The Pits: A Crime Novel (Volume 1)
The Pits: A Crime Novel (Volume 1)
By Greg Smith Publisher CreateSpace Independent Publishing PlatformISBN 1492847275
ANSI 1492847275
Published in Action & Adventure, Crime Criminals, Drama, Fiction, Fiction, Mystery Thrillers, Pets,Synopsis
After nearly 20 years serving in the Marine Corps, Captain Kramer thought he’d been prepared for anything life had to throw him. He returns from deployment to Afghanistan with a new dog, Shadow. The ugly sport of dogfighting was one experience Kramer wanted to leave behind but back in Oceanside, California he and Shadow are drawn into a struggle to oust local gangs involved in the bloody sport. Kramer and Shadow’s activities capture the attention of the FBI who quickly enlist their help in an operation to bring down a major crime lord based in Florida. Captain Kramer, USMC and Corporal Shadow, USMC soon find themselves in their deadliest fight ever.
What is the Tag Line for your book? (A short description of your book in a sentence or two)
Two U.S. Marines - a man and his dog - survive one conflict abroad only to take on another - at home on American soil.
Do you write full time or part time
Currently I write part time but, with retirement in sight, I hope to be able to devote more time to my writing. Whether that develops into a full time occupation, time will tell.
How do you structure your day when you write
I'm more of a morning person, so I generally get to my writing about 8am - 9am and try to write up till lunchtime, or whenever I'm called away from the keyboard by my wife.
Why do you write? (Example; For fun, to make extra money, a personal experience you want to share with the public)
I write because I like to create characters, locations and situations ... because I like to tell stories. I'm definitely not doing it for the money, but if any should result from my writing I certainly wouldn't turn it down.
What are you working on right now / or your most recent work
Right now, the sequel 9You Can Run) to my first book in the Kramer & Shadow Crime series, The Pits, is being professionally edited. My plan is to have You Can Run available this coming December 2015. And I have picked up writing again on an historical novel I began some time ago. My hope is to have it ready for release sometime in 2016.
What inspired you to create this book
Everything inspires me to write, be it a single word I heard somewhere, or something I saw in passing, a person's face, a news item .... everything.
What genre do you write in and why did you choose it
To date I have written one erotic thriller, two action crime novels, and am working on an historical fiction novel. Of the three genres I've tackled so far my favorites are the historical fiction and crime thriller genres. I guess I prefer those in particular because I find them challenging and exciting to tackle.
How much research did you do on your book? (If it applies)
The majority of the time spent on each book goes into the researching of locations, facts, etc because I weave a great deal of fact into my fiction. To date, of the 3 years I've spent on the historical fiction novel, three quarters of that time has been research.
How do you think you have evolved creatively from when you first started writing until now
I would like to believe that I have learned a lot from the various writing courses I've undertaken, from the numerous writers' forums I belong to, and working with my editors. All these have factored in to my being able to enhance my creativity .... imagination-wise I have never, ever lacked for ideas - only time to put it all to paper.
What was the hardest thing about writing this book for you
The hardest part writing YOU CAN RUN was being disciplined enough to complete it. But apart from the writing, I have found the hardest part is the promoting and marketing of anything I write. I would think every writer out there would agree with me on that aspect.
What was the most rewarding
The most rewarding aspect of my writing, be it my latest book or the previous ones, was 1. completing the novel and 2. receiving great feedback and reviews.
If you had to start over, is there anything you would do different
I am currently undertaking an online writing courses run by James Patterson and if I were to start over any of the books already completed I would make sure to start each one again by putting together a storyline. It functions as the foundation for the entire book.
How have you evolved from when you first started writing until now
I'm more confident in my style (voice) now than when I first started. But I still have a lot to learn and look forward to seeing where I stand, say, five years from now.
Are you a planner type person, or do you prefer to dive right in when you write
I've started out as a "diver" but taking James Patterson's course has shown me the folly of my ways and from this point on I intend to become a "planner", to begin each book with a well-worked storyline before I even begin putting the book together.
About the Author
