In your novel Albuquerque is the backdrop of your story. Based off of shows like my favorite Breaking Bad, what about Albuquerque do you think is the draw for crime novels and shows?

It’s an interesting town, a crossroads where cultures mix and identities collide. And, for all its sprawl and strip malls, it’s a beautiful place — mountains and sunsets and thunderstorms and desert horizons. Good settings for all kinds of stories.

Why do you write under a pen name?

It was my agent’s idea. Alibi is a new imprint at Random House, and a new identity seemed to fit with the new direction in my work.

How long does it take you to write a novel?

Depends on the novel, of course, but the whole process usually takes around eight months. I write the first draft in a couple of months, then spend the rest of the time revising and polishing.

Do you outline?

I do, though not in the Roman numerals sense we were taught in school. I sketch out the plot, a paragraph for each chapter, before I begin. The outline is usually around 20 pages for a 300-page novel.

Talk about character development for a moment, how do you create your characters?

I start with the obvious — gender, hair color, physical build, mental state, basic background — and build from there. I used to do little bios for each character so I knew everything about them, but I find myself doing that less these days. The characters come to life in the first draft, then I pare and add details on rewrite.

What has been your best marketing tactic so far?

I’m very active on Facebook and Twitter (@BrewerRules), and I do a lot of personal appearances, speaking to writing conferences and mystery conventions.

How many hours a day do you spend writing? 

Five or six, usually. I do take breaks, however, between revisions and between books. When I was starting out, I tried to write every day, but I learned the importance of recharging the creative batteries.

Which author has influenced you the most and why?

Donald E. Westlake, who wrote wonderfully comic crime novels under his own name and great hard-boiled novels as Richard Stark. I’ve tried for that same versatility in my writing life, publishing a private eye series as well as lots of standalones, many of which are filled with humor.

You know I have to ask… Red or Green?

Green! Preferably from El Patio in Albuquerque.

Thank you for joining us, I look forward to reading Duke City Desperado.

Title: Duke City Desperado by Max Austin
Genre: Thriller

For fans of Breaking Bad and the bestselling fiction of Don Winslow and George Pelecanos comes Max Austin’s latest fast-paced, rollicking “Lawbreakers Thriller” of criminals and lovers, malcontents and madmen–all within the treacherous city limits of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Synopsis

Under a sky full of stars, Dylan James lies sleeping on the roof of a pueblo-style house.

Everyone in Albuquerque seems to be looking for him. A murderous Mafia prince wants to kill him. Two FBI agents want to cuff him. A Goth girl wants to make love to him. And a fierce, sexy Chicana just wants to clean up the mess Dylan made. The trouble started with a drug-addled career criminal named Doc, and a bank robbery staged with a garage-door opener. And it all goes off the rails after a little misunderstanding with Dylan’s ex-girlfriend and her jealous, gun-toting new beau. When the sun comes up, this sleepy, scrawny
desperado is going to show the world what he is made of–all for a one-in-a-million shot at walking out of Duke City alive.

About Max Austin

Max Austin is the pseudonym of writer Steve Brewer. He lives in Duke City (Albuquerque), New Mexico.

Connect with Max: Blog | Twitter | Goodreads

Purchase Duke City Desperado on Amazon | Penguin | B&N | iBooks | Google Play | Books A Million | Goodreads | Kobo

Click to read an excerpt.

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