Hi Paul, Thank you so much for this opportunity for a "first look." I'm a little past 1/2 way through (all in one day) and it's hard to put down. Whenever I think I'm tired of reading, I just keep going. Strong characters, interesting setting, puzzling dilemmas. Kudos on what is certain to be a successful debut.
Welcome to the First Look Group, Paul! Thank you so much for your letter and for letting us read your book. I have started reading it, but don't want to get very far before the schedule comes out. It has already captured my attention and I look forward to the discussion. 
Paul-Doiron wrote:When I learned that The Poacher’s Son was the first mystery to be selected for Barnes & Noble’s First Look program, I was honored and humbled. The weight of an entire genre now rests on the spine of my debut novel. Talk about pressure.
In all seriousness I am delighted to have this opportunity to interact with you, my first readers, and I am looking forward to the experience of hearing your feedback and answering your questions.
When I began The Poacher’s Son, my goal was simply to write the book I myself wanted to read but couldn’t find anywhere else. My current job is as the editor in chief of Down East: The Magazine of Maine. When I started at the magazine a number of years ago, I wrote a series of short features about offbeat stuff in Maine, and for some reason everything that interested me seemed to involve game wardens. A bear was killing pigs down the road; a warden shot it. A bobcat mistook a hunter for a turkey and jumped on his back; he called the wardens for help. It didn’t take me long to realize that Maine game wardens had really unusual jobs for law enforcement officers. Then, without really intending to do so, I began writing a novel about one.
My own tastes in mysteries run toward those in which the plot is driven by the choices of the characters. To me a novel becomes a work of literature when it prompts us to ask questions about our own lives and the fateful decisions we’ve made. So as much as I wanted to write a ripping good yarn, I was equally motivated to explore richer material. The Poacher’s Son is an investigation into the nature of unconditional love and the complicated relationships between fathers and sons. Does that make the book literary? I’ll leave that question to you for debate.
Lastly, there is the role of the setting. I am a Registered Maine Guide, which means that I am certified by the state as an outfitter leading trips into the wilderness. My love of the outdoors is something I share with my lead character (I won’t tell you what else we share), and I wanted to give voice to the changes I’ve witnessed in the North Maine Woods.
I remember spending a week in a backwoods cabin with a friend who told me a ghost story of an old prisoner of war camp down the road, about how a German POW escaped into the forest and was never seen again. I wondered about that desperate man, his fear and loneliness, and about the Maine game wardens who chased him. If I had to pick the moment when The Poacher’s Son really gelled for me—all the elements suddenly coming together in my imagination—it was that night over the campfire.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and discuss The Poacher’s Son. I’m looking forward to our month-long adventure together.
Best regards,
Paul
