PHOTO: Keith Edward Vaughn, award-winning author of The Loneliest Places, brings a painter’s precision and a storyteller’s heart to the world of noir fiction.
Exploring the Depths of Crime, Memory, and Identity
Award-winning author Keith Edward Vaughn discusses his neo-noir thriller The Loneliest Places, his artistic influences, character development, and the intersection of crime fiction and visual storytelling in this exclusive Reader’s House Magazine interview.
Keith Edward Vaughn’s literary voice is a force to be reckoned with—precise, evocative, and steeped in the rich tradition of noir storytelling. His debut novel, The Loneliest Places, has firmly established him as a master of the genre, blending the grit of classic crime fiction with a fresh and deeply introspective narrative. A recipient of the Literary Titan Book Award, Vaughn crafts stories that are as visually striking as they are emotionally compelling, a skill no doubt shaped by his background in fine art.
With a career spanning art criticism, essays, and fiction, Vaughn’s work has graced the pages of Carla, Angel City Review, and Levee Magazine. His writing is rooted in an acute awareness of setting and character, drawing readers into worlds where tension simmers beneath the surface and every detail carries weight. Whether exploring fractured relationships in Explorers, childhood resentments in Faux Gilt, or the psychological depths of exile in The Wet Season, his stories resonate with authenticity and raw emotion.
As The Loneliest Places captivates noir enthusiasts and literary fiction fans alike, Vaughn is already preparing his next novel—a gripping tale set in the entertainment industry, promising another deep dive into the complexities of crime, memory, and identity. It is a privilege to sit down with an author whose artistry spans both canvas and page, and to gain insight into the mind behind such compelling narratives.
Keith Edward Vaughn’s storytelling is masterful, blending vivid imagery, gripping noir narratives, and deep psychological insight into unforgettable literary experiences.
What inspired you to write ‘The Loneliest Places’, and how did your background in painting influence the novel’s visual descriptions?
I was, and continue to be, inspired by the great works of Los-Angeles-based crime fiction. The title is a reference to the 1947 classic ‘In a Lonely Place’ by Dorothy B. Hughes. With ‘The Loneliest Places’ I wanted to insert myself into a conversation with a city and its stories that excites me.
In keeping (I hope!) with noir aesthetics, my prose tends to be direct, without many metaphors or symbols, especially when it comes to descriptions. Like pop art or realism, I use concrete details that tend toward the banal to set the tone and drive the meaning of my work—what characters first see when they enter a room; what song is on the radio; what commercial is on TV. That impulse was honed by my background in visual art.
“Like pop art or realism, I use concrete details that tend toward the banal to set the tone and drive meaning.” – Keith Edward Vaughn
In ‘Explorers’, you delve into the complexities of relationships. How do you approach character development to create such authentic interactions?
The characters in ‘Explorers’ are two friends who are beginning to drift apart. But for now, they are clinging to the ritual of catching up over drinks. Mainly through dialogue, we understand they ways they are changing, or not. The best way for me to develop characters and coordinate their relationships is to let them talk. What they say, or don’t, is just as revealing as their actions.
‘Faux Gilt’ presents a unique narrative. Could you share the creative process behind this story and the themes you aimed to explore?
‘Faux Gilt’ is a story set in 1982 about two sisters who appear as adults in ‘The Loneliest Places’. A scene from their girlhood reveals the depth of resentment they still have for one another years later. As with most of my work, this story explores complex family relationships and the theme of reconciliation or lack thereof.
Your MFA in Painting from Cranbrook Academy of Art is impressive. How has your art education shaped your writing style and storytelling techniques?
I have always been visually oriented, so much so that I pursued an MFA. Art school gave me the confidence to strengthen and trust the link between my eyes and instincts. In doing research for my writing, I always start by gathering images that evoke the setting. What ads would appeal to the characters? What buildings do they drive past on what streets? What celebrities are in the news in a given year? After looking at pictures for so long, a mood forms.
You’ve published art criticism in Carla and fiction in Angel City Review and Levee Magazine. How do you balance your roles as an artist and a writer, and do they inform each other?
Since pivoting from art criticism to fiction, every artistic impulse—sketching, collage, going to museums and galleries, reading art and fashion magazines—is in service to catching ideas for novels and stories. With fine art, you always hope to encounter something unexpected, an atypical viewpoint and/or a surprising combination of techniques and references. I write for readers who want the same discovery from a novel.
‘The Wet Season’ was featured in Levee Magazine. What was the inspiration behind this piece, and how does it reflect your artistic vision?
This story was inspired by an episode of a reality TV show I saw about a man buying a condominium in Guam. It struck me as a place a person might go to hide. The protagonist, like many of my characters, is having difficulty facing his past. In this case, he goes halfway around the world to avoid a friend he wronged.
Your writing has been praised for its authentic L.A. noir elements. What draws you to this genre, and how do you maintain its authenticity in your work?
Los Angeles fascinates me as a city of extremes. Glamour and desperation; sunshine and fire storms; black and white. It is the perfect noir setting. Getting away with murder and getting on the Hollywood Freeway at rush hour both have tremendous stakes.
If my writing can be said to be authentic, I’m flattered. Doing my best to write in a way that honors the classic and contemporary works that influence me keeps me on track.
What books do recommend to fans of ‘The Loneliest Places’? Besides the classics of the genre by Raymond Chandler, James M. Cain, and Ross Macdonald, I recommend the books of Joseph Schneider and Howard Michael Gould. They are writing unique Los-Angeles-based detective novels, with sympathetic characters and intricate plots. They were an inspiration to me in writing ‘The Loneliest Places’.
