The Write Way Café welcomes Keith Steinbaum, an author who sees opportunities in challenges.
When did you first have the thought you'd like to write a book?
I believe I’ll remember the moment for the rest of my life. I had just left the movie theatre with my daughter after seeing a Mel Gibson movie called ‘Signs’ about an alien invasion of planet Earth. The basic premise was how all countries needed to work together for the survival of mankind. For a period of time before that, perhaps a couple of years, there had been an idea brewing in my brain that touched on one concept, albeit much different, about another kind of invasion that also entailed adversaries needing to come together for their own mutual survival. To me, however, up to that time, I just thought of it as my imagination doing its thing. So as I waited on the corner for my daughter to finish looking at the posters of upcoming films, a sudden feeling came over me that I’d never had and haven’t had since. It was a sense of complete assuredness and, consequently, tranquility, about the desire to write a story. I went home, cancelled a night class on landscape design at a local university and signed up for a creative writing class instead. I started my first book in that class and eventually finished long after that class, and a second one from the same teacher, had ended.
What was your path to getting You Say Goodbye written and published? What type of research did you do?
You know how in different places of worship there’s always a Sunday sermon delivered? When it came to writing
You Say Goodbye, I may as well have been on a pulpit because Sunday was almost literally the one day of the week that I spent writing the story. I still have a full time job and between lack of time during the day and fatigue at night, the Monday through Friday grind prevented any quality creative ability. As for Saturday, that was the one day of the week that I could spend quality personal time with my wife and enjoying social activities with friends. So that left Sunday. The story remained in my thoughts, of course, and like a car that’s only driven a single day of the week, once I started the motor and settled into my seat, it felt like I had never left and away I went on my Sunday ‘drive.’
I’m very grateful to Lauri Wellington, the Acquisitions Editor at Black Opal Books, for offering me a contract. When I read her acceptance email it took awhile to peel me down from the ceiling. Ironically, I received another contract offer from another company that same week but as it turns out I’m very happy with my decision and the association I’ve cultivated with all the wonderful staff and fellow authors at Black Opal Books.
In regards to research, as much as I feel that I know about rock ‘n roll history, I still needed to read in detail about certain groups and events that happened to them along the way. I also have some information I discuss about cancer so I spoke to an oncologist friend about certain possible scenarios and terminology and then sent him those portions of the story I’d written relating to our discussion to see if they were viable. There was also time spent studying certain handguns and security cameras until I found the right choices for the story.
Where did the idea for You Say Goodbye come from?
Perhaps if someone reading this interview also read the one we did in September, they may recall the story about my original inspiration behind
You Say Goodbye. One morning while perusing the L.A. Times, I turned to the obituary section and immediately spotted a photo of a sweet looking young girl selling lemonade. Her name was Alexandra Scott, and before she died at the age of eight, her ‘Alex’s Lemonade Stand’ that started on the front yard of her home to raise money for childhood cancer had not only become a charitable foundation in all fifty states, but in Canada and France as well. I cut out that photo and taped it on my office wall to remind me about perspective. Months later, after looking, and, yes, even talking to that picture, an idea came to me about another character vastly different yet relatable in certain ways to many of us. Finally, I devised an idea to incorporate these two types of personalities within the larger framework of a murder mystery. As with my first novel that offers much more than just the main theme of supernatural revenge, this one is a big picture item beyond the murder mystery, also offering another story within a story dealing with intertwining relationships of the characters. Character driven novels are the ones I find most engaging and how I try to pattern my own stories.
Why did you pick the setting you did?
I grew up in Los Angeles, so it came as a natural inclination in both novels to stick to what I know best. But that being said, as long as enough research is done with any location, coupled with creative imagination, writers can certainly offer believable reality to whatever setting they choose. This has been done in countless books and perhaps I’ll write a novel one day that takes place somewhere I’ve never been, whether here on Earth, out in space, or in an imaginary world.
Are your main characters completely imaginary or do they have some basis in real people? Do they reflect aspects of yourself?
As I referenced in my answer to the previous question, one of my principal characters was inspired by the story I read about Alexandra Scott. There is a young girl in my story with cancer and many of my thoughts about how she behaved, my physical descriptions of her, and the dialogue she spoke can be attributed to the photo of Alexandra that I looked at often while maintaining that untethered imagination to give her the freedom to be who she is.
The protagonist starts off as a bitter ex-rock star that complains a lot and feels his best days are behind him. I obviously was never a rock star but I did try for many years to make a successful career in the music business as a song lyricist. I had songs recorded but failed in my attempt to do much more than make a few dollars until I finally realized it wasn’t meant to be. I went through some tough times emotionally during and after that period, and was guilty of feeling sorry for myself a little too often, so I did use some of those memories as fuel for my protagonist’s initial behavior.
Did you face any blocks while writing the book, and if so, how did you handle them?
Maybe writer’s block doesn’t happen with many lyrics that are written (didn’t McCartney say that he wrote ‘Yesterday’ in 15 minutes?), but when it comes to writing a story I would think it occurs to most authors. Perhaps if I had a publisher’s deadline I had to meet I’d feel differently, but when I’m asked about it, at least for me, what kept it to a minimum was the understanding that this fictional world I created was all of my own making and offered me a chance to live in the alternate reality of my imagination. That’s a real turn on for me as a writer and I embraced that opportunity. Now that I think about it, because I wrote 99% of the book only on Sundays for the years it took to complete, I don’t think I gave myself a chance to experience writer’s block. That’s one solution but I sure don’t recommend it.
What have been surprises you've encountered while writing You Say Goodbye and after?
Two come to mind. Perhaps I should have known about this and not have it come as a surprise, but it wasn’t until I completed the novel and had it reviewed by an editor (before I was offered a contract), that I learned of the potential legal problems I’d face by including lyrics from songs without the publisher’s permission. This could have been a disastrous situation because there are several key moments in various parts of the story where my protagonist experiences events that bring to mind song lyrics related to what’s occurring. As it turned out, that information was the best thing that could have happened to me as the author. After the initial 3 minutes of panic subsided, that proverbial light bulb went on over my head and I decided to write my own damn lyrics. I was a song lyricist for over ten years so this was a challenge that I welcomed and those passages are better because of my personal connection to them. The second surprise was the realization that I could actually write a murder mystery that keeps the reader guessing. In other words, I surprised myself. There was a part of me that wondered if I could pull it off, but once that first editor told me that she thought it was a particular character for most of the story until realizing that it could be others as well in the later stages of the book, I clenched my fist in an ‘I did it’ moment of triumph.
What did you learn? For instance, what did you learn about yourself, your process, the writing world; about rock musicians and serial killers?
I’ll answer the second half of your question first. For any of us who grew up listening to rock music and following the various groups, there aren’t many more things to learn about when it comes to sex, drugs, and their music. Yes, I did research on certain rock musicians to implement dialogue ideas pertaining to history and to accommodate my storyline, but nothing new truly worth noting. Regarding serial killers, I hadn’t known that it’s generally the press who gives them their nicknames, not the police. So I went online and looked up various serial killer names to get a sense of what wouldn’t just be realistic had someone like my character actually existed, but also ‘sensational’ which is reflective of the way the press often is. To have the much beloved Beatles associated in any way with a serial killer might be slanderous to many, but that’s exactly why I did it because my sense is the press would be the first to jump at this kind of name opportunity, therefore making the name quite believable.
The main thing I learned about myself is that I was capable of writing a second book under the uncommon circumstance I faced. I don’t mean to infer that I thought one book was all I had in me, rather it’s what’s entailed in the process of writing a novel length story that I questioned because of the barrier I encountered over lack of time each week to complete the journey. When I wrote my first book, as with now, I had a full time job, but that particular effort was fueled by emotional forces that don’t exist now, impelling me to work all hours of the day and night with work often being overridden by my drive to finish the story. But while writing my second novel, I now dealt with additional responsibilities at work that I didn’t have before, so it mainly became that one-day per week effort that I described in an earlier answer. I looked forward to those moments of writing on Sundays and returning to the world of my characters, but it was a highly challenging commitment to complete. But I did it, and I learned about the value of believing in myself and my commitment despite the demons of doubt that occasionally rear their ugly heads inside my own.
Tell us about your writing space and how or why it works for you.
For my first novel,
The Poe Consequence, I wrote in my home office, in my backyard, in the building garage where I work, at various parks, on assorted residential street sides, and probably other locations that I’ve forgotten about. There was even a time that I was on a job site at a condo during a lunch break, and while immersed in one of those great creative zones that authors live for, I ran out of power on my laptop. Having befriended one of the condo owners, I knocked on her door and asked if I could plug the laptop into one of her outlets in order to finish a very important scene. That was book one…
As I’ve mentioned, my second novel,
You Say Goodbye, was mainly a Sunday venture and that meant either in my home office or backyard. Both locations offer me the focus and solitude I require to transfer the play occurring in my mind into the written word on my computer. Stephen King once said that all you have to do is “kind of take dictation from something inside.” That man is in a league shared by few others as far as prolificacy, but that idea is a model to follow and for me, that ‘something inside’ needs as much quiet as possible in order for me to take that dictation.
What are some of your favorite books and why?
I think it’s safe to assume that the Write Way Café is a site whose audience is comprised of people who love to read, and that probably means a multitude of books over a great number of years. I’m no different, so this question is a tough one to answer because like many who follow your website, I’ve probably read many hundreds of books and how am I supposed to narrow it down to my favorites? That said, one book that has to be mentioned is Isaac Asimov’s
The Foundation Trilogy, which was the catalyst for beginning my love affair with good books. He transported me into another time and place that fascinated and mesmerized this (then) teenaged kid. There were the dark classics that were ahead-of-their-time commentaries on the psychology of human behavior - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and two books by H.G. Wells -
The Invisible Man and
The Island of Dr. Moreau. I’m a big Pat Conroy fan, but if I were to choose one it would be
Lords of Discipline. Anne Rice’s
Interview With the Vampire is one of the most original concepts I’ve ever come across, as is Stephen King’s
The Stand. Another author who I like a lot, having read all of his books, is Dennis Lehane. And like my Conroy options, if I had to choose one of Lehane’s books it would be
The Given Day. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and that one is fantastic. Although I don’t seek out Western novels, another book that I want to include here because it would certainly make my top five is Larry McMurtry’s
Lonesome Dove. In addition to a great multifaceted story, his numerous characters are so well developed and fully dimensional in their humanity both good and bad that it’s not only a magnificent reading adventure but the ultimate lesson on character development. The last one I’ll mention is a book I recently finished –
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. Not only does this World War II story about a town in Nazi occupied France continually punch you in the gut, but her descriptive writing of raw, naked emotions continually left me shaking my head in ‘I am not worthy’ admiration.
What are you working on next?
For those who aren’t too young to be familiar with the group The Moody Blues, there’s a song of theirs titled, “I Know You’re Out There Somewhere,” and that’s how I feel about my next idea. Right now, I don’t have something that’s put its hooks in me, but my antenna is always up for the next enlightening moment that will inspire me to make a move or at least start me on my way towards the promised land of a winning idea. If I was to compare it to something, just as actors audition for a director until one rises above the rest and gets the role, each day offers me a chance as the director of my next book to eventually discover what I’m looking for. All I know for sure is that it’s going to have to be something I embrace fully and keeps me coming back for more because it gets lonely out there on isolation island when you immerse yourself inside your head for the length of time it takes for the creation of a story.
Would you like to try your hand at writing a different genre? Which one and why?
I understand the idea behind an author’s ‘brand’ and we all know popular names that have found great success sticking with one type of genre and generating a large fan base. I’ve only written two novels, one being a supernatural thriller and the other a whodunnit murder mystery, so there’s as yet no label one could attach to me. I like the idea of being a ‘free agent’ author who writes from his gut about what inspires him no matter the genre. I know that’s potentially not a good thing for developing a following but if I’m to write the best possible story, it’s got to come from the best possible place, and that’s my heart.
On my website, I have a quote about what inspired me to become a writer and what motivates me to this day. Without getting into specifics about that original inspiration, what motivates me is life’s heavier side, its dramatic side, because that’s where I find ideas worth exploring. Hey, I like to laugh and have a good time as much as anybody, but don’t look for a comedic book from me anytime soon.
If you were not a writer, what would your dream job be?
A successful jazz recording artist playing venues throughout the world. Just Google Dave Brubeck and his 70-year career and that will tell you all you need to know about the answer to this question.
What aspect of writing gives you the most trouble?
Your question is probably centered on technical issues of writing but my answer comes from the general point of view of living inside my head all the time, which can be hard to deal with. We all want to be in the moment, right? Life is a speeding train but we all want to make sure we stare out the window and appreciate the view of the landscape, right? But think of it like this: When we watch a play, there’s an intermission and the curtain comes down. However, things don’t remain inactive on the set. The stagehands are moving things around back there. It’s the same thing with writing a story. I may be with my wife and/or children somewhere when the ‘curtains’ are down and I’m away from my computer, but those stagehands in my head are still working behind the scenes. They rarely rest, and although you often want them to they seldom do. Once we as authors commit to a story, there will be a piece of us missing for a long while.
After a temperamental meltdown on stage, Sean Hightower, a regretful and resentful “one-hit wonder” rock musician hoping for a comeback, returns to his girlfriend’s condo seeking comfort from the woman he loves. But after letting himself in, he discovers her naked body on the bed, murdered from a bullet to the head. When the police detective arrives and sees the two taped pieces of paper on the wall with the word, “hello,” on one and “goodbye,” on the other, he realizes that the renowned serial killer, The Beatles Song Murderer, has struck again. In the days that follow, he reaches another conclusion—the Beatles Song Murderer is probably somebody Sean knows. Now the detective needs Sean’s help to find the killer.
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About Keith:
After graduating college from UCSB, I set my sights on becoming a professional song lyricist after many years of writing poetry. Had I known through the haze of my naiveté and post college optimism what a difficult task this was to accomplish as a career goal, I would have focused on my other alternative of disc jockeying somewhere. I spent a couple years doing middle of the night work at the college station playing rock ‘n roll for those few listeners either partying or working night shifts, and I had about a hundred resume cassette tapes ready to send. I’ve occasionally wondered where this would have led me had I decided on this course for my career, but as it turns out, although I did have song on a popular album in America, and other songs recorded in a number of foreign markets, I wasn’t able to make a living as a lyricist and moved on into the field of landscape. But my creative writing flame continued to burn. Understanding that idea took time to realize through initial bouts of unhappiness lasting several years. But once I started focusing on poetry again, that’s where I rediscovered the untethered freedom and joy of writing without monetary goals.
Fast forward to an eventual desire to write a novel, culminating in the completion of
The Poe Consequence. As a buildup to the idea for the book, my landscape job entailed years of working in many low-income housing projects throughout Southern California, and, consequently, many neighborhoods with gang problems. This experience played a major role in formulating the concept for my story. Originally self-published, this past June I signed a contract with Black Opal Books for it’s re-release next summer. In the future I’d like the opportunity to delve further into all the ingredients that factored into the creation of the book but I’m certainly gratified for receiving valued blogger reviews on sites such as Amazon and Goodreads, as well as other accolades.
Winner of Books-and-Authors.net’s Book of the Year in the Supernatural Thriller genre, the novel also made the 2015 Kirkus Reviews Books of the Year issue. And in 2017, it received a Finalist placing in the international Book Excellence Awards competition.
My second novel entitled,
You Say Goodbye, a Beatles themed whodunit murder mystery revolving around the search for a renowned serial killer, is my first with Black Opal Books. The story prominently features a one-hit wonder ex-rock star and a little girl with cancer who's a big fan of the L.A. Lakers. The child's character was inspired by the life, and unfortunate death, of Alexandra Scott from the Alex's Lemonade foundation.
I can be found online at: Facebook Goodreads.com Twitter
Here are my personal website links: KeithSteinbaum.com and ThePoeConsequence.com
About Steven: Born in California, Steven M. Moore is now a full-time writer of many thriller, mystery, and sci-fi novels, short fiction, blog articles, and book and movie reviews. His stories reflect his keen interest in the diversity of human nature that he has observed in his different abodes across the U.S. and in South America as well as in his Latin and European travels for work and pleasure. After spending more than two decades in scientific R&D in the Boston area, he and his wife now make their home just outside New York City, where he devotes most of his time to storytelling. For more details, visit him at his website https://stevenmmoore.com. He can also be found on Facebook and @StevenMMoore4.
