Tripio is historical fiction novel, set in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago in the summer of 1992. From his small apartment, where he works on his first novel, Jay takes in his surroundings, survives his workdays as a key holder at an embryonic company called Starbucks, and begins a romance with a fellow employee. However, Tripio is not a love letter to Starbucks, but rather a day in the life of someone who experienced its’ growth in the trenches, giving the reader a look behind the curtain at the beginnings of world-renowned company during its early, formative years.
As Jay is pulled up the ladder at Starbucks, he resists because he has moved to Chicago to test his metal as writer, not find a career. The book opens as he is struggling with writing the final chapters of his first novel. The inner workings of the mind of a first-time novelist consume the protagonist. He journeys in and around Lakeview to help create answers to not only the novel’s end but also to question whether he is truly up to living his life as a writer. The tenuous dream of living as writer conflicts with the fact that he is soon to take part in the Starbucks IPO, which he is beginning to realize is a once in a lifetime opportunity. As both his career prospects and novel progress, the protagonist is drawn into a relationship with an engaging, well-read and beautiful coworker. They quickly fall for each other, move in together and in a short while are dealing with a high risk pregnancy.
Tripio explores three types of human creative endeavor. All three story lines are entwined using a journaling style which gives the reader an intimate portrayal of the births of a novel, a company and a family.