I was crossing the Chattahoochee River and missing southern Utah when I got the idea about a guy caught in a flash flood. Initially, I was thinking about the opportunity the event presented for the guy to fake his death and flee to a better life. As I was miserable at the time, I was probably projecting.

Kirk Millson – 30 June 2019

The Back Flap

Six months after a young mother disappears in an Arizona canyon, her children vanish from their Salt Lake City home. When reporter Carter Miguel senses that a detective is too eager to put the father behind bars, he follows his hunches to a curious settlement in the Utah desert.

Redemption is led by “prophet” Everett Deavers, a charismatic giant of a flimflam man whose $20 million land scam is jeopardized by Miguel’s sudden interest in the area. Deavers scrambles to cover his tracks, which makes it a perilous time for anyone who can tie him to the truth.

About the book

What is the book about?

It’s a mystery/thriller about a man framed for something he didn’t do. Who did the framing, and why, unfolds throughout the story as it rolls through rural Utah and backwoods Mexico.

When did you start writing the book?

1992

How long did it take you to write it?

I probably wrote the first draft in nine months, but not all at once.  I wrote the first half in 1992, but when I picked the story back up in 2008, I discarded almost all of what I’d written earlier.  When the first draft was finished, I spend the next couple of years throwing a lot of it out and rewriting the stuff I’d kept.

Where did you get the idea from?

I was driving home from my newspaper job in Atlanta one night at about 2 a.m. I was crossing the Chattahoochee River and missing southern Utah when I got the idea about a guy caught in a flash flood. Initially, I was thinking about the opportunity the event presented for the guy to fake his death and flee to a better life.  As I was miserable at the time, I was probably projecting.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

The budding love story was tough for me.  It was like an Amazon tribesman trying to write about quantum physics.

What came easily?

All the rambles through southern Utah and Mexico. That’s where I live in my head 90 percent of the time.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

Almost all of the good guys are based on real people.  Fortunately, I don’t know anyone as bad as the bad guys in this book, so I had to make them up.

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?

I love simple writing. Edward Abbey didn’t waste a word.  Stephen King is economical as well.  I realized early on that while I admire the talent it takes to write a Cold Mountain, I didn’t have the patience to spend half a page describing a beam of light falling across a woman’s hand.

Do you have a target reader?

I didn’t write either of my books with anyone in mind. I had stories in my head, and I enjoyed the process of putting them into words.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

When I’m writing a book, I get up at 4 a.m., make some coffee and sit in a dark room in front of the computer for three or four hours.  Sometimes that results in a page; sometimes half a dozen will spill out.  I never know what’s coming.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I had a basic outline in my head for Serpents of Old, but a lot of the plot twists came to me on the fly.  For the memoir, I had journals and photos and a pretty solid narrative arc before I started.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I usually let whatever I’ve written sit for a few weeks before I start editing.  I’ve found that many of the passages I really like at first don’t seem so wonderful when I read them later, and I throw them out.

Did you hire a professional editor?

I had a publisher for my first book, and the copy editors there were pretty good.  My latest is self-published, and I probably should have hired a professional proofreader.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

Never. I go deep into my head when I write, and I don’t like distractions. I’ve gone so far as to wear sound-canceling headphones.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

Yes, though with my first book I went directly to the publisher.  I had an agent in New York for Serpents of Old, but he couldn’t find a buyer.

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 had an offer from an e-book publisher to take on Serpents of Old, but I didn’t like the terms and I didn’t see the value in what they were offering.  I self-published through Amazon, which let me choose the title and cover art.  As an added bonus, I’ve been able to update the file with corrections after sharp-eyed readers pointed out typos. There are things that I’d love to change in my first book, but after a publisher runs off a few thousand copies, you are stuck with your mistakes.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

I took the photo and created the cover with Amazon’s publishing tools.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I’m just trying to get it into as many hands as possible. I’ve sent it to reviewers and entered a few contests.  I don’t have any illusions about making any money on this.  I just like the story and want to share it.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

Unless a publisher has the ability to get your book into bookstores, you might think twice about giving up the editorial control that comes with signing on with a small outfit. My first publisher edited out one of the funniest bits in the book because its target audience was prudish.  In return, it got the book into Costco, which I considered a worthwhile tradeoff. I’m not sure what advantage a writer gets from contracting with a small e-publisher, since you can e-publish through Kindle and be on Amazon in about 10 minutes. I could be missing something, but I guess I’d suggest that a publisher should demonstrate its value before you sign on.

About You

Where did you grow up?

I grew up all over the East. I moved from Maryland to West Virginia to Oklahoma to Wisconsin to Illinois to Ohio and back to Illinois between first grade and eighth.

Where do you live now?

Salt Lake City.

What would you like readers to know about you?

Gee, that’s a tough one. Maybe it’s that I’m just a regular guy. We would probably like one another.

What are you working on now?

I’m just enjoying every single day. I haven’t been writing. My wife had a health scare a couple of years ago that was far more traumatic than anything I’ve ever experienced.  She’s doing great now, but I’ve been afraid to lock myself in a dark room at 4 a.m. and let my mind wander.

End of Interview:

Get your copy of Serpents of Old from Amazon US or Amazon UK.