The following is an interview with writer Patrick Canning regarding the release of the detective novel, For Your Benefit. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Canning about his creative process in bringing the story to life on the page, his plans to expand into the sci-fi genre, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the release of For Your Benefit! For those who may be unfamiliar, how would you describe the story’s premise?
Patrick Canning: Thank you! The book is centered around Teddy Lint, the kindest private investigator on the planet who runs a small detective agency in Los Angeles. (Imagine Mr. Rogers was dropped into the world of The Big Lebowski.) Teddy and his brother, Ralph, are hired to find a shipping container of radioactive Agent Orange that vanished over fifty years ago. Their client insists someone is planning on using an army of drones to drench Los Angeles with the deadly chemicals before the week is out. As the Lint Brothers set out to solve the mystery, they quickly find themselves in the crosshairs of bizarre characters, esoteric subcultures, and a propaganda-obsessed secret society that may or may not be running the world.
BD: What can you share with us about your creative process in bringing this story and characters to life on the page?
PC: At some point in the process, I knew I wanted an uncommonly kind detective, an exploration of various Los Angeles subcultures, and a critique of advertising/PR/propaganda. I wanted the narrative to be dense and twisty (something like Thomas Pynchon) and for it to be both satirical and heartfelt (something like Kurt Vonnegut). For me, once there is enough of a story cobbled together, the inspirations fall away and the revisions become instinctual, aimed at making the book more like itself, whatever that may mean. Other than that, the usual suspects of killing darlings, hunting resilient typos, and discovering new ways to break formatting continue to gray my hair at an accelerating rate.
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that Teddy’s story may connect with and impact readers?
PC: I think it’s tough to have expectations for what readers will take away from the book, I’m always surprised by what people do or don’t latch onto. In the spirit of a more concrete answer, I think Teddy’s optimistic outlook on life and kind treatment of those around him could serve as a breath of fresh air. It seems like we’re all so stressed out and exhausted these days that any release of the pressure valve, however small, is time well spent. Teddy might even inspire empathy, patience, and all those perennially valuable qualities that always seem to be in short supply. Lastly, a reminder to be on guard against propaganda and all its good-looking cousins might come in handy, as well.
BD: Do you foresee expanding the novel into subsequent books or even into other entertainment mediums, if given the opportunity?
PC: I can’t see any subsequent books at the moment, but the story being adapted into other mediums could be interesting. I learned writing through screenwriting, so I think most of my stories have a built-in cinematic quality to some degree. If the caller ID displays any variation of Hollywood, Opportunity, or maybe: Spielberg, Stephen, I may actually answer my phone.
BD: Are there any upcoming projects on which you are currently working that you would like to share with our readers?
PC: My next book is going to be sci-fi, which I’m very excited about. I’ve always loved sci-fi but never written it, so it should be an interesting project. In short, the story concerns a group of people who attempt to build an ideal city in the hopes of positively influencing the current trajectory of humanity. There’s plenty of conflict and death and all that fun stuff, but, overall, I hope it’s a look at what could go right in the future. At his point, I think we’re pretty well covered on the dystopian media side of things.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about For Your Benefit and your other work?
PC: My website (patrickcanningbooks.com) has info on my books, short stories, and other goodies. I’m on Instagram (@catpanning) if readers want all the above, plus pictures of my awesome dog.
