The Gold Club
Thank you, for taking your time for Buttonholed Book Reviews.
Thank you, Jeff. I’m honored that you invited me to
participate.
Who are your influences?
In line with my preferred genres, I’d have to say Michael Crighton and Issac Asimov would top the list(s), along with Arthur C. Clarke and Carl Sagan on the scifi side. Lately I’ve been into Stephen King a lot, but only certain books really capture my interest and my taste doesn’t really line up with the mainstream because I like his obscure stuff lots more.
When did you begin writing?
In college, although I dabbled before that. And I took some time away from writing when my music career (I play the drums) was really busy. As far as the professional, indie publishing side goes I’ve only been at it a few years (Too Much Information was published in 2013).
How do you come up with your stories, characters, character names, POV, etc.?
I totally cheat on character names lol. I always come up with either a first or a last name I like and then use a random name generator to fill in the blanks with something that sounds right.
The rest is hard to say. Most of it, I suppose springs from one small life experience or another. I’ll think to myself, “I wonder what it’d be like if that situation spun off into a whole other, crazier one and everything snowballs,” and I just go from there.
If you could actually meet one of your characters, who would it be? Why?
First would be Til Nune, because she wound up being based on someone dear to me who passed away. As far as people that’d be fun to hang out with, thought, I’d say the sidekicks would be the guys to invite out for a beer. That’d be Phil Caldorian from The Gold Club, and Drew Driscoll from TMI.
Do you work from an outline?
Never at first. When I’m writing my draft I’m just as in the dark as my readers as to what happens next until I actually get there and write it down. When I get to the editing stage I do work up a mindmap to make sure all the plot holes are plugged (hopefully!).
Tell me about your favorite scene in your novel(s).
In Too Much Information that would be the discovery of the Thermo-Magnetic Imaging plot and subsequent chase through the airport. It was the most elaborate sequence I’ve ever put together. I actually spoke to a commercial airline pilot about how things work on the tarmac, and he clued me in to the fact that the pilots have external cameras all around those modern Boeings that would make it impossible for Rob Folsom (the main character in TMI) and his friends to escape detection. That was a neat bit of reality I’d never have come up with if I hadn’t spoken to an expert.
In line with my preferred genres, I’d have to say Michael Crighton and Issac Asimov would top the list(s), along with Arthur C. Clarke and Carl Sagan on the scifi side. Lately I’ve been into Stephen King a lot, but only certain books really capture my interest and my taste doesn’t really line up with the mainstream because I like his obscure stuff lots more.
When did you begin writing?
In college, although I dabbled before that. And I took some time away from writing when my music career (I play the drums) was really busy. As far as the professional, indie publishing side goes I’ve only been at it a few years (Too Much Information was published in 2013).
How do you come up with your stories, characters, character names, POV, etc.?
I totally cheat on character names lol. I always come up with either a first or a last name I like and then use a random name generator to fill in the blanks with something that sounds right.
The rest is hard to say. Most of it, I suppose springs from one small life experience or another. I’ll think to myself, “I wonder what it’d be like if that situation spun off into a whole other, crazier one and everything snowballs,” and I just go from there.
If you could actually meet one of your characters, who would it be? Why?
First would be Til Nune, because she wound up being based on someone dear to me who passed away. As far as people that’d be fun to hang out with, thought, I’d say the sidekicks would be the guys to invite out for a beer. That’d be Phil Caldorian from The Gold Club, and Drew Driscoll from TMI.
Do you work from an outline?
Never at first. When I’m writing my draft I’m just as in the dark as my readers as to what happens next until I actually get there and write it down. When I get to the editing stage I do work up a mindmap to make sure all the plot holes are plugged (hopefully!).
Tell me about your favorite scene in your novel(s).
