Today’s exclusive interview is with A. K. Smith, who splits her time between Arizona and Mexico. Her most recently published book is “A Deep Thing,” a novel of suspense and conspiracy that’s was released in both print and as an e-book on 12/19/2016. Here’s the blurb: What was her husband hiding in the jungles of Mexico? Rocked by her husband's tragic death, Kendall Jackson strives to put her life back together. But Ryder, her nineteen-year-old stepson, is bitter and wants nothing to do with her. And she can't keep the grief at bay. Sometimes, it's so strong, she wonders if life is worth living. A call from a cave diver in Mexico gives her hope of mending the relationship with her stepson. Before his death, her husband arranged a diving expedition as a birthday gift for his son. Kendall persuades Ryder to honor his father's last wish. From the campus of Western Maryland College to the woods of Camp David and the caves of the Yucatán, Kendall and Ryder take a journey to discover what her husband worked so hard to hide, and to protect his treasured secrets from falling into the wrong hands. The choices they make will decide their fate and the future of others. Will they risk everything for the truth? We caught up with A.K and asked her about her novel and her writing life: What gave you the idea to write this book? My husband and I took a romantic trip to the Riviera Maya in the Yucatan and discovered cenotes. Cenotes are deep iridescent underwater caves with fresh water. Outside Puerto Morelos, Mexico there is a road called "Route De Cenotes.” We hired a taxi driver to take us to explore this natural wonder. We drove back-dirt roads, ending up in the dense jungle. We walked back to a beautiful hole in the ground. The water was luminescent, we were in awe of our surroundings. You can dive, snorkel and swim in these wonders of nature, and the setting was surreal. When we returned home, I couldn't stop thinking about the cenotes. Why had I never heard of them? Why were they so secret and on private land? What if? What was your favorite or most surprising comment/review about the book? A blogger wrote me a one line email. “Holy Crap, I couldn’t put it down.” It was one of my first reviewers and it surprised me and made me laugh, coming from a total stranger. It gave me confidence which every author needs for their debut novel. If your book was made into a movie, who would you cast as which characters? Kendall -Rachel McAdams; Ryder -Ellar Coltrane; Scout- Josh Holloway Any Upcoming Promotions/Giveaways/Events We Should Know About? Goodreads Giveaway, Library Things Giveaway and Mystery Thriller Week Giveaway. What other jobs have you held? Contract negotiator for Hospital, Physicians and Healthcare, College Adminstrator, Real Estate Broker, Travel Writer If given a chance, which author (living or dead) would you like to meet (have met)? Nicholas Sparks. I’m a little younger and would love to chat with him about his journey of being an author. Do you have pets? Harvey, my Whoodle (Wheaten Terrier/Poodle mix), is in the book. What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of publishing today? My favorite is technology, my book is in nie countries because of technology. My least favorite is marketing and trying to figure out what works. Are you traditionally published or self-published and why? Traditionally published. I self-published a travel book under the name of Anita Kaltenbaugh. For my fiction book, I wanted the experience of a publisher. What conferences have you attended and what value have you found in attending conferences? I pitched “A Deep Thing” at the Las Vegas Writers conference in 2015. A publisher requested my manuscript and three months later I signed a contract. They were the only publisher/agent to read my entire manuscript, so conferences are extremely valuable to me. If you were going to dabble in a different genre, what would it be and why? I’ve written a mature YA thriller, called Pseudocide. I would like to get an agent that specifically targets Young Adult.
2 Comments
12/21/2016 07:07:08 am
"A Deep Thing" sounds wonderful. Best wishes for great success with the novel and with your "Pseudocide" (great title).
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12/21/2016 10:47:27 am
Sounds a really exciting read. Going to add it to the TBR pile
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