Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I currently have one book, a crime thriller titled “Internal Damnation”.
About me? I should write about me? Uh… Okay, here we go.
My story is a little different.
I never intended on writing books. I was a screenwriter. When I was 14, I became very ill and had to miss most of high school. Come to find out, I was allergic to mold and my high school was infested like you wouldn’t believe (it was also sinking). By my Sophomore year (2005), I realized my friends and I were beginning to drift apart. I had always been a movie fanatic, so I decided we should make movies…a screenwriter was born.
As I got older, I focused on screenwriting as a career and made really great strides. I wrote/directed upwards of 12 short films. I was accepted to Emerson College because of my storytelling abilities. When I was 20, I won my first writing award at the DownBeach Film Festival in Atlantic City for my short film “Mea Culpa”.
Then life tends to throw an uppercut when it’s least expected.
I had to devout almost all of my time to caring for an ill family member. I left my prestigious college and found myself mentally, spiritually, and creatively stunted.
One day I was sitting around my house wondering what I should do with myself.
Then suddenly I remembered back to a meeting I had with a screenwriting agent in Boston the prior summer. I had pitched a film titled “Ten Pin”. While he was intrigued by the concept, he couldn’t represent me because I was “unknown” and it wasn’t a “horror story.” The agent recommended I turn it into a crime novel and develop a following to use as leverage down the road. I thought that was an incredibly stupid suggestion.
I spent 4+ years writing Internal Damnation.
Come to find out…I love writing novels more than I ever did screenplays.
Now here I am!
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Internal Damnation
I’ve always been intrigued by the concept of loyalty.
The centerpiece of this novel is loyalty. People tend to have varying definitions of that word. What is loyalty to one may not be defined as loyalty to another.
But what would people do to defend that loyalty? What actions would they take to protect that loyalty? What happens when you must choose between the two closest people in your life? Imagine the consequences that could arise from that decision. No matter which way you choose, nothing will ever be the same.
Sometimes the strongest bonds in life are birthed from tragedy.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I listen to a lot of film scores when I write (John Williams, Hans Zimmer).
I also tend to go through the motions if I’m writing a fight so that I can accurately get the reactions. Don’t worry, I’ve never actually hurt myself…only my pride when people walk in.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m a New England boy so of course Stephen King.
Silva’s Path’s “The Bell Jar”. Before that, I had never read anything that struck me on such a personal level. I realized the point of my writing was to form an unbreakable connection that forces the reader to dig deep inside themselves to find answers to question they didn’t know had.
What are you working on now?
A crime thriller tentatively titled “Hart of Death”. It’s about a Boston detective who is forced to confront a deadly ghost from his Army Rangers days.
I’m also in the beginning stages of planning the sequel to “Internal Damnation.”
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Twitter and Facebook.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Think outside the box when it comes toward marketing. Go local at first if you must. Reach out to your hometown paper. Advertise through coffeeshops and theaters. Let word of mouth spread organically if you don’t have much of a budget for promotion. 99% of writers are broke, but 99% of writers are Googling “how to market my novel.” Guest what…I do that too. But make yourself attractive and people will take interest in your work.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Sell yourself, not your book.”
What are you reading now?
“A Dirty Job” by Christopher Moore.
I can’t stop laughing.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully not bankruptcy court with what this book has cost me!
But seriously, working on my next two books. I like taking life one day at a time.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bell Jar.
Animal Farm
The Odyssey
It’s a short story, but Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Author Websites and Profiles
David Rutter Amazon Profile
David Rutter’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account