Adrian Zupp interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

Adrian Zupp was born in Sydney, Australia, and moved to the United States in 1995. He is a career writer, occasional nightclub doorman, volunteer crisis line counselor, and longtime climate activist. Zupp got his break writing features and satire for Inside Sport magazine (Australia) and has written for Billboard, Rolling Stone, Las Vegas Weekly, The Boston Phoenix, The Australian, and other outlets. New York Times bestselling author Lucia Berlin said: "Adrian Zupp writes like a house on fire." He currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

When did your love of books begin?

I wasn't an immediate "book lover." We had books in our home and my parents were smart people, but I grew up in an outdoorsy environment. I do remember that at quite a young age I read a book that I loved. It was part of a series about two friends who were amateur detectives and solved crimes. The book was called "The Case of the Missing Message." Not a lot of folks where I grew up went to college, so I was a late starter with that. But I think college really kickstarted my reading. Now I have a good library and read constantly (as time permits). I've always been a slow reader but I've noticed I'm quicker now and am not intimidated by, say, 400+ pages biographies. I love fiction and nonfiction.

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

Ironically I was in business school and I was about 25 or so and realized that I didn't want a 9-5 job. I'd done that for six years after high school and I was utterly miserable. But around the next year, I think it was, the interest started to fire up. I wrote my first (immature) book. The following year I had my first short fiction published in a tiny night club magazine. By then I was set on becoming a writer. Looking back, I do recall that at about age 15, I wrote a short story for English class and it was voted best story. It had hints of the writing voice that would eventually evolve.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

The early years were difficult and I learned how hard a "business" it is. And in Australia, at that time, there wasn't a lot going on, as far as I could tell. I weasled my way in via published nonfiction. I wrote a behind-the-scenes sports book. Then Inside Sport called me and I wrote profiles and satire for them. The satire was when my voice began to develop. This was at about age 33 through 35. Then I moved to the States to do my Master's in creative writing.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

It isn't glamorous, as it's often depicted, and don't expect to make a living from it – you might, but don't set yourself up for disappointment. It's still important to write if there's something in you, if that's what you want to do, whether you make money or not. I'm a real purist. I believe in writing what you really feel and being authentic. Don't write with money or success or other people in mind. Do it because you love it and have something you want to say.

Tell us about your book/books:

My first book was a nonfiction book in which I followed a professional rugby team for a season and wrote it up. It was pretty good but far from great. It was also a complicated situation on the business/publication side that brought immense pressure and taught me that you have to be very wary of the business side of things and who you deal with. That book came out in 1992.

Now, 30 years later, I've just put out my first work of fiction. Aussie urban short stories called, "All of My Friends Died in Plane Crashes – Fair Dinkum Stories About Wild Aussie Boys (And a Few Wild Sheilas)." I'm very proud of it and trying to market it myself – I don't expect to make a lot of money, I would just like it to get into the hands of some people who might get something out of it. I started the stories 27 years ago in grad school, where they were praised up by both fellow students and the professors. Then life got in the way and it took all this time to finish it. Not to write it. I write really fast and mostly "first thought, best thought." It just took years to get back to it due to a lot of big things that happened, and probably some complacency. I'm going to publish my next book – a short novel – in 2023. I actually completed it in the early 1990s but publishers weren't interested. They're hard enough to crack at the best of times and this book is definitely not "mainstream." And I already have in mind the next few books I want to write after that.

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

I haven't been in one since grad school. Hard to find. And I don't want to join something that, with no disrespect intended, is mainly early-stage writers or genre reading. I loved being part of the grad school writing community. So many good writers and professors, lots of encouragement, smart people, and we had a lot in common. Great days.

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

Whatever you think about my (or any) book, whatever you feel, that's fine. That's valid. You should free yourself of preconceptions or expectations as much as possible. Mostly appraisals start with "I like..." or "I don't like..." so much of the opinion about books – even the professional critics – is just opinion. It's still easy to feel hurt or slighted if someone dislikes your work, but as long as they are being honest and not just trying to be mean, it really isn't something to get upset about. The most important thing is that you feel you'd give yourself five stars for writing honestly and with passion. I'd also say, "Read my bloody book or I'll send the boys around!" :-)

Where can people connect with you?

At this email address (zuppadrian@gmail.com) is best. But I'd love for them to visit my book and author pages on Amazon (or Goodreads): https://www.amazon.com/ALL-FRIENDS-DIED-PLANE-CRASHES/dp/B0BHL2XLY5/   

The book is called "All of My Friends Died in Plane Crashes – Fair Dinkum Stories About Wild Aussie Boys (And a Few Wild Sheilas)."

The website for the book is: adrianzupp.com or planecrashesbook.com

And my "professional writing" (journalism etc.) can be found at: clippings.me/zuppwrite

Thanks very much for the chance to be part of the community. And if there's anyone who would like to review my book, I desperately need reviews!

Adrian :-)