Today I have an interview with crime author Chris Roy. Enjoy.
Interview with Chris Roy
Why
don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself.
I'll be 36 in June. As a kid growing up in
Ocean Springs, Ms., I knew many freedoms. Some of them illegal.
I learned tools at a young age, repairing
anything with wheels or an engine, and became a mechanic working at my uncle’s
junkyards. At 17, I had to leave home and get my own place. I found a better job
at a transmission shop. At 18, I attempted 12th grade for a second time, once
more failing to earn my diploma. Not long after, in January, 2000, I was
arrested.
Spent half my life in prison for a murder
conviction. The appeal courts didn't care that it was a fistfight between a
couple of teenagers. Nor did they care about the ineffective assistance of my
public defender. I considered escaping, but wasn't committed to that idea until
hurricane Katrina destroyed several homes in my family. My mom was living in a
garage. Plans to leave, find work and help out were, on reflection, decisions
of youth. I didn't realize that until after I was caught. The second time.
I've been on High Risk in the Mississippi
Department of Corrections since 2005. Housed with Death Row - first in Unit 32 Supermax,
now in Unit 29 maximum security - I've adapted to extreme inhumane conditions.
Segregation in Parchman is desolate and deadly, a criminal finishing school for
most, and a mind-eroding dungeon for all.
I maintain good mental health with
punishing physical exercise. Over the years the discipline has allowed me to
develop creativity, in art and fiction writing. I've been an advocate for
prisoner rights, a GED tutor, and a mentor. Writing a series of short stories
in 2007 changed my life, renewed the hope lost with the appeals and failed
escapes. New Pulp Press signed me for two crime thriller trilogies. Book I of Shocking Circumstances was released in
January, 2017.
Learning to write polished blog posts is my
present focus. I'm used to hard boiled noir, and unused to writing about
myself.
Overcoming the difficulties of self-marketing
from Parchman, as an author convicted of murder, would be impossible without
the help of my team of volunteer supporters. Over the last several months they
have been working behind the scenes creating a website dedicated to raising
awareness to the unjust circumstances of my murder conviction, with the
ultimate goal of obtaining legal representation for another appeal. The site
will also serve as the central hub for my writings and latest news, and can be
found at www.unjustelement.com.
Most of the marketing for my novels will be
done through their various social media platforms. I'll be available to write
guest posts or do interviews with the Unjust group handling contacts.
Could
you tell us a bit about your latest book?
Book I of Shocking Circumstances introduces Clarice “Shocker” Ares, a boxing
legend that chooses to retire and develop her family and businesses.
An incident involving drugs, a major
Mexican cartel and corrupt police officers results in her imprisonment. Losing
her family, home and businesses was only the beginning of a 40 year sentence.
The easy part.
She decides being a convict wasn't for her,
and becomes the Shocker once more, earning money in a prison fight ring to
finance her escape.
How
long have you been writing, and how many books have you published to date?
In 2007, I wrote a dozen crime thriller
shorts about two physically gifted scam artists, Razor and Blondie, that
eventually became a collection titled, By
Hook or Crook. A friend and I self published it on Amazon in 2012. Two
trilogies followed. I’ve written several other shorts, mostly crime fiction,
though a couple were dark fiction. Marsh Madness was published by Near to the
Knuckle in January, 2017.
Of
all the books you've written, do you have a favourite?
Book III of Shocking Circumstances. It opens with a scene based on my second
escape in 2006. That part of the trilogy comes to mind whenever I think of
sharing excerpts.
Do
you have a favourite character? If so, why?
Shocker’s coach, Eddy. He is the kind of person
that walks into a room—or gym—and people instinctively look to for direction.
He’s an obstacles-are-challenges guy, able to make you feel like a ten foot
tall champion of the world. His manner and profession (boxing trainer) are
based on my old coach, Fred.
Fred taught boxing lessons that he also
applied as life lessons, expanding the limits placed on myself as a kid
dreaming no further than the mechanic shop. He literally taught me the
definition of ambition, and that I had enough to share. And I often do, talking
to younger convicts about their goals and using many of his motivational
phrases as he did with me.
Why
did you decide to write in the crime fiction genre?
I didn't decide on any particular genre.
Never considered there were other choices, actually. I just knew I wanted to
create a guy and his girlfriend that showed readers how to commit crimes—with smart,
original style--and get away with them. I had plenty of material for those.
My personal experiences combined with
crimes I've learned from others amount to a long list of reference material.
After making an actual list I realized I could create an endless number of ways
for my characters to do them without being caught. They were fun to write.
Crook was written before I began studying fiction writing. Just picked up a pen
and scribbled until my hand felt in danger of injury.
Creating the criminal acts. Writing out how
to do a crime, as opposed to just thinking or talking about it, really lights
up the innovative part of me. Thoughts aren't fully realized unless they are
written out. Imagination suffers. And what is life without imagination?
Designing lives filled with crime is a
creative outlet I enjoy even more than drawing or tattooing.
What
did you hope to accomplish by publishing your book?
Freedom. Doing life in Parchman gives a guy
a little free time. And there are only so many things to do in lockdown.
Writing is one of them, and we can do that all we want. One day while
brainstorming with friends, we talked about writing books, getting published,
and using the royalties to get back in court.
That was little more than a fantasy back
then. Signing six books with New Pulp Press has brought it closer to reality.
What
is your greatest challenge as a writer?
Now that I'm published? Marketing. Becoming
mainstream would be like getting struck by lightning. Inside my cell. Cop shows
and tough on crime ideals are an everyday bombardment. People will refuse to
read my work after seeing my address in the bio. I want to do interviews like
this so readers have a chance to learn something about me before judging the
value of my novels.
What’s
your next project? Any upcoming book secrets you care to reveal?
I just received word from New Pulp Press,
asking if they can release Book I of the Sharp
as a Razor trilogy while Shocking
Circumstances finds its niche.
I said, Absolutely! I'm excited about crime
fiction fans getting to know Shocker and Razor. They are very different
characters. It's going to be fun learning what readers think.
Her Name
is Mercie is a novella I'm working on. New
character, new mayhem. Since finishing Razor,
I've learned a few things from publishers that fit nicely in my writer's tool
box. Some minor style changes that I played with in a few short stories before
drafting Mercie.
Those are current and upcoming works.
Sorry, I don't tell secrets.
About the Author:
Chris Roy was raised in South Mississippi, in the midst of ugly Gulf Coast beaches and spectacular muddy bayous.
Chris lived comfortably with the criminal ventures of his youth until a fistfight in 1999 ended tragically. Since January, 2000, he's been serving a life sentence in the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
Nowadays he lives his life crime vicariously, through the edgy, fast-paced stories he pens, hoping to entertain readers. When he isn't writing, he's reading, drawing or looking for prospects to train in boxing.
For more on his books, go here: http://www.newpulppress.com/bookpage/shockingcircumstances.html
For more on the author, go here: www.unjustelement.com
