Today, Norm Goldman Publisher & Editor of bookpleasures.com is pleased to have as our guest, Sam Moffie author of The Organ Grinder And The Monkey.

Good day Sam and thanks for participating in our interview.

Norm:

How did you get started in writing? What keeps you going?

Sam:

I was born deaf in my right ear. My parents were both big-time readers. There were a lot of books lying around and I could escape from the world of loud into these books. I wrote a lot for school newspapers. When I got out of college I couldn't land a job writing, so I went into the world of small business. No matter how much I tried to return to writing, the go-go 80's kept me away from it; because of my career and raising a family. I took a break that lasted 20 years. The routine of creating a story and hopefully entertaining some people with my characters is what keeps me going. It is not easy, and for some strange reason that helps keep the fire burning very deep inside my persona.

Norm:

Has your environment and/or upbringing influenced your writing? If so, please explain.

Sam:

My environment is the world around me, and it has contributed to my writing. I am an observer of everything and everybody around me. Bits and pieces (sometimes whole pieces) might end up in my stories. I have all sorts of little notes that I scribble in.  Reason for this, is that I have just observed something that my note taking either fits the story I'm working on right now, or just might come in use somewhere down the line.

Norm:

The Organ Grinder And The Monkey is your second novel. How did the writing of this novel differ from your first novel, Swap?

Sam:

The Organ Grinder and the Monkey differed mainly because of the research involved. I spent a lot of time in Steubenville, Brookline and New York City. I reside in Boardman, so I already had that setting down pat.  There were other items and characters that required a lot of research as well (ie the silent films).  Whereas in the Swap, the writing was much more character driven and easier to accomplish.  Many of my earlier critics said I didn't go into enough detail in Swap. This was valid, so I went into greater detail with The Organ Grinder and the Monkey.

Norm:

How did you get the inspiration for The Organ Grinder And The Monkey?

Sam:

The inspiration for The Organ Grinder and the Monkey was the mural of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis on the grocery store in the Gertrude Lee shopping center in Steubenville, Ohio near the high school football stadium. Both my sons were on football teams that played regional championships there. After both games, while stuck in the parking lot, it seemed like both Dean and Jerry were staring at me.

Norm:

How much real-life do you put into your fiction? Is there much “you” in there?

Sam:

I think there is a lot of "real-life" in fiction.  My first book had a lot more of "me" in it then my second book, but there is some.  As Captain Cliche would say "Truth is stranger than fiction."

Norm: 

I thought it was hilarious the use of the Yiddish expression “Moishe Pipicks” as the name for Irving Hanhart’s parents’ bookstore. What made you want to use it?

Sam:

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for observing "Moishe Pipicks."  Not only you have verified with me your excellent reputation as a reviewer, I see you're an even better reader!  It is a homage to my father Joel who died a few years ago.  He used it all the time. Thus, I have just put an exclamation point on the above question.

Norm:

You include some very detailed dialogues in The Organ Grinder And The Monkey. Where did that dialogue come from?

Sam:

Thank you for your keen observation about the dialogue being detailed.  It started out, because I wanted to prove some critics wrong. Then, as the characters developed, so did their respective stories and I ignored the critics.  I also believe that intense people have a lot to say. Seymour, Constance and Irving are intense people, and I think that they had to speak in great detail.  I wanted to get a lot of information out, and I believe the only way to do that is in great detail.

Norm:

The Organ Grinder And The Monkey seems to have a broader mission than simply entertaining or storytelling. Can you talk more about that mission and what you hope readers will take away after reading the book?

Sam:

The mission of the book was a lot of little "missions."  For instance, get the recovery program of Al-Anon out in a fiction forum.  Tweak the nose of the publishing industry for only being interested in books like Seymour's therapist wrote (a dime a dozen). Maybe interest some people in the lost art of the silent films.  Show what has happened to the communities of the rust belt which have been dominated by the mafia and one-party rule. Hopefully install the most important message of the book that is to respect everyone, especially the little guy; because you don't know who they might be connected to. There are a lot more, but I know your audience wants to move on.

Norm:

How did you go about creating the three protagonists, Seymour Petrillo, Constance Powers and Irving Hanhart? Did you have a plan or did you wing it as you went along?

Sam:

Seymour, Constance and Irving were outlined when I began. I was happy to say that they started talking to me about half-way though the manuscript. There was some "winging it." After all, it's a story. It's made up.

Norm:

What kind of research did you do to write The Organ Grinder And The Monkey?

Sam:

Most of my research was actually visiting all the settings in the novel. Libraries, the Internet, and a lot of movies. If you like movies, don't watch "Bela Lugosi meets a Brooklyn Gorilla," unless you want to see the best imitation of Jerry Lewis... ever.

Norm:

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

Sam:

I really liked the way all the minor characters meshed with the major character that they were "teamed" up with.  For example -- Papa Antonucci, Headda Lettuce and Mrs. Brumagin with Seymour. Joey Sicily, Robert Jeffrey and Anne Powers with Constance.  Jerry Feingold, Captain Cliche and Stan with Irving Hanhart.

Norm:

What has your experience been like with self- publishing?
 
Sam:

Self-publishing is not for the weak. I have survived, because I think both my books are better than average and I hustle all the time for reviews, sales, readings, etc.  I went to a Barnes and Noble book signing (they had invited me) and only four people showed. After it was over, I was very depressed and the manager said "you did better than the last person -- and they were published by a big time press-house."   However, self-publishing is going to take over the publishing industry and make it better, because of the diversity.  There is a lot more good fiction in self-publishing than in the main stream.  There will be a lot of big-shots eating crow when the little guys get finished (Irving Hanhart would like self-publishing).

Norm:

How did you celebrate the completion of The Organ Grinder And The Monkey? 

Sam:

I celebrated the ending of the book by opening a great bottle of red wine and enjoying the sunset on my back porch with my muse and my dog Bailey (thats him on the back cover).

Norm: 

Are you working on any books/projects that you would like to share with us? (We would love to hear all about them!)

Sam:

I am shopping my completed manuscript No-Mad around. I have a story about how upside/down the publishing world is today. Entitled "God Bless you Mr. Vonnegut," I actually took the first 20 pages of Kurt Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions and changed the title of it. I sent it out to over 50 agents and publishing houses. Only one saw it for what it was.  Thus, Kurt Vonnegut couldn't get published today and would be self-publishing.   I am also writing two novellas, that I hope to market as one book 

Norm: 

Is there anything else you wish to add that we have not covered?

Sam:

Thank you for this most excellent opportunity. 

Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavors.

Click Here to read Norm's Review of The Organ Grinder And The Monkey