his award-winning-sports-writing colleague and long-time buddy, Mike Lupica.
"The point we make in 'House of Wolves,' because it's so much more than a football story; it's a newspaper story, it's a dysfunctional family story, and at its heart it's a thriller. I won't spoil much for people, but we kill off somebody in Chapter 1. The rest of the book is largely about finding out who did this," Lupica chimed in.
As the Wolf siblings, continued Patterson, struggle for control of the family empire.
"And we got Jenny Wolf and her brothers and they were all brought up to eat each other and that's a lot of the fun of the book. Because something happens and Jenny and her brothers get involved. It gets nasty, but funny and, I think, pretty dramatic."
The fact that the lead protaganist is a tough, fearless woman, said Lupica, makes the plot even more interesting.
"I've got 3 sons and a daughter and our daughter who's the youngest of the 4 believes this character is modeled after her for all that she's had to put up with her brothers all her life. Jenny doesn't back up. She's not afraid of them, and it really makes them mad that she winds up in charge of the empire."
Jim Patterson and Mike Lupica come to Tallahassee on January 13th. They'll talk about "House of Wolves" starting at 7:00 p.m. in Holy Comforter Episcopal School auditorium. Patterson said, however, the book is only part of the attraction.
"We're really good together, so it's going to be a show when we come up there, we guarantee! This is not one to shy away from in terms of coming to see us. We golf about twice a month together and the caddies call Mike and me 'the show.'"
His literary partner in crime Mike Lupica heartily concurred.
"People who attend these events, they get a sense of what it would be like to sit and have dinner with us. Because one great thing Jim always says, is when he's telling a story, he just imagines there's one person sitting across from him who he doesn't want getting up."
Jim Patterson and Mike Lupica's January 13th appearance is hosted by Midtown Reader and that bookstore's website has more information about their visit.
