In conversation with Canadian creative storyteller and award-winning author, Brad Smith.

What inspired your latest book, Copperhead Road?
I have always been intrigued by that period of history and the locale – Appalachia during the Great Depression. The poverty level there was incredible. And I been interested in the juxtaposition of the two sub-cultures – the manufacturer of moonshine whisky and the early days of stock car racing. I have known for years that the early moonshine runners became expert stock car drivers, due to the skills learned while outrunning the authorities (revenuers) along the treacherous mountain backroads. I was not aware that it worked both ways. The fledgling racers were often lured to transport moonshine. As usual, necessity was the mother of invention.

How has your adventurous life contributed to your writing?
The greatest contribution has not been the country I’ve seen (although that is significant) but more so the people I’ve met. At the end of the day, writing is about the human condition, and the more characters a writer encounters, the richer his writing will be. Hopefully!

Of all the books you've written, which one was the most challenging to write and why?
Busted Flush by far. It’s a complex look at our “collectible” society, how people are for some reason obsessed with owning an item once owned by a famous person, whether it be Marilyn Monroe’s slippers or JFK’s golf clubs. Busted Flush is about a man who discovers photographic negatives of Abraham Lincoln delivering his renowned speech at Gettysburg. The story chronicles the hustlers, thieves and ne-er-do-wells who try to obtain the images, all for nefarious purposes. The research was very extensive and included several satisfying trips to the battlefield at Gettysburg.

Of all the books you've written, which one was the most exciting to write and why?
Probably The Return of Kid Cooper. It’s a later western, set in 1910, for which I was fortunate enough to win the Spur Award for best western novel from the Western Writers of America. I’ve been a fan of the genre since I was 5 years old, watching Roy Rogers galloping across my screen on his palomino Trigger. I waited a long time to write a western, and I wanted to make sure I was ready before I sat down to start. I felt as if I only had one shot at it and I’d better get it right.

What words of wisdom do you have for aspiring writers?
For starters, just one word – READ. I meet a lot of aspiring writers who for some reason have never read much. That is the essential starting point. Another tip, is to be willing to re-write. Ernest Hemingway once said that, “the only kind of writing is re-writing”. Old Hem was correct. Learn to become a good self-editor. 

Who would you want to write your biography and why?
Hmm…can I choose Mark Twain or John Prine? Failing that, either my 91-year-old mother, or my 11-year-old niece. They both think I’m wonderful!

Connect with Brad here.