My Interview with Vincent Zandri
So a while back, I signed up for a blog tour to help Vincent Zandri promote his new book, "Concrete Pearl." I've been counted as one of his legions of crime fiction fans for a long time, so in a fanboy kind of way I felt obligated. But I also had questions I really wanted to ask him. The blog tour seemed like a good fit.
Here's my interview. Enjoy!
(P.S. Click here to read my review of "Concrete Pearl.")
Vincent Zandri is the No. 1 International Bestselling author of the thrillers THE INNOCENT, GODCHILD, MOONLIGHT FALLS, THE REMAINS and CONCRETE PEARL. An MFA in Writing graduate of Vermont College, he has was a Stringer for The Albany Times Union Newspaper, and a contributor to New York Newsday, Hudson Valley Magazine, Game and Fish Magazine, and more. His short fiction has appeared in many of the leading journals and magazines, Orange County Magazine, Buffalo Spree, Negative Capability, The Maryland Review, Rosebud, The Best of Rosebud, Lost Creek Lettersamong them. His novels, stories, and journalism have been translated into many foreign languages including the Dutch, Japanese, French, Russian and Turkish. A freelance photo-journalist, foreign correspondent, and Blogger for RT, Globalspec and International Business Times, he divides his time between New York and Florence, Italy.
For more on the author, go to WWW.VINCENTZANDRI.COM.
* You and I have a lot in common. We both pursued journalism before trying to "make it" at creative writing. What in the hell were we thinking?
Well, the first time around, Dell gave me almost a quarter million bucks in advance money, so I quit journalism. Then when everything went south and when I didn't earn enough to earn out my advance, I ran out of money and work. So I went back to journalism. What's my point? No matter how well you're doing, always keep your hand in it even if it means keeping up with your annual National Writers Union dues. You never know when you're going to have to sell a story again in order to eat.
* People point to you as an indie author who "made it." Do you feel like a made man?
I don't know. I get up and go to work each day. I mean, ok, I get to do that sometimes in Italy or where ever, but it's still a lot of work to "make it." I think you have to make it everyday like anyone else who makes their living on their own. You can't slack off, if only to take small breaks here and there. This is a cyclical business and like journalism, you can go through long sprints where everything you touch turns to gold and long, dreadful droughts where no matter what you write or pitch, it gets ignored.
* You ever get tired of people asking you that question?
I don't know if I get tired of it, but it makes me a little uncomfortable. I mean there are so many authors who have made it more than me. I look at Amanda Hocking or John Locke or Harlan Coben for that matter, and I'm just floored at what they are able to consistently move. They're the ones who have made it.
* Your novels take place in or around Albany, New York, which is one of the places you live. You also have a place in Italy. Which one has the most booze stocked/writing potential?
Both are well stocked (I'm writing this in Italy right now). Only difference is I can share a bottle of wine with a friend in a park or on a narrow cobbled street and the cops aren't going to bust me for open container. Cop might actually join us. I like writing about Albany in Italy since it's so far removed, not just geographically speaking, but culturally. In Florence I tell people I'm a writer and they look at me like, "Well, of course you are. Otherwise you would be a painter." In New York I tell them I'm a writer and they ask me who's published me, how much money I make and am I interested in hearing their sure bestselling idea they just haven't had the time to sit down and write yet.
* Enough shop talk, let's get to the good stuff. I think "Concrete Pearl" is your best novel. Do you agree?
Maybe. I was born and raised in the construction business so the material came easy. And the protagonist Spike is someone whom I'd love to ask out. She's hot and smart and a go getter. She's also loyal and dedicated to a fault. I think in terms of plotting and working out the angles, it's definitely one of my best efforts. Took me a while to work it all out.
* You've stated before that certain elements of your novels are based on real people and events. You've even used actual names in drafts before substituting fictional ones. What can you tell me about the real Concrete Pearl? Follow-up, how much is the bounty for your scalp?
Oh boy, the novel definitely is based on some real stuff that went down in Albany and other parts of New York State. Some contractors decided they could make a killing by cheating on asbestos removals. And they did. Problem is, they were cheating at places like public elementary schools and other public buildings where they're potentially exposing little kids to cancer. And they did it all in the name of money and ego. I went to high school with a couple of the players. One of them is in prison for like 25 years and the other...the rat...was released after only a year. You wanna hear something really amazing? New York State is allowing the latter individual to work as an engineer again. Holy crap, you can't make this stuff up. Anyway, I don't like cheaters and if the players recognize themselves and go after my scalp, well, I'm ready for them. They have no credibility.
* "Concrete Pearl" is the first time you've explicitly written yourself and your band, The Blisterz, into a novel. Why did you do that? Does it count as a "gig?"
It definitely counts as a gig as we didn't get paid to play, which was usually the case for The Blisterz. But I genuinely like the guys ins the band and I wanted to kind of immortalize us by putting us in there. Plus it was fun. I've since left the band due to professional constraints but I still keep in touch with them.
* Despite the "Spike" nickname, the protagonist in "Concrete Pearl" is a female. You wrote her in first-person. What did you do to get inside females?
What do I do to get inside a female??? Sure you want me to answer that one?? Ha! Ok (pulling head out of gutter)...I grew up with two sisters and domineering mother. I've had a girlfriend ever since kindergarten, and two wives to boot. So, I feel that by now, I can pretty much pull off a woman's POV. Besides, Spike is tough. But then, the trick was not to write her as a man with boobs. I think I succeeded.
* OK, there was a bit of wordplay with that last question. You haven't left the room, have you?
See previous answer...
* Then let's switch gears and get serious. Unlike some of your other novels, "Concrete Pearl" didn't have the advantage of being in print with a major publishing house before becoming an indie e-book. Do you think this hurt it?
Maybe. But then neither did The Remains and it's been a perpetual bestseller for 15 months, having hit the Top 100 overall Kindles on two separate occasions. CP needs a little time and marketing before I can get a real sense of its sales potential.
* You've written in your blog about the impact of novel writing on your family. One of the casualties was your marriage. Is there any relation between that and the female characters in your novel? For example, Keeper Marconi in "The Innocent" and "Godchild" is tortured by the loss of his wife.
For sure. I'm one of those gotta play the Hemingway-tortured-writer-the-work-comes-first kind of idiots, and that kind of thing takes its toll on your sig other. More recently however, I've developed a pretty solid relationship with a visual artist who completely understands my need to work and travel and not live the garden variety family life. My kids understand because they grew up with it, but even though both of my ex's and I get along great now, there's still some bitterness there on their part. I've even asked my second wife to reconsider our relationship at certain points over the course of the past 6 years, and she's seriously thought about it. But in the end she always pulls back knowing that I'm probably twice as busy as I was when we were married. But to answer your question, yes, I work out my relationship woes in all my books. It beats having to pay a shrink.
* More success means more work. Ever worry you'll get burned out on all this?
Nope...
* What's next for you?
I'm going to take a shot here since this won't be out until September, but presently my agent Chip MacGregor, is in negotiations with Thomas and Mercer (Amazon) for the the buyout of all my books and the new Moonlight novels, "Murder by Moonlight," plus a couple of new ones. The beauty of the deal is that I can still work with StoneGate Ink as well. So I get the best of both the traditional big leagues and a hot indie pub. Like I'm saying, we're in "negotiations" at the present time, but it's my sincere hope that by the time you publish this, those negotiations will have turned into a solid commitment.
* Where can people find out more about you?
* Anything else you'd like to add?
Thanks for having me, and good luck with your own work, Ben. I'm honored to have spent some time with you. Next time, let's do it over a beer or two.
