Copper on Parchment

Copper on Parchment is a Duty Calls short story originally released on May 30, 2019.

It features a handyman known as HJ who is questioned by police over an alleged crime at a client's home.

Cover Artwork

The ebook cover art features a doorbell on a parchment paper background.

This is the first Duty Calls story with a professionally designed cover, illustrated by @rebecacovers on Fiverr after attempts by JL Civi to mirror the photographic style of the Fester cover with a real doorbell atop parchment paper on a cookie sheet proved ill-advised.

Connections to Other Stories

• HJ's apprentice/assistant is Bobby Zhang.

• HJ recalls a film titled Not An Ordinary House written by Allan Smithee.

Behind the Scenes

The street name of Parchment originates from the way JL Civi's phone autocorrected his actual street name.

The HJ character was based on a handyman named Heinz who did work for the landlord of JL Civi's apartment building.

The doorbell electrocution plot line was inspired by JL Civi's wife repeatedly ringing the doorbell until smoke came out of the indoor chime housing and Civi's subsequent attempt to repair things himself.

Detective Oxymandis originated in a rough draft of Civi's novel L Extreme investigating the death of a DJ, but his scenes were later cut.

Civi often refers to this as "the most normal story" he's ever written.