I am a psychologist (and amateur anthropologist) and love personality profiling and understanding how people work …
Ralph Andrews – 10 August 2014
The Back Flap
For financial whizz kid, Tom Garibaldi, escaping the mafia has been a painful lifelong struggle, punctuated by betrayal, tragedy and death. When his hand is forced, he takes the first step on a path which threatens to destroy all he values. To avoid disaster he must use all his ingenuity to escape the mob’s wrath.
About the book
What is the book about?
How does a talented and respected financier, socialite and philanthropist allow his carefully built cosmopolitan life to disintegrate? Born into a mafia family, “Teflon” Tom Garibaldi is appalled by his father’s activities and vows to follow an honest path. When his father dies he is faced with a debt he can only repay through money laundering; the first step on a dangerous path. When a series of events put his family in danger he is forced to use all his ingenuity to save them.
When did you start writing the book?
About 5 years ago – I started writing it as a script and then decided it would be easier to break into the book world than the film world and it could be written in longer form.
How long did it take you to write it?
Off and on over 5 years; I wrote it in parallel with Hopeless, Hapless and Headless – A Soccer Story, my comedy horror tale. I also work part time as an HR consultant which, not surprisingly, contributed little to either novel. I never meet mafia people or the undead when doing interviews and running disciplinary meetings – I do meet some very strange people, though.
Where did you get the idea from?
I wanted to write a book about a fish-out-of-water and originally considered writing humorously about a gay Mafiosi, before developing the idea of a serious novel about Tom, an asexual, academically and business oriented protagonist who resists the pressure from his psychopathic father to join the world of organized crime for most of his life, but finally faces potential catastrophe after being sucked into the mafia world.
With the RICO legislation in place, it is clear that a smarter breed of Mafiosi are taking over and I decided that Tom would have the abilities to succeed, but that he would not be interested initially and that when he is tempted, circumstances would conspire against him.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Lots of times – particularly how to sequence it – I have two taster chapters at the start of the book to set up tension and I worried they would confuse the reader more than necessary. Writing a summary to sell the book was a major trial – I am naturally terse in my writing style, but struggle to create a précis which accurately reflects the content and style of my book. I also usually write out of sequence, so getting the flow and consistent language (particularly when writing over a 5 year period) was difficult. I also struggle with romance and sex scenes.
A lesson I learned for my new book was NOT to write in detail until I had spent a couple of months thinking about it and making notes about the characters and the elements I wanted to include, so that I knew my characters and also the storyline well enough that the writing then came relatively easily.
What came easily?
Dialogue, always. In all my books, when I know the character and I know the story it seems to just flow – naturally I edit, but I feel like I am almost painting by numbers when the words are flowing. I have always had lots of ideas – it has been keeping at it that has been the problem.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
I am a psychologist (and amateur anthropologist) and love personality profiling and understanding how people work, so they are probably an amalgam of personality traits I have met and/or studied – so my work does contribute.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
Ian Rankin, Michael Connelly and Len Deighton – they write excellent prose, but they are not at all flowery. I was brought up with English Lit. lessons which promoted Thomas Hardy and his ilk, who use 1,000 words when 10 would do and newspapers in Britain (where I grew up) which fete “wordy” authors; those who seem to think that clever language can compensate for a tedious story and/or moving the narrative along. This put me off writing for a long time, because I am not able to write in that manner, nor interested in trying.
Do you have a target reader?
Me – I am well aware that there are probably 3 people in the world who will enjoy all of my books, because they are very different. Seriously though, this is a mafia crime drama with a slightly different perspective, so people who do not mind violence and sex and do not want to read the usual clichés will like it – I hope.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
As I said before, I now think about it over a period of months then write the parts that come easily and fill the gaps as I progress – I originally felt like a fraud, I then read that Nabokov did something similar and felt much better about it. Also, I write long hand, then use Dragon Naturally Speaking to “type” and then correct the, sometimes hilarious, mistakes. I then go over it again and again and sort out the sequence until I am happy.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I have an aversion to outlines for some reason, despite the fact that I know it makes sense to do one – I will have to write one for my next book, which will be a comedy serial killer novel, for which the sequencing will be critical.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
As I go along for language and grammar and then at the end for the sequence.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Only the missus, but I am pretty literate and I have seen professionally published books with some real doozies so ….
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
Yes, I have my PC set on random play (I have a lot of music) and listen to everything EXCEPT full operas, western music or most rappers. Who do I like – Angus and Julia Stone, Midlake, The Dead, Joni, The Weepies, Floyd, Beethoven, Band of Horses, Calexico plus many many others – anything downbeat really.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
Yes, and will continue to do so – I’d rather just write and earn less per book and have experts do all the stuff that is such a pain in the *rse – I am very happy to book tour though; that would be a pleasure. I got quite a few rejections for The Don’s Son, but a good number were very encouraging.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
I gave my first book away on the net initially (it is a very niche project) while I was sending The Don’s Son to agents and then, as I got closer to finishing my current book (not quite finished) I decided to put both TDS and Hapless on Amazon and other sites and will offer Epiphany Street to agents, as I believe that it will be my “Lord of the Flies” (I’m 57 – I think Golding was in his mid-50s when he first had success) and, therefore, is more likely to attract agents and readers in larger numbers!
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
I did it myself – cheap, that’s me! I’m quite pleased with the result though.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
Winging it – doing this, obviously, Tweeting, Facebook, book reviews on Amazon and any tricks I can pick up from others – a slow burn.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Do it because you love writing, not because you want to make lots of money and remember, writing is a small part of the process (sadly) and there is still no easy way to make it big – in fact, the ease of publication makes it easier to get lost in the ocean of good and bad books out there.
About You
Where did you grow up?
Nantwich, Cheshire, England – a roman market town with an 11th century church and lots of Elizabethan black and white buildings and more pubs per head than London! I don’t remember much else!
Where do you live now?
New Plymouth, New Zealand a small rural town with a volcano, fabulous surf and not much else – but it is great for bringing up kids.
What would you like readers to know about you?
I am a brilliant writer whose books they should read – seriously, I am very outgoing and attracted to change, which makes sitting at a keyboard etc. alone for hours very trying, so read the books and make it all worthwhile.
What are you working on now?
Epiphany Street – A diverse group of individuals arrive at Epiphany Street, looking for meaning and revelation, after their lives have been turned upside down. Will they experience a Road to Damascus moment and learn God’s purpose for them? Probably not.
As you can see, précis are not my strength, but I will get there!
End of Interview:
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Get your copy of The Don’s Son from Amazon US or Amazon UK.