“Bittersweet.”

As a man who has spent more than 30 years stringing together award-winning words, Don Winslow is understandably brief — and emotional — as he shares his thoughts about the ending of his impressive writing career.

“I’m content with my decision,” he says, in an exclusive interview with BookTrib. “But of course, having done this for a few years, I’m a little sad. I’ve had such a bigger and better career than I ever imagined and I’m grateful for that. But I think sometimes part of gratitude is knowing when to stop.”

Success Stories

With City in Ruins, the final novel in Winslow’s epic Danny Ryan crime trilogy, out today, that time has come. Fitting, perhaps, since he began the series almost at the start of his career. It may seem hard to fathom now, having published 27 books that were translated into 34 languages, but Winslow admits back when the idea for the trilogy emerged, he simply didn’t have the chops to execute it.

It wasn’t the crime aspect — Winslow’s backlist includes a number of books set in the dangerous worlds of cartels, crooks and bounty hunters. Rather, Winslow’s vision meant reimagining great Greek classics into a fully contemporary crime epic, without referencing the classics at all. Figuring out which characters and plot lines would best serve this goal required intense research, considerable time and practice, and an exquisite command of the craft.

“Of course, I did other things in between,” he says, with a chuckle, acknowledging the many novels, short stories and articles that have garnered him awards, movie deals and a fiercely loyal fandom. “I wasn’t sitting there failing every day. I would pick it up, write sections, save the ones that worked and throw out the pieces that didn’t. I’ve probably thrown out about 300 to 400 pages. I just kept at it, and eventually it came together.”

The result is a propulsive crime saga that has already been hailed a classic and garnered critical acclaim. Though no stranger to Hollywood adapting his work, Winslow is thrilled the trilogy was picked up by Sony 3000 and will star Austin Butler, who won the BAFTA Award and Golden Globe for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis.

“To me, character is everything,” Winslow says, speaking specifically about the main protagonist of the books, Danny Ryan, a Rhode Island mobster, dockworker, and fugitive from the law. “Austin is a terrific actor — a down-to-earth guy, smart, talented. He’s the perfect fit.”

Though Winslow will have a hands-off approach to the production, and it is early days, watching his words come to life on the silver screen will ensure his stay in the book world lingers. Not that he’ll truly be able to leave the industry altogether. Winslow is an advocate of good writing, always boosting books and his fellow authors, whether they are debuts or seasoned pros. It’s one of the ways Winslow gives back to an industry that has given him so much.

One Hell of a Career Change

“I was around 40 when my first book was published — and it was turned down by 15 publishers. I was in my 50s before I saw any real success,” he says, offering sage advice for anyone who wants to chase a dream at any age. “Never give up. If this is what you love to do, do it. That’s what I would say to writers. To my readers? I say, thank you very much.”

He may be retiring from writing novels, but Winslow plans to use those skills in other ways. Once the book tour wraps up, he’ll shift his entire focus to his new passion — saving America.

“These are tough times here,” he says. “Scary times. But one can’t give in to pessimism — because then what? We have a responsibility toward action. I love this country. I want it to be the best it can be.”

No doubt he’ll make a difference — as his books clearly show, Don Winslow has a reputation for giving us his best.