Hey there everyone.

Have I got another cracker of an Author Interview for you. (Yes, yes I do!)

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Please let me introduce you all to author Wayne Avrashow, as he takes us on an exhilarating journey with his debut novel, a political thriller called “Roll the Dice” and we find out more about his passions, inspirations and writing experiences.

Let’s shake, rattle and roll folks – happy reading and have a great evening 🙂

 

Hi there Wayne, it is a pleasure to have you here to discuss your work in more detail and let us get to know more about you.

Thank you, great to be with you.

Let’s start with your debut political fiction novel “Roll the Dice”, the inspiration for which came from political thriller and intrigue novels such as Allen Drury’s ‘Advise and Consent’; Robert Penn Warren’s ‘All the King’s Men’; ‘Absolute Power’ by David Baldacci, and ‘Primary Colors’ by Joe Klein, as well as the current Netflix television series ‘House of Cards’. Please can you give us more background to the plot, setting and the lead characters for your thriller, along with what is at stake for them as your novel unfolds further and gains momentum.

The novel’s premise is straightforward – a rock ‘n roll star runs for political office. The star and protagonist is Tyler Sloan, a member of the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame. He runs for the United States Senate in Nevada. As you can imagine, a rock star is not the usual political candidate. He has fame and fortune and his campaign is free of lobbyists, special interests and campaign contributions are limited to $100.

Sloan is one man trying to make a difference. He has an estranged relationship with his father Mike Sloan, a former California governor and national political figure. Sloan struggles with their relationship throughout the novel. Grant Zimmer is Sloan’s personal attorney. Zimmer is often manic, he is politically connected, and advises Sloan while guarding his own interests. His campaign manager Tony Martino, who was his father’s advisor, is struck with past legal problems and he is wearing a wire for the FBI.
Sloan relies on his own instincts, and that of his young, brilliant and attractive media advisor Bree Baker. Sloan and Bree’s relationship intensifies during the campaign.

How difficult was it to get a publisher for your book and what was the timeframe involved with the process itself?

The novel won an award at the end of 2013 from Kirkus as one of the best unpublished works of that year. I re-wrote the book several times, gained a great agent in 2016 with Linda Langton and she sold the book to a publisher about five months later.

Why did you choose Fiery Seas Publishing as the publisher for your book? What qualities stood out for you to select them?

Fiery Seas is not a household name, but they would a great fit. They are a newer publisher who was receptive to new authors. My agent has worked with them in the past with positive results and we are very optimistic.

What are your own opinions on self-publishing and how come you did not choose to go down this particular route yourself for your book?

Self-publishing is fine. I wrote and self-published a book on mediation for fellow lawyers. However a third party publisher provides positive, affirmation of a book’s worth. Of course I am not paying for publishing, cover design, and all the costs that are associated with publishing. While my royalties may be less on a percentage basis than self-publishing, the overall royalties should be greater. I strongly prefer the guidance of a publisher like Fiery Seas.

How important do you feel it is to have an Agent represent your work?

It was vital. My agent Langton International, and its principal Linda Langton, are known quantities to publishers. She has represented top selling authors, including the rights to the great movie Trumbo that was released a couple of years ago. Linda showed patience and confidence with me and I very much appreciate her efforts. Agents can sell books a lot easier than authors.

What do you find the most difficult thing about writing? And what do you find the easiest?

I enjoy the process, I never have any “writer’s block.” I simply need to find the time to write. I use Dragon Speak to get the rough draft now and edit from there. I think having that software is critical.

Who are some of the authors and historical figures that inspire you?

I lean to contemporary authors. I enjoy reading Grisham, Patterson, Connelly. “Gone Girl” and the “Luckiest Girl Alive” were great reads with female protagonists. I enjoyed those books as examples of strong female characters.

What sort of research do you do to write your books?

I relied on my own life experiences to start the book. Being from Los Angeles, I have visited Las Vegas many times, vacationed in Lake Tahoe, and had business in Reno and Sparks. On those trips I visited Carson City and Ely. Nevada is a fascinating state, a rugged desert, elements of the west and Las Vegas. I did further research by visiting places in Las Vegas to add local color and used the internet for general guidance.

Why do you write? What inspired you to become a writer?

This is my creative outlet. I cannot sing, play a guitar or dance. I read novels and believed I could add a political perspective to one. I enjoy the creative process and the validation of completing the novel.

What keeps you motivated during creative slumps? How do you deal with Writers Block?

I never had that problem. Writing the novel was enjoyable and far more enjoyable than writing legal documents.

You have access to a time machine. What advice would you give to your younger self?

I would have started writing earlier in life. We all have good stories and experiences that may be “novel worthy.” We get one shot at life, so enjoy!

How do you spend your free time when you are not writing?

I have a busy legal practice that occupies the day. I exercise, love movies, and have a deep interest in political events. With the book, I am much more involved on Twitter and Facebook.

Tell us more about your upcoming projects. Are you working on anything specific or have plans for sequels to your existing work in the pipeline?

I have outlined two books and need to decide if the next one is a sequel or go in a different direction. I’ll bounce them off my agent and gather her ideas.

Finally, are there any nuggets of wisdom that you can impart to other aspiring writers?

It’s trite, but true. Go for it! I took writing classes at UCLA Extension and hired an editor. No matter who you are, your manuscript will need some assistance. Be open to constructive critiques, but at the end it is your work, your creative dream.

And that’s a wrap! Thank you for spending time with us Wayne, I think with your novel, it’s now time for us to all roll the dice and enjoy the ride 🙂 

Bio:-

Wayne Avrashow knows all about politics. He was the campaign manager for two successful Los Angeles City Council campaigns and a Deputy/Chief of Staff to those two elected City Council members. He served as a senior advisor for a successful city-wide referendum in the City of Los Angeles, co-authored ballot arguments on Los Angeles County-wide measures, served as Chairman for a Los Angeles County ballot measure, and was a Los Angeles government Commissioner for nearly twenty years. He currently serves as a Board Member of the Yaroslavsky Institute, a public policy institute founded by long time Southern California elected official, and now UCLA professor, Zev Yaroslavsky.

A practicing attorney, he specializes in government advocacy, real estate, and business law. Formerly, he was an officer in two real estate development firms. As a lawyer-lobbyist, he has represented clients before numerous California municipalities and in Nevada and Idaho. His background in politics, government, business, and law provides unique insight into the machinations and characters that populate political campaigns.

He has lectured at his law school and taught at Woodbury University in Los Angeles. He has also authored numerous op-ed articles that appeared in daily newspapers, legal, business, and real estate publications. In addition, he is the author of a self-published book for the legal community, Success at Mediation—10 Strategic Tools for Attorneys.

His inspiration to write Roll the Dice came from political thriller and intrigue novels such as Allen Drury’s Advise and Consent (1959); Robert Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men (1946), Absolute Power by David Baldacci (1995), and Primary Colors by Joe Klein (1996), as well as the current Netflix television series House of Cards. Roll the Dice is geared toward those who are interested in politics, social affairs, rock music, and current events. It is designed as a “good read”, similar to books written by John Grisham, James Patterson, David Baldacci and other contemporary authors.

You can connect with him via the following Social Media channels:-

Facebook:- Wayne Avrashow – Author (FB)
Goodreads:- Wayne Avrashow (Goodreads Author)
Instagram:- @wavrashow (Instagram)
Twitter:- @WayneAvrashow (Twitter)
Website:- The website of Author Wayne Avrashow

You can buy his books here:-

Buy Wayne Arvashow’s books in the UK/Europe

Buy Wayne Arvashow’s books in the US/Rest of the World

If you too would like to be interviewed on my blog at TooFullToWrite and you have a book or a series of books that you would like us to chat about then fill out the Contact Me form here with your details and we can arrange a future interview slot.

Still want more? Well, Wayne’s protagonist actually comes from a Rock n’ Roll background. For more articles relating to the theme of ‘Riff’ then check out the links below:-

1. Black Friday Craze by Penny Chavers – The Pen Cushion
2. how do you solve a problem like maria – morejamz.wordpress.com
3. Smoke on the Water – Run and Travel
4. The Forklift Driver – The Pescetarian Poet
5. The Voices – Just a Written Thought
6. People have faces; CV’s say anything! (Poem with a slight riff!) – Abelia May
7. With UNITY, Comes Change – Branching Out
8. LOVE, BREAK AND REPEAT – Rainbow
9. “Music’s dubious riffs.” – Expedition Overlanding Nomadic Adventures
10. “Million Dollar Riff” – Mum’s the Word Blog
11. Coastal Book Gal – Song In My Head #88: “If Not True” by Velvet Crush
12. Notes to Women – The Ranch
13. Teacups and Paper Roses – Gifted
14. Sandmanjazz – Thriving on a Riff
15. Riff… – afaceinthecrowdblog
16. I AM PROUD // IK BEN FIER – Theo Herbots zorgt voor uw webwinkel online
17. Losing – The Mum Poet
18. Twinkle – The Pescetarian Poet
19. Something borrowed – The Chaos Within
20. Riffg – The Inkwell
21. Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked – Brainpan Data Dump
22. copypower – Don’t Just Riff…Initiate and Execute
23. riff – Litterbox Riot
24. SAND DOLLAR SEASON – Riff the Word, Reap Blessings
25. Did You Know What Rights She Has On You? – Online Zaroorat e Rishta in Pakistan – Online Rishta Pakistan
26. The Daily Post – Roaming Urban Gypsy – Riff
27. Riff? – Oh, border!
28. sonja benskin mesher – . little apples .
29. Get on with it….. – doodle bee
30. Deep Waters – A Free Mind
31. Who are the Riff Dancers Kinship? * Plunder My Art
32. The Return Home – Leigha Robbins
33. Harvey Millican: Raising Your Kids Without Lowering Your IQ – Riff
34. Repeat in Romance – Salty & Sappy
35. Walk with God – The TerRIFFic Tale
36. thoughts and entanglements – Haibun Monday @dVerse Poets
37. Tell It Slant Mama – How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?
38. No Ads – The AAAmazing Phoenix
39. Once a Day Photos | – Riff – Double time, Summer time –
40. Life On The Skinny Branches – My Song
41. JasonFLBlog – a story from my childhood: a most deadly riff that you never, ever want to hear – especially like this
42. I Got the Blues (Catfish Style Ones) – authoranonblog
43. Leave that Kid Alone – Always Lybravyrgo
44. BodynSoil – Daily Word Post: Riff
45. The Hockey Mom Fit Life – My Favorite Riffs
46. Monday sadness – When I Thought I Was Nothing
47. ~317 Of 365~ – ……….365 Days………..
48. Mainline_Matter – Cleary Riff
49. Scottish Legend’s Blog – Announcement
50. Here’s Another Reason to Feel Good About Drinking Coffee – Theo Herbots zorgt voor uw webwinkel online
51. Single Guy Says – Single Guy Does Music Mondays: ‘Wicked Game’ by Chris Isaak
52. From Death to Life, From Wrong to Right – DESSI ENCORE
53. The Home Of DJ Sung Mo Koo – The Stanza and The Riff
54. The Greatest Rock Riffs of all Time – Jupiter Vibez
55. Underwhelmed – Tea, Wine, and Cheese, Please!
56. The Riff – Mistyroads
57. Swing Riff – A Unique Title For Me
58. A Life Retired – Family Riffs
59. Cats – I am a paradox.
60. Be It Known – You asked for it
61. The Unfinished – Hook—Line—Sinker
62. New Millionaires Mindset – If I’m gonna do it…
63. New Riffs For Your Perusal – Jonny Moon
64. Be It Known – Riff
65. My Brightest Star! – Wings Of Poetry
66. The Consulting Writer – Keep Calm and Don’t Fret: 100 Most Popular Guitar Riffs
67. Just Me And My Music – The First Thing
68. Just Blabbering – stoneronarollercoaster
69. Nan’s Farm-Inside Out – More Grumpy Old Men
70. Get Rid and Live – Author Flawed to Perfection
71. Paul Cox Writer – I Grew Up During the Best Years of Rock Music
72. The World Outside the Window – The Dancer in the Window
73. And Yet I Smile – My Loud Bipolar Whispers
74. Sea Change – a story in 100 words – a nomad in cyberspace
75. Pardon ! – Vibrant Diaries
76. One riff at the time – In my world
77. Riff – The Bag Lady
78. Six Strings – Blase’
79. Riff – damswriter
80. Holiday Time Off? What The Heck?… – Success Strategies
81. Life As Singing Bianca – Blissfully Bianca
