Welcome Author Tim Smith today

Welcome to Dawn’s Reading Nook, Tim Smith. Please let my cabana boys/girls get you a drink and make yourself at home. Comfortable? Great…now let’s get down to business.

Can you tell us a little about how you started writing; was it something you have always wanted to do?

I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was in school. I wrote a lot of short stories that never saw daylight and some reviews (movies, music, etc.) that did. Nothing was ever formally published until ten years ago. I had this story idea bouncing around in my head with a terrific character and one day I challenged myself to either write it or stop talking about it. Nine books and numerous blogs later, I finally have a bestseller.   

What do you consider to be the key elements of a great story?

I consider humor to be a crucial element, even if the story isn’t comedic. It lightens the mood a bit and gives the characters more depth. Realistic characters that step out of the pages are also important, and if they have human flaws, so much the better. I love atmosphere and realistic dialogue. Of course, a semi-original plot also helps.

Could you tell us a little about how you develop your characters? Who has been your favorite character to write? The most challenging?

I like to develop characters based on people I know, if not in whole then by including some feature or personality trait. I do research once I’ve decided what the character will do – cop, private eye, spy, etc. – so I can work some of those things into their personality. I also try to include some of my own attitudes and morals in the heroes.

My favorite character I created was the lead in The Sweet Distraction, George Sullivan. He’s an author of adventure novels who has hit the skids, both professionally and romantically.  I had fun writing him because it was art imitating life. At the time, my own writing career wasn’t going well and my personal life wasn’t faring much better.

The most challenging characters I’ve created are the females, because I’m always fearful that I won’t get their feelings or attitudes right. Fortunately I have a sig other who isn’t shy about telling me when I’ve gotten it wrong.  

Please tell us about the projects you are currently working on; what can readers expect to see in the coming months?

I’m awaiting the release of my newest romantic mystery, Lido Key. It’s a follow-up to one I released last year, The Bundle, featuring the same private eye hero. I’m still promoting my most recent romantic thriller, Memories Die Last, and there’s a sequel to that one in the works. I plan on having it out this year. I recently completed an anthology set in Key West that I’m shopping around. 

Where can readers find out what's new and how can they contact you?

They can check out my website, www.timsmithauthor.com to find my latest offerings and read excerpts from my books. They can contact me through the site.

Do you have a strict writing schedule? How do you balance your personal and writing time?

Unlike most writers, I don’t have a strict schedule and I have to be in the mood to write. Some days my regular job is so mentally tiring that I don’t have the concentration to work on anything literary. As for balancing time, I’ve found that being organized is invaluable.

Which author(s) is your favorite? And who has most influenced you work?

In no particular order, I’ve always enjoyed Raymond Chandler, James W. Hall, Mickey Spillane, Donald E. Westlake and Ian Fleming. I suppose Chandler had the biggest influence on my overall writing style. When I decided to add a stronger romance element, I read Nora Roberts and Sandra Browne.

If you could have any vice without repercussions, what would it be?

Indulging in decadent desserts like Key Lime pie or Red Velvet cake without feeling guilty about it.

If you could have been the servant to any famous person in history, who would that be and why?

I would say being a butler in the White House when John F. Kennedy was President. That was a turning point in history and it would have been fascinating to see it all firsthand.

Which of your characters do you love/hate/fear/pity the most and why?

That’s like asking which one of your kids you like best, but here goes. I love Nick Seven, the former CIA spook in Memories Die Last. I’ve written several stories with that character and he gets more interesting with each one because he has a lot of layers. He comes from a troubled past and somehow that past always bites him on the ass. I love Felicia, the Barbadian beauty he’s involved with, too. She’s also a former spook who worked with Nick and she interests me because she’s as tough as he is, yet incredibly sexy. The heat these two generate could warm up Minnesota in January.

The closest I ever came to disliking a character was a villainess I created who was pure evil. The fact that I modeled her on someone I couldn’t stand had no influence on her vile personality – riiiight!

Have you ever experienced weird cravings while you write? If so, what kind?

When I’m writing the mystery or adventure stories I get into full pulp fiction/film noir mode and develop a craving for Scotch. Experience has taught me that in my case, drinking and writing don’t mix.

Tell us about your favorite characters you love when writing. Are the heroes alpha males? Sweet yet shy geeks? And those heroines (if there are any in your story), are they feisty, independent “Take no prisoners” kind of women? Do they love it when a strong man takes care of them, pampering them? Give us the dirt on them.

My heroes aren’t exactly alpha males, but they aren’t pushovers, either. They all have a strong moral code and a sense of humor. I’ve written heroes that were everything from a former CIA spook to a cop turned private investigator, with a couple of writers thrown in for balance. The trick is to give each one a unique personality and some memorable quirks. Someone once said “We are all the heroes of our own stories.” I have to be careful not to let too much Tim Smith infiltrate each character. That might make them boring.

My heroines are strong, independent and sexy. In the adventure and mystery romances, I make a point not to portray them as the damsel in distress, waiting for the big strong knight on a white horse to come charging to their rescue. The heroine in Memories Die Last is a former CIA operative, and she’s as kick-ass as any male. No matter how strong I make the heroines, they like it when the hero shows the proper amount of attention, especially in bed.   

If you could set up your writing desk anywhere in the world to write, no interruptions for 48 hours, where would you go and why?

A private strip of beach in Key Largo, Florida, hands down. I love The Keys and the sunsets. The Rum Runners and conch fritters aren’t bad, either.

If you could be with any celebrity/author/character for a day, who would it be and what would you be doing?

This may sound retro, but I would’ve liked nothing better than to hang out with Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin in Vegas, just to absorb the cool and find out how they did what they did.

Tell us where to find you on the web.

My website is www.timsmithauthor.com. I also have author pages on Amazon and Manic Readers.

 Memories Die Last by Tim Smith

Extasy Books

Buy HERE

An All Romance eBook Best Seller

What happens when your life is turned inside out by something from your past that won’t leave you alone? Former CIA operative Nick Seven finds out when his peaceful life in The Florida Keys is disrupted by the surprise appearance of an old nemesis he thought was buried alongside the painful memory of a personal tragedy. He reluctantly gets back into the spy game to settle an old score and is pleasantly surprised to find himself paired with beautiful Felicia Hagens, a former co-worker from Barbados. Together they uncover a complex maze of intrigue, espionage and high-level government corruption. The assignment gets more complicated when they realize they have unrequited feelings for each other. Can Nick finally hit the elusive target and reclaim his personal corner of paradise? Will Felicia return to Barbados or stay with the rugged former spy she’s always had a secret thing for?

PG excerpt:

Nick and Felicia found seats on the outdoor deck at Shooter’s On The Water and ordered drinks. Nick took out a cigarette, tapped the butt end on his lighter a couple of times then lit up.

“You oughta quit those, you know,” Felicia said.

Nick chuckled and looked at her. “Still thinking about me, aren’t you?”

Felicia returned his gaze and absently brushed a strand of hair back from her face. “I never stopped.”

“Tell the truth, I never did, either.”

“So how come you don’t write to me all that time I’m back on Barbados?”

“Nothing to say, I guess.”

“Not even a card at Christmas. I thought about you lots the last few years, wondered how you were and what you were doin’.”

“Ya know, Barbados isn’t that far from The Keys. You could’ve hopped a plane and came to see for yourself if you were that interested.”

Felicia paused. “Maybe I was afraid you wouldn’t want to see me.”

Nick pondered her statement for a moment. He looked at Felicia and appreciated anew her natural bronzed beauty, including the deepest, most sensual brown eyes he’d ever gazed into.   

“Not a chance, and you’re right - I could’ve caught a plane myself.”

Felicia glanced down in embarrassment and let out a soft laugh. “So what’s it like on Key Largo?”

Nick sat back in his chair and propped one leg on the other. “Gorgeous. Great temperatures year round, bright blue water, all the fresh seafood you can handle and the most beautiful sunsets in the world.”

“What you do for action down there?”

“I have a bar and restaurant on The Gulf.”

“You like it?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Can’t be as excitin’ as this.”

Nick puffed his cigarette. “I had enough excitement in my former life, thank you very much.” He sipped his drink. “So much for me. What’ve you been doing on Barbados?”

Felicia paused. “Survivin’. It was kinda strange goin’ back there after everything I did here. Took some gettin’ used to.”

“I have to ask. Were you really working as a bouncer in a waterfront bar?”

Felicia chuckled and tossed him a wink. “It was one way for me to stay in shape. Those roughnecks like to let off some steam after a couple months at sea.”

“What did you get from it besides exercise?”

“I learned never to bend over in front of them.”

Nick laughed. “Yeah, I can see where that would cause a problem.” His laughter subsided. “Why did you leave? You could’ve stayed with the program and had your own team. Why bail?”

Felicia took a sip then glanced down. “When you transferred to The Farm and became an instructor, it stopped bein’ fun. I decided to go back home until somethin’ better came along.”

“And you never found it?”

She slowly shook her head while looking at him. “Not yet, but I’m still lookin’. What about you? Did you find what you were lookin’ for?”

Nick gazed into her eyes. “I’m working on it.”

Author bio:

Tim Smith is a best selling author whose books range from romantic mystery/thrillers to contemporary erotic romance. He is also a freelance photographer. When he isn’t indulging in these two passions he can often be found in The Florida Keys, doing research in between parasailing and seeking out the perfect Mojito. More information about his books and photography can be found at his website, www.timsmithauthor.com.