Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m Irish, have lived in Japan most my adult life, work as a wedding celebrant, teach English, and do NLP and hypnotherapy. This book is my first.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘Fukushima and the coming Tokyo earthquake: and what it will mean for fragile world economy’. I had already been working on a book called Bubble to Quake which detailed the period from 1980 to a future Tokyo Quake. That latter idea is consistent!
When the 2011 tsunami and meltdown happened I thought to add this to what I had already written, but soon realised a new book was necessary. Nonetheless the first two chapters and the description of Tokyo come from that earlier script.
What inspired the book? Well I lived through that period, know Fukushima well (my wife is from there), I know Japanese culture well, have access to information that isnt well known abroad, and thought I had a good book theme.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have no point of comparison. As my work is non-fiction, I like to gather lots of information, precis it down to the essence, put this ‘essence’ in folders on my desktop, whiz through it until I have the main ideas in my head , then start writing, preferably on a day when I have slept well and will be un-interrupted, as concentration is vital. Its a bit like juggling and keeping 20-30 balls up in the air. Later its cut and paste, thesaurus diving, reviewing, and then vicious cuts of anything that doesn’t add to the story. I also prioritise FLOW – making sure the text draws the reader along. Finally near the end its hunt the typos.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
well I’m generally a reader of non-fiction, though my reading these days is on the state of the world, in preparation for my next and final book. Robert Anton Wilson has been a big influence on my life, as has some of the attitudes and insights in NLP.
What are you working on now?
Preparation for my next book to be called ‘Inverting the Pyramid’ (subtitle will come to me as I write it). My focus for the last 12 years or so has been “what is the big picture?” and most of my reading revolves around that so: climate change, resource depletion, the end of cheap oil, neo-liberal capitalism, massive inequality, soil and water degradation ..lots more. The book will basically argue that we cannot continue with exponential growth and the pursuit of profit regardless of the damage we are doing to the planet. I believe the current economic paradigm does not fit 21st century reality. We need a new, sustainable paradigm. The pyramid of values at the moment places, nature, soil, water at the bottom, manufactured goods in the middle, and abstract ‘money’ such as CDOS, derivatives, fiat currency at the top of the pyramid. This needs to be inverted, in my opinion. Hence the books title . Theres lots more to it, but that’s a brief synopsis.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Good question. I don’t know. Though I’ll be doing a Goodreads giveaway soon. I find marketing much harder than writing.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Your book will take you far far longer to write than you can imagine (if you want it ultra-professional). Therefore you must have good theme and be prepared to do whatever it takes to get it as good as is humanly possible. Thats my motto: Whatever it takes.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Cant think of any now.
What are you reading now?
Societies beyond Oil by John Urry, and non-fiction ( rare for me) The Singapore Grip by J G Farrell
What’s next for you as a writer?
Try and finish this next book, maybe before I retire but if not when I moved from Tokyo to Europe. I’d like to then do presentations about the need for change, away from the very dangerous trajectory we are presently on.
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?
Shakespeare, Robert Anton Wilson and Finnegans Wake ( I might have enough time for the latter!!)
Author Websites and Profiles
tony smyth Website
tony smyth Amazon Profile
tony smyth’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile