Interview With Author Raymond Parish
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Raymond Parish is my pen name for the Hank Anderson Mystery series. I am a Midwestern writer, psychotherapist, and educator. In addition to my three novels featuring Hank, I am the author of four critically praised nonfiction books and multiple articles on topics ranging from empowering cancer survivors to men in therapy. I live with my remarkable wife, my guitars, and my bicycle. Our three incredible children, two daughters and one son, have launched.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Last Step is the third book in my Hank Anderson series. It was inspired by a bit of research I’d been doing on white collar criminals. Hank’s mentor and business partner, Dennis Greenberg, is accused of a far-reaching financial crime. Hank, like myself, is a psychotherapist. Unlike me, he is drawn to high-risk human puzzles that regularly place him in a direct line of fire. In Book 3 I am once again interested in how Hank’s tenacity, wisdom, and loyalty intersects with his impulsivity and insatiable curiosity. The Last Step also gives me the opportunity to continue to track the trajectory of Hank’s growth and the development of his relationships with other key characters.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t believe in writer’s block. Instead, I believe in writer’s pause, my spin on the concept of mindfulness. When I feel stuck, when I write myself into a plot hole, I close the lid on my computer and move to other activities and interests. I shift my focus, allowing my creativity to resurface naturally. New ideas can arrive when I least expect them.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My love for writing mysteries flows from my lifelong love of reading mysteries. The Hardy Boys took me to Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Dashiell Hammett, and Raymond Chandler (one of the inspirations for my pen name), who took me to Robert Crais, Stuart Kaminsky, and Sara Johnson, among others. I have also been heavily influenced in the development of characters and relationships by O. Henry, Charles Dickens, and Frank McCourt. McCourt, the author of the nonfiction book Angela’s Ashes, captured dialogue in a way that was far beyond words on the page. I could hear the characters speak as I read. Amazing!
What are you working on now?
I’m deep into the fourth Hank Anderson novel, tentatively titled Fool’s Highway. One of my interests is rock n’ roll trivia. I devour biographies and autobiographies about musicians in a wide range of genres, primarily from the 60s and 70s. The premise for Fool’s Highway brings us Hank’s uncle, a marginally successful musician, who returns into Hank’s orbit in an explosive way.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My loyal readers are the most important part of my promotional team: posting reviews, locating opportunities for book signings, passing the word about my novels to friends and family. I also enjoy online book interviews, the creative use of social media, and my interactions with fellow authors.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Make peace with the time you have available to write. Don’t agonize. Write. As with most authors, writing has always been a part-time adventure for me. Twenty years later, I’ve managed to write seven books and multiple nonfiction articles for significant publications, while enjoying the process.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you keep writing, you’ll get better.
What are you reading now?
In nonfiction I’m reading Being Peace by one of my favorite authors, the Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh. He was a brilliant teacher who wrote with simplicity and depth. On the fiction side, I’m reading another character crafted by a fellow Midwestern style author and the writer of the Virgil Flowers series, John Sanford. The novel is Dark Angel and the character is Letty Davenport.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I will be focusing on promotion for The Last Step over the next six months, fitting in time to write. Robert Jordan, the author of the Wheel of Time series, said he would write until he was no longer able. Sounds like a good plan.
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?
Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankel
The Best of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Best Short Stories of O. Henry
How to Survive on a Desert Island: A Comprehensive Guide
Author Websites and Profiles
Raymond Parish’s Social Media Links
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