Life Imitates Art as "Gabriel Knight" Star, DC Erickson, Publishes His First Mystery Novel, "No One Laughs at a Dead Clown"

Online, April 13, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Life imitates art as DC Erickson publishes his first novel, mystery thriller "No One Laughs at a Dead Clown." More than a decade ago, Erickson played Gabriel Knight, an author who solved murder mysteries in his role as a shadow hunter in "The Beast Within," which was named video game of the year in 1996 by Computer Gaming World.
"I hadn't made the connection until a friend pointed it out recently," said Erickson. "Life moves on."
"No One Laughs at a Dead Clown" captures the fun, sun, surf and danger of a fictional Southern California beach town. When an amusement park clown is found strung to pilings under the San Margarita Pier, life changes forever for aging surfer dude Razz McNeil, manager of the Surf's Up Saloon. At first, he is accused of murder by his former friend, Police Sergeant "Sharky" Sampson, and then he is enlisted to help solve the crime. Out of his element, but addicted to the thrill, Razz treads in the wrong places and on the wrong toes. All the while, he tries desperately to convince his wife not to divorce him and to convince himself he still deserves her. But when his sleuthing leads him to penetrate the dubious business dealings of his new boss, alleged drug lord Louis Marcayda, Razz becomes desperate just to stay alive.
"Living near the Santa Monica Pier for ten years certainly informed the story's atmosphere, but the story is entirely fictional. Of course, my middle-aged main character and I share many of the same aches and pains," says Erickson.
The inspiration for "No One Laughs at a Dead Clown" came from Erickson's experiences on the pier. "I loved the pier, but it could be scary at times. I wanted to contrast the happiness and light as represented by the amusement park during the day with a darker and more sinister underbelly at night, represented by a murder, gangs and the drug trade," Erickson explains. "When an innocent bystander, who's fighting his own internal guilt, is swept into that underbelly, his fears, needs, strengths and weaknesses show through to illuminate the human experience. The light and dark of the pier magnify the light and dark sides of human nature. And people are not always what they seem."
Erickson's literary influences include Harvard Knowles, his former English teacher at Phillips Exeter Academy, fellow Maine native Stephen King, and television writer/producer David Milch. "Mr. Milch was kind to me early on and is very encouraging of new writers," says Erickson.
Published under the Bionic Publishing imprint through CreateSpace, "No One Laughs at a Dead Clown" is available on Amazon.com in paperback and for the Kindle. More information can be found at www.noonelaughsatadeadclown.com or www.nolaadc.com.
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