82. Na’ama Yehuda – A Riff Tiff
83. Tanka: Wannabe rocker’s lament – Cactus Haiku
84. Gregory Josephs – Appreciate the Now – Finding Beauty in the Mundane
85. lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown – I Keep Your Promise
86. A Riff For The King
87. Writer’s block – Not Part of the Band
88. Riff – Scribbled by M
89. Not Quite Home – Definite Different Drumbeat
90. Miss Pelican’s Perch – The History of Rock and Roll by Riff
91. Muse of the Day – Everyday Strange
92. Judging Alabama – A lot from Lydia
93. A Rant on Riff – This, That, and The Other
94. Improvisation – The Introspection Connection
95. R. I. F. F : Something Glamorous – Angelin Veronica
96. SERENDIPITY – IT WAS ONE OF THOSE DAYS – RIFFING ON LIFE
97. Riff – Megha’s World
98. Darling, You Are Perfect For Me – The Blog by Nisamer
99. Never miss a beat – Wells Baum
100. Curious Hart – The Daffodils’ Riff
101. The Cat Chronicles – Daily Feline Prompt: Meow me a Riff
102. Riff-If you don’t listen,you miss! – Thoughts Over Coffee
103. From Purple Haze to Rain – True_George
104. Shards of Bards
105. Riff – wordsareallihavesite
106. Success Inspirers World – A riff on a cliff
107. The Art of How Not To Write – Sketches By Nitesh
108. SLK – Chartreuse Velvet
109. Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss – Riffs are part of my daily life
110. Listening To A Riff; Capturing A Moment – Susan Rushton
111. Everything and anything – Writing is Like Jazz
112. DCMontreal: Blowing the Whistle on Society – Roll Over Beethoven’s Classic Riff
113. Black Strat Blues – artiche
114. A Song in Labor – Recycled Affirmations
115. The Riffians are Attacking! – THE THIS & THAT COLLECTOR
116. Riff [The Daily Post] – The Same As the Different
117. Coffee & Books & The Way She Looks – Riff [The Daily Post]
118. MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO – Riff
119. THE ICONOPHILE – The Perfect Way to Stop a Woman
120. Dronstad – How to write battle scene?
121. I Desired Everything Which Was Not Mine – Specscladeyes
122. Riff of Reeds – Beach Books
123. Preachers Who Worship The Leather Whip – The Pensive Dreamer
124. Hooked in Utero – I’m a Writer, Yes, I Am!
125. Sex Education, One Stall Over – Unlearning
126. juantetcts – Daily Post/Riff
127. 50 By 60 – Pumpkin Spice Weekly Weigh-In!
128. Twinkle, a Real Factory Fable – The Pescetarian Poet
129. Success Inspirers World – A Riff For The King
130. Light & life – Harry & Sam Poetry Slam
131. Sunrise (Feat. Traffic) – December Rose
132. Getting Unstuck – Armed With A Keyboard
133. One-man band – Vignettes from a Writer’s Den
134. I love you, but… – The Gilded Cage
135. empatheticpoetess – The Riff
136. KO Rural Mad As Hell Blog – rock n
137. the word’o’the’day is RIFF…………………… ⋆ Obsolete Childhood
138. Let the riffraff in – Nefertiti’s Sweeties
139. Scribbled to Paper – “Johnny”
140. Ups, Downs & Deviations – Riff
141. Riff – THEGIRLVERSUSWORLD
142. Flash Fiction: Riff – Telling Stories Together
143. Melodic Life – emotionsoflife2016
144. Science Traveler – Skeleton Road – Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
145. Daily Prompt – Riff – MindEscapes
146. Riff-ed – Zeckrombryan
147. On Keeping Score – Divorce Guilt
148. ‘Everybody sees it coming, but no one wants to talk about it’ – Wells Baum
149. Six-word story: Riff – writingiswonderful
150. Riff on chapped knuckles – Scattered Showers in a Clear Sky
151. Word of the Day – cocoa2
152. A Riff and a Lick – Just Writing!
153. Riff (Daily Prompt) – A STARfisher’s Blog
154. ….on pets and prisoners….. – daily prompt: riff
155. Designer Sophisticate – How does that one go again?
156. What’s Your Banner? – Stew Rd.
157. Yasuaki Shimizu – Roskilde Festival News
158. Bear – This Girl’s Got Curves
159. What do Billy Joel, William Hogarth, and Valentino have in common? – This and That 404
160. Riff – All About Writing and more
161. Four Reasons Why You Should Attend RICES Exhibition – JUNKY TRAVEL