The Check Out is the story of a grocery store heist which goes wrong.  Several of the employees of The MegaSaver, decided to steal $10,000 worth of prize money on the same night. The only problem is that none of them know the others are doing it, too. Each person sees the money as their only way out of the dire circumstances they have placed themselves in.

That’s such a great premise for a novel. What genre is it?
At its heart, The Check Out is pulp fiction. It is heavily inspired by exploitation films of the 1970’s, as well as Film Noir of the 1940’s. In today’s market, it falls into the Crime/Thriller genres.

What kind of readers will it appeal to?
There is a lot of humor and satire in the pieces, as well as a lot of tension and action. I believe readers who respond to Chuck Palahniuk and Christopher Moore will find this book interesting. I wouldn’t be surprised if Raymond Chandler fans enjoyed it, as well.

We love all those writers. Anyone else?
Carl Hiaasen

Tell us a bit about the chancers that make up your cast.
The Check Out is an ensemble piece, so there are multiple characters. Larry Prescott, the store manager, is a rugged drunk who can’t find happiness at home or work. He begins an affair with his front end manager, Maxine Watkins. She is an African American lady who has been through rough times of her own. She sees the affair as the perfect way to pull herself out of poverty. The assistant store manager, Terrence Claybrook, has a mysterious past that suddenly comes back to haunt him. Brad is an addiction-ridden stocker, who is trying to make things right with his alcoholic wife. They push each other in the worst ways, leaving little hope for reconciliation. Roland Tillman is a dangerous criminal who has his sights set on robbing The MegaSaver.

How would you like the reader to feel as they read the last word of your book?
I want them to feel as if they’ve been on a roller coaster ride. I want them to smile in shock, barely believing what they’ve just read.

Have you written any other books that we should read next?
I have a couple of short stories available on Amazon. I
also send out free stories on my mailing list, from time to time.

Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Richard A Lester. I am a lifelong Memphian. I have a background in independent filmmaking. I have directed my own feature, and worked on several shorts for other directors. I have also worked in community theater, and run a movie review blog called A Reel Indication.

Do you have an author site too?
Yes!
http://www.richardalester.com. It has links to all of my other sites, as well.

How can we follow you on Twitter and/or Facebook?
Twitter: @ralesterauthor
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/richarda.lesterauthor

What’s next?
I am about to start writing my second novel. It’s in the early stages of being researched, so I wouldn’t look for it anytime soon. It will be a much different type of book than The Check Out, but will feature one of the characters.