David Fulmer

Atlanta author David Fulmer recently published Rampart Street, the third in his award-winning series of Valentin St. Cyr mysteries, all set in and around Storyville, a New Orleans red-light district in the early 1900s.

What attracted you to Storyville and to this particular time in its history?

It was actually the music connection; that's always been there. I actually -- like a lot of people -- started with rock and roll and went backward. If you go back far enough, you get to these flash points, and New Orleans at the turn of the century was a fascinating place because of the music.

Writing must get easier now that the characters are well-developed.

You're right, but it can be a potential trap. Stephen King had it right with Misery that there are people who get so involved in these characters that the line begins to get a little bit fuzzy for them. Some readers want their characters not to trouble them so much.

What do you think the future holds for New Orleans?

I am so hopeful that it will rise up ... and that those precious things will be nurtured and brought back to life. And at the same time, I have these fears that the will is not going to be there from the outside to do it. If it was up to the people of New Orleans and they had the resources, they'd put [it] together. But their legs were cut out from under them, and they do need help. It really is hard to think of a world without New Orleans.