What genre do you write and
why?
I
have often been asked why I chose mystery and crime fiction as my literary genre.
It might be more accurate to say the genre chose me; and to add that a
particular genre is simply the vehicle
in which the writer journeys through the landscape he or she is compelled to
explore. In my experience as a reader it
is the theme and not the plot of a
novel that carries universal and lasting impact; making the particular genre
secondary to the thoughts and feelings which the writer is consciously or
unconsciously driven to express.
That
being said, the selection of crime fiction as my vehicle of choice was a
consequence of my exposure to literary works which examined crime and its
ramifications and which greatly influenced me as a young man and adult;
Dostoyevsky, Arthur Conan Doyle, Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Jim
Thompson. And by exposure to films like The Big Sleep, The Maltese Falcon, On The
Waterfront, Anatomy of a Murder, Witness for the Prosecution, The French
Connection, The Godfather and countless others.
Tell us about your latest
book.
“Circling
the Runway” is the first addition to the Jake Diamond Mystery series since
“Counting to Infinity” (2004). After a
ten year hiatus, busy working on other projects, it was time to bring Jake
back. My biggest concern was whether I
would still know Diamond and his
supporting cast of regular characters. I
discovered that I knew them all very well—and it was like a reunion with old
friends.
The
book itself looks at how two people, who traditionally do not get along at all,
are required to team up as partners—an odd
couple situation.
What advice do you have for
other writers?
I am
not a big believer in what is often referred to as writer’s block. There may be
times when the particular project you are working on comes to a temporary
impasse—but it shouldn’t stop one from writing. My advice is to write something, even if
it doesn’t belong in the current work, even if you are not sure if it fits
anywhere. I have found that it
miraculously fits into something down
the line, and to keep writing is the best way to find your way back into the primary
task.
What is your favourite quote
about writing/for writers?
Van
Morrison was asked what he would do if he never sold a song. He said: “I would do whatever I needed to do
to make a living, but I can’t not write.”
Where can people find out
more about you and your writing?
From
the web site, www.jlabramo.com; the
Facebook Author page www.facebook.com/jlabramo; and
the blog http://jlabramo.blogspot.com/
Who is your favourite
character in your book and why?
Aside
from Jake, who is like a stepbrother to me, it would have to be his associate,
Darlene Roman. She is the perfect foil
for Diamond. Darlene can match wits, be
as smartly humorous, set Jake straight, cover his back, challenge him to show
his better side, and prove that with all of his faults Jake Diamond is at the
end of the day an admirable character.
Why do you think readers are going to
enjoy your book?
The
Jake Diamond books have always been appreciated for their smart humor. Jake is more over easy than hard-boiled.
The books are dialogue driven—and readers enjoy their cinematic
qualities. Jake is always reading a
classic, and the novel he is reading is related to the circumstance he finds
himself in. In “Circling the Runway”,
Diamond is reading “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”—and I believe readers will
enjoy the insights Jake gathers from following Quasimodo’s plight.
Where can a reader purchase your book?
The
usual online booksellers, Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Circling-Runway-J-L
Abramo/dp/1937495876/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1427222396&sr=1-2&keywords=circling+the+runway,
Barnes and Noble, or any title can be ordered through a favorite bookstore.
How do you research your books?
I do
most of my research on the internet. I
am very careful about getting locations accurate, and often deal with
historical subjects. I also try to visit
places I write about, and speak to people who are knowledgeable about
particular settings and time periods.
What is your work in progress? Tell us
about it.
I
recently completed a collection of stories featuring a new character, a
Brooklyn private eye. I am currently
working on a follow up to “Gravesend”, the stand-alone thriller set in the
Brooklyn neighborhood where I grew up.
author interview
books
Circling the runway
Interview
interview feature
interview with author
JL Abramo
Jo Linsdell
partners in crime tours
writers and authors
2 Comments
Terrific interview, Jo! Thanks for introducing us to J. L. Abramo and his latest Jake Diamond mystery.
ReplyDeleteThank you for inviting me to talk about writing...it is one of my favorite subjects.
ReplyDeleteI love to hear from you. So feel free to comment, but keep in mind the basics of blog etiquette — no spam, no profanity, no slander, etc.
Thanks for being an active part of the Writers and Authors community.