What led you to this subject? Lynn Waddell LW : It was a long evolution. More than 10 years ago an editor asked me what I wanted to write about and I told him people with extremely focused passions; interests that they obsessively pursued, be they collecting hand towels or building a multi-billion-dollar casino empire.
Without realizing it, I began gathering string for this book not long after I decided to make my home in St. I wrote about a few of the book topics for a Tampa alternative newspaper.
During the course of my paying gigs, I stumbled across some amazingly interesting people whose stories never fit within the pieces I wrote. The idea for the book grew from that frustration. He showed great interest in the idea. I got serious and crafted a proposal. I still juggle some freelance news assignments which disrupts my book work. UPF: Does Florida tend to lend itself to the fringe lifestyle more than other places?
If so, why do you think that is? LW: Most definitely. Exotic animals thrive here, so people who want to be around them move here. Nudists can garden in the buff in Central to South Florida all year with only a few days of possible shrinkage. And on and on. Florida is also the largest tourist destination in the world. Tourism hucksters have been selling it as a magical, exotic place to live your dreams for a century. You also have to consider that two-thirds of Floridians moved here from somewhere else, which I theorize makes them more risk-taking, daring, than people who have spent their whole lives in Peoria or even the Bronx.
UPF: How did you choose which Florida subcultures to feature in your book? How did you find out about them? LW: I established strict criteria for including each subculture. First, it had to have prominence as compared to its cousins in other states. Third, each topic had to have a contemporary element and the ability to be experiential. I came up with a list of about For instance, I spent a week in Miami trying to find an angle on drug culture. I also probably over-researched the lifestyles that I did cover and ended up with such a wealth of material that I had enough for one book, if not a separate books on some topics.
