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  • Amy Shannon

Featured Author: Dave Eisenstark


Q: In one sentence, tell me something that describes you as a person?

A: Succinct.

Q: How many books have you written? How many of those are published?

A: Two books published:

The Video Killer—horror/black comedy/crime novel from Spanking Pulp Press.

Bleeding Kansas—Civil War/Historical Western/humor from World Castle Publishing.

I have several mystery/crime/thriller novels not yet published (or not finished—haven't decided.)

I've also ghostwritten a dozen novels on assignment, five of which have been published (that I know of). Mum's the word on those. "Frankly, Dave, the book's worth more if your name's not on it."

Nine of my feature screenplays have been produced, along with another 60 or so unproduced, mostly written on assignment. (That's right, I'm a recovering screenwriter.)

I've done some novel to script adaptations and a few script to novel translations as well.

Q: Do you have an upcoming release? If yes, tell me the title and impending release date.

A: My latest is The Video Killer. More to come soon, I hope. And a movie or two maybe.

Q: Tell me about how you come up with your titles for your stories. Do you create the title before or after you write the book, and does it ever change from the initial title?

A: Great titles are tough. I usually change titles many times before landing on one. Bleeding Kansas was a difficult choice. It catches your attention, and describes the book perfectly, so I had to go with it, even though a number of other books share that title.

Q: Out of all your characters in all of your books, who/what (sometimes a setting can also be an important “character”) do you think is the most interesting and why?

A: James Deeter, the narrator of Bleeding Kansas, is still the most interesting, even after all the time I've spent with him. His mind travels a narrow path. On the one hand, he misses the most obvious things, but he's also capable of incredible insight. He's both seasoned and naive. He's got a big heart and a bigger sense of humor, and I hated to put him through what I had to put him through in the book.

Q: If you could “create” your own genre of what you write, what would you call your books?

A: Goofy realism. Gray comedy.

Q: Without quoting your back cover synopsis, tell me about the last book you published.

A: The Video Killer is the sick, dangerous, clearly insane adventures of a serial killer...or two.

Q: Tell me something about yourself that is separate from writing.

A: My wife is a sound mixer in the film industry. She's done hundreds of feature films and TV shows. My daughter is a foreign correspondent in Beijing. I'm the least interesting person in my family. No, wait—the dog (Roxie)—...no, she's pretty interesting, too.

Q: Who is your favorite Author?

A: I can't pick just one. Give me John le Carre, Elmore Leonard and Mark Twain to get started.

Q: What is the last book that you read? (Not counting anything you wrote)

A: Just read The Seas by Samantha Hunt. Slightly "magical" for my taste, but she's a great writer and I'm anxious to read more of her books/stories.

Q: When writing, do you have a system or something you plan, or do you just write?

A: I have lots of systems, schemes, plans and alternates, but mostly I just try to get things down as fast as I can, then go back later and fix everything later. If I write an outline, it's usually AFTER I've got a first draft.

Q: Why do you write?

A: Okay...I'm not sure...existential crisis here. No reason. Maybe I should stop...give me a moment...

Q: Do you read your own work a lot? If so, what does it do for you?

A: I don't read my own stuff more than I need to, I think. If something has been sitting around for a long time I'll go back and give the characters cell-phones or backup cameras on their cars or maybe a text-message or two, but that's about it. Also if there's any mention of Sputnik—I'll update that.

Q: What is your favorite type of music? Is there one genre (or song, band etc...) that brings out your creativeness more than others?

A: I'm an old folkie, folk-rock, R & B, blues, rock kind of guy. I'll crank up Wooly Bully, Brown Sugar, Green Onions, or anything by Dusty Springfield or Creedence or Sam and Dave or Percy Sledge to get going. The Animals.

Q: As an author, I find that the hardest thing to write (for me) is the synopsis that will be on the back cover or book’s description. When you write, what is the hardest line to write, the first line, the last line or the synopsis for the book?

A: Oh yeah, it's the synopsis. And I don't think it's just us. I've never read a synopsis that really made me want to read the book or see the movie.

Q: If you could sit down and have a coffee (or whatever beverage) with anyone, living or dead, from any era, any time, who would it be and why? (You can pick up to 3 persons).

A: Besides Lee Harvey Oswald? (Just ONE question, okay?) Shakespeare's got to be the next one. Maybe the Buddha? Did he even drink coffee? Yak milk?

Q: Any final thoughts that you want to give to your fans or even future authors?

A: If you're one of my millions of fans, why don't you ever call? Or write?

To other writers: hang in there. Don't hide. My email: EisenstarkD@ca.rr.com

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