Section Roads received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Mike Murphey.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Section Roads was published June 8, 2019.
What’s the book’s first line?
Little towns don’t forget.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
The lives of three friends are shattered by the murder of a classmate during their sophomore year of high school in a small town on the high plains of Eastern New Mexico where life is defined by straight roads and straight laces. Their childhood bond weathers both distance and chapters of estrangement until, at their 40th high school reunion, another killing forces the revelation of old secrets.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
Immediately after my high school graduation in 1969 I left the little Eastern New Mexico Town in which I grew up to attend college at New Mexico State University, leaving my high school sweetheart behind. I thought our relationship would endure because we were destined to be together. We weren’t, it didn’t, and we are both probably better off for it. That summer I read a coming-of-age story called Red Sky at Morning written by New Mexico author Richard Bradford about a boy and a girl whose destiny was uncertain. I aspired to be a writer, and decided if I ever was, I’d write a book like that.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
Why should anyone read any book? There are probably a million reasons. If you were privileged to grow up in that incredible time of turmoil and change that was the 1960’s, especially in a small conservative community, you’ll find much to relate to in Section Roads.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
Cullen Molloy is a man who treasures friendship and is willing to forgive much and sacrifice much to protect those friendships and those people. He’s based on someone very close to me.
If they made your book into a movie, who would you like to see play the main character(s)?
Tom Hanks and Julienne Moore
When did you first decide to become an author?
A couple of high school teachers encouraged my hope that I could be a writer. I had a long career as a newspaper reporter and editor but didn’t start trying to become a novelist until I was sixty.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
This is not the first I’ve written, but it’s the first I’ve published.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I have a baseball business. For many years we produced the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics adult fantasy camps. I have a partnership with Roy Hobbs Baseball which is the leading adult amateur baseball organization in world.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
Anywhere between four to eight hours a day, depending on whether things are flowing or not.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
Everything about writing is hard, and I’m not sure there’s any difference about that for independent authors or traditionally published authors. I think being completely independent would be very difficult. I work with Acorn Publishing, a hybrid publisher, and I think that’s the best of both worlds.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
Get someone to help with marketing.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
A book I’m working on now is a non-fiction account about The Chad Mitchell Trio and the 60’s era of folk music. I might seek a traditional publishing solution for it because I want to combine the book and music in an electronic package and will probably need a publisher with expertise in both literature and music.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
To this point I’m motivated because the whole writing and publishing process has been fun and exciting. I enjoy creating characters and telling their stories. I think we all must recognize that few of us will become either rich or famous. So, you really must get your reward from the creative process.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
Mark Twain
Which book do you wish you could have written?
Huckleberry Finn