The Writers Write Interview – Andrew Gross

Writers Write creates writing resources and shares writing tips. In this post, we share our interview with Andrew Gross.

The Writers Write Interview With Andrew Gross

Andrew Gross is the author of New York Times and international bestselling thrillers. He is also coauthor of five number one bestsellers with James Patterson. His books have been translated into more than twenty-five languages. He was our guest speaker in Johannesburg.

The Author? Andrew Gross
Birthday? 18 May 1952
The Venue? 10 Bompas Road, Dunkeld, Sandton
The Date? 15th February 2012
The Book? 15 Seconds
The Interviewer? Amanda Patterson

Essentially Andrew Gross

If love were a colour, what colour would it be? Lavender
What is the colour of anger?  Red
What is the colour of money?  Gold
What is the colour of beauty?  Green
What is the colour of desire? Crimson
If your life were a city, what city would it be? New York
What is the number you associate with reading? 50
What is the number you associate with working in Fashion Industry? 8210 – a Style Number
What is the number you associate with writing? 4 (Number of pages I write a day)
What is your favourite number? 7

Writing Sense

Writing sounds like a brook.
Writing looks like a computer screen.
Writing tastes like chocolate.
Writing smells like perspiration.
Writing feels like sandpaper & cashmere.

If your setting in your book were a country, it would be the USA.
Where would it shop? Nieman Marcus.
It would look like suburbia.
It would sound like planes flying overhead.
It would taste like pasta.
It would smell like grass.
It would feel like leather.

More Q & A

What is your favourite meal?
Italian food. I cook a lot – let’s say Bolognaise

What are you reading?
13 Hours by Deon Meyer.

Where do you live?
Purchase, New York.

Why do you live there?
Always lived there.

How has living there affected your writing?
It’s a beautiful place to live. Great views – which I avoid when writing or I get distracted.

What is your favourite quality about yourself?
Determination.

What is your least favourite quality about yourself?
Anger.

Do you have a favourite quote?
From my grandfather, Fred P. Pomerantz, who built up a great company after only completing the 5th Grade. “You can do anything you want in life, anything, if you want to badly enough.”

What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life?
Turning the Head company around. 

The books

How did you come up with the titles of your books?
I come up with titles and the publishers change them. The Blue Zone is the only title I’ve chosen that they’ve kept.

Who designed the covers? 
This is a point of contention. I try to have some say but in the end the publishers choose. The UK covers differ from the US. Often the covers have nothing to do with the books. It’s a constant battle. I prefer the US cover of 15 Seconds to the UK cover.

Why did you choose to write this particular book? 
I was arrested while on a book tour. It was a crazy mistake – a lot like the beginning of this novel. And then I take that hook and develop a story from what could happen next.

What was the hardest part about writing this book?
Coming up with a plausible reason for Henry not to go to the police.

Mini-Bucket List?

1. I’d like to visit Patagonia
2. See my daughter married and see grandchildren.
3. Virgin Moon Space Flight

Where do you see yourself in five years?
Earning a third of what I earn now.

When you stop writing, and look back on your life, what thoughts would you like to have?
That I entertained a lot of people. And that I gave affirmation.