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Author Interview

Janet Smith Interviews Simon Wood

Simon Wood, who grew up in England, now lives in California with his American wife Julie, a longhaired dachshund named Roston and a cat named Streetcar (both rescue animals). He has published more than seventy stories in the past three years, and last August debuted his first novel, Accidents Waiting To Happen, (Barclay Books) which was nominated for a Bloody Dagger award by the reviewer of All About Murder. Coming next: his short story collection, Dragged Into Darkness, to be released this summer.

T-Zero: I would like to congratulate you, Simon, on your writing success. Your entertaining, shoot from the hip, brazen style gives readers an enjoyable escape from everyday reality. You have received a long list of outstanding reviews for your first published novel, Accidents Waiting to Happen. Mystery Scene Magazine reviews Accidents Waiting to Happen: “This book can be read on more than one level –– the action-driven portions contrast neatly with the character-driven portions ... an impressive debut.” Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine says: “Simon Wood is a fine storyteller and this book earns an unqualified recommendation.” The rave reviews go on and on. How thrilling is it to receive such fine praise on your first published novel?

Simon Wood: I wouldn’t say it’s thrilling, but more of a relief. Writing is such an insular environment. You put your heart and soul into a piece and have no idea whether it is any good. I’m in a total state of panic when the first review comes in. Reading it is like reading a school report card. You just hope the reviewers said something good to impress your parents.

TZ: Your second book, soon to be released short story collection, Dragged Into Darkness, promises to be another exciting ride into the dark side of mystery and horror. When is it scheduled to hit the shelves?

SW: Dragged Into Darkness is scheduled for the end of August, to coincide with the Horrorfind convention in Baltimore. I’ll be there for the book launch.

TZ: Are you in suspense yourself as you write your stories? Do the twists and turns surprise you as your story unfolds?

SW: I am in suspense when I’m writing. My heart is usually pounding when I’m writing a particularly scary passage, but it’s a double buzz. I’m so excited with the idea that I can’t get it down quick enough and I also can’t wait until someone reads it.

TZ: What authors inspired you to write in the thriller/mystery genre?

SW: There are so many teachers who have nurtured my imagination that it would take me forever to list them all, but here’s a few: James M. Cain gave me a dark heart, Raymond Chandler showed me how a man of principles acts, Reginald Hill taught me it’s the little things that hurt the most, Jack Higgins showed me how to lie and make it sound like the truth, Robert Crais taught me to have a sense of humor in times of trouble, Ross MacDonald told me a hero can’t be bought, but rented, Walter Mosley showed me having a heart will cost me, and Barbara Vine showed me obsession has a price.

TZ: You write with a unique and poetic style. Do you also write poetry?

SW: Poetry is nuclear physics to me. I know what it is, but I have no idea how it works. I find it surprising that you think I'm poetic. I consider my prose very “meat and potatoes”. Simple but effective. But I’m always surprised by what people think of my fiction. Gene O'Neill has written the introduction to Dragged Into Darkness and he said there’s a surreal edge to my work, which I don’t see. But when has an author ever been objective about their work?

TZ: What books are you reading right now?

SW: I don’t get a lot of time to read, so I listen to audio books in the car. I’m on a Robert Crais binge at the moment. I'm finishing up Stalking The Angel, Voodoo River and Sunset Express then I’ll be moving on to Peter Robinson's Aftermath.

TZ: You say that you received “a bucket full of rejections” and yet you kept the faith and kept writing and submitting. Would you say that most writers are made humble, yet more determined to succeed, by the rejection notices they receive?

SW: I don’t know about that. If the writer has a big ego then it’s going to be seriously bashed by rejection notices. Regardless of who you are, the keys to the publishing castle gate aren’t a given. You’re going to have to work at it. Personally, I think you have to set out humble, and not let the rejections get to you. Although rejection notices are still a disappointment, they are the fuel that drives me forward. But if I’m honest, I do need an acceptance now and then for validation purposes. I have to know I’m doing something right. I, like anyone, can take only so much rejection. I have to believe there is a market out there for my stories.

TZ: Will your next two scheduled novels follow in the same genre as your first two, and will we see any of the characters from your first two novels?

SW: My first two novels were suspense thrillers and both stand-alones. I’ve changed gear for my third, No Show. That is intended to be the first in a series of mysteries featuring my protagonist, Terry Sheffield. I won’t tell you what his particulars are. My fourth novel is another stand-alone thriller called Squeaky Clean. But so far all my novels have the same trait in that they deal with ordinary people in extraordinary situations. I have ideas for other thrillers and mysteries, but I do want to write a horror novel soon.

