SIX QUESTIONS WITH ELIJAH DRIVE
Writings Talking 'Bout Writing
ELIJAH DRIVE was born in the Midwest with a large chip on his shoulder, one that he still carries with pride to this very day. Currently based on the east coast, among his many interests are literature, politics and martial arts. He doesn’t believe in murder for money, but he does believe in karma and kicking ass, big time.
SIX QUESTIONS
1 - Which writer who came before, do you admire the most?
Easy one, for me. Robert B. Parker. Loved his books, read every one multiple times. I studied that shit like it was the holy grail. Still do, in fact. He really was a master at telling folks a lot with very few words.
Besides Parker, I love me some Lee Child. His books are also really great and I always read whatever he releases right away. I admire both writers.
2 - Which teacher(s) had the most profound effect on you?
Never studied this stuff in school, so see above. I learned from Parker’s Spenser and, in particular, Hawk, one of my favorite characters. I learned to write from reading.
3 - Besides writing, what’s your favorite hobby or passion?
Reading, martial arts and reading. I’m pretty busy, I got a day job, too, but that’s what I do when I have spare time. I love books and I read a lot. I don’t ever want to lose the joy of reading books.
4 - What is something that those who don’t write fiction do not know or understand about it?
How much freaking work it is. I’m a slow writer, I got friends who crank and I admire them, but with my day job (and they don’t know I do this on the side) time is limited. My first book, BULLETS, took me years to finish to where I was happy with it. I think I spent four years on it. The followup, BIG SLICK, took even longer.
I guess I’m just slow, but we all go at the pace we’re comfortable with. That amount of time is what I need to get my novels where I want them.
5 - Can you think of a key breakthrough moment in your work, for you, that you’d be willing to share?
It was an interview with Parker, where he said, “I just do 5 pages a day, then I stop. I don’t worry about how good they are, I don’t worry about the plot, I just do my 5 and then I’m done for the day.”
That really woke me up. He doesn’t (or didn’t) worry about how good his writing was until he finished the book. That really rocked me, and I realized, I can do that.
6 - What’s next for you?
Working on a new Big Slick novel, titled COWBOYS FULL. Not sure when it’ll be done, but know this… it will get finished. Some of us are the hare, some of us are the turtle, but the important thing is we eventually get to where we’re going. It’s not about who gets there first, but who finishes the damn race. Hard as hell to finish.
That’s worthy in and of itself.
Oh, and my novel BULLETS is being offered for free as part of a promotion. Free today. Get it here: