What inspires you to write? 

In the big human condition picture, I believe stories have the ability to transform us. It’s how we relate to the world, how we remember, and how we tell others we feel. I love being in touch with what I call literary alchemy—a fancy way to say I love storytelling. Oh, and my wife says I am miserable if I don’t write. So I listen to her.

Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre?

I’m a confessed genre-jumper. I do think that genre is much more a concern for agents, publishers, and even booksellers who are trying to place your work. I did start out writing literary, character-driven fiction, but since then I’ve discovered that all genres can be literary. My latest book is another in a crime fiction series. I often say I became a crime writer by accident, rather than intention. I’d be going along writing a descriptive scene when all of a sudden someone got shot. Oh, I guess I’m writing crime fiction now.

What is the biggest thing that people THINK they know about your subject/genre that isn’t so?

To clarify that last answer a bit. There are writers who I love that write deep complex characters, using rich detailed language…and they happen to write crime. This includes writers like James Lee Burke and Megan Abbott, or classic authors such as John D. MacDonald. People think they know what a crime novel looks like, but it’s a wide and varied field. I take inspiration from these writers and many others who care about the art and craft of whatever genre they write in.

How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?

For me art and craft go hand-in-hand. I am a constant student of the craft of fiction, and as I get better at it, I have more tools to explore the art of fiction. In the last few years, I’ve let my subconscious take the reins a lot more in the early drafts. I want to see where the story, and more importantly, the characters might go. I don’t force the surprise or the twist, but I do love when something unexpected pops up. Like where did this guy with the gun come from? Someone should take care of him.

What have you written so far?

I’ve written six novels, dozens of short stories, and one weird novella. My first novel, Correction Line, was a mix of South American magical realism and crime fiction—sort of a hitmen on the prairie meets mystical overlord. It’s the mix of styles and genres that interests me. A lot of my short fiction moves within that fusion.

Do you work with an outline or plot sketch, or do you prefer to let a general idea guide your writing?

I am a true pantser, and not because I haven’t tried outlines. They don’t work for me. I find they stifle the creative edges in my work. I’m glad they work for some writers and have nothing against outlines, especially when I write myself in the corner and the characters look at me and ask, “Now what?” At that point, I’ve been known to write a few sentences that at least maps out the next chapter or two. But once the narrative is back on track, I let it rip.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Lots has been written about shitty first drafts (Anne Lamott) or how you need to write not think (Ray Bradbury). It’s true, you need to get words on the page. But you also need to learn the craft, and that means learning how to self-edit. It’s helpful to read other writers work, those who you feel are at the same level as you, and maybe some you think are ahead of you (in terms of experience). Absolutely everyone needs an editor and finding a group of beta readers you can trust is gold.

Finally, the two questions I ask about every story I write are “Why this story?” and “Is it true?” I won’t unpack those questions, but hopefully aspiring writers will get something out of that.

Can you share with readers a little bit about your latest book? 

My newest book, Three Minute Hero, is number three in the Luke Fischer detective series. Though, these books are all standalones and can be read in any order. I say detective series, even if Luke always denies that he is one. He is just good at finding people. In this book, Luke’s shady friend and benefactor sends him across two borders to find a man who goes by many names but mostly Harold. Mostly Harold is a lizard-boot-wearing hit man with a fondness for Burt Bacharach, Louis L’Amour, acidic observations and sucker punches. Little does Luke realize that he’s not only chasing the man, he’s chasing the one-woman crime wave who’s mesmerized the man. And soon enough Luke’s also chasing the memory of the woman who once mesmerized him.

Tell us more about your main character. What inspired you to develop this character?

Luke Fischer came out of my love for those private eyes that loped around, usually in the 1970s, and eventually got around to figuring things out. Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye was a fascinating take on the Philip Marlowe character, and Elliot Gould played him as a perfect Rumpelstiltskin detective, who was sleepy and out of step in his own time. I’ve been exploring Luke through his own lens, wondering what makes a person leave his home country, and where does his loyalty lie. Another big inspiration here is John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee and James Crumley’s C.W. Sugrue. I like guys that can give and take a punch, and like having the odd beer. Okay, maybe a lot of beer.

Who is your favorite character in your book and why?

The character Mostly Harold was in the first Luke Fischer book, Surf City Acid Drop, and he’s back in Three Minute Hero. He earned that moniker when he first told Fischer that he goes by many names, but Mostly Harold. He’s a character that came fully formed, ready to kick ass and take names. Some readers have described him as the angriest man alive, but I see him more as a locomotive. He constantly tries to take over whatever book he is in. So far I’ve been able to corral him in.

What role does research play in your writing?

I’m a big researcher, and I love it. The adage of write what you know is better explained as “write what you want to know.” The other book I released this year, Samurai Bluegrass, required more research than I’ve ever done for a novel. I really needed to shore up my knowledge of Japanese history, notably the history of the samurai, in order to create an authentic character. The hard part is after all that research, you need to leave a lot of it on the cutting room floor. It’s Hemingway’s Iceberg Theory, where you need to have this foundation of information, but you have to avoid the info dump. But really anything I write requires some sort of research. I read a bunch of articles on flyfishing for another Fischer book. I only used about three sentences in the novel. But they were pretty good sentences.         

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