Interview with Michael Sova

Published 2018-01-24.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
My first memory of reading was from a second grade text book called "Rewards.' As I recall, the book was a collection of short stories. My favorite classroom activity was reading aloud. Second grade was when my eyesight went from normal to what's known as "legally blind." All of a sudden, I could no longer read and I think that bothered me more than the eyesight problem itself.
What is your writing process?
I am very much a discovery writer or what's often called a "pantser." Although I have tried outlining, anything I've planned generally goes to hell as soon as I begin the actual writing. I realize the story needs to go somewhere other than where I'd originally intended. At that point, I'm pretty much just along for the ride. That writing style admittedly presents some problems but can be surprisingly, exciting and rewarding as well. ad
How do you approach cover design?
It depends entirely on the story. With “A Shot at Redemption,” I pretty much knew what the cover should look like even before I finished writing the book. There’s a racing theme so I definitely wanted to capture the action and drama of that, but also clearly show that there was something far more ominous going on. I contacted my graphic designer, explained my vision and she took care of the rest.

“Parlor City Paradise” was a lot different and considerably more challenging. I had a vague idea of what I was after in terms of mood or tone. I was looking for an image that was somehow both depressing and optimistic. Unfortunately, I had no idea how to capture such a thing visually. I went way outside the box on that one and transferred my dilemma to my readers. I sponsored a photo contest with the following criteria. I told them I wanted one photo that showed the best and worst Binghamton (PCP setting) had to offer. I was beyond thrilled with the results.

The “21 Sundays of Fantastic Football Food” cover was a piece of cake… or chicken as it turned out. I saw a picture that featured a great night time view of a football sailing through the uprights. In my mind, that football was miraculously transformed into a single perfect chicken wing. The rest was easy.
What are your five favorite books, and why?
I've read thousands of books and I don't think I could narrow that down to a handful of favorites. "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton was my favorite book in high school. I think I read that book more times than any other. John D. MacDonald was probably my first favorite adult author. Honestly, though, I don't really remember when I made that transition. I just remember falling in love with Travis McGee and his Busted Flush. houseboat. Dick Francis, another truly gifted storyteller, most inspired my own writing. He wrote dozens of fantastic novels about a sport I know/care little about. In case you're unfamiliar with Francis' work, he spent decades writing about horse racing. His books are great whether you're a fan of the sport of kings or not. That was my inspiration when I began work on "A Shot at Redemption." And as you'll see if you read many of my reviews, you don't have to like or know anything about auto racing to enjoy the novel.
What do you read for pleasure?
I mostly read in the genre in which I write. Out of every ten books, eight of them will be mystery/thriller/suspense. I do try to expand my horizons, though. I read some non-fiction, historical fiction, a little horror, a very little sci-fi and fantasy, and pretty much anything else that captures my interest. Because of poor eyesight, I am limited to what's available in the audio format.
When did you first start writing?
I've been writing nearly as long as I've been reading. In fact, short story writing was my favorite part of my elementary school education. I remember one story about a man stranded on a desert island. Don't ask me how he got there. He wanted very much to escape and his only weapon/tool was a small pen knife with which he was hoping to down a tree that he could then use to build a raft. I told the story in first person and, in the final scene, the man fell to his death. That was my first lesson in proper POV. Unless you're dealing with the supernatural, which I most definitely was not, you should probably never write the words, "I died."
What motivated you to become an indie author?
My daughter motivated me to become an author. That's not because she was especially inspiring or encouraging. She was actually an infant at the time and I fell into the role of stay-at-home dad. I needed a creative outlet or I would have ended up sticking my head into a blender. I'd always enjoyed writing but hadn't done any real fiction writing in well over a decade. I decided to give it a try. The learning curve was huge but also gratifying.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
As simple as it may sound, I think the greatest joy is when I can make myself laugh. My hope is that my readers will have the same reaction. My first novel, "A Shot at Redemption," is a thriller that deals with pleasant topics like sabotage, assault and attempted murder. "Parlor City Paradise," novel No. 2, is about depressing people in a depressing place. Neither book is funny but both have some pretty funny parts. I like to think so anyway. For real humor, though, I strongly recommend “21 Sundays of Fantastic Football Food.” Makes sense, right? When you want comic relief the first place you should always head is the cookbook aisle. Here’s the thing. Football players, coaches, and fans do a lot of weird, unexpected, ill-advised, outrageous, and just plain funny stuff. I’ve tried to capture some of the more memorable moments from recent years. Download a free sample and I bet I make you giggle at least once.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
What inspires me to get out of bed each day is insomnia. I don't sleep well. I've never slept well. I have what's sometimes referred to as monkey brain. I wake up for the nightly trip to the bathroom and my mind immediately starts going. It's often those spinning mental wheels, not a full bladder, that get me up in the first place And once I've cracked an eyelid, getting back to sleep is always a challenge. I usually lose. On the plus side, it gives me lots of time to think and there's no telling where that will lead.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
How I spend my time when I'm not writing depends a lot on the time of year. If it's between September and January I'm all about football. My office and basement are full of purple and gold. I could wear a different Vikings jersey or sweatshirt every day of the week. I also play fantasy football. I run a football pool (for entertainment purposes only). I even authored a football-themed cookbook, although that's writing so we shouldn't talk about that. If it's not football season, I'm either still grumbling about how the Vikes let me down yet again or trying to convince myself that next year will be different. I also read a lot.
What's the story behind "Parlor City Paradise?"
Inspiration comes in many different forms. I had just released “A Shot at Redemption,” and although I’d been kicking around ideas for my next project, I hadn’t come up with anything I was really sold on. Then, one morning, I was in the shower when my wife gave me the startling news that a good friend of ours had been in a serious bicycle accident and suffered a broken neck. A couple weeks later, I saw him at a high school tennis match. He was wearing a horribly uncomfortable looking neck brace and was unable to turn his head. I’m happy to say he’s perfectly fine now. He’s incredibly lucky, and I was too because the entire “Parlor City Paradise” plot structure is crafted around that one unfortunate incident. I can’t really explain how or why. His wheels slipped out from under him and that’s what got my mental wheels turning. The muse is nothing if not mysterious.
How has Smashwords contributed to your success?
Smashwords has been wonderful for a couple different reasons. First, it introduced me to markets I previously didn’t know existed. The best way to sell books is to get them in front of as many people as possible. Smashwords has definitely helped with that. And second, the service is about as user friendly as it gets. With relatively little effort, I can upload a manuscript and it’s automatically converted to multiple e-book formats. That gives me more time to concentrate on writing.
What do your fans mean to you?
Readers are what this is all about. Sure, it’s wonderful to take that first tiny seed of creativity and nurture it through outlines, drafts and revisions until you finally have a completed manuscript. There is a certain fulfillment that comes from hard work and a job well done. However, until there is an opportunity to share that labor of love, it’s like a song that no one ever hears. I write because it is my passion. My fans give that passion validity and make it all worth it.
What are you working on next?
My first two publications were suspense novels. I then took a hard left turn with the August 2017 release of “21 Sundays of Fantastic Football Food,” a football-themed cookbook. That project was a tremendous amount of fun but I’m a novelist at heart. I am, therefore, going back to the well. “Blind Switch” is again in the suspense/thriller genre and is due for release later in 2018. There is a semi-autobiographical component in that one of the main characters is an author who also happens to be legally blind. She ends up on the run from a cold-blooded killer. That’s about all I’m ready to say for now but check back soon.
Who are your favorite authors?
It’s tough to identify favorite authors because that’s sort of a moving target for me. However, I can say without hesitation that the author that inspired me most was Dick Francis. He is unfortunately no longer with us but he spent decades writing wonderful novels, all of which had some connection to horse racing. I am not a horse racing fan. I know and care very little about the sport. However, he was such a gifted storyteller that I became a fan for as long as it took to read each new book. My debut novel, “A Shot at Redemption,” is a thriller and much of the action unfolds on a racetrack in Upstate New York. I am well aware that not everyone is a fan of short track auto racing. I still used that as a backdrop because the drama from the speed, risk and intensity lends itself so well to fiction. I had confidence and faith in what I was doing because Dick Francis had already blazed that trail.
Describe your desk
I really take the minimalist approach to writing in the 21st century. My eyesight is horrible so I have no use for sticky notes, index cards or anything like that. I try to keep it all in my head… and usually fail miserably. My work space consists of a desk, a keyboard, a mouse and a big monitor. I do have a lot of Minnesota Vikings memorabelia hanging on my office wall but that stuff just depresses me so I try not to look at it very often.
If you had the opportunity to rewrite one of your novels which would it be and why?
I wouldn’t mind doing a reboot on “A Shot at Redemption,” my first novel. The story is written with a third person limited POV so the whole thing is told through the eyes and mind of the protagonist, an extremely talented race car driver named Cash Douglas. He struggles through numerous conflicts, personal and professional. If I had it to do over again I’d probably make him a first person character to give the story an even stronger emotional element. I think I lacked the confidence to try that the first time around.
What would you say is your greatest strength as an author?
I think I’m probably in the minority here but I love writing dialogue and I’m told I do it very well. I believe my stories are character driven and it’s the dialogue that really brings those characters to life.
What aspects of the writing process do you find the most challenging?
I always struggle to write visual detail, especially if it’s based on physical action. I think there are two main reasons for that. First, I have horrible eyesight. You know that big E on top of the eye chart? I can’t see it, or much else for that matter. It’s impossible for me to observe things like body language or facial expressions and then transfer that to the page. I have to make it all up, which brings me to reason #2. I’m not very imaginative. That may sound funny coming from a fiction author but it is the unfortunate truth. The more detailed and descriptive a scene is the more tortuous I find it to complete. Curiously, I receive more compliments on my attention to detail than any other aspect of my writing so I suppose those times of torture pay off in the end.
Do you have a set schedule for writing or is it only when the mood strikes?
I’d like to say I have a set schedule for writing but it often feels more like a schedule for procrastination. I am at my computer every weekday morning. In a perfect world, I would jump right into my work and not come up for air until I’ve hit my word quota for the day. Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s ever happened. I usually begin by checking my email. I then visit the NFL page at espn.com to see if the Vikings have done anything amazing to finally win them that Super Bowl. Invariably disappointed, I then open up whatever chapter I’d been working on the day before. Of course, I can’t be productive without the proper music so I open iTunes and spend between two minutes and two hours making adjustments to one or more of my various playlists. I might check email again; and if I finished reading any great books lately, I might also spend some time jotting down some notes for a review. By the way, I’d like to take this opportunity to tell you how incredibly important book reviews and book ratings are to authors, especially independently published authors like me. If you’re not in the habit of writing reviews, PLEASE try to change that. It’s not necessary to give lengthy critiques. Say a few words, give my books the five star ratings they clearly deserve and move on. Okay, so now that I’ve dealt with email, the Vikes, my music, my book reviews and my daily public service announcement, it’s time to get serious. And once I do finally start writing, I don’t stop until my quota is met. That’s why I allow myself the delay tactics I’ve described. I have some others too. Which ones I employ and how long they last depend entirely on how well my writing is going and how intimidated I am by what lies ahead. I realize it’s not an ideal work strategy but it gets the job done.
Do you set goals or quotas for yourself when you write?
Yes. My minimum daily quota is 500 words. That may not sound like much and, in all honesty, it’s not so I have a few disclaimers. First, in addition to whatever primary project I have going at the time, there are always things simmering on one back burner or another. Any words/pages devoted to those endeavors do not count towards my quota. Also, I have what I’m told is a bad habit of beginning each writing session by reviewing and potentially editing everything I wrote the day before. This is, at least in theory, counterproductive and I have to admit that some of what I painstakingly edit does ultimately end up on the scrap heap. On the plus side, although my first draft takes longer than it could/should, the resulting manuscript is quite clean so future rounds of revisions go much quicker and easier than they otherwise might. Plenty of authors would tell me my process is flawed but it works for me and I never close up shop without adding at least 500 words of new content; and again, that’s a minimum. I typically add more.
What is your greatest challenge as an author?
I have more challenges than I care to mention but the one that most consistently causes me problems is probably punctuation. I’m perfectly comfortable with all the standard stuff. I tend to struggle when things get a bit more… complex. I come by it honestly. I have horrible eyesight so nearly everything I read comes to me in an audio format. Therefore, I never see how things appear on a printed page. How do you properly punctuate internal dialogue? How do you punctuate it if one’s character’s action is interrupted by another’s dialogue? What if one character is thinking while another is speaking? I try to be clear and, more important, consistent and I rely on my editors for the rest.
Are all of your books in the same literary genre?
I consider myself a fiction author and a suspense author. However, I have written one book that fits neither category. It’s a football-themed cookbook called “21 Sundays of Fantastic Football Food.” It’s a collection of tailgate type recipes interspersed with mostly humorous stories about the NFL. There’s a personal touch to the whole thing as well. I don’t plan on becoming a cookbook author. I see this as very much a one shot deal. However, the idea came to me and I was passionate enough about it that I had to see it through. Writing is a solitary and often thankless endeavor so I think it’s important to follow your heart. That’s where happiness and satisfaction are found.
What type of book would be the most difficult for you to write?
I’m in awe of anyone capable of writing good historical fiction. The amount of research involved is mind-boggling. To then take all that compiled information and incorporate it into a workable storyline is simply amazing. Honestly, though, I think I’d have an even harder time writing romance. It’s far too predictable which, in turn, makes it not believable. That’s how I feel anyway. A young widow is struggling to keep the farm going. A ranch hand rides up looking for work. Gee, I wonder what will happen next. I am a discovery writer. The pleasure I take in writing comes from the mystery and the adventure. I create a character, introduce some sort of conflict and see how he/she responds. I typically don’t know how one of my novels will end until it’s 80% written. I can’t imagine what it would be like to start a project already knowing that the protagonists would eventually get their groove on, fall in love and ride off into the sunset. Where’s the mystery in that? I’m sure such a formulaic approach would speed up my writing process but the fun factor would go down exponentially.
How realistic are your books?
That’s kind of a loaded question because there’s a world of difference between realistic and believable. There’s nothing realistic about “The Hunger Games,” the Harry Potter series or “James and the Giant Peach.” Those stories are, nonetheless, believable because they’re written so masterfully. The goal of any author, regardless of genre, is to create a level of realism the reader can accept without making a conscious effort to do so. This is obviously more difficult with some genres than others. Introduce a dragon, a vampire or a talking caterpillar into your story and you might have to work a bit harder to sell that bill of goods to the reader. I write straight up suspense novels. They are set in real places and the characters are as real as I can make them. I actually think that’s one of my strengths as a writer.
Is it true that anyone can become a writer?
Is it true than anyone can be a doctor, a lawyer, a ditch digger or the President of the United States? For better or worse, the answer is yes. Of course, you can’t become a writer just by picking up a pencil anymore than you can be president just because you learned how to put on a suit. Okay, so maybe that’s a bad example. The point is that writing is a job like any other and should be treated as such. There are skills, tools, techniques and tricks of the trade. Can you write a book without bothering with any of that stuff? Sure, it might even be good too but the odds are against it. If your motivation for becoming a writer is that it looks easy, I would respectfully recommend you find something else to do with your time.
Would you say your writing career has been successful?
was successful or at least accomplished as soon as I finished my first novel. That’s an endeavor many begin but relatively few are able to see through all the way to the end. I don’t know if that makes me a one-percenter but certainly puts me in the minority. I’ve since finished a second novel and I have a third on the way along with a rather unique football-themed cookbook. In terms of simple production, I feel like I’ve been a tremendous success. Honestly, though, I have the bar set a bit higher than that. I have no aspirations of becoming rich as an independently published author. It happens but definitely not often. I’d be satisfied if I got to a point when a fair number of people knew and cared what I was doing. I don’t feel like I’ve achieved that yet. I’ll consider myself a success if/when I do.
Smashwords Interviews are created by the profiled author or publisher.

Books by This Author

Parlor City Payback: A Skid Row and Bullfrog Novel
Series: Skid Row and Bullfrog. Price: $6.99 USD. Words: 142,880. Language: English. Published: October 23, 2020 . Categories: Fiction » Thriller & suspense » Action & suspense
Skid Row and Bullfrog, two world-weary down-and-outs, are doing their best to defy the odds and make something of their generally pathetic lives. As always, the deck is seemingly stacked against them. Carl, their unlikely benefactor, is missing in action, and Ricky Fixx, an old nemesis and near-constant source of fear and torment, is intent on revenge and will stop at nothing to get it. Meanwhile,
Blind Switch
Price: $6.49 USD. Words: 148,660. Language: English. Published: July 26, 2018 . Categories: Fiction » Thriller & suspense » Action & suspense
Imagine the terror of being pursued by someone you know you’ll never see coming. Author of "A Shot at Redemption" and "Parlor City Paradise," Michael Sova returns with his most intriguing, most suspenseful, and most surprising work to date. From the Caribbean to the Big Apple and back again, "Blind Switch" is a triumph of non-stop action in which very little is as it first appears.
21 Sundays of Fantastic Football Food: Celebrating the Foods and Follies of Professional Football
Price: $6.99 USD. Language: American English. Published: January 23, 2018 . Categories: Nonfiction » Cooking, Food, Wine, Spirits » American / General, Nonfiction » Sports & outdoor recreation » Football & rugby » American football
Professional football players, coaches, owners, general managers and officials have, over the years, done some truly remarkable things. Author, foodie and professed football fanatic Michael Sova takes a look back at some of their more memorable, entertaining and often comical exploits. He serves up some pretty amazing grub too: perfect for any tailgate party, game day gathering, or lazy Sunday in
Parlor City Paradise
Series: Skid Row and Bullfrog. Price: $5.49 USD. Language: English. Published: June 3, 2016 . Categories: Fiction » Thriller & suspense » General
Reminiscent of the widely popular Carl Hiaasen novels,Parlor City Paradise takes seedycharacters and even seedier situations and gives them a clever, often humorousand always entertaining twist.
A Shot at Redemption
Price: $5.49 USD. Words: 166,490. Language: English. Published: April 18, 2015 . Categories: Fiction » Thriller & suspense » Action & suspense
"A Shot at Redemption" is a fast-paced thriller full of intrigue, suspense and high octane action.