Authors from Everywhere! : Author Graham Smith talks about his writing

It's Writer Wednesday and we are happy to have

Graham Smith, author of
Harry Charters Chronicles and Eleven the Hardest Way

here with us today!

Welcome!!

Tell us a bit about yourself:

Do you work another job when you are not writing?

Yes I’m the manager of a hotel and wedding venue at Gretna Green on the Scotland England border. It’s a demanding job and writing is my way of relaxing

What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t writing?

Reading is my first choice activity for alone time but I’m married with a young son so obviously spending time with my family is my favourite thing to do.

What is your favorite color? Why?

Blue because I don’t like looking up at a grey sky.

What is your favorite season? Why?

Spring because of the freshness and promise it brings with it.

If you could live anyplace on earth, where would it be? Why?

My ideal home would be a cottage beside a country pub in the highlands. There would be mountains and lochs to look over and it would be peaceful with lots of solitude. Then when I’d finished writing for the day I could go to the pub to socialise and meet new people to learn interesting facts from. Writing is a very isolated business and this way I could have my peace and play in one beautiful location.

If you could have any car, what would it be?

Bentley Continental GT. I’ve driven one and it is absolutely awesome in every imaginable way.

Tell us about your writing:

How long have your been writing? Was it a dream, a goal or is it just a hobby?

I’ve been writing shorts for about six months now and a novel for almost two years. I’d love to get a publishing deal one day but I am realistic about my chances in such times of evolution.

How many hours a day do you devote to writing?

Usually at least two but they are split between writing and promotional efforts. Today I’m promoting so tomorrow will be spent writing.

Do you have a set routine or do you write when the mood strikes?

I have no routine but I spend most of my free time doing something writing related. Mood can definitely influence writing and I try not to write when particularly angry or upset as that carries through in the piece I’m writing. If I’m relaxed, calm and not too tired then I’ll be writing. When I get home from work I deal with any communications and social media responsibilities and then try to get something written.

Is there some place special you like to be when you write?

Not being superstitious or anything I haven’t got a sacred place. I write on my couch with the radio or V on in the background.

Do you listen to music or do you need a quiet place to write?

I quiet like background noise but it has to be background. Mrs The Wife has learned that when I’m writing it’s best to interrupt me only with offers of food and drink. Talk of leaky taps and wanting a new outfit when I’m writing will be met with a curt response which will usually be negative.

Tell us about your books:

My latest release was about a private investigator and is set in the 1950’s in a fictional American city called Mariscoper. The detective is called Harry Charters and the seven short stories all follow him as he takes various cases so he can keep himself in bourbon. Harry has a troubled past which is what causes him to drink so much and now he is little more than a bum. He is though, a good detective and he doesn’t call the cops, instead he dishes out his own brutal justice.

What is the name of it and is it part of a series or a stand alone novel?

The book is called Harry Charters Chronicles and is the first book in what will eventually become a series.

Where did the idea come from? How long did it take to write?

I was invited by a good friend to write a noir piece for her blog feature and I thought I’d have a go at writing the kind of gumshoe detective story Humphrey Bogart. When I submitted the first story to her she raved about it and because I’d enjoyed writing it so much and had good feedback from her blog readers I kept going with the character until I had enough of a word count to bring out a collection of short stories.

Your other work:

Do you have any upcoming projects in the works or other books that have been published?

I’m writing a full length novel which tells the tale of a police team with various cases. One of these cases turns into a kidnapping and things get very fraught.

I also have a collection of different short stories which involve suspense, thrillers, mystery and whodunits.

I also plan to release another short story collection this year along with a longer Harry Charters story.

Where can readers connect with you?