I'm a reader who likes a little of everything in the books I read so I wrote for the reader that likes that, too. This one is a mystery/thriller with a couple drops of romance.
Max E. Stone – 20 May 2017
The Back Flap
RUN…
Two torturous months came and went. Detective Bennett refuses to give up on finding his daughter. Even as the authorities of New England and beyond, trailing the blood in the girl's wake, devised a ruthless manhunt to bring her back. Well aware of the young woman's fragile state, Bennett is determined to locate her first. He's terrified to learn that he and the officers aren't the only ones looking…
FOR YOUR LIFE…
Tucked in a hideaway past America's borders, courtesy of her only trusted connect as of late, Melissa is sure she's safe. That is until the hammering knocks at her door threaten her world, her sanity…
And her life.
THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY OUT…
About the book
What is the book about?
One Minute There is a mystery/thriller about a young mother who becomes a fugitive after she kidnaps and almost murders her sister-in-law during a mental breakdown. Her family and the authorities are searching frantically for her, but unfortunately someone else very dangerous is also following her and he's closer than they all think.
When did you start writing the book?
It's so hard to keep track because its been edited, re-edited, etc. Originally, I began it in early 2012 though it didn't really take shape into an actual story until 2013.
How long did it take you to write it?
The story took a little over a year to brainstorm, write, and edit. If you add on making sure that the writing was absolutely, positively set for the audiobook release a few years later, you could say in total the writing took almost five years.
Where did you get the idea from?
One Minute There is a part of a series that began when I was nine years old; three families who are all different and yet, more or less, the same and connected in some way. But I wanted to know how my characters came to be and why they were who they were. With the progression of the series, once I found out, I wanted to show that. One Minute There tells more about Melissa, the young mom, and how her life and the breakdown that almost killed her sister-in-law came to be.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Yes, definitely. For instance, Melissa is running from the scene of the crime. In the middle of all the cops chasing her, her little girl is there, begging her to stop running. I struggled through writing that because I was bawling my eyes out just imagining what that would be like for either mother or child. It broke my heart.
What came easily?
Starting it out; knowing where to begin came very easy. Starting out is always easy. It's keeping the momentum that's really tough, at least for me.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
Some are fictitious, but most of the characters as far as personality traits are borrowed from real world people that I know. I don't think they've identified themselves yet. I believe I've concealed them well enough as no one has yelled at me yet so that's good
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
Edgar Allen Poe, Mary Shelley, C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, Jane Austen, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are my favorites. As you can see, I have a bit of an eclectic mix of favorites. I'm not one for categories so I read everything and because of that I put everything, every element of what I read into the things I write. So, for instance, while my stories may be thrill-based with suspense, they've also got other elements, such as romance and relationships. In that way, each of these authors has influenced me.
Do you have a target reader?
I'm a reader who likes a little of everything in the books I read so I wrote for the reader that likes that, too. This one is a mystery/thriller with a couple drops of romance.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
Not a specific process, but I do have a necessity: music. I can write anywhere, but I need music. I'll already have the idea, but melody opens it up so much more and so much clearer.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I probably should, but I don't. I just write and let each chapter tell itself; let each character talk to me on the page.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you've finished?
For the most part, I just go and go until I'm all the way finished. But when I'm stuck and I'm not sure where the story should go next, I will start to go back and edit the story to see what can be readjusted before I'm finished. Doing that helps me see where I am and figure out where I want the characters to go.
Did you hire a professional editor?
As of yet, no. I've worked with a lot of beta readers who helped me spot things that I didn't notice from looking at it so long and also being the writer. I think it helped me a great deal. My beta readers for OMT were brutal. To supplement that, with the next work, which is much larger, and every one after that, I will be hiring a professional editor as well.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
Absolutely! I always listen to music when I write. Usually, its jazz like Oscar Peterson, Miles Davis, or Thelonious Monk. Their musical creativity always get my fingers tapping and the mental juices flowing.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
My first book, August to Life, I did send to a lot of agents before I decided to explore self-publishing and get into it. It got rejected, but I got great feedback and was able to make a lot of changes with my work and in how I made moves in contacting other agents then, ultimately, moving toward the indie sector.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
I talked to my mother. We talk about everything. She told me about the indie market, how much it was growing, and how many great works come out of it. So I checked it out for myself and decided to go for it.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
I did the cover for One Minute There.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I do a little bit of both. I have a formal plan, but I also try to keep my eyes and ears open to new ideas.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
It's work. You'll be doing a lot, but you'll also be building friendships and relationships. From my experience, I've been lucky enough to see the Indie sector as a community. We help and build each other up. It's good to be a part of that.
About You
What are you working on now?
Right now, I'm finalizing a short story called Hollow Fissure. It's about a young woman who is a fugitive and abduction survivor and how both situations affect her, her family, and the co-survivor whose life she saved.
Here's a little summary of it:
The well-meaning and meddlesome Mr. and Mrs. Aden want nothing more than to protect their only daughter, Hannah.
After her childhood kidnapping in Somalia and a final showdown in Italy against the monster responsible, nineteen-year-old Hannah just wants back the life stolen from her.
She isn't naïve like her mother believes. Frequent flashes of past terrors assure her that the healing process is far from over. At the same time, she'd hardly use her dad's words and call herself "strong" or "brave." That description belongs to Melissa Bennett, the woman who almost died saving her.
~~~
Melissa doesn't feel much like the hero she's being hailed.
While she is glad to have saved a life for once, the one she'd almost taken continues to haunt her dreams and stall her recovery.
Despite her good deed and continuous help from friends and family abroad and Kyle—the father of her little girl—she knows her days of freedom are numbered.
End of Interview:
For more from Max, visit his website, follow him on Twitter, or like his page on Facebook.
Get your copy of One Minute There from Amazon US or Amazon UK.
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