Why did you pursue writing?
I
always enjoyed reading, from a young age.
Also, like many writers, perhaps, I am idealistic, obsessive and
compulsive. Concocting a fictional
setting and manipulating characters within it to achieve a predetermined or
evolved ending seemed to be a way to solve personal and social problems and/or
ascertain answers to eternal questions — but that is probably an illusion.
What inspired your book?
I
believe there are only three generic human story categories, considered in all
their multifaceted dimensions. One
is the “quest.” At the top of that
list is the search for the secret to human immortality. Ponce de Leon thought the answer was in
the water, but I believe it is in the genetic code. Hence, the main plot of Lightning’s Child: what would happen
if someone discovered this genetic key?
Would they share it with humanity, or keep it secret, as the ultimate
power tool? Would it prove to be a
great blessing, or eventually become a curse?
How long have you been publishing your work?
Since
1980, when Avon Books published my novel, Legacy of the Lake. That same year, I sold my novel Secrets
to St. Martin’s Press. Thereafter,
I sold a fictional trilogy (the Jeremiah trilogy) to Forge, an imprint of St.
Martin’s. In recent years, I
self-published a book of essays, Naked America, and my recent novel,
Lightning’s Child. I’ve drafted at
least a dozen other novels and screenplays that I may or may not revise and
submit to the marketplace.
What’s your writing environment like?
Very
quiet, located in a bedroom converted to an office suffused with music, mainly
love songs and light classical.
What projects are you currently working on?
A
suspenseful, urban crime thriller with romantic overtones and substantial
social commentary. However, I plan
to spend most of my time marketing Lightning’s Child, since that is the main
challenge for all writers in a rapidly changing marketplace flooded with
self-published books. If you can’t
rise above the crowd and achieve substantial sales, it’s difficult both
financially and emotionally to continue writing.
AUTHOR BIO
Michael A. Smith is the author of six published novels, all
described on his Website, www.goodnovels.org. He began his career as a newspaper reporter, and was editor
of the Golden, Colorado Daily Transcript.
He also was Associate Director, Illinois Board of Higher Education, and
Press Secretary, Congressman Richard Durbin. He is a member of the Authors Guild.
Lightning’s Child is available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1FU3iXA
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