Interview with David Anderson, Author of The Drowners

The Drowners

by David Anderson

Release date: March 17th

For Aaron, this world is an unfathomable puzzle. Haunted by disturbing dreams, he drifts through empty days, shielding himself behind sarcasm and cynical wit. After being expelled, he sees an opportunity to rewrite his future at a new school. Connecting over a shared love for De Niro films with Robbie, an aspiring actor of Jamaican descent, he unexpectedly finds his companion piece, one person who truly understands him. Together, they navigate the chaotic waters of adolescence, from dramatic first dates to sociopathic bullies, iconic concerts, and a dead body.

With adulthood fast approaching, the crushing weight of societal pressures and devastating revelations threaten to shatter their unique bond. Confronted by the ghosts of his past, Aaron must choose whether to blaze bright or fade away.

A funny and poignant meditation on the forces that shape us, The Drowners is an ode to that time when your tolerance for hypocrisy was zero and life’s possibilities were infinite.

 

 

Author Interview

What do you do when a new idea jumps out at you while you’re still working on a book? Do you chase the squirrel (aka “UP syndrome”) or do you finish your current project first?

During the writing process, your mind is constantly churning out ideas. When it produces one that has legs, I quarantine that sucker in the back of my mind. I’ll check on it during quiet moments. But I won’t write a single line until months after I’ve completed the original project. When I’m writing a book, I’m locked in the characters’ headspace and the only means of escape is to get their story told.

Describe your writing process. Do you outline, plot, and plan, or is your writing more organic?

As I said, ideas have the annoying habit of cropping up when I’m working on another project. I let them percolate for months or years. When I have a vague outline, I’ll jot down 25 one-sentence descriptions of scenes.

Usually, I get my brainwaves at night. The following morning, I visualise the scene. See what works. Get a feel for the dialogue. In the afternoon, I write it all down. Rinse and repeat.

What are some books or authors that you would recommend to our readers?

Do you identify with your main character, or did you create a character that is your opposite?

Every time you speak you reveal something of yourself. This also applies to writing. Your MC can be an extension of you, a mouthpiece for your opinions. They can be a wish fulfilment, possessing all the attributes you desire most. Or an ideal representation of your fantasy partner.

Perhaps our MC is a cold-blooded villain with a ruthless streak we grudgingly admire. Be honest, who among us hasn’t had at least one murderous fantasy(Think back to the last time some jerk cut you off, and you almost got whiplash because you slammed on the brakes so hard.) Writing a vigilante type can be a release of impotent rage.

Whether we care to admit it or not, pieces of an author’s psyche are woven into the fabric of their creations. But that does not mean we are who we write.

Describe the book or series in 10 words or less for people just learning about it.

A tragicomedy about growing up an outsider in the 90s.

Is there anything you would like people to take away from your book?

The measure of a person is their character. Nothing else matters. Period.

Do you have any odd (writing) habits?

I write naked. It helps maintain integrity by allowing me to be vulnerable. Also, I live in Spain and write during the hotter months, so being au naturel cools me down. I’m in good company, Ernest Hemingway and Victor Hugo wrote in the buff, too!

What has been the toughest criticism you have received as an author? What has been the best compliment?

The worst response is no response. If someone is willing to critique your work, they want to help you improve. Constructive criticism allows us to grow. It can be a slap to the senses, but then the stinging wanes and you see things clearer.

After reading my story, a Jamaican girl added bi-sexual to her social media profile. She told me my book gave her the courage to take this first step in revealing her true self to the world.

Share some advice for aspiring authors. What advice would you give to your younger self?

Writing isn’t Pot Noodles: don’t expect instant results. It is a craft which requires years to perfect. It is a lonely journey replete with failure and rejection. An obsession that pushes one to the edge of sanity. But there’s nothing more rewarding than producing a novel you are proud to call your own.

Edit, edit, edit. And then edit some more. Would you pay for half-assed workmanship? Neither should readers. Good editing is the difference between a decent read and an unforgettable one.

What is your favorite line from your book?

I’m sick to death of being told how lucky I am to be young like my life is a Beach Boys song, all endless sunshine and lazy days. In reality, it’s more Radiohead; grumpy, grungy, and reeking of sexual frustration.

To date, what is your favorite (or most difficult) chapter you have ever written?

As The Drowners is semi-autobiographical, there were more than a few difficult chapters. However, my favorite was the one where the four schoolboys are alone in the school chapel and Aaron gets the bright idea to recreate a scene from The Exorcist. Spoiler alert: It does not end well. Man, I had a blast reliving that moment.

What is your take on book boyfriends? Do they actually exist? Or do they set the bar for “real-life men” impossibly high?

If such specimens exist, they should be captured and studied so we can all learn from them. The roguish heart-breaker who gives up their philandering ways for love? Rarer than a Blood Moon: Just ask Jack Nicholson or Warren Beatty.

The Mafia boss with the heart of gold? Vicious criminal psychopaths, by definition, do not have a gooey centre. And bad-boy bikers, well, they’d likelier sell you meth than buy you dinner.

What about the blue-eyed boy with the endless reserve of wit? You know when you recall an exchange that occurred hours or days before, and a snappy line hits you, and you wish you’d thought of that then. With writing, it’s possible.

Book boyfriends offer a brief escape from your problems. Real boyfriends listen to your problems. Book boyfriends make you swoon. Real boyfriends are there to catch you when you fall.

Have you ever experienced writer’s block? How did you deal with it?

Oh sure. The trick is to force yourself to sit there until you eke out that first sentence. It could take an hour. The worst thing to do is walk away. The problem remains unsolved, and it’ll seem bigger, and more intimidating when you face that blank screen next. So, push through that mental barrier.

If you can write one line, you can squeeze out one paragraph. If you stumble through the first, the second isn’t so daunting. Even if you only manage 300 words, it’s still more than you had at the beginning of the day. Plus, you have a building block for the next session.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Watch films. Run. Read. Nature walks.

 

 

Author Bio

Hailing from the cold, wet streets of Dublin, David Anderson is the author of The Drowners. Like a Hummingbird, after college, he migrated south to warmer climes. Namely, sunny Spain, where he teaches English to students who are confused by his Irish brogue. In his early thirties, he caught the writing bug. He has written several articles for the GMS website about his other obsession in life, football. In 2021, he won a YA Watty award for his novel The Art of Breathing Underwater.

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/186721645-david-anderson

https://twitter.com/DavidEAnderson9

https://www.instagram.com/crackedwriter/

https://bsky.app/profile/crackedwriter.bsky.social

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