Reviewer & Author Interviewer, Norm Goldman. Norm is the Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com.
He has been reviewing books for the past twenty years after retiring from the legal profession.
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Author: Avraham Azrieli
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 13: 97814942817552
Bookpleasures.com is once again excited to have as our guest, Avraham Azrieli to comment about his sixth novel, Thump.
Avraham has also published The Masada Complex, The Jerusalem Inception, The Jerusalem Assassin, Christmas for Joshua and The Mormon Candidate. In addition, he has published two works of nonfiction, Your Lawyer on a Short Leash and One Step Ahead- A Mother of Seven Escaping Hitler.
Norm:
Good day Avraham and thanks once again for participating in our interview
What would you say is the best reason to recommend someone to read Thump?
Avraham:
The best reason to read Thump is that it won’t feel like reading, but rather like watching a fast-moving courtroom drama that’s suspenseful and leaves you reeling with emotions and thoughts.
Norm:
How did you come up with the title Thump?
Avraham:
It first appeared as the nickname of the main character, T.M. Jefferson. He is quick-witted, ambitious and decisive—the qualities necessary for an African American kid from a poor neighborhood in Baltimore to succeed in the white-man’s business world. “Thump” is not only a clever allusion to a more abrasive four-letter word, but it also mirrors the novel’s attributes—succinct, explicit and shocking—like a good thump on the head.
Norm:
Did you know the end of Thump at the beginning?
Avraham:
Not really. I think a good story is like life—a chain of happy and sad events that eventually leads to an inevitable end.
Norm:
What was your principal focus when you created your protagonist, Thump?
Avraham:
He is a combination of men I’ve worked with or known socially—bright, charming, confident (or cocky)—and a bit reckless, especially when it comes to sex.
Norm:
What was the most difficult part of writing Thump and did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Avraham:
Thump is my sixth novel, but it’s my first venture into writing a courtroom/legal novel. Having practiced law for two decades and, before that, working for two judges, gave me the requisite knowledge of how law and the courts work. But turning a legal situation into a dramatic and suspenseful story was an incredible experience for me – and hopefully for my readers, as well.
Norm;
Where do you get your information or ideas for Thump?
Avraham:
A lot of different threads of my life came together to knit the fabric of Thump: law, love, libido, likes and dislikes of certain people, and my longtime fascination with the volatile flashpoints of race and sex.
Norm:
What is your secret in keeping the intensity of the plot throughout the narrative of Thump?
Avraham:
As a writer, I follow Elmore Leonard’s advice: “I try to leave out the parts that people skip.”
Norm:
How was the process of writing Thump different from your other novels, if there was a difference?
Avraham:
Thump was the most fun to write – but that’s probably true for every new novel I work on.
Norm:
What would you like to say to writers who are reading this interview and wondering if they can keep creating, if they are good enough, if their voices and visions matter enough to share?
Avraham:
The late Israeli author (and Nobel Prize winner) S.Y. Agnon, after taking a look at an aspiring writer’s manuscript, said to the writer: “Write. Write. Maybe you’ll write.” This may be a harsh thing to say, but it’s honest and true. If you feel compelled to create, to write, then write. When you finish a manuscript, pay a good editor, or two, or three, and re-write until the material is as good as you can make it. Then write something new. Recognition is elusive and, as any successful writer would readily admit, recognition doesn’t cure self-doubt.
Norm:
Where can our readers find out more about you and your books?
Avraham:
Norm:
What is next for Avraham Azrieli?
Avraham:
I’m working on a novel that deals with the commercialization of Memorial Day. It features Ben Teller, the motorcycle-mounted online reporter from The Mormon Candidate.
Norm:
As this interview draws to a close what one question would you have liked me to ask you? Please share your answer.
Avraham:
Q: Why did the chicken write a novel?
A: Because laying eggs just wasn’t enough!
Norm:
Thanks Once again and good luck with all of your future endeavors.
Follow Here To Read Norm's Review of Thump: A Novel