Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is my first fiction Novel. I’ve spent much of my adult life as a community organizer, creating a food bank, being a member of a national seasonal food drive for the needy, a member of a gang violence reduction task force, organizer of a volunteer graffiti removal program, a union president and organizer, honors graduate from Delta college and attended University of California, Santa Cruz where I studied film making and theory.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Squirrel Days is a comic adventure thriller about a noble character who tries to fight injustice and ends up running for his life. Squirrel Days is loosely based on a column I wrote in the 80’s for the Sierra Journal called “Cabin Fever”. It was a political satire, focused on the War on Drugs, guerrilla marijuana growers, corrupt cops, and the misadventures of Aldo and Eldo, twin brothers born three weeks apart. It has since morphed into a dark comedy that begins in Juarez, Mexico and quickly moves to Squirrel Bay, California.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
When you write from prison, you have to adapt with unusual habits. My cell is my living quarters, restroom and my filing cabinet. I have to write by hand and send them to a friend who helps me format the chapters for editing and publication. Thank you Vanessa!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are so many great authors in our history. One I especially admire is Thomas Paine and his book “The Rights of Man.” He was the father of two revolutions, ours and the French revolution that came right after ours. He summed up the principles of the Enlightenment era in his book “The Rights of Man”. That led to his pamphlets titled “Common Sense”, which many historians credit with being the most important influence in provoking the colonies to rebel.
Later, as our revolution was getting it’s ass handed to it by a well organized British army, and it looked like we were on the verge of surrender, it was Paine who rallied a despondent country and Washington’s demoralized army with the first of his thirteen essays titled “An American Crisis”. It began with the line “These are the times that try men’s souls” It rallied Washington’s army and motivated them to our first victory in the revolution, the battle at Trenton where Washington crossed the Delaware. Thomas Paine is part of the inspiration for my novel, Squirrel Days.
What are you working on now?
With the launch of Squirrel Days, I’m working on keeping in touch with my readers with daily Facebook posts and Twitter tweets. I am also working with my partners to build publishing company NEXGENINK. We will be featuring a prisoner publishing program to help prison authors like myself reach their goals of publishing and do something useful with their time.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Amazon and GoodReads
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. No matter the circumstances, no matter the struggles, don’t give up. You can and will reach your goal if you fight for it.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write, Edit, Rewrite and start again.
What are you reading now?
Black by Luz Thompson
What’s next for you as a writer?
Doing whatever I can to help other prison authors to publish.
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?
It’s so difficult to select titles under stress like that but I’m sure I could read Black and Beyond the Standard Model by Luz Thompson and Gone to Hell: True Crimes of America’s Clergy by Randall Radic.
Author Websites and Profiles
Dustin Costa Amazon Profile
Dustin Costa’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account