Mikel Santiago. "In Spain you read a lot of national authors"

Michael Santiago, Author of The Liar, The Bad Way, The Last Night at Tremore Beach or Tom Harvey's Strange Summer, grant me this interview where he tells us a little about his favorite books and authors, projects and more stories. I really appreciate your time and dedication.

MIKEL SANTIAGO— Interview

• ACTUALIDAD LITERATURA: Do you remember the first book you read? And the first story you wrote?

MIKEL SANTIAGO: My most distant literary memory is one of The five, also they Famous Novels or the Tintin comics. A little older I became fond of Sherlock Holmes and Edgar Allan Poe, and finally to my great teenager: Stephen King.

• AL: What was that book that impacted you and why?

MS: I remember an intense night reading animal graveyardby Stephen King, or a long bus ride chilling with Cold-blooded, by Truman Capote, or to my disturbing and beloved Patricia Hisghmith with Strangers on a train. I was lucky and started reading very great writers. I consider all of them my family. I reread them over and over again, almost like a tradition, to try to imbue myself with their talent. They say that everything sticks except beauty, right?

• AL: Who's your favorite writer? You can choose more than one and from all eras.

MS: I think I have given you some good clues in my previous answer. But I must say that my TOP 10 also includes Career, The master, Mankell, ellroy, Poe ...

• AL: What character in a book would you have liked to meet and create?

MS: Create: to tom Ripley. Know: to Sherlock Holmes.

• AL: Any mania when it comes to writing or reading?

MS: In the morning it took me A coffee, I wear some auriculares work and I reread the 1000-2000 words I wrote yesterday. Later, he retouched a phrase, another, another ... until I catch the rhythm and I write another two or three hours. Nothing more. The rest of the day is for business, networks, my family and my guitar.

• AL: And your preferred place and time to do it?

MS: Throughout my life I have written in many public places, hotel lobbies, an airport cafeteria ... Lately I have gotten used to A little table that I have in my room. We like each other, still, so I'm still there. Until you get sick of me.

• TO THE: Which writer or book has influenced your work as an author?

MS: My Favorites, which I have already named.

• AL: And other genres?

MS: I am very curious about everything that is written in first person. I started writing very extensive diaries and I have taken a special liking for the first person. So I love to read the style of authors who use this voice, be it travel books, adventure books, or what they call "serious" literature.

• AL: What are you reading now? And writing?

MS: Reading: The luck of the dwarf, Cesar Perez Gellida (And it is followed by White King, by Gómez-Jurado). Writing: My sixth novel (ending it, in fact).

• AL: How do you think the publishing scene is for as many authors as there are or want to publish?

MS: Curiously, despite all the bad news (few sales, few readers), we live in a beautiful time. In Spain you read a lot national author and that has not always been the case, especially for genres like thriller or the police. I love that readers trust us, because we do it very well. 

• AL: Is the moment of crisis that we are experiencing being difficult for you or will you be able to keep something positive for future novels?

MS: The coronavirus is a rock, a psychological beating and a drama for many people. I don't know… I want to be optimistic and think that we have learned something.