Interview with Tom Pitts, Author of American Static

Tom Pitts received his education firsthand on the streets of San Francisco. He remains there, writing, working, and trying to survive. He is the author of two novellas, Piggyback and Knuckleball. His shorts have been published in the usual spots by the usual suspects. Tom is also an acquisitions editor at Gutter Books and Out of the Gutter Online.

Find Tom Pitts online …

Website: http://tompittsauthor.com/
Blog: http://www.tompittsauthor.com/blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tom.pitts.5201
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mrtompitts
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Tom-Pitts/e/B009XOC82M/
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6558352.Tom_Pitts

Did you like mysteries and thrillers growing up?

I suppose I did. It took me a while to come around though. I tried to read a lot of the typical teen reads: Kerouac, Burroughs, Rimbaud, etc … It wasn’t till I realized reading should be entertaining that I broadened my horizons. But what really made mysteries stick was an obsession with non-fiction Mafia books. That’s where I learned an appreciation for crime. Real crime, real criminals. It may have even prepped me a little for my own criminal mischief in my twenties.

What is the first story in that genre you wrote, whether it is published or unpublished?

I don’t know if it can be classified in a certain genre. It’s called Turk and Taylor and, yes, it was also my first story published. It was a true story about trying to shoot up in a porn booth while a tiny homeless man banged on the door. It still slays when I read it live. It may be my favorite short I’ve written.

What is your favorite part of writing in this genre?

Crime Thrillers? I like going against the grain of the genre, breaking expectations by keeping a foot planted in reality. Punches don’t always land, bullets don’t always find their mark, heroes are never really heroes and villains sometimes are.

Is there an author in this genre you most admire?

My go-to answer is guys like Elmore Leonard. Real workhorses who had a discipline and ethic to what they wrote. But, for my money, these days, Benjamin Whitmer is an absolute favorite. I’m reading Jordan Harper’s new one now, that’s kicking my ass too.

What is up next for you?

I have more two novels finished, 101 and Coldwater. They complete my Northern California Quartet. I’ve been busy adapting a screenplay from my last novel Hustle, and that’s getting some traction, and—of course—writing the next book. Always moving forward. At least that’s the direction I hope I’m going.