Interview with Max E Stone

1.     Can you please tell me a bit about yourself & your novel series?

 

My name is Max E. Stone. I’ve been writing since I was nine years old. That was when I started writing my “New England” series, which includes “The Bleeding” and its predecessor and prelude “August to Life” which was published in 2012. At the start of the series, “August to Life” wasn’t even called that at the time. There have been at least 20 drafts and about 17 different titles since then. I don’t even think I came up with New England for the setting until 2010. Plus, at sixteen, writing became one of the few things that kept me sane during a lot of situations going on in my life at that age and, suddenly, as I wrote, this story began to take shape into this fiction half mystery/half thriller about three families, each one with a person in a position of power be that law or business, that end up thrown together by their children and the resulting good, bad, and even deadly events that follow. From there, I’ve been going ever since.

 

2.     What inspires your work?

 

Everything. Everything I see. Anything I hear. Anything that happens to me. A simple walk down the street. A song. Anything. I could get inspired at a moment’s notice so I always have notepad and pen with me just in case an idea strikes.

 

3.     Describe your writing style in three words.

 

Rare. Real. Chilling.

 

4.     What do you think makes your writing stand out from the crowd?

 

I’ll show you things in the world, literary and real, that you’ve never or rarely seen. And if you’ve seen it and you’ve been misinformed, I won’t pull punches. I won’t just tell you the truth. I will show you why its true and maybe even scare you in the process.

 

5. Who would you like to play your main characters in the film?

 

I’m not sure about the others, but definitely Liam Neeson for the role of Stephen Bennett, the Homicide Detective who is dealing with a particularly grueling set of circumstances in “The Bleeding.” Neeson is such a strong and powerful actor and he takes over the role. Just looking at what he did with his role in “Taken,” I feel as though he would do wonders with bringing Stephen Bennett to life on the big screen.

 

5.     Do you base any of your characters or events on yourself or your experiences?

 

All the time. I believe that even in fiction, you need to have some realism. Otherwise, no one will listen and your story is just that: a story. So I definitely based some events or situations on my own life.

 

6.     What are you currently working on?

As of right now, I am working on the third in the New England installment, which is called “One Minute There.” This will be released in 2015.

 

7.     Where can people find out more about you?

You can get in touch with me, find out more about me, upcoming projects, causes, my blog, and more at my website, www.maxestone.com, on my facebook at facebook.com/officialmaxestone, and also on twitter @maxestone. Thanks for having me!