Since I was a little, I’ve been prone to escapism. I was perfectly happy being left alone to make up movies in my head. As I got older, the cast of characters grew with me and became more complex. They developed backstories. They could deal with the issues and traumas I sometimes confronted in reality.
A.D. Metcalfe – 2 March 2024
The Back Flap
1970s New York City is borderline bankrupt. Police departments, public schools and other municipalities are struggling under massive layoffs, buildings are abandoned, and the streets are rife with crime and drugs. For Johnny Alvarez, a precocious young runaway, the decay and lawlessness offer camouflage and opportunity. He squats in an empty apartment in a derelict Washington Heights tenement and gathers a gang of streetwise kids, most of whom struggle with their own issues. Johnny is haunted by the abuse he suffered at the hands of his sadistic older brother. The crew tries to keep his head straight with belonging and levity, but the turbulent nature of the street triggers unwanted memories, which spin Johnny into recklessness amid the City’s seedy underbelly.
About the book
What is the book about?
Street is about a precocious boy who runs away from his abusive Miami home and lands on the streets of New York City during the early 1970s, a time when the city was in deep decline. He befriends a group of local streetwise boys with issues of their own. Together they use wit and charm to build a new life and seek opportunities for prosperity. But the city is hard and unforgiving, and keeps forcing them to compromise their morals.
When did you start writing the book?
I began around January of 2013.
How long did it take you to write it?
When I started, I didn’t know much about the craft of writing. I just began pouring scenes onto pages. I wrote pretty much every single day, for maybe a year and a half, until I had a 320,000-word first draft! From there I started taking writing courses, I got involved in my local writing community, and I attended conferences. Armed with the information I was gathering, I began the long process of editing and revising, which took another nine years. That way-too-long draft ultimately got chopped into two books—the first and second of what will be a three-part series.
Where did you get the idea from?
Since I was a little, I’ve been prone to escapism. I was perfectly happy being left alone to make up movies in my head. As I got older, the cast of characters grew with me and became more complex. They developed backstories. They could deal with the issues and traumas I sometimes confronted in reality. So, I suppose I’ve been formulating this story my whole life. But I kept it to myself because I was embarrassed to admit how much time I was spending in my own head. It wasn’t until I was much older that I began to consider writing what I had spent years imagining.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
It’s usually the filler scenes or segues that give me the hardest time. Writing the action, conflict and tension is fun and exciting, but trying to make the spaces between those scenes equally as interesting I find more challenging.
What came easily?
I love describing where the scenes are set. Many are where I grew up and hung out. Bringing those locations to life, and that era of New York City in general, is an opportunity to honor and memorialize the places that are so indelibly etched in my mind. I also love writing dialogue. The individual characters in this book speak very clearly to me, making that part a lot of fun.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
Both. Some are loosely based on people I’ve known, some are amalgamations of real people, and some are completely fictitious.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
I have to admit that as a kid I was a terrible reader. My older sister plowed through all kinds of books, and I was envious of her. But I’ve never been a fast reader, and I lacked patience, so if a book didn’t grab me right away, I would lose interest. As an adult, I make time for reading. I tend to gravitate toward darker stuff, and gritty urban themes. I’m a big fan of Richard Price, Coleson Whitehead, Adam Rapp and Jonathan Lethem, all of whom so brilliantly capture the vibe and the people of the city streets back in the day. And they do so with characters who are so unique yet still feel familiar. For non-fiction, I’ve read almost everything Professor and ethnographer Terry Williams has written. His fieldwork with drug dealers, con-artists and sex workers in 70/80s era NYC is profound and compassionate. His research helped corroborate what I recalled from that time period.
Do you have a target reader?
Anyone nostalgic for old school NYC, because the city definitely has a big role in this book. Also, fans of fast-paced action/adventure and antiheros. While the book is geared for adults, I think there is a demographic of teenagers who would strongly relate to the streetwise kids depicted in the story, and the challenges they face.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so, can you please describe it?
When I was working full time, I had to grab my writing opportunities wherever I could. I took to requesting the overnight shift, which nobody wanted, and which was usually pretty slow. I could get quite a bit of writing done then. Now that I have the luxury of making my own schedule, I definitely write best in the mornings. The ideas are fresh and untainted by life’s distractions. I have a small farm, so I get up early. I feed the pets, turn out the horses, and am usually sitting at my desk by 5:30.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I don’t outline. At least not on paper. But by the time I sit down to write something, I have a pretty clear mental picture of where it’s going because I will have already run through the scenes in my head numerous times. But I’m totally down to try outlining! I have an idea for a book that is a complete diversion from the Street series, and I plan to try writing that one with an outline.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I wish I could wait until I was finished with a section before editing it. That would save so much time, but I have this obsessive compulsion that won’t let me move to the next sentence until the first one sounds perfect. Even despite being cognizant that my idea of “perfect” fluctuates daily, and is dependent on the sentences surrounding it. That being said, even after thinking I’m editing as I go, the finished piece will inevitably need fresh eyes.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
I usually have something mellow playing softly in the background, either soul or jazz, sometimes classical if lyrics get too distracting, but there are times when I also need it to be quiet.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I made the mistake of submitting to agents—a lot of agents—before the book was ready, which did get me good and used to being rejected and ignored. Nevertheless, I continued to revise and work on new stuff. I eventually met an agent through a friend, and she was enthusiastic about my project, but when Covid hit, her agenting priorities shifted, so we agreed to part ways.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
After finding myself agentless once again, I didn’t want to start the process of querying all over. I was meeting local authors who had either self-published or had gone the Indie route, and they were happy, so I started submitting directly to the smaller houses. A close friend introduced me to the folks at Calumet Editions. They read my work and offered to sign me.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
Calumet and I were going back and forth with cover samples but none of them fit, so I began combing through Adobe Stock for ideas. There I found an artist, Nathalie Erika Langner, whose work was so totally in line with the vibe I wanted. I was able to contact her and ask if she would collaborate on something exclusive for the book. She agreed, and both the publisher and I couldn’t be happier with how it came out.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
Definitely winging it! But also picking the brains of the many local authors and friends who have had experience navigating the marketing landscape.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Shop around, because standards vary. I’ve seen Indie books with proofing errors, or text that didn’t line up properly, also content that needed at least another draft. Before signing a contract, order a few random books from the publisher’s list and comb through them. Look up a handful of their books on Amazon and/or Goodreads. Are they well-reviewed? How are they ranking in their categories? Is the publisher promoting the books on their website and their social media pages?
About You
Where did you grow up?
New York City
Where do you live now?
I live on Cape Cod
What are you working on now?
The Street sequel is in the editing phase now, and hopefully will be out by the fall of 2024. I am also drafting the third book of the series, dabbling with a memoir, and outlining the plot of a new novel. In other words, a lot!
End of Interview:
Get your copy of Street from Amazon US or Amazon UK.
