Interview with Ray M. Schultze, Author of Jack London and Murder on Nob Hill

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?

What author wouldn’t want to write about Jack London? At the peak of his short writing career, Jack was a rock star of the literary world, his fame spreading well beyond America. He was a larger-than-life figure whose personal exploits fascinated the public just as much as his novels and short stories entertained them. By the age of 22, he had tramped from California to New York, prospected for gold in the Yukon, pirated oysters in San Francisco Bay, and earned notoriety as the “boy socialist of Oakland.” Given his lifelong craving for adventure, who wouldn’t want to make him the protagonist in a murder mystery novel?

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I’ve always enjoyed reading fast-paced thrillers, especially those set in particularly dramatic historical periods. The first short story that made an impression on me was “The Most Dangerous Game.” As an adult, I became a fan of the World War II thrillers penned by Ken Follett and Alan Furst. They were the direct inspiration for my earlier novel, THE DEVIL IN DREAMLAND, about a down-on-his-luck stagehand who becomes enmeshed in a Nazi conspiracy during the filming of CASABLANCA. When I read, I’m looking for thoughtful escapism, and that’s what I try to write.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

THE MARBLE HALL MURDERS by Anthony Horowitz and THE PARIS DECEPTION by Bryn Turnbull. Bonnie MacBird’s Holmesian THREE LOCKS is lurking nearby, and in the non-fiction category, I’ve just finished Hampton Sides’ epic about Captain Cook, THE WIDE WIDE SEA.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

Two scenes come to mind: first, when Jack finally comes face-to-face with the beautiful, mysterious Liang Mei Lin, the only witness to the murder that he’s become obsessed with solving, and he finds himself outmatched; second, when he becomes imprisoned in a derelict building’s pitch-black basement, teeming with rats, and fights despair as he tries to figure a way to save himself.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

Sometimes I find myself kneading a polished black stone that I found on a beach at Point Reyes National Seashore in Northern California. Either I’m doing it for luck or to settle my nerves. Maybe both.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

That life is too complicated and messy to be guided by a single motto or quote.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

The singular character of Jack London, a bright, passionate force, full of contradictions and handicapped by the prejudices of his time but striving to understand and become a better version of himself. And perhaps that will prompt the reader to seek out one of his classic novels, such as CALL OF THE WILD.