We caught up with Eric Jerome Dickey over email to chat about his wide variety of mediums, his prolific writing style, and his upcoming release on April 19th, Night One. In addition to his novels, he has written comic books, short stories, poetry, and screenplays, constantly switching careers. He quickly found that his thirst for the arts would be better quenched elsewhere, so he began his professional life as an engineer in Los Angeles. Eric Jerome Dickey’s oeuvre comprises far more than twenty bestselling novels from The New York Times and beyond.
Since 1996, you have written twenty-four novels for PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE. I must inquire, in light of your prolific writing style, how do you maintain a continuous flow of ideas? Does the narrative effortlessly come to you, or do you actively seek out sources of inspiration?
I still have to work and sit, but it would be perfect to watch your favorite show binge on a rainy day or from dusk to dawn, or even to throw a Frisbee when it’s easy. The key is showing up and doing what I need to do, at least that’s what I always say. You can do it at Starbucks or in your PJs. Work. (I always said that if people only went to work when they felt inspired, they would be waiting for inspiration like waiting for Godot) But I don’t want to wait for inspiration, I want to be proactive and put my butt in a chair and get to work. It takes discipline, desire, dedication, and simply getting up and going to work to make it happen. There’s no magic, it happens with hard work. Dickey Jerome Eric:
Is there a limit to literary interpretation regarding personal experiences? Have you ever delved into your personal life when writing a novel?
I prefer to avoid lawsuits by keeping it out of my friends and keeping myself out of it. I try to keep myself out of it and try not to bore myself with my life. Trust me, watching reality shows about writers will not be a snooze fest. There will be no shows about watching paint dry or growing grass. A book about me would be interesting.
PRH: Which authors have had the greatest impact on you?
I was more fascinated by the exceptional performance of the actor and the creativity of the writer than the actual words written on the page. As I watched his films, I used to download his screenplays and analyze them. From Baldwin to Nabokov to Koontz, Walter Mosley to Stieg Larsson, Hugh Prather to Stan Lee, Ed Brubaker to Maya Angelou, and Stephen King, the writer who has the greatest collective influence is undoubtedly one of a kind. No other writer can tell stories through comics, songs, TV shows, screenplays, and novels quite like EJD.
Do they, in reality, cross paths in your thoughts? Or are they two entirely distinct paths? Let’s discuss the blending of comics and urban fiction — You also contribute to the creation of comic books for Marvel. PRH
I never called myself an urban programmer when they were profiling me as an engineer in a large metropolitan city. I just wanted to clarify that urban genres can take place in any urban setting, not exclusively in white suburbia. In my humble opinion, the term “urban fiction” does not mean exclusively African American or African American-influenced novels, even though some stores tend to categorize them as such. So, if I were to write a story that takes place in a small town in Alabama or a ranch in California, it would not fall under the genre of urban fiction. When the label “urban fiction” first appeared and I saw it associated with novels by African Americans, I remember feeling uncomfortable. It seems like the term “urban fiction” is more of a euphemism than an accurate description of what it actually entails. I have never really understood what exactly qualifies as urban fiction. Now, at the intersection of different countries and different parts of the world, I realize that they are two different mediums. They are like distant cousins who grew up in different parts of the world.
PRH: You’ve experimented with screenwriting. Do you have any inclination to return to that realm?
It depends on the time more than interest. I’ve been chatting with a few friends trying to get a project going. After reacclimatizing and reeducating myself, I might give another shot to the screenplay thing. If the bulk of the story takes place in an upscale hotel room on a rainy night, or if the character trots around the globe as an assassin, the same novel costs. There are no such restrictions in a novel. It could be an issue if I have a fancy wardrobe, car chases, and an adventure that takes place around the world. If a screenplay requires a budget, then featuring an African American cast would be a pretty much no-go out of the box. You show up with a script like that. It’s not my thing, seeking acceptance from Hollywood and writing, but I thought I would move in that direction to start.
If a young person were to come to you for advice on making a sharp shift from literature to life, what advice would you give them? Knowing what you do now, you came to writing in a roundabout way, graduating with a degree in Computer System Technology.
I don’t think they want me for the wedding. They simply want their name on the cover of a novel, assuming that releasing it will show the world and earn them praise. Many people think creating a novel is an easy way to make money because they assume it’s an idiot’s occupation. Stephen King’s Writing On series is amazing and has inspired many writers. Maybe they have studied books on writing along the way and researched their favorite writers. For them, writing is not just a hobby, but a serious occupation that they love.
Understanding the craft of writing and the importance of investing time to study and immerse oneself in the gritty details is crucial. It’s not enough to simply sit in front of your computer and expect success to come knocking. It takes hard work, dedication, and the willingness to learn from both the successes and failures of others. Many introverts have even changed their outgoing nature to sell their work and succeed in the business of writing. Writing is a job that comes with its fair share of stress, especially when you see many unsold novels sitting in boxes in garages. But, if you truly understand the craft and put in the effort, you can overcome any obstacles and find success in the world of writing and marketing.
If you could choose one deceased author to be resurrected and write more than just one book, why would you pick that author?
However, if you were to inquire with me in the future, you may receive different names. There are two distinct styles, one being verbose and the other being terse, both of which are exceptional. I thoroughly enjoy both of them. I would also be delighted to read another book written by Ed McBain. Additionally, I would greatly appreciate another installment that features the characters from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. (A new novel has been added to the series by another author, and, without intending any disrespect, as I plan to read that one soon, it would be wonderful to have one more written by Stieg, with his unique touch and voice.) As of today, in this very moment, since his novel is right in front of me on my desk, I will proclaim Stieg Larsson as my choice.