Interview with Buck Wile
Published 2014-02-01.
Who are your favorite authors?
Mary Monroe, Iceberg Slim, and Walter Mosely. They are the original. We got some brothers and sisters hot on their writing gig like Kwan and Wahida, but I cut my teeth on Mary Monroe.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
A growling stomach. Shucks eggs and bacon don't fall out of the sky. These ain't the Bible days when shit fell out the sky for for folks to eat. A black man and a black woman got to get out of bed if they want to eat
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
I'd rather not say. And my girl won't say either. lol
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
I first found books in prison. This old head Mr. Davis (1090458878) said books made thirty years seem like thirty days. Well I thought a book would make 30 months seem like three days. It worked.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
Yeah I do.
A bear growled. I ran away. Sht
I was in 1st grade. The story was written on a big chief tablet. The word at the end got me in a lot of trouble. My mama smacked me upside the head for leaving the i out.
What is your writing process?
Get up and do it. Then I write about it.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
The writing on Big Mama's false teeth cleaning tablets. That left a big impact in my mouth. Do not put Efferdent in your mouth.
How do you approach cover design?
I thought my nephew in first grade did a pretty good job at first. But paying for a cover gets you a better deal. I got a dude working with me on that.
What are your five favorite books, and why?
Any book with black folks in them is my favorite. So that's everything from The Bluest Eye to Side Chick.
What do you read for pleasure?
Ebony Magazine. The old ones from the 70's. Brothers and Sisters were smooth and suave back then.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
Kindle
What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
I'm trying them all. But my girl refuses to stand on the corner trying to sell anything for me.
Describe your desk
A corner of the kitchen table. If this book does good, I'll buy a desk. If it does real good, i'll put that desk in a mansion.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
Dallas, Houston, and Midway Texas. Prison ain't a good place to grow up, but it beats the heck out of a cemetery. That's where some of my friends are growing up.
When did you first start writing?
In Midway. I traded two bags of chips for a red ink pen.
What's the story behind your latest book?
my life...slightly exagerated, but It's my life and some of the stories I heard in prison.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
Who would publish me besides Wes Writers? Here I can write the way I want to. But they come down hard on misspelled words. But otherwise if your story makes sense, it's cool. I did have an experience with one agent, but I won't write about that here. That's got to go in a book.
How has Smashwords contributed to your success?
I'm just glad it's here and can put my book on Apple and other bookstores.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
Finishing, I promise you. You ain't happy until you finish a book. It's like going to the bathroom. You might have to get up midway, but you going to be real unhappy until you finish your business.
What do your fans mean to you?
All the world and I hope I mean the same to them.
What are you working on next?
Whatever my head tells me.
Thankful
I thank God for this gift and hope to share it with the world.
Smashwords Interviews are created by the profiled author or publisher.
