THE EVERLASTING LIFE OF

charlie wall

It’s 1985 and Ronald Armstrong, known in the magic mushroom trade as “Trip,” takes a “sober” job as a driver for a retired Tampa mobster. His boss, Charlie Wall, has survived four attempts on his life, the last one in 1955. When Charlie falls into depression, Trip rebuilds his boss’ self-esteem by convincing him people still want him dead. What neither of them know is that an aging hit man has decided to finish the job he botched 30 years earlier.

The Everlasting Life of Charlie Wall is based on a real-life Tampa mobster and includes Charlie’s first-person account of his life of crime and the loss of the woman he loves. Three strong and determined women, Katrina Carey, Ava Corral and Angie Castellano, play key roles in this story. Everlasting Life is both a love story and a mafia adventure, brimming with humor and heart.

About Paul Wilborn

Award-Winning Author And Journalist

Paul’s new novel, The Everlasting Life of Charlie Wall, was released on April 15, 2026. His debut novel, Florida Hustle, earned a starred review from Kirkus and was named one of the “Best Indie Books of 2022” by Kirkus. The manuscript is currently under consideration at William Morris Endeavor, at their request. Paul’s 2019 short story collection, Cigar City: Tales From a 1980s Creative Ghetto, won the fiction gold medal in the Florida Book Awards. A professional musician and award-winning journalist, Paul is currently executive director of the Palladium Theater at St. Petersburg College. He lives in St. Petersburg with his wife, the film and television actor, Eugenie Bondurant.

"...a distinguished addition to the State Literature of Florida...told in a style as muscular and beautiful as the wrought iron on the balconies of Ybor’s Septima Avenida."

“The Life of Charlie Wall is a distinguished addition to the State Literature of Florida. Paul Wilborn brings Tampa’s Ybor City vividly to life both in its present and its past incarnations. Ybor’s past is a story of Italian, Cuban and Spanish immigration, replete with gangsters and their molls, with ladies of the night and Grande Dames of the best houses, and with Pols both of rectitude and dubious ethic. The Life of Charlie Wall abounds with action, violent and erotic, local color strikingly rendered, and the pungent steam of tropical nights and roasting coffee. It’s all told in a style as muscular and beautiful as the wrought iron on the balconies of Ybor’s Septima Avenida. “

Sterling Watson, author of The Committee and Night Letter

Testimonial

What They Say

"Paul Wilborn's The Everlasting Life of Charlie Wall melds richly drawn characters with an engaging premise - what if infamous Tampa mobster Charlie Wall survived his 1955 hit and lived into the gritty Tampa of the 1980s? Drawing on the City's unique underworld history and blending it with his own experiences, Paul crafts a story that is as much about relationships and the passage of time as it is about gangsters. A wonderful read."

“Charlie Wall has always been one of my favorite Tampa figures. With his privileged roots, he could have ruled Tampa from a castle—but chose the underworld instead. I’d always wondered what it would feel like to sit across from him, share a drink, and hear his story. Paul Wilborn brings that fantasy to life by crafting a relatable, human Charlie Wall. This isn’t the Charlie Wall from history books. This is Charlie Wall, resurrected and roaming his hometown decades after his real-life assassination.”

“Paul Wilborn is Tampa's greatest chronicler and in this imaginative novel he uses a colorful gangster as a way to tell the history of the city. It's a wild ride from start to finish!"

also by Paul Wilborn

FAQ's

Q: What is the "Florida Hustle" genre by Paul Wilborn?

A: The book falls under the genre of dark comedy and humorous fiction. It takes place in 1980s Florida and revolves around a young filmmaker's journey filled with cons and hustles.

Q: Who are the main characters in the novel?

A: The lead characters are a young horror movie fan, an aging con man, and his ambitious girlfriend. The young fan, who hopes to make his own films, is obsessed with a B-movie scream queen who is shooting her latest film in Florida. With a detective and two biker brothers on his trail, he joins forces with the con man and his girlfriend, and they go in search of a film set hidden in the heart of the Everglades.

Q: What is the central conflict of the book?

A: The central conflict revolves around the protagonist's pursuit of his passion for filmmaking and his infatuation with the B-movie scream queen. As he joins forces with the con man and his girlfriend, they all find themselves embroiled in a tangled web of competing cons and hustles, leading to a series of gripping , suspenseful and often, comic situations.

Q: Is the book set in a specific historical period or location?

A: The story is set in 1980s Florida, primarily in Palm Beach and the Everglades. The author vividly captures the atmosphere and essence of Florida during that era, which adds to the charm and authenticity of the narrative.

Q: What themes does "Florida Hustle" explore?

A: The storyline delves into themes of ambition, obsession, deception, and the allure of the film industry. The characters’ pursuit of their dreams and the lengths they go to achieve them form the story's core, highlighting the darker aspects of human nature, in a state where everyone has a hustle.