Naked Ink, Diary of a Smalltown Boy, Volumes 1 & 2 received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with authors Tobias Maxwell.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
My most recent book, Naked Ink, Diary of a Smalltown Boy, Volumes 1 & 2, was published on Sept. 27, 2021.
What’s the book’s first line?
The book’s first line is: “Eventually, each of us manages to place time into a box.”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
The book’s pitch is: Everyone has read about the journey of famous actors. But what about the thousands of actors who struggle to survive the dog-eat-dog actor’s life in New York City and never reach fame and fortune?
Welcome to the nitty-gritty life of an actor cum art model in all its naked glory; the story of an illegal alien’s journey to America, a sex-addicted bisexual, hell-bent on making something happen for himself in NYC, circa 1980.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
The book is the final installment in a tetralogy, my actor’s cycle, though I never planned to have four in a series. Readers wanted to know more about the backstory after I wrote, 1983—The Unknown Season so I obliged them with a second, then a third and finally the last in the series.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
People should read this book because it will give them tremendous insight on the challenges actors face in trying to achieve success. Anyone who’s been touched by addiction will appreciate the insights in this memoir.
When did you first decide to become an author?
When I was in the eighth grade, there was a province-wide poetry contest for Remembrance Day in Canada. I composed a poem in my bedroom, came downstairs and read it to my parents. Both asked, “Where did you get that?” When I told them I had written it, they seemed suspicious initially. That’s when I knew I’d found my calling to be a writer!
Is this the first book you’ve written?
Naked Ink, Diary of a Smalltown Boy is my 9th book. (10 if you count this title as two because of the two volumes.)
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
Writing is my full-time job.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
I spend on average four hours a day writing/editing. When in the heat of a writing project the four hours usually go to six hours a day.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
There is no “best” as an “indie” writer since you have to do everything. That explains why it’s the hardest.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
Advice is cheap. Write every day if you can, even if it’s simply re-reading what you wrote the day before and doing edits. Jot down ideas. Never, ever find yourself without a piece of paper and a writing tool. (Yes, you can use your phone, but it’s just not the same!)
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
If a publisher came calling, I would very likely say yes. It all depends on who that publisher was and what they were offering me, I suppose.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
My motivation is passion. I’ve been writing since I was twelve. It’s what I do. It’s who I am. It’s why I get up in the morning. It may sound cliché but it’s the truth.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
E.M. Forster changed my life. As did Dylan Thomas. I discovered Thomas when I was in the ninth grade. The musicality in his phrasing, his choice of words—they taught me that everything was possible through words. Forster’s Aspects of the Novel is a must-read for anyone trying to write a novel. It’s dry material but it doesn’t get any better when it comes to understanding the structure of the form.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
I wish I could have written Lolita.