What
inspired you to become an author?
I read
great works I loved and learned the language.
Also, in truth, I thought it might be a way to earn a better living than
most of the jobs I would likely run into given my economic background.
Do you
have a specific writing style?
I do hope
that I have 'a voice' but other than that I'm not sure because I have had to
write in numerous ways over the years.
Do you
write in different genres?
Yes.
If yes
which is your favorite genre to write?
Certain kinds of nonfiction and science
fiction. At least that's what I
think. I could be wrong seeing as the
novel this blog tour is for is not even a science fiction novel. However, in the background there is a science
fiction novel and I am hoping to get that released later this year, which still
promoting this urban magical realism novel.
How did
you come up with the title for your latest book?
In truth
the story had a different working title before – maybe some of you have heard
of it. A previous draft was called An
Adventure in Indianapolis. My ebook told
me in like 2011 that it got 40,000 reads in 2 years so, seriously, maybe
someone you know read it. I edited it
more and decided it needed a catchier title but I did not change it until after
Alethia publishing sent it back. They
contracted the novel – they didn't reject it, but then they didn't release it
by the time they said they would so I asked them to send it back. For some reason, that changed things.
I decided
that the best way to describe the events of the plot were to understand that the
mastermind villain was leading a double life.
This is a white collar criminal, not a street thug type of entity. I decided to just name the novel after the
villain of the novel, maybe because I think the villain's name sounds
cool: Tutweiler Buckhead.
The
surname really is the upscale neighborhood in Atlanta because so much crime is
greed motivated. I know others would
say greed causes crime. I would refer
those of you in the right age groups to that whole Transformer – Decepticon
thing. Buckhead is an upscale
neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia. I only
know of it because I did a real estate blog for EastBiz many years ago. I think it sounds cool and gives the
character the kind of ambiance I wanted for a clean, smooth, white collar
criminal.
Do you
title the book first or wait until after it’s complete?
I think it
varies from story to story. With me,
normally the plot and character concepts precede creating the title.
Is there a
message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Yes, of course. In some ways I am an old school 'good
triumphs over evil' story teller, but I do like to get people to think.
Is the
book, characters, or any scenes based on a true life experience, someone you
know, or events in your own life?
No, not
unless you count Yuppies. There haven't been yuppies since like 1993 have there
been? I don't even know – sorry.
If this
book is part of a series…what is the next book? Any details you can share?
In truth,
if people snap this book up and let me know they want more enough to commit to
buying copies up I would happily write more.
When I first wrote it, I wrote it so that it could stand alone. I'm not a fool, if you want more, I will make
more. (wink wink nudge nudge) I do want
to earn an entire living writing, not just a grain of rice and a thank
you.
If you had
to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
JLichtenberg
graciously gave me permission to call her a mentor and 'use her' as my
mentor. I have checked out other
novelists and book writers over the years.
In truth, the other authors I asked to let me call them mentors told me
'No.'. JL told me 'Yes'. That's the difference.
Is there
anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Yes,
pleasing editors and people I am asking to actually spend their own money on my
works. LOL but so true. Seriously, every work has its challenges. It is hard to give a concise and clear answer
to this question.
Who
designed the cover of your latest book?
SBPRA
commissioned the person. I have no
idea. I am incredibly grateful, however,
because I don't have that skill.
Do you
have any advice for other writers?
Be
careful, it often leads to a sales job or won't have your name on it...Or will
have to write other peoples' ideas to get steady pay. Those who write for love are out earned in
numbers by those who write only because they get paid. However, the richest best selling authors
usually at least naturally liked the story he or she wrote.
Do you
have a song or playlist (book soundtrack) that you think represents this book?
No, but I
am a possibly odd mixture of someone who likes symphonic orchestral music and a
straight up hard rocker. I do like some
other kinds of music but left to my own devices it is like that. If I were to use bands to describe who I
believe I am that applied by age 17 years of age I would tell you Rush and U2.
What would
your readers be surprised to learn about you?
I thought
I was going to end up working in the sciences, maybe as the administrative or
management portion of the forestry industry – tending New York State's managed
forests for a living and maybe writing science fiction on the side. Then, my last year of university I 'gave in'
and majored in philosophy because I loved it and like 3 teachers told me I was
one of the best students they had ever had in the subject. Not all my teachers gave me that kind of
feedback. My husband told me not to.
Meanwhile,
I did take a few English lit courses in colleges. I was able to get As but the teacher had no
idea I was writing on the side. I used
to tell myself things like "I don't want the teacher telling me how to
write," while editing a manuscript draft in the student union of SUNY
Brockport in 1990.
Tell us a little more about the book.
Plot: The protagonists are striving to prevent a crime during the planning stages. From there perspective, the villain is a mysterious criminal mastermind hiding behind a veil of respectability.
Readers are granted the great insight of having the villain's name, which is one of the most important pieces of information the protagonists would like to have. The character's name was developed from inspiration. Working as a contract writer for a Atlanta Real Estate a few years before I wrote the novel, I learned about Buckhead, an upscale neighborhood well known to Atlanteans. It stuck with me and just seemed ideal for the type of villain starring in this story. I don't even remember how I came up with Tutweiler aside from the vague resemblance to the name of the dog breed rotweiler. I wanted the villain to be a well dressed, tall, probably caucasian man with long brown hair and excellent shoes right along with good manners and a decent lowr middle class day job. A corporate man. A contemporary man. A man who frighteningly resembles one of the mid level managers in nearly half of the large companies in urban America. He really might have been one of the men in your office building.
I felt that might add at least a small tingle of excitement for readers, as they go about their busy urban days. This is not the same as when the media tries to terrorize the general public into losing all trust in everyone else, but it is just that, well, I wanted the identity of the villain to be like that rather than the sort of undereducated working class ruffian or tough guy type of villain. Someone not likely to be at either the top or the bottom of the hierarchy in a large business but probably management.
Tell us a little more about the book.
Plot: The protagonists are striving to prevent a crime during the planning stages. From there perspective, the villain is a mysterious criminal mastermind hiding behind a veil of respectability.
Readers are granted the great insight of having the villain's name, which is one of the most important pieces of information the protagonists would like to have. The character's name was developed from inspiration. Working as a contract writer for a Atlanta Real Estate a few years before I wrote the novel, I learned about Buckhead, an upscale neighborhood well known to Atlanteans. It stuck with me and just seemed ideal for the type of villain starring in this story. I don't even remember how I came up with Tutweiler aside from the vague resemblance to the name of the dog breed rotweiler. I wanted the villain to be a well dressed, tall, probably caucasian man with long brown hair and excellent shoes right along with good manners and a decent lowr middle class day job. A corporate man. A contemporary man. A man who frighteningly resembles one of the mid level managers in nearly half of the large companies in urban America. He really might have been one of the men in your office building.
I felt that might add at least a small tingle of excitement for readers, as they go about their busy urban days. This is not the same as when the media tries to terrorize the general public into losing all trust in everyone else, but it is just that, well, I wanted the identity of the villain to be like that rather than the sort of undereducated working class ruffian or tough guy type of villain. Someone not likely to be at either the top or the bottom of the hierarchy in a large business but probably management.
The Double Life of Tutweiler Buckhead
Miriam Pia
Genre: urban fiction, magical realism,
crime fiction, mystery
Publisher: SBPRA
Date of Publication: 2015
ISBN: 978-1628572254
Number of pages:300
Word Count: 95,000
Book Description:
Frustrated by the audacity of local villains, the sheriff of Marion County turns to the mayor. Urban fiction set in a real city, The Double Life of Tutweiler Buckhead takes some of the charm of vigilante comic book heroism and mixes it with the nitty gritty of contemporary crime fiction.
A band of champions searches for the missing pieces in the evil plot of a local drug kingpin in The Double Life of Tutweiler Buckhead: An Adventure in Indianapolis.
Ideal for those who love events of the outside world and the workings of the mind – characters’ actions and thoughts are portrayed in this contemporary novel – with just a touch of magic.
About the Author:
Miriam Pia has been writing for decades, including over ten years as a professional. Most of her work was done without a byline and as a ghostwriter. This is the author's first published novel.
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