If writing is a solitary profession, William Parker Graham is breaking the mold by involving a slew of people in the writing process. In his debut novel Palmer Park, Graham admits that an entire cast of characters provided the inspiration for the quasi-fictional account of life on the streets of one of Detroit’s most unique and intriguing communities, Palmer Park. Palmer Park is a contradiction of cultures; neighborhoods with palatial homes in immaculate settings have been infiltrated by some of the seedier elements of urban living, including drugs, violence and rampant public displays of hetersexual and homosexual activities.
“I grew up in the urban splendor that is Detroit and had the opportunity to meet many people that one way or another provided the meat and the backbone for the book. I still live in the area and can’t see myself living anywhere else. To coin a phrase, this is as real as it gets,” explains Graham.
Perhaps the beauty of this novel is that it is a portrayal of what is common knowledge in Detroit – its residents have learned to co-exist with the dichotomy of the idyllic settings that are often a cover as well as a breeding ground for the things that used to be kept behind closed doors. -roz edward
