Cindy Fazzi on Crafting the Domingo the Bounty Hunter Series | #133

It took 30 years, multiple rewrites, and a publisher going out of business, but author Cindy Fazzi's groundbreaking story is finally here. In this episode, we sit down with Cindy for an in-depth author interview about her perseverance and the incredible journey behind the Domingo the Bounty Hunter series, a compulsively readable set of novels that turn the hard-boiled genre on its head. How do you tell a thrilling story about the chase while realistically portraying the complex, vulnerable lives of undocumented immigrants?

Join us for a fascinating conversation with Cindy Fazzi as she discusses her unique contribution to the Filipino-American thriller genre. We dive deep into the first book, Danger, No Problem, exploring the decades-long cat-and-mouse game between Domingo, a bail enforcement agent, and Monica Reed, a desperate woman in hiding. Cindy shares the fascinating reason the book was originally titled "Multo" (meaning "ghost" in Tagalog) and why her new publisher, Thomas & Mercer, decided to change it. We discuss the inspired choice to rewrite the story from Domingo's point of view, which led to the creation of his "handbook for immigrants," a book-within-the-book that adds incredible depth and humor to the character. This Cindy Fazzi author interview reveals her powerful motivation to create authentic Filipino-American characters and introduce readers to a culture rarely seen in mainstream thrillers.

But the story doesn't end there. We also discuss the highly unusual strategy of simultaneously releasing both Book 1, the Danger, No Problem book, and Book 2, Sunday or the Highway. Cindy gives us a glimpse into the plot of the second book, where Domingo is hired to find the missing parents of an heiress's mysterious boyfriend. Throughout our conversation, we touch on the serious themes in her books about undocumented immigrants, her transition from an Associated Press reporter to a novelist, and what's next for the Domingo the Bounty Hunter series.

About Our Guest:
Cindy Fazzi is a Filipino-American author and former Associated Press reporter. After a 30-year journey of perseverance, her hard-boiled thriller series was picked up by publisher Thomas & Mercer. A passionate advocate for representation in literature, Cindy created the character of Domingo to introduce readers to a captivating Filipino-American protagonist and to subvert the classic bounty hunter trope. Her books, Danger, No Problem and Sunday or the Highway, are celebrated for their tight plots, rich characters, and compassionate exploration of immigrant life in America.

Timestamps / Chapters:
(00:00) Introduction
(02:33) Introducing Cindy Fazzi & The Domingo the Bounty Hunter Series
(05:37) From "Multo" to "Danger, No Problem": The Story Behind the Title Change
(08:46) Inside the Story: The Handbook for Immigrants
(11:05) Championing Filipino-American Representation in the Thriller Genre
(13:48) Subverting the Bounty Hunter Trope
(16:29) The Three-Part Structure of "Danger, No Problem"
(21:43) An Unlikely Love Story: The Relationship Between Domingo and Monica
(25:33) Crafting a Realistic Portrayal of an Undocumented Immigrant
(30:55) From Associated Press Reporter to Thriller Novelist
(32:51) An Unlikely Strategy: The Simultaneous Release of Two Books
(34:00) Uncovering the Plot of Book 2: "Sunday or the Highway"
(39:02) What’s Next for Domingo and Cindy Fazzi?