In what's turning out to be something of a Blasted Heath-a-thon, Anthony Neil Smith is today's guest. He's the Director of Creative Writing at Southwest Minnesota State University, and the publisher of the crime ezine Plots with Guns. He is also the author of Psychosomatic, The Drummer, Yellow Medicine, Hoddoggin’, Choke On Your Lies, and All The Young Warriors.
He describes himself as shy and grumpy. He doesn’t drink much but he acts like he does online.
Instead of the tough guy crime writer we all know and love, he’s scared of all the shit he writes about. He wouldn’t want to be in these situations.
As for the fucked-up sex and relationships … well, they say 'write what you know'.
Neil likes tacos.
He likes steaks.
He likes pizza.
And they came back to bite him in the ass.
He describes himself as shy and grumpy. He doesn’t drink much but he acts like he does online.
Instead of the tough guy crime writer we all know and love, he’s scared of all the shit he writes about. He wouldn’t want to be in these situations.
As for the fucked-up sex and relationships … well, they say 'write what you know'.
Neil likes tacos.
He likes steaks.
He likes pizza.
And they came back to bite him in the ass.
Tell me about your book.
It’s All the Young Warriors, a thriller from Blasted Heath. It involves a couple of young Somali-Americans living in Minnesota who are recruited to fight in Somalia for a terrorist army, while a cop and the father of one of those boys try to find out what happened to them.
What was your motivation for writing it?
There actually is a story about twenty or so young Somali men in Minneapolis who 'disappeared', only to show up in Mogadishu as terrorists. I imagined they didn’t know what they were getting into. Minnesota has a very large Somali population, and I wanted to show a distinct difference between the world of the country they left, many having to flee as refugees, and their new adopted state where they’ve had a big cultural impact.
How much difference does an editor make?
I think it makes a world of difference. While we authors have this entire world mapped out in our heads like auteur film directors, we need an editor to tell us how it looks to them. That 'second sight' can help me see the things I hadn’t noticed before. Many times we might assume the audience understands our intentions, but then the editor can show us where we aren’t communicating as well, or maybe shows us we don’t need to explain so much after all.
How important is a good cover?
Vital. I love book cover art, especially when it helps set the mood before I even read the first page. It’s a bit like those new apps that make photos look old, the Hipstamatic and Instagram. The cover sets the stage for what lens - the mood and color and feel - we set up in our minds as we get into the novel. When I can glance at a cover for a book I’ve read and instantly feel the world click into place all over again, I know the art did its job. And I’ve been lucky with e-book art, having Ben Springer, Erik Lundy, and JT Lindroos on my side. Kick-ass work.
It’s All the Young Warriors, a thriller from Blasted Heath. It involves a couple of young Somali-Americans living in Minnesota who are recruited to fight in Somalia for a terrorist army, while a cop and the father of one of those boys try to find out what happened to them.
What was your motivation for writing it?
There actually is a story about twenty or so young Somali men in Minneapolis who 'disappeared', only to show up in Mogadishu as terrorists. I imagined they didn’t know what they were getting into. Minnesota has a very large Somali population, and I wanted to show a distinct difference between the world of the country they left, many having to flee as refugees, and their new adopted state where they’ve had a big cultural impact.
How much difference does an editor make?
I think it makes a world of difference. While we authors have this entire world mapped out in our heads like auteur film directors, we need an editor to tell us how it looks to them. That 'second sight' can help me see the things I hadn’t noticed before. Many times we might assume the audience understands our intentions, but then the editor can show us where we aren’t communicating as well, or maybe shows us we don’t need to explain so much after all.
How important is a good cover?
Vital. I love book cover art, especially when it helps set the mood before I even read the first page. It’s a bit like those new apps that make photos look old, the Hipstamatic and Instagram. The cover sets the stage for what lens - the mood and color and feel - we set up in our minds as we get into the novel. When I can glance at a cover for a book I’ve read and instantly feel the world click into place all over again, I know the art did its job. And I’ve been lucky with e-book art, having Ben Springer, Erik Lundy, and JT Lindroos on my side. Kick-ass work.
What aspects of marketing your book do you enjoy?
I like Twitter more than I should, I guess, for marketing. It seems to work, and it allows me to play with this online persona I have going for me. Some people get annoyed, but those people are pricks and can go follow Ashton and Demi or some shit like that instead of me. So when people read the books now and then reach out to discuss them with me, I’m really excited by it. It helps me push forward on the next book in the series or the next project. I also like discovering where the new readers are. So the fact that I get to 'play' while I’m marketing is what’s so fun about it.
How do you feel about reviews?
Good ones are wonderful. Bad ones are even better. Really, while I hope I don’t get too many bad ones, I like the ones in which the critic actually seems personally offended that I even wrote this. Like I set out to ruin their day! Especially good are the clueless ones where all of the things the critic claims not to like are actually the things that are good, solid literary technique. Ha.
Bring on the reviews. Be honest. And remember that Amazon reviews really do help us struggling writers.
What makes you keep reading a book?
I’ve got to care about what the central character wants. That’s why I get bored with a lot of typical P.I. and cop books. It’s got to bring something special. Also, voice is a big thing. A good story can keep me reading, but a good story told in a unique voice can keep me riveted.
I like Twitter more than I should, I guess, for marketing. It seems to work, and it allows me to play with this online persona I have going for me. Some people get annoyed, but those people are pricks and can go follow Ashton and Demi or some shit like that instead of me. So when people read the books now and then reach out to discuss them with me, I’m really excited by it. It helps me push forward on the next book in the series or the next project. I also like discovering where the new readers are. So the fact that I get to 'play' while I’m marketing is what’s so fun about it.
How do you feel about reviews?
Good ones are wonderful. Bad ones are even better. Really, while I hope I don’t get too many bad ones, I like the ones in which the critic actually seems personally offended that I even wrote this. Like I set out to ruin their day! Especially good are the clueless ones where all of the things the critic claims not to like are actually the things that are good, solid literary technique. Ha.
Bring on the reviews. Be honest. And remember that Amazon reviews really do help us struggling writers.
What makes you keep reading a book?
I’ve got to care about what the central character wants. That’s why I get bored with a lot of typical P.I. and cop books. It’s got to bring something special. Also, voice is a big thing. A good story can keep me reading, but a good story told in a unique voice can keep me riveted.
What are you currently working on?
I’m working on the third Billy Lafitte novel (after Yellow Medicine and Hogdoggin’), which sort of rounds out a trilogy, but I’m trying to decide what direction to take Billy next. Prequels? Back to 1st person? I’ve got a lot of thinking to do.
I’m also mapping out the beginnings of the next Octavia VanderPlatts novel (after Choke On Your Lies), which I will get started on after Lafitte’s first draft is done, and also once we hit the 1500 mark on sales of the first one. We’re close to 1100 right now.
And (yes, a lot on my plate), I would like to bring back some of the characters from All the Young Warriors for another tale.
How can we keep up to date with your news?
I’ve got a website, or you can follow me on Twitter at @DocNoir.
What would your epitaph be?
Probably a sign saying something like: 'Please do not park directly on top of grave'.
I’m working on the third Billy Lafitte novel (after Yellow Medicine and Hogdoggin’), which sort of rounds out a trilogy, but I’m trying to decide what direction to take Billy next. Prequels? Back to 1st person? I’ve got a lot of thinking to do.
I’m also mapping out the beginnings of the next Octavia VanderPlatts novel (after Choke On Your Lies), which I will get started on after Lafitte’s first draft is done, and also once we hit the 1500 mark on sales of the first one. We’re close to 1100 right now.
And (yes, a lot on my plate), I would like to bring back some of the characters from All the Young Warriors for another tale.
How can we keep up to date with your news?
I’ve got a website, or you can follow me on Twitter at @DocNoir.
What would your epitaph be?
Probably a sign saying something like: 'Please do not park directly on top of grave'.
Thanks for an entertaining Q&A - and good luck with the workload!
ANS's books may be found at Amazon in the UK and the US. And, as a bonus, Psychosomatic is free this weekend (21 & 22 Jan) for Kindle. Go get it!
ANS's books may be found at Amazon in the UK and the US. And, as a bonus, Psychosomatic is free this weekend (21 & 22 Jan) for Kindle. Go get it!
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