Episode 71 – Michael Marshall Smith – World Class Fiction Writing

Michael Marshall Smith is a writer that writes in various formats: novels, for screen and short stories. He also writes under the name of Michael Smith (initially due to a similar author named on another book, but he adopted it more fully as a way to publish in different genres: modern day novels under Michael Marshall, horror and sci-fi under Michael Marshall Smith.)

He was born in Knutsford, Cheshire, England, before going through multiple moves with his family, first to Illinois, then Florida, then South Africa and Australia, before returning to England in 1973.

He studied Philosophy, and Social and Political Science at King’s College Cambridge, and once leaving, earned his living as a graphic designer and writer of corporate videos, with his fiction writing happening on the side.

He became a comedy writer and performer on the BBC Radio 4 series And Now in Colour. He also wrote material for surreal comedy Dare to Believe. He toured with the Cambridge Footlights (a comedy club famous for members including Monty Python).

His first published story was The Man Who Drew Cats, and this won the British Fantasy Award in 1991 for “Best Short Story”. His first novel, Only Forward, followed in 1991 and won the August Derleth Award for best novel in 1995 and the Philip K. Dick Award in 2000. He has also been nominated for the World Fantasy Award in 95, 96 and 97. His stories have appeared in many anthologies and magazines, including volumes of Dark Voices and Dark Terