Interview with Neil Desmond

Author of Angels of Stockholm

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I am originally from Boston, but I have lived in Vermont for more than twenty years.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

When I was growing up, my family would sometimes go on trips to Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine. I fell in love with Northern New England. When I was in my twenties, a job opportunity came up in Vermont. I jumped on it, and never looked back.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

I realized that telling stories was a good way to connect with people. Story telling is an ancient and beautiful art form. When it is done right, it has the potential to truly move people.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

The collection has nineteen short stories, including historical fiction, mystery, science fiction and literary fiction. There is a story about a near death experience, another about a missing person, and another about a homeless man on the streets of Providence. A common theme is that good people are not alone, as they sometimes think they are. Good people are spiritually connected to each other by their innate desire to do what is right. Esteemed author Howard Norman, a two time National Book Award Finalist, called the collection “Remarkable.” Liz Gauffreau, author of the fine novel “Telling Sonny,” said “There is a thread of the supernatural which runs through the collection, tantalizing the reader with connections to a spiritual realm that most of us don’t have.” Literary critic Margot Harrison of Seven Days Magazine noted that the stories “emphasize the power and grace of charity in every day life.” Canadian author Rita Baker said, “Like those short story tellers Guy De Maupassant and Somerset Maugham, Desmond has proved his ability and, I believe, earned his place among the best.”

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

Many of my readers have told me they are moved by what I would describe as the “eureka moment” in the lives of my characters. Often, my characters are struggling with the realization that the world is not the way they thought it was, and are trying to find a way forward. In the title story, “Angels of Stockholm,” a concentration camp prisoner named Marina is skeptical of the motives of a bus driver who has come to transport her and the camp’s children to safety. The driver tells her, “I have a six year old boy at home. A parent to one child is a parent to all children.” His statement changed Marina’s view of the world. It changed her life.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

When “Angels of Stockholm” won the Short Story of the Year Award by Adelaide Literary Magazine of New York City, I was stunned. I was awarded a book contract by their publishing arm, Adelaide Books. This was to be my first book, although several of my stories had been published in literary magazines already. It was very exciting. I was invited to the Book Expo of America in New York and was privileged to meet my publishers, as well as many others in the industry. I had already written many short stories, as it had been a longtime hobby of mine. By the time I was awarded the contract, the collection was already written. Due to the genres and types of stories I write, I had thought of myself as something of a “niche” writer. As it turned out, all kinds of people seem to appreciate my writing. That came as a very pleasant surprise to me.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

I would say to learn as much as you can about the promotion aspect of it BEFORE your book is published. I would not try to do ALL of the recommended promotional activities, but would instead pinpoint those which are the most doable and are most effective.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

I write stories because I know there are some questions in life which simply don’t have answers. For me personally, this causes a strong passion and desire to explore themes of hope, endurance, and spirituality. I believe it is the responsibility of writers, indeed of artists in general, to suggest avenues by which the reader (or viewer or listener) can move forward in life, even without a clear path to do so. For example, there may be a time in a person’s life when they just “know” inside of themselves what the right thing to do is, even they don’t know why. My stories explore these universal themes. For this reason, I would like my stories to reach as many people as possible.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

As with any author, it is always the promotion or “business” aspect of the process. Let’s face it, writer’s just want to write. However, it doesn’t work that way. I don’t mind it as much as some writers do, as I know some writers “hate” it. I don’t feel that way about promotion, but my passion is writing, so the fact that promotion takes up as much time and effort as it does is a frustration. However, that is the nature of industry, and we should be grateful to and for the industry.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

When it comes to writing, I love to just sit down and let the pen take over. Yes, you read that right. The stories honestly do “flow” through me. I often don’t even know where a story is going until I am well into writing it. I do not edit until after the story is written. If there is one piece of advice I would give to new writers, it would be to just get the story down on paper first. Don’t worry about the rephrasing, the editing, and so forth until afterwards. Don’t do ANY of that until the whole story has flowed through you and is down on paper. As far as publishing is concerned, I did not self publish the book, it was done through a traditional publisher in New York. In terms of marketing, one of the best things I did was to hire a good social media consultant right away. I hired Sophia Rabe in Burlington, Vermont. I developed good communication with her and it has helped me with my social media presence.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

So far, I have only written short stories, I have not written a novel. As of yet, I just haven’t had an extraordinarily long story come to me. It may be that my style and method of writing does not lend itself to a lengthy narrative. As mentioned, I did not self publish. In terms of marketing, I would probably do better if I was more proficient with the IT aspect of marketing. While my social media consultant has been a great help and resource, I probably should be more proficient in my own right when it comes to the finer details of digital marketing.

When do you think you will write your next book?

I’m continuing to write short stories. I have written six new stories since the book was published, and I have a couple of older stories I did not include in the book as I want to do a little more editing on them. Before I actually publish another book, however, I have a persistent urge to turn my story “Early Morning in Baton Rouge,” which is included the published collection, into a screenplay. Most writers have the notion in their head that their stories would make good films, and very few ever see that ambition become a reality. I understand this, but I just can’t shake the sense I have about this particular story.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

Adelaide Books is a small, but traditional publisher. It is run by Stevan Nikolic, for whom it is a labor of love. He has a true passion for literature, and it comes through in his approach to publishing. I am honored to have been published through his company.