Written Interview
Tell me about yourself. What do you like to do outside of writing. What is a day in the life like for you?
For the past fifteen years, I’ve lived a double life. During the day, I’ve risen through the ranks of three major ecommerce companies. At night, I write as both a hobby and for therapeutic benefits. For fun, I read as much as I can. I enjoy good films by great writers and directors. My guilty pleasure is narrative-driven video games. When possible, I travel to fun and exotic places. However, most days, I’m content to watch a ballgame with my kids while they play.
What inspired your first novel? What was the thing that got you into writing in the first place?
Tragedy. On September 11, 2001, a young, oblivious kid had just started high school. Shortly afterward, he understood that he had to grow up sooner than he planned. So, he joined his school newspaper, became a reporter, studied history, got into college, and continued to explore a wide range of disciplines. Along the way, he discovered a passion for writing in many different forms, from short articles and analyses to long narratives. He spent much of his spare time drafting several crime fiction novels, freelance reporting, and blogging on sports and pop culture.
How do you come up with characters? Are they spontaneous or meticulously planned?
Often, my protagonists are based (at least in part) on me. I imagine myself as this and ask whether or not I can construct a plausible scenario using this genre, these tropes, these techniques, etc. For example, in my “Don Hollywood” series books, I tried to picture myself as an idealistic and egotistical villain. Conversely, in my very first novel (still to be published), I cast myself as a “secret agent” tasked with protecting a valuable national treasure in a story inspired by 9/11. The key to creating a great supporting cast is not to overthink it. Having a great outline of plot points gets me halfway there. Moving forward, I can use archetypes to bridge the gap. Do I need a rival? Gene Byrnes is a mirror image of Jim Cruise in “DH.” Do I need a partner? Do I need a love interest? Jennifer Simone acts as both in “DH.” Do I need a protégé? Jim Cruise’s daughter, Jessica, is the heir to the family fortune and is in training in “DH.” An antagonizer? Rebecca Byrnes is both Jim’s ex-wife and sister of his most significant competition in “DH.” A mystery person with no name? The “Hollywood Luca Brasi” is a legendary “fixer” that has allegedly done the “dirty work” for the Cruise “family” for many years.
What are some of your favorite genres to read? Are there any books you’d recommend to first-time readers or people looking for something new?
I have to be honest, I enjoy a good (fictionalized) conspiracy thriller with political or historical overtones or context. I’ve read books by Tom Clancy, David Baldacci, and John Grisham, among others. The Da Vinci Code series offers more secular views on religion, politics, art, and world history. In school, I read many classics by the likes of Orwell and Bradbury, which should be “must reads.” They were nauseating but vital to understanding the worst instincts of humanity. Science Fiction acts as a magnet for me. It constantly pulls me in. The stories are “futuristic” or speculative but often reflect on events, places, or people in real life. Unpacking these narratives is a favorite pastime for me.
What’s the most difficult thing about being a writer?
Time management without a doubt. As a full-time blue-collar worker and a husband and father to two young school-aged children, finding the time to write and edit is difficult. My current WIP has taken me 3.5 years to complete. In the beginning, I used downtime at my day job to handwrite the first draft of the book I’m about to release. It has been a very introspective journey into myself and the current state of our World in general. Current events like the COVID pandemic, the rise of MAGA, and the January 6 insurrection heavily influenced the project. That being said, the story is 100% fictional and is not meant to judge anything or anyone involved with said events.
What is your process for completing a novel from outline to final product?
My general rule is to always begin with a basic outline. I threw out the rule book with this WIP. On any given day, I would jump from chapter to chapter, in a non-linear fashion, and connect the dots later. And the more I wrote, the more I added and subtracted as time went on. There would be stretches where I’d handwrite at work and then take it home to type up on my days off. I found this method less stressful as it allowed me to be proud of the small progress I would make weekly and monthly. And before I knew it, I had the makings of a grand narrative that made me emotional as I read passages back to myself. I’m so excited to learn what readers think of it.
What’s the most unhinged thing you’ve written in your novel? Don’t worry, we don’t judge here.
I originally included a scene of both sexual assault and torture in my current WIP because I thought initially it brought value to the story. The manuscript often alludes to the Bible and stories within it. Both scenes involved the same character. In one, this person committed SA and a few chapters later was subjected to retaliation by humiliation and mutilation. I recently decided that including such material could distract from the intent of the narrative, and therefore, I cut it.
What’s one thing about being a writer that absolutely drives you up the wall?
Lately, I’ve observed a lot of social media goers bandwagoning regarding AI, accusing writers of using too much of it, whether it is generating art or straight-up writing passages or whole books. I want to make it abundantly clear that is NOT OK. However, I feel those who would discount and indict authors who use “assistive” AI to learn about the craft and improve their material are misguided. Some have a very prejudiced view of the subject and they seem desperate to be on the “right side” of the issue, and wind up talking out of their butts.
What does being a successful writer look like for you? What type of life do you want to live as a writer?
My image of success is turning my writing into a form of additional income. If it allows me to leave or self-downsize my day job and boost my free time to author more amazing stories for an interested audience, I’d feel much more fulfilled. I don’t believe I’ll become super rich being a novelist, but stranger things have happened…
Describe your writing journey. If you had to write a story centered around it, do you think you could pull it off?
I don’t have any plans to write a memoir. However, for imagination’s sake, “my story” would be a slow progression from unknown to hopefully an author superstar who might get invited to Comic-Con or be nominated for a Pulitzer. Someday, I might take up a non-fiction project, but for now, I will pursue becoming the best science fiction storyteller I can be. The genre has been a part of my life since a young age. It feels like a calling.
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About
I have been an author for more than 20 years, starting as a sideline reporter for my high school newspaper on the sports team. I later graduated with a BA in Communications with a specialization in Journalism from Penn State University and have written for Examiner.com and Screenrant.com covering politics and pop culture. And I continue to blog about those subjects on Facebook as Michael Byrne Publications and Philly Phanatic Sports. I’ve self-published two Don Hollywood novels with a third and fourth in the works as well as revisions to my original piece of work, A.C.I.D., a response to the events of 9/11, and my magnum opus, Arkangel, expected in the next 18 months.
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