JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Andy Holloman, author of Shades of Gray
(Triple J Press)

What if your business was suddenly in danger of going under because of 9/11 ? A single father decides to partner up with woman from the opposite side of the tracks. Can their partnership deliver the cash they BOTH desperately need? Could they fall in love? And will they survive to see the Summer of 2002?

(Combine “Breaking Bad” and “Cops” with a disturbing, dark remake of “The Love Boat” and you have all the flavors of SHADES OF GRAY)

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write Shades of Gray?

Andy Holloman: Shades of Gray grew out of my experiences as a Travel Agency owner in the 1990’s. My company had a client who purchased airline tickets in an unusual (but legal) way, and my staff speculated that she was a drug smuggler. As the industry went into a tailspin after 9/11, a strange tale took root in my overactive imagination: “How far would a desperate father go to save his business?”

JP: What sets Shades of Gray apart from other books in the same genre?

AH: While the main theme of Shades of Gray is not unusual – desperate times lead to desperate measures – I do think that the plot twists are surprising and especially the ending. I believe that readers will enjoy the big surprise that comes about at the end and will return to the novel after getting to the end to find the clues that are sprinkled throughout the story.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to Shades of Gray getting out to the public?

AH: Here are some of the keys to my success:

1. Tenacity
2. Being involved in a readers group and networking with other authors
3. Using several good beta readers and paying for professional editing

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish Shades of Gray?

AH: My writing process for Shades of Gray is best described as haphazard. I began this book in 2003 and wrote very consistently for 3 years. After sending it out to a hundred or so agents/publishers, I put it away. (It was stored on a 3 1/2 inch floppy disk, remember those?)

I never imagined it would reappear in 2011. In 2011, I did another re-write and hired two professional editors to assist in turning the book into the work that it is now.

JP: What’s next for Andy Holloman?

AH: I’m just in the thinking stages of my next novel. Early plans are to have it published in early 2013.

http://www.andyholloman.com/

http://twitter.com/AndyHolloman

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