Interview with Andrew Allan, author of the Walt Asher Florida Thrillers and the Grindhouse Pulp series
How did
you start your writing career?
My writing career started as a screenwriter. I make movies every
now and then and needed a way to ensure I always had material to direct. That
led to writing commercials, which is now my daytime profession. So, I’ve been
writing in some form or another for nearly 25 years.
My book career started in 2016. I was reading a novel by a
best-selling author and caught myself saying, “I can do better than this!” So,
I decided to try and back that arrogant statement up by writing my first Walt
Asher book, KILLERS, BIKERS & FREAKS.
Who is
Walt Asher? Do you share any personality traits with him?
Walt Asher is an infomercial writer (yes, those ridiculous
commercials you see on TV that say “But wait! There’s more!”) living a good
life along the Rainbow River in North Florida. He has no intention of fighting
crime whatsoever. That is, until he finds his friend’s body dead on the
riverbank. Like any good writer, he starts asking questions. That’s when he
accidentally pokes the hornet’s nest and the killers come after him.
I do share some traits with Walt. They say, “write what you know”,
and I did. He’s a writer, as I am. He also has a very inquisitive mind, can be
persuasive, is loyal to friends, and doesn’t cotton to bullshit. And, he and I
both live in Florida.
What’s
most difficult about writing thrillers?
For me, it’s finding enough time to write. I write early each
morning, every morning. But then, the rest of the day gets in the way. I’d like
to have 4-5 hours a day to write instead of just 1 or 2. As far as the work
itself goes, it’s not easy, but it’s enjoyable. I’ve developed enough patience
to know it’s a long process. It also doesn’t hurt to write a novella while
mired in a full-length novel. That’s how THE PIMP’S HENCHMAN came about.
In your
opinion, should thrillers have some moral message? Or are they pure
entertainment?
Authors should write whatever they like. They’re the ones who have
to put in the long hours of work. And, they’re the ones stuck with it in the
end, once audiences have moved on.
A book’s number-one job is to murder boredom. If it’s not
entertaining, I’ll never get to the message. It’s fine to have a moral message,
but not required. Having some sort of message or learning or enlightenment
makes for a richer reading experience. That’s what helps a story resonate in
the reader’s mind beyond the pages.
Your Walt
Asher series is written in the first person POV. Why did you choose this POV?
I set the Walt Asher series in first person POV because it made
the danger feel more immediate. And, it felt like a more natural way to get
inside Walt’s head…to witness his thought process as he reacted to the shock of
being attacked, as he tried to follow the clues and started to fight back.
Please
present us your new series Grindhouse Pulp.
My Grindhouse Pulp series is just that—a pulp novella series
inspired by my love of outrageous, grindhouse movies. I love the completely
over-the-top movies they screened in the 42nd Street NYC grindhouse
theaters in the sixties, seventies, and eighties. So, this series is my way of
writing those types of movies, but in prose form.
Each book focuses on interesting characters in a vast Florida
criminal underground. Book 1 is THE PIMP’S HENCHMAN. There will also books
featuring a suburban Mexican mafia, Greek sea gangsters, sadistic rednecks, and
a mob of wrestlers who attack outside of the ring.
Why did
you decide to start a new series? Will you continue writing about Walt Asher?
I started the new series because it was a way to collect cool
ideas I had been kicking around and wanted to explore further. The main
difference between this series and the Walt Asher series is this: In the Walt
series, we get the story through the eyes of the good guy. In Grindhouse Pulp,
the stories are told from the POV of what are essentially bad guys. However,
sometimes bad guys do good things.
Yes, I will continue the Walt Asher series. I expect to have a new
Walt Asher novel out around the beginning of the year. And, there will be a
Walt novella coming out in about a month. The really cool thing about the Walt
novella is that it features some of the characters whose stories will be
explored in Grindhouse Pulp. Their universes cross over.
Who are
more interesting to you — heroes or villains? Why? Can anyone be a hero in real
life, not in books?
Good question. Heroes and villains can be equally interesting as
long as they are well-written characters. I don’t have a preference. Villains
provide more visceral thrills in the form of crime and deception and stake
raising. Good guys, I think, provide more resonant impact and can help shape
our perceptions of life. Travis McGee is a good example of this.
That said, I don’t mind some ambiguity in the mix. It’s just as
fun to read about good guys doing bad things. And in the case of my books …Walt
Asher’s best friend, DG, could be considered a villain because he’s a biker
who’s into all kinds of illegal activity and won’t hesitate to murder people.
But, he’s also Walt’s good friend and helps fight the creeps coming after Walt.
The difference is, he’s not the antagonist.
I do have one particular pet peeve when it comes to villains: They
need to be bad. I mean really bad. Too many books and movies try to humanize
villains with a forgiving backstory.
And yes, anyone can be a hero in real life. Just ask the nurse who
saved my life.
How many
drafts do you write? Do you plot in advance?
I do a full first draft, which I equate to setting out all the
pieces of the puzzle. Once I see what’s on the table, then I can adjust, add,
nip, tuck, and tighten. I usually end up doing a full pass through the novel
about five or six times. Usually, I’ll do the first 2 to 3 times myself then
have a few people read and react to what’s there. I’ll make more adjustments
based on the feedback.
I am a mix between a plotter and a pantser. I usually outline the
first act and some major points in the second or third act. But, I almost
immediately stray from the outline. That’s because when I get in the zone, my
subconscious comes up with better ideas I hadn’t even considered.
Who do
you like to read? What are your influences, if any?
I love crime novels. My favorite authors in that realm are John D.
MacDonald and James Ellroy. Chester Himes, Elmore Leonard, Michael Simon, Robert
B. Parker are all great. Other influences include Adam Hall’s Quiller series,
which is fantastic from start to finish. Beyond that, I’m a fan of Flannery
O’Connor’s work. And, the great author overlord of influence for me will always
be Harry Crews. Nothing can touch his southern-fried insanity. And if you
didn’t know, he was one of Michael Connelly’s writing instructors at the
University of Florida. For that, I will
always be jealous.
You are a
top infomercial writer and director; what’s most important in this work? Could
you tell us some interesting stories about it?
Hmmm. Well, the most important thing is you have to be able to
persuade a person, who is sitting at home watching TV with absolutely no
intention to purchase anything, to pick up the phone and order what you are
selling. You have to convince them they are missing something in their life and
this is that thing. It’s a great skill to have, which is why Walt Asher has it
in the stories. His number one weapon is persuasion.
Interesting stories…well, I’ve written for different celebrities.
My work has been seen all over the world. I’ve written commercials for all
kinds of products, everything from skincare to cook pans to the Wonder Bible,
which is like the hit of the year. Speaking of hits, the infomercial industry
is just like the movie industry. If you have a hit, everyone wants to work with
you. I’ve been fortunate to have hits every year for close to a decade.
What
place does cinema have in your life?
A large place. I majored in film in college. I’ve made feature
films. I’ve distributed films and had my own cult movie DVD label. And, I’m
just a huge film fan, as touched upon earlier. I even own a website called
DailyGrindhouse.com, which is primarily about grindhouse and horror movies, but
also goes beyond that. If you enjoy reading about movies, you will truly find
the best team of film writers publishing on that site.
About Andrew Allan:
Andrew Allan is the author of the Walt Asher Thriller and Grindhouse Pulp crime
fiction series. When he's not writing novels, he's a top infomercial writer and
director. He also makes wild cult movies, raises his three
children, and splits his time between Gainesville and Clearwater,
Florida. He enjoys hearing from readers and can be contacted at
AndrewAllanBooks.com. It's well worth a visit.
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