Mick Sever is a journalist. Why, if your music biz background is as a
performer, did you make Mick a journalist? Does this allow you to show
a different side to the music world than we usually think of? Do you
ever feel limited by Sever's lack of an All Access pass, so to speak?
I thought that a performer solving crimes was almost comical. An
investigative journalist seemed to be the perfect answer. And, he
does get an All Access pass. Busted up his leg when he and Keith
Moon jumped from a concert stage in Toronto. Keith Richards was
best man at his wedding. Sever gets a lot of perks!
How much of
Mick's adventures come from your own past experiences? Do you ever
encounter people who think they see themselves in your books, and if
so, are they right about their presence?
I use a lot of my knowledge about the music business. And
experiences? Well, I've been backstage, on stage, at the
parties and in the studios so I suppose some of that spills over
into the stories. I usually use composits of personalities, but I
have friends who swear I'm using them in my novels. I did use an
Elton John character in South Beach Shakedown. But Elton never
called and said..."Is that me?"
You've dealt
with a spectrum of music in each of the first four books. Is this trend
going to continue? What's next for Mick?
The next Sever book involves a recording studio in Nassau in the
Bahamas. The studio appears to be haunted. The book covers
the recording process, plus the management of bands, personalities and
careers. Sever doesn't believe in ghosts, but he's almost
convinced a spirit is wandering the halls of this place. The
title is Bahama Burnout and the book releases March 2009. I don't
think so much about dealing with an aspect of music in each book.
I really think about building some memorable characters and telling a
good story. If there's a theme in these books, it's more about
the people in the music business. We're a nation that worships
celebrities and we give them a pass to do as they please.
You've released
a new CD (or so says your bio page on your website), you're an ad exec,
and you co-own a used bookstore. AND you write books. Do you ever
sleep?
I've got a time management book I'm working on. I still
find time to do a lot of nothing. There's a lot more time in most
people's lives than they realize.
What was the
spark of the idea that had you set each of the Mick Sever books in a
different Caribbean locale? Does this limit, do you think, your ability
to show the nitty-gritty life of a band on tour? For that matter, do
you even think it's your responsibility, as some parties have hinted,
to reveal what life on the road is really like?
People are intrigued with the Caribbean, and this gives me a chance to
be their tour guide. If you've been there, you'll recognize the
island and if you haven't, you leave the book feeling like you just
left the place. In Jamaica Blue, I brought the band to the States
and did work a lot with the rigors of rehearsal and concert work.
I think I may move Sever to L.A. soon. There are some things
going on there that need to be explored. As far as life on the
road...I've written some gritty scenes, but they don't come close to
some of the things that go on.
Some
nitty-gritty about the book business: You're published with Oceanview,
which is a small but reputable press. Any regrets about not being with
one of the big publishing houses? Is it something you still dream of,
or are you perfectly happy with the small press publishing experience?
I was with St. Martin's Press. I've been published by Berkley
Prime Crime and I edited an anthology with Poisoned Pen Press.
Oceanview has great distribution with all the outlets, plus some of the
best public relations I've ever experienced. I am thrilled to be
a part of Oceanview. They're supporting two books a year and it's
been a very good relationship.