Interview with David Lamb

Author of The Deepest Cut

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

I grew up in Kansas, spent many college years in Colorado and Kentucky, but have since been living in Arizona for over 25 years.

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

I was offered a postdoctoral residency in neuropsychology at Barrow Neurological Institute, fully expecting to move on when my two years were completed. However,they offered me a job and I’ve lived in Phoenix/Scottsdale ever since.

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

My son came to keep me company after I had my cancerous prostate removed. We passed the time talking about some story ideas we had developed while trudging hot and dusty Arizona trails when he was in Boy Scouts. He has been writing for fun since before high school and he encouraged me to put my ideas down on (digital) paper. I found I like it and haven’t stopped since.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

The Driven to the Hilt series is about coming of age under unusually adverse circumstances. Set about 100 years in the future in a mining colony on the planet of Cypress Grove, young Joshua is forced to try and live by the moral example of his parents. Not so easy to do when trying to walk the razor’s edge of life and death, dodging the deadly attention of underworld killers and corrupt cops. As the series evolves, the scope broadens to include other teens, who also come out of similar situations from around the American Sector of colonized space.

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

Well, the first book, The Deepest Cut, recently won a Bronze medal for science fiction in the Wishing Well awards, which is a competition in which United Kingdom teens vote on submitted books in different categories. It also won the Literary Classics gold medal as best sci-fi for young adults, while the Independent Authors Network gold medal was for best science fiction of the year, so there appears to be an appeal across a range of age groups.

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

That after immersing myself in a make believe world, the characters become so real they almost come alive. Their voices and actions begin to flow into my writing without much thought: it’s almost as if I simply set the scene, watch them react, and write down what happens.

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

Quit when it ceases to be fun and exciting. Sometimes I get in a “just gotta finish this chapter” mode, an attitude that is quite helpful at my job, but not with creative writing. When I’m engaged, excited, and having fun, the descriptions are crisper and the dialogue sparkles! So, quitting when you’re tired and it has become drudgery is always better in the end.

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

Obviously every writer wants to share what they’ve created with as many people as possible. Independent feedback suggests The Deepest Cut is an engaging and entertaining read, but I believe it would be particularly meaningful to people suffering from depression and posttraumatic stress, since these are underlying themes in the books and Joshua provides an inspiring, but very human example of someone overcoming such challenges.

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

Separating from the crowd. There is such a cascading wave of books to read out there that it feels almost impossible to get in front of people who would enjoy riding along with Joshua. Even after winning three awards, it doesn’t seem that we’ve discovered the formula to get the word out.

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

Without a doubt, writing. I am fortunate to have help with the much less enjoyable tasks of publishing and marketing.

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

I have learned I will never make it as a hawker pulling in an audience for a midway show at the State Fair. I like talking to people, but not to make sales. Although it’s all up front in that my stack of books are on the table and the crowd strolling by is presumably interested in books, it just feels slimy somehow.

When do you think you will write your next book?

I am currently polishing up book four in the Driven to the Hilt series, Shattered Shards. I’m hoping it will be available before the end of the year.

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

Not being an even marginally effective sales person (see prior comments about marketing), the prospect of having to sell my work to a literary agent seemed a long shot, so I went the independent publishing route.