TZ: Stephen King calls his wife Tabitha King, his “Ideal Reader”. In his book, On Writing, he tells how he gives her his work to read, and will then sit and watch her face for her reactions. Is your wife, Julie, your “Ideal Reader”? Is she your biggest supporter and honest critic?

SW: Julie is my “Ideal Reader.” I wouldn’t have achieved anything without her support and help, although at times, I’m not the best at taking her criticism. I dedicated Accidents Waiting To Happen to Julie, saying, “For Julie, who never doubted this day would come.” She has always been the bigger believer.

TZ: It is doubly amazing that you have accomplished so much with your writing in such a short time (since October 1998) with the added complication of having dyslexia. Is there any advice you can give to others with and without dyslexia in regard to becoming accomplished published writers?

SW: I would tell anyone to do your homework before you ever consider writing a book. Because of my dyslexia, I knew next to nothing about grammar, narrative, etc., and still don’t, in many cases. I found some good books on plotting and creative writing. I also took some of my favorite mysteries and thrillers and broke them down. I determined how a book is constructed with consideration for plot, point of view changes and plot to subplot changes. I watched how the author weaved plot, characters, and conflict into a book. Once I did that, I felt comfortable developing my own books.

TZ: You state on your website, “I’ve been writing since October ‘98 and I can’t stop. In that time, I’ve written nearly seventy short stories and two novels…”Are you armed with notebook and pen at all times? Do you set aside blocks of time each day to write?

SW: I’m not really organized, so I don’t carry a notebook. I usually end up writing ideas on receipts and the back of my hand. But I am very organized when it comes to allocating time to write, mainly because I do have a day job. So I write in my lunch hour and I write between 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. at night. Although it doesn’t sound like a lot of time, I can still produce 10,000 words a week.

TZ: You have a busy itinerary of upcoming appearances to promote your book, Accidents Waiting to Happen. Do you look forward to making public appearances at bookstores such as Barnes and Noble, other notable bookstores and conventions, to interact with your reading public?

SW: I like conventions. It’s like being at a funfair. I enjoy being on panels. You get to play off your fellow panelists and have a good time. Bookstore signings are a little pressure intensive. There, I’m the center of attention. I do like to have interaction from the crowd. I feel it breaks the ice and puts me at ease. A cold signing feels like I’m trying to sell life insurance.

TZ: You have traveled the world extensively and experienced many wonderful adventures. Will the places you have visited be locales for future stories?

SW: They will. All those experiences have to show themselves. While traveling through the rainforests of New Zealand, an idea for a thriller set in Central America came to me. Currently, I have a novella in progress, which is set on a Pacific Island off the coast of Costa Rica, which is one of my favorite countries.

TZ: Your list of magazine publications for your short stories is impressive. Would you recommend for new writers to submit short stories to magazines to gain an understanding and acquire experience in the world of publishing?

SW: Yes, I would recommend to anyone that they write short stories. It does give you a glimpse of the publishing world, but only a glimpse. The more important thing about writing and publishing short stories is that it builds a resume very quickly. A list of good credits might just help persuade a book publisher to take a chance on you. However, I would say the experience built up having short stories published doesn’t translate to book publishing. Book publishing is vastly more complicated and requires much more from the author.

TZ: Thank you for giving me the pleasure of reading one of your delightful short stories about a squirrel named Patches, the furry little crime fighter. Do you have any plans to write novels for children, personifying animals as the main characters?

SW: I would like to write a series of children’s books about a longhaired dachshund called Wagsmore Longfellow. I’ve owned longhaired dachshunds since I was a boy and every one of them has had a great personality, which I would love to bring to the fore.

TZ: Your writing genres appear to have no limits. You write horror/mystery, science fiction, fantasy, adorable furry rodent stories, and even non-fiction articles. Do you have a favourite genre that you feel the most comfortable writing?

SW: I think I’m most comfortable writing horror stories and crime thrillers. I grew up on these genres and they’re responsible for firing my imagination. They are also genres where I get to express myself best. With horror, I get to illustrate the unfairness of life at times, but also that we, as people, are compelled to strive for survival regardless of how futile this may be. With crime, I get to express that there are consequences for our actions. Something that a character may do today may come back to bite them in the arse later.

TZ: After perusing your website, I see you also have a penchant for comedy writing! I foresee limitless success for Simon Wood in all genres of writing. Thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions and share them with T-Zero readers.

Note: Simon Wood’s story, Bingo, is one of four fiction stories featured in this issue of T-Zero. Congratulations Simon, on all of your accomplishments. It is T-Zero’s pleasure to have had you visit with our readers and share so much of yourself with us.

Visit Simon's website at: http://www.simonwood.net.