Take 7 With Tim Maleeny

March 2, 2007

Tim Maleeny has come out with his first novel, STEALING THE DRAGON. Several months ago I got a publishing catalogue from my editor, Barbara Moore, at Midnight Ink with a note saying, "I think you'll like Tim Maleeny's 'Stealing The Dragon.'" Well, Barbara was right. I did like it. It's one of the most enjoyable first novels I've read in quite some time. I'll be reviewing STEALING THE DRAGON in a couple days, but Tim stopped by to chat.

1. Tell me a little bit about yourself. You live in San Francisco? This is your first novel, right? Job, education, family?

I’m the son of an organic chemist and registered nurse, both of whom were voracious readers, so I grew up surrounded by books. Every time my family moved, the first thing we did was build bookshelves at the new house. We started off in New Jersey, then moved to Atlanta, then back to New Jersey. Since leaving the nest I’ve lived in New Hampshire, Seattle, New York and most recently San Francisco, where I live with my wife and two daughters.

I went to Dartmouth College and attended graduate school at Columbia. By day I work in the sordid world of advertising, where things take place that are far worse than the mayhem and murder I write about in my books.

STEALING THE DRAGON is my first novel. I’d written short stories before that, including the title story for DEATH DO US PART, an anthology edited by Harlan Coben for Mystery Writers of America.


2. Much of STEALING THE DRAGON revolves around organized crime in Hong Kong, Japan and San Francisco, especially with the Triads. What was your research like?

I tried joining an international crime syndicate but couldn’t pass the initiation test, so I had to settle for going to the library, reading a ton of books, and talking to people who knew more about criminals than I did. Over the years I had traveled to Asia for business several times and fell in love with Hong Kong, so writing this book was a way to travel back there whenever I wanted, at least in my mind. As for San Francisco, I live less than ten blocks from Chinatown, so that research was simply a matter of walking the streets and paying more attention to the back alleys than the tourist destinations.

3. From someone (me) who has a strong interest in the martial arts, seem to have either done your research or have some experience of sorts with some of them. What's your research there like?

I took judo and tae kwon do when I was younger, and though I’d love to say I’m a black belt, that would take us back into the realm of fiction. I’ve always had a passion for martial arts and Asian culture, from the James Clavell novels like Shogun to movies like House of the Flying Daggers. Writing this book gave me an excuse to do research into something I wanted to learn more about anyway.

4. What's next?

The second novel in the series comes out in October of this year. The title is BEATING THE BABUSHKA and it deals with the Russian mob and their involvement in the movie business. You’ll see some of the same characters you met in Stealing The Dragon, including Cape Weathers and his deadly companion Sally.

5. Most of my blog readers are aspiring novelists.
Any advice?

Keep reading and keep writing.
Sounds simple, but once you start writing, you read differently. You start to notice things like character development, dialogue and point-of-view. Then when you write again, your subconscious has applied everything you just read to making you a better writer. And don’t just read books in your genre; if you’re writing mysteries, try reading historical novels, science fiction, even poetry. It can help you find your voice.

6. What's the best thing you've discovered about getting your novel published? The worst?

The best is having people emotionally respond to your story, get excited about the book and bond with the characters. I’d only known that connection between author and reader from a reader’s perspective, and it’s amazing on both sides of the fence.

The worst is how much time it takes to actually promote a book. Your publisher can support you, but you have to put in the time, the effort, and often the money to market your book. And while I love visiting bookstores and meeting readers, you quickly realize that all the time you put aside to write another book is now being spent marketing the one you just wrote. I wish I didn’t need to sleep, and I wish I could write faster.


7. What's your favorite breakfast food? (Go read the book to see why I ask).

Pancakes, definitely, but I’d never say no to bacon.

Thanks Tim & good luck.

Mark Terry