INFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here at S.A.V.A. Press, not only do we like and respect writers, but we find them profoundly interesting. As such, whenever we publish and promote authors, we also try to get to know them a little bit. Hopefully, you’ll find the following questions and answers both engaging and enticing enough to delve into more of the author’s available content…
And now, without further ado, S.A.V.A. Press is proud to present: Bill Baber!
S.A.V.A. Press: “Author bios, by their very nature, are meant to be short and sweet. Is there anything outside of your author bio that you’d like your readers to know about you, or that you think your readers might find interesting and/or surprising about you? If not, feel free to use this space to speak directly to your readers about anything related to your published work…”
Bill Baber: “I’m not the type of writer that writes on a daily basis. When I try, I end up staring at a blank page or writing crap. I wrote poetry before fiction and it was all spontaneous prose. I never set out to write a poem, they just more or less came to me and didn’t require much editing. Fiction is much the same for me and as a result, I write lots of flash pieces. Of course, they do require editing!”
S.A.V.A. Press: “Here at S.A.V.A. Press, we feel that all writers can contribute something to the conversation about the art of writing. Can you share your thoughts on what, in your opinion, are the elements of great writing?”
Bill Baber: “For me, writing is like a song. It has to have a hook and catch from the start. I think Elmore Leonard’s rules of writing are spot on, especially when it comes to wordiness.”
S.A.V.A. Press: “Writing is an art, and all artists derive inspiration from their mentors and idols along the way. Can you elaborate on the people who’ve inspired and influenced you, and helped mold your writing thus far? And please don’t feel as if your answer has to be limited to writers. Inspiration can come from all kinds of sources…”
Bill Baber: “I first drew inspiration—and encouragement to write—from teachers. One taught a Creative Writing class in high school and two were Journalism instructors. There have been a number of people along the way who have encouraged and pushed me. I was fortunate enough to share pages of a book with the poet, Jerold Ramsey. I learned a great deal from him and I was incredibly intimidated when we first met. He welcomed me and treated me as an equal as a writer. As far as influences, I write crime fiction because of James Crumley. And John Steinbeck is my writing idol. And Raymond Carver and William Kittredge and Willy Vlautin, and on and on. Lately, I have drawn inspiration from songwriters like Guy Clark and Robert Earl Keen. Keen’s song, “The Road Goes on Forever” is one of my favorite short stories.
“Lastly, all the editors I have been fortunate enough to work with.”
S.A.V.A. Press: “Please share your thoughts, both positive and/or negative, on the literary landscape of today…”
Bill Baber: “First, the bad, because it is what the majority of the populace is exposed to. I spent thirty years working for a book wholesaler, dealing with mass market books. It was—and is—the same authors over and over. They were afraid to take a chance on anything new or different. I think independent publishers are stronger than ever and are publishing some damn fine writers. Amazon certainly has its flaws, but it provides a market that an independent book store can’t.”
S.A.V.A. Press: “If you could suggest one fiction book that everyone should read, what would it be, and why?”
Bill Baber: “Sorry, I have to go with three. First, and maybe because I am from California, I consider East of Eden by Steinbeck to be The Great American Novel. It has everything you want a great book to have.
“As I said earlier, I write crime fiction because of James Crumley. The Last Good Kiss is my favorite crime novel. From its iconic opening line to the poetic phrasing, it's as good as crime fiction gets.
“Lastly, The Low Desert by Todd Goldberg are short stories set around Palm Springs and the Salton Sea. They are beautiful, tragic and haunting.”
Bill Baber’s writing has appeared at Crime sites across the web and in print anthologies—most notably from Shotgun Honey, Gutter Books, Dead Guns Press, Close to the Bone and Authors on the Air Press—and has garnered Derringer Award and Best of the Net nominations. A book of his poetry, Where the Wind Comes to Play, was published in 2011. He lives with his wife and a spoiled dog in Tucson, Az. on the edge of the desert and sometimes just on the edge.
https://www.amazon.com/Bill-Baber/e/B012Y2WHBQ%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
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