In this episode of America Tonight, host Kate Delaney sits down with illustrator-turned author Edward R. Lipinski.
Ed has had such an interesting career. After a stint in the U.S. Air Force, he went to pursue art and ended up serving the New York Times as an illustrator. The Times then found itself in need of a new writer for its home improvement column, prompting Ed to have a go.
Meanwhile, Ed also has another novel underway, this time about a man named Henry who is gifted with glimpses of the future and has an entire history of growing up with it. However, the story takes inspiration from the legend of Cassandra and actually discusses all the problems Henry’s gift causes. Ed’s got a bittersweet ending for this upcoming work, but he hopes readers will also enjoy it as it comes out around March.
Recently, Ed has taken his first shots at writing fiction.
Werewolves? In Madison Avenue!?
Tonight, we talk about his new horror-comedy novel: “Werewolf on Madison Avenue.”
The story is about Jeff Foxlove, a copywriting protégé who, while vacationing at the Yucatan, gets bitten by a feral creature of the night. And as with any werewolf story, Jeff soon finds himself transforming from the curse and kills his first victims.
Horrified by what he’s become, Jeff resolves to turn himself in but is dissuaded by his unscrupulous employer (and notorious schlock-monger) Damon Cudmore.
The Big Idea Behind the Werewolf Copywriter
Much of the book was heavily inspired by Ed’s many years as a freelancer working for smaller advertisers at the real Madison Avenue. He met all sorts of colorful and interesting characters who, as he put it, ‘bent the rulers of truth’ just to make every fast buck.
These experiences had him really wanting to write a novel about the advertising world, and he simply wanted to put an unexpected twist. The werewolf idea came about because it was a surprising fit. Unlike the other big-name horror monsters, werewolves were the ‘part-timers’ to the whole horror gig. They were only ever monsters for one night in a month.
And so, Ed thought, ‘He (a werewolf) can be a monster and still keep his day job!’
A Story About Advertising’s Real Life Horror Monsters
The book’s core premise went particularly well with Ed’s funny and true-to-life characterizations of Madison Avenue’s worst offenders in the business. Damon Cudmore unscrupulously capitalizes on Jeff’s werewolf condition to successfully advertise all sorts of products, from shaving cream to shampoo.
Much of the book’s comedy focuses on Cudmore’s sheer tastelessness, greed, and willingness to stoop to new lows, all to keep business going.
Still, the story doesn’t deviate too far from its horror elements as it grimly reminds readers that werewolves are still murderous monsters. Towards the end, Jeff’s growing struggles eventually push him to seek a cure for his condition before things get even worse.
What’s Next for Ed?
There was no doubt that Ed had a plenty of fun writing his book, particularly in combining the themes of a werewolf’s monstrous, predatory nature with the eccentricities of the advertising world. Jeff’s story even has a surprising twist in the end as Ed wanted to have a more interesting way to really resolve his character’s conflict.
The novel received a 5-star rating from the Seattle Book Review for its fun, plentiful blend of both humor and horror.
Meanwhile, Ed also has another novel underway, this time about a man named Henry who is gifted with glimpses of the future and has an entire history of growing up with it. However, the story takes inspiration from the legend of Cassandra and actually discusses all the problems Henry’s gift causes. Ed’s got a bittersweet ending for this upcoming work, but he hopes readers will also enjoy it as it comes out around March.
You can check out the full interview over at our YouTube Channel. “Werewolf On Madison Avenue” is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and ReadersMagnet Bookstore.
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