Interview with Harley Mazuk

Author of White with Fish, Red with Murder

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

I was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and now I live in Boyds, Maryland, a small town near Washington, D.C.

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

It was a long and winding road that led to my door in Boyds, with intermediate stops in Indianapolis, Rochester, Hyde Park, Albany, Allentown, Penn., New York City, and others. In 1985, I was working for the federal government in Akron, Ohio, and accepted an opportunity for a better govt. job with more pay if I moved to the D.C. area.

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

I had long wanted to be a writer and I had tried my hand at various genres and forms, but I found my voice when I decided to follow my instincts and write what I liked best–detective fiction. Once I’d written the book, the next logical step for me was to publish.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

I write “old-fashioned” private eye tales. Some are a bit noir-ish; some have come out rather hard-boiled. I try to write “pulp fiction”–short stories that are fun to read, marked by action, and sometimes sensational subject matter. By old-fashioned I mean I’ve set them in 1948 – 1950, with the familiar tropes of the classic p.i. tale–dangerous dames, guys with gats, dolls with gams, and the atmosphere of the period.

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

People who enjoy the stories and novels of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler and the fiction found in magazines like Black Mask.

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

My writing seems to fit into a small, modest niche, but I sold my first short story to Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, reputedly the top name in the mystery fiction field. So I was surprised to learn that I write well-enough for publication and that the editor of such a fine magazine liked my work.

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

Work at it, don’t rush the process, and find a good agent. (Agents–I’m still looking)

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

I’d love a devoted following of 150,000–200,000 readers.

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

Getting noticed. There are a lot of books out there, and small publishers don’t seem to have any budget to promote their authors’ works. Your book can get lost. Small publishers don’t accept returns, so book stores don’t stock it.

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

a. Writing–I can do good openings, vivid characters, and realistic dialog. I know how to stage a scene and I understand the importance of setting.
c.) marketing–I worked about ten years in communications and I understand principles of marketing and can use some social media tools effectively

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

a.) Writing–endings can be tough–when I have trouble, I look back at the beginning.
c.) marketing–I don’t have contacts, and I don’t have much of a budget for marketing

When do you think you will write your next book?

I have a completed draft of my next novel, The Fall of the Hotel Biarritz. In this book my series private eye, Frank Swiver, fills in for an ill friend as “house dick” at the Biarritz for two weeks. Many nefarious characters are guests at the hotel, hatching their evil schemes, and Frank has his hands full.

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

I used a traditional publisher for both my first book–White with Fish, Red with Murder, and my second–Last Puffs. My sales of White with Fish, weren’t enough to keep that first publisher afloat. The rights reverted to me and I have subsequently self-published it.