RENFREW – Author Josh Cybulski’s debut novel, Second Story Work, a “neo-noir crime novel” following four friends’ journey into heists and drug use, features the Cobden area in its narrative.
The author, who grew up in Renfrew and played for the Cobden Chargers, says the novel mostly takes place in Vancouver, but ‘quite a few scenes’ take place in the Ottawa Valley, with one in Cobden.
Our Editor had an interview with the Author, who resides in Ottawa.
Alexander Leach, Editor: Why a neo-noir crime novel? What potential do you see for that genre in Canadian Lit?
Josh Cybulski: I chose a neo-noir crime novel because I like stories in which the lines are blurred between good and evil. I think that the world is full of shades of grey and the most effective storytelling is as well.
If you look recently at the most successful storytelling in movies and television the main protagonist is really the antagonist. I like the idea of tricking the audience into rooting for the bad guy. I think that sometimes it can make a person wrestle with the own morality and perhaps even question it. And of course that’s what great art does, it makes you think.
As far as Canadian literature goes, I think we have a lot of very interesting stores to draw from in Canada. It is certainly something I plan to keep exploring and in my next book I plan on having scenes in Algonquin Park and Pembroke.
Editor: What inspired your novel? Why include the Valley and Renfrew in the novel?
Cybulski: I was inspired by my time living in Vancouver. I moved there to work in the film industry as the business was crumbling during the recession in 2008. While I lived there, one of my friends (who also was out of work) joined a gang. I never spoke with him again. Second Story Work was my imagining of where his life might go. Or where mine would have gone if I had been as desperate for money as he was.
I included the Valley because I lived there for twenty years. It’s where I learned to write and I’ve always thought it would make the perfect backdrop to a crime story. The chaos of the criminal underworld isn’t something that is common there and I find the contrast to be compelling.
Editor: Do you feel people from the Valley will relate to your novel?
Cybulski: I think that people from the valley will relate to the main characters desire to explore and be adventurous. People in the valley are adventurous. We get sort of painted as small town people who don’t go out into the world and keep inside of our bubble, but people from the valley are gutsy and curious.
Editor: Were you in Renfrew when the mall was torn down? Do you have any strong memories of it from before?
Cybulski: I was there to watch the mall come down, I literally watched for hours as bulldozers and a wrecking ball took it down.
I had several family members who owned businesses in the mall over the years and my Grandfather could always be found having a coffee and hanging out with his buddies. Anytime I went there I would see tones of people I knew and it always felt familiar. I missed it for awhile after it was gone.
Editor: What are you your future plans as an author? Do you plan to write more novels and what genres?
Cybulski: My future plans as an author include writing my second book, which I’ve already written the first draft for.
I’m also currently in the middle of the pitching process with Netflix Canada for a television series I wrote with some friends.
The novel will be released on September 28th.
