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Interview with Marc D. Giller Interview by Amy Brozio-Andrews
Marc D. Giller has written several novels and screenplays, the first being a science fiction book at age sixteen; Hammerjack, a new techno-thriller published by Bantam Spectra is his first published book. His science-fiction thriller, Prodigal, will be published in 2006. Through his website, Hammerjack.net, readers can keep up with the latest news about Marc and his work.
Please tell us about the journey from the science fiction novel you wrote at as a teenager to the publication of Hammerjack this year. What ever happened to that first book? Has the publication of Hammerjack lived up to any of the expectations you had at sixteen years old?
Writing that first novel was a real education! At the time, I had it in my head that all I needed to do was mail it in and the publisher would buy it. I didn’t know anything about agents, editors, slush piles, and all of the barriers that stood between me and seeing my book in print. Flushed with the success of actually finishing a book, I also didn’t realize just how bad it was! A year later, when the rejected manuscript came back with an unsigned, photocopied form letter from “the editors,” I started getting the idea that this whole publishing game might be harder than I thought.
God knows why, but I didn’t get discouraged. I just kept writing, trying out new things, figuring that one of these days I’d get noticed. It took four more novels before my craft finally reached the point where literary professionals started paying attention. Even so, I wrote another four novels after that before making a sale-- though I came heartbreakingly close a couple of times in between.
Publishing Hammerjack has been everything I could have dreamed of so far. It’s just such a thrill having one my novels on the bookshelf, it still seems surreal whenever I walk into a bookstore and see it there.
What inspired you to pick up a pen and start writing your first book at sixteen?
A long, hot Florida summer and not a hell of a lot to do!
Actually, I had toyed with the idea of writing a novel ever since I wrote a longish short story for English class back in the tenth grade. My teachers always told me that I was a good writer, and one of them even expressed hope that I would choose writing as a career. I also took a cue from my sister, who loved teen romance novels (bleah!) and dabbled with one of her own, scribbling it down in her well-worn spiral notebook but never allowing anybody to read it. I thought I would do her one better and write a “Star Trek” novel, which was my favorite thing in the world at the time. See where sibling rivalry can lead?
I had a couple of false starts, but got working in earnest the summer before my senior year in high school. And, to my utter shock, I finished the damn thing-- which, in writing, is half the battle.
Your website bio indicates that you've written several novels and screenplays, and worked in a variety of genres: horror, thriller, historical fiction. How would you describe Hammerjack? Do you have any plans to revisit any of the other genres, or maybe try something else entirely?
Almost everything I’ve written has elements of a thriller. I’ve always enjoyed a rip-roaring story with strong characters, lots of action-- so no matter what genre I write in, you’ll generally find those things at work. In fact, I pitched Hammerjack as “science-fiction with a thriller sensibility,” which really struck a chord with my editor at Bantam. The technology and setting make it sci-fi, but the story and construction are pure thriller.
Since I love horror (both books and movies-- there’s nothing quite like a good scare!), I’d really like to take another walk on the dark side someday and do a straight-up frightener. I also have an idea for a screenplay that takes place back in the 1930s at a critical time in history, which I hope to start working on as soon as I finish my current novel, probably within the next couple of months. Of course, the real trick there is getting Hollywood to buy it-- but I’ll worry about that after it’s done!
How does it feel to be referred to as a debut novelist when you've been writing for years?
That suits me just fine. As Ringo Starr once said, “I’m just happy to be here.”
Please tell us a little bit about your techniques for juggling work, writing, and family time. Any advice for other writers on that?
The best advice I can give is to not make yourself crazy. That can be a real challenge when you’re working a day job in addition to writing under a publisher’s deadline, while finding enough time for the wife and kids so they don’t forget what you look like.
I do that by keeping on a fixed schedule. I write five days a week in the evenings (after the kids go to bed) and all day on Friday, and reserve one night a week for goofing off. To me, this is absolutely essential-- a reward for working hard all week long, a break I can look forward to. Most writers, I believe, will inevitably grow to hate their novels if they feel as if writing has totally taken over their lives-- and that’s going to affect the quality of your work. Give yourself some breathing space, and the rest will come a lot more easily.
That said, you should also set reasonable goals and stick to them. For me, that translates to 2-3 pages per night, and 5-6 pages on Fridays-- no matter how long it takes. Sometimes I can reach my goal in an hour or two. Other times, it takes longer.
How did you research your novel? Are there any reference tools you think no writer should be without? (Are there any that you never want to see again?)
I honestly don’t know how I did research before the Internet. It’s amazing-- whatever you want to find, it’s online somewhere. For instance, a few weeks back I had to insert a Japanese swear word into one of my passages. A couple of clicks on Google and BAM! there it was. Sure beats hauling myself off to the library to try and find a Japanese-English slang dictionary.
For more esoteric subjects, though, I usually turn to books. My Collected Works of Shakespeare is always good for inspiration and quotes, and The Elements of Style should be in every writer’s desk-- especially when editing your work.
Asking questions is the best tool I know, above all else. Find people who have experienced the things you’re writing about. You’d be amazed at how folks open up when they find out you’re writing a novel. I’ve also made a lot of good friends this way.
What's on your desk right now?
A Powerbook G4, a telephone I almost never use, various debit receipts, and at least one of my daughter’s toys (she rotates them pretty much every day).
You have a blog on your website; what are your thoughts on blogging? Is it primarily a marketing tool or good daily writing exercise? Or a little of each?
I love blogs. I read them all the time, and get most of my news that way.
Since I write just about every day, I don’t really need the exercise of blogging-- but it is a great way for readers to get to know me on a more personal level. As most of the stuff I write tends to the dark, gritty side, it also allows me to get kind of whimsical, telling stories about my kids or having a laugh over something that strikes me as funny. It’s pretty liberating, really.
Can you share one piece of career advice with Absolute Write's readers-- something that you wish someone had told you?
Of course, there are the basics: never give up, keep writing, hone your craft, etc. But one thing nobody ever told me-- which is vital if you ever hope to be published-- is to make contacts. Try to meet industry professionals, collect business cards, never throw away an address or a phone number. Keep track of your nice rejection letters (you know, the ones that say, “This is good, but it isn’t for us.”), and submit your work there when you have something new. And never be afraid to ask for something-- you’d be amazed at what you can get by making a polite, professional request.
Okay, I know it's off-topic, but I have to ask-- what happened with that one-night stint as a television news reporter that you mention on your website?
Ah, yes-- my brush with TV stardom! After college I wanted to get into broadcast news, so I took the first television job I could find-- as a commercial photographer with a small TV station in Texas. I figured I would work my way into the news division, so I volunteered (without pay, of course) to help the department out on weekends. I kept badgering them to let me put a story on the air, and they eventually relented-- sticking me in a time slot that virtually guaranteed nobody would see it.
Now, I’m a novelist. That’s showbiz for ya!
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