Mysterical-E

He Said, She Says

An Interview With Tony Piazza
by Barbara Hodges

Tony Piazza is a mystery writer, film historian, and veteran storyteller renowned for his passion for writing and movies. He is the author of three mystery novels and a non-fiction work. Actor and stand-in for movies and television, Piazza has appeared in such notable films as Magnum Force, Towering Inferno, and The Streets of San Francisco. From Clint Eastwood to Paul Newman and Steve McQueen, Piazza's background reads like a who's who of Hollywood. He is also a member of the Sisters in Crime mystery writer's organization and SLO NightWriters.

Author website:
http://www.authortonypiazza.com/

BMH:        Tell us about your family.

TONY:    As immediate family goes, there’s my wife, myself, and a little Cocker Spaniel who’s the head of the household.
I was the only child of Anthony and Virginia Piazza.
My mother came from a family of twelve and helped raise some of her sister’s and brother’s kids- some of which were fairly spoiled. She was determined that when she became a parent that would not be an issue, so even though I was an only child I was raised like one of a number of siblings. I learned to share, and work for what I needed- and to value the dollar. I may not have understood it then, but I certainly appreciate her approach now.
I was very lucky to have two good parents as role models, and our household was very “Leave it to Beaver-ish.” I thought everyone’s family was like that, but realized as I grew up that it wasn’t necessarily the norm. I was very blessed in that way.

BMH:        You have a long weekend. What would you do with the time?

TONY:    It varies. Sometimes I try to relax- but that usually never happens. I’m a restless guy and have to be doing something. Generally it’s catching up with things that need to be done around the house- there’s never an end to those. Other times, long weekends provide us an opportunity to travel, visit with friends and family, or just shop.

BMH:         What have you never written about, but want to some day?

TONY:    A science fiction novel and a spy novel set in more contemporary times- but not too recent, perhaps in the 1950s or 1960s. In regards to both genre, the 1950s and 60s provide great fodder for stories. In one case the beginning of the space race, and in the other, the cold war.

BMH:        What is something you wish someone would have told you before you became an author?

TONY:    About how much promoting you’ll have to do. A book doesn’t sell itself, it takes time and energy to get it out there and noticed by the public. The writing is the easy part. It’s the PR that’s the killer!

BMH:        Tell us about your first public appearance as an author. What is a convention or conference? A book signing? A library event? How did you feel before you did it, and more importantly, how did you feel after?

TONY:    My first public appearance was a book signing at a book store in Santa Maria. I spoke about my background, read from the novel, and signed copies. It was important to me because it was my first introduction to the community as a writer- and everyone was so nice. I’d been written up in the Santa Maria Sun, the reporter was kind enough to come, friends were there, and I first got to meet Sue McGinty, a local mystery writer who came by to show her support, and has since become a great friend and mentor.
I would like to also mention another public appearance that meant a lot for different reasons. I was invited to sign in the San Francisco Bay Area by the owner of a specialty bookstore who’d only sold mysteries. I’d sent him my book, and one day I got a call. He said he never held events for Indie-publishers, but he liked the book so much that in this case he’d make an exception. I’ve never forgot that call- it, more than anything validated in my mind that I was finally a writer. Family and childhood friends showed up for that occasion (I was born and raised in San Francisco), and it still holds wonderful memories for me.

BMH:        Who is your hero, and why?

TONY:    My dad. He’d gone through many struggles growing up. He’d lost his father to an accident when he was four, had a difficult step-father, had to go through the Depression, and of course World War Two. He’d lived on a ranch in his youth and fell off a tractor one day doing chores, mangling his leg badly. This left him in a body cast for many months. Still, even with this injury which left him with one leg shorter than the other, he excelled in high school sports (after moving to the bay area) and even became a track star winning a spot in the city’s Hall of Fame. A scholarship was also awarded for his success in sports which he gave up to volunteer for duty in the Army Air Corp after Pearl Harbor. He fought with the 5th Division in the Pacific theater, caught malaria in the jungles of the Philippines, saw a lot of combat action, and was discharged honorably after the war ended. Jobs on his return were scarce, and my parents skimped and saved until he was fortunate to find work as a San Francisco Police Officer. Here he saw action as well, receiving a bravery award for single-handedly catching four bank robbers shortly after the crime took place. In later years he’d had health problems, but never once thought about himself, only my mom and I. He’s my hero.

BMH:        What would be your ideal vacation spot?

TONY:    The tropics- and Hawaii comes to mind. I love the islands. We’d spent our honeymoon there and have gone back since. It was also a locale in one of my books, so you might say, even when I’m not there physically, I am mentally whenever escape is called for.

BMH:        Do you have a writing routine? If so, what is it? What must you have without compromise in order to write? Do you have a specific place to write? Music?

TONY:    Louis L’Amour once said he could write in the middle of LA traffic. I’m the same way. The world could be going crazy around me; yet I wouldn’t notice. In fact chaos allows me to focus more keenly. I write when I’m inspired, and the only routine, if you could call it that, is that once I start typing I continue until I at least generate 2,500 words or more for that session. You ask what I must have without compromise in order to write. I have a simple answer: a good idea.

BMH:        How do you write? Do you write everything long hand, then type it into your computer? Do you write directly into a file, and edit as you go? Or do you write as much as possible, with the intention of smoothing it out later? How much editing do you do along the way?

TONY:    I type directly in the file, modifying and copy editing along the way. I also have a software that reads what I write back to me so I can hear what I’d put to paper. This helps tremendously- hearing the flow of words and whether the dialogue sounds believable.

BMH:        What do think about the new faces of publishing?

TONY:    Fantastic. It opens the door for new writers. The old system was stifling, and ripe with snobbery. If an author wanted a book published you would first have to find an agent, go through a tedious submission process to one of six publishing houses, and then wait months for an answer- which would more than likely be a rejection because you’re a first-time author and the bean counters think you’re a risk. Thank God for the pulps in the 30s and 40s. Without them we would not have the great works from Bradbury, L’Amour, Hammett, Chandler, and many others. These magazines provided opportunities to new authors while the novels remained more upper brow and exclusive.
Indie publishing and small press seem to serve the same purpose as the now defunct pulps, by leveling the playing field.
And don’t let the big guys convince you that Indie books are somehow sub-standard since they’re not out of their publishing houses. I put my money where my mouth is, therefore I’m going to put out the best book possible. I have a personal stake in it, so I guarantee it’s going to be as good as, or better than anything they can produce.

BMH:        How do you promote yourself?

TONY:    Every way possible. I try to get my fingers into the pot of every social media outlet available in the ether. I do lectures, signings, and work with the press, radio, and television for coverage. I belong to excellent writer’s groups, and try to be generally visible to potential readers out there. Let’s conclude by saying that I do everything short of standing on my head in public; second thought, I might try that next!

BMH:        Of all the books you've written, does one scene in particular stand out? Tell us about it. What book was it in? And why do you remember it so vividly?

TONY:    I love the Tom Logan books for their atmosphere and historic LA settings. However, “The Curse of the Crimson Dragon”- my stand alone book, comes to mind in regards to this question. I can’t pick a particular scene, but a series of romantic ones that I set on the islands between my protagonist, Matt Ryan and his love interest. A little behind-the-scenes secret, but they were influenced by memories of my own honeymoon on Maui and Kauai, so there were some sincere emotions coming through in my writing. I’d say this novel was one of my more romantic books and I’m proud of it.

BMH:        How did you celebrate when your first book was published?

TONY:    I treated my wife and I to a vacation in Paris, free flowing Champaign, and a limousine driver to take us around to see the sights. Not. But, it felt that way. We went out for a modest dinner, and I smiled a lot.

BMH:        What do you do just to cut loose and have some fun?

TONY:    I haven’t cut loose in ten years. I might break something. Seriously, I enjoy going to films, plays, and events. I enjoy getting out in the public and being involved in one project or another. I also like serving the community.

BMH:        Do you have some hard learned advice for new authors?
TONY:    Don’t become an author unless you’re willing to work. You can’t just sit on your laurels and expect everything to fall into place. A book doesn’t sell itself, and expect that you have to sell yourself along with your product.