In Too Much Information that would be the discovery of the Thermo-Magnetic Imaging plot and subsequent chase through the airport. It was the most elaborate sequence I’ve ever put together. I actually spoke to a commercial airline pilot about how things work on the tarmac, and he clued me in to the fact that the pilots have external cameras all around those modern Boeings that would make it impossible for Rob Folsom (the main character in TMI) and his friends to escape detection. That was a neat bit of reality I’d never have come up with if I hadn’t spoken to an expert.
As for the Gold Club, it’s more offbeat (as is the book,
for the most part), but the opening developments where they’re just deciding to
stick it to the management and put together their member’s only gold club were
a lot of fun to write.
Can you tell us a little about your writing philosophy?
I suppose I’m striving to write something that’s entertaining for myself, which in turn will hopefully be entertaining for at least some readers out there. I try to avoid getting wrapped up in writing something that will please everyone, because of course that’s impossible and in the process you wind up pleasing no one. Instead, I’m just hoping to appeal to readers who share my offbeat way of looking at things, and agree with me on what makes a fun story.
Have you ever tried writing in any other genres?
Although they’re both suspense thrillers, technically, I think my first two books are pretty far from each other in the genre spectrum. The best way to describe The Gold Club is a white collar crime thriller, whereas TMI is more a straight-up technothriller. And two of my upcoming books are science fiction, so I’d have to say I’m fairly multi-genre from the get-go.
I suppose I’m striving to write something that’s entertaining for myself, which in turn will hopefully be entertaining for at least some readers out there. I try to avoid getting wrapped up in writing something that will please everyone, because of course that’s impossible and in the process you wind up pleasing no one. Instead, I’m just hoping to appeal to readers who share my offbeat way of looking at things, and agree with me on what makes a fun story.
Have you ever tried writing in any other genres?
Although they’re both suspense thrillers, technically, I think my first two books are pretty far from each other in the genre spectrum. The best way to describe The Gold Club is a white collar crime thriller, whereas TMI is more a straight-up technothriller. And two of my upcoming books are science fiction, so I’d have to say I’m fairly multi-genre from the get-go.
Do you have any interesting writing-related anecdotes
to share?
Can’t think of a good one right now, sorry.
Do you listen to music as you write?
I absolutely can’t do that. Even editing, I really wish I could, but when it comes down to it I need a silent room. If there’s any music, or even talk radio for that matter, I focus in on it. I guess that’s the curse of also being a musician, I’m always listening. So when I want to listen to my brain, I’ve got to shut off the rest of the world.
The inspiration behind your book?
Well, I hope it’s not ridiculously stupid of me to say that a tiny part of my motivation behind The Gold Club was to have a few (well intentioned!) jabs at the mighty Amazon Co. - I’m sure it won’t escape notice that the fictional mega-conglomorate Sahara Co. that features in my story is a bit similar to ‘Zon around the edges, and the fact that gaming the system is possible in my book might relate to a subconscious desire any struggling writer might have to “game the system” and get to the top of the rankings himself. But again, all in good fun (Zon, please don’t punish me!).
Can’t think of a good one right now, sorry.
Do you listen to music as you write?
I absolutely can’t do that. Even editing, I really wish I could, but when it comes down to it I need a silent room. If there’s any music, or even talk radio for that matter, I focus in on it. I guess that’s the curse of also being a musician, I’m always listening. So when I want to listen to my brain, I’ve got to shut off the rest of the world.
The inspiration behind your book?
Well, I hope it’s not ridiculously stupid of me to say that a tiny part of my motivation behind The Gold Club was to have a few (well intentioned!) jabs at the mighty Amazon Co. - I’m sure it won’t escape notice that the fictional mega-conglomorate Sahara Co. that features in my story is a bit similar to ‘Zon around the edges, and the fact that gaming the system is possible in my book might relate to a subconscious desire any struggling writer might have to “game the system” and get to the top of the rankings himself. But again, all in good fun (Zon, please don’t punish me!).
Again, thank you David, for your time.
Thanks,
Jeff!
Reach David Haskell at his site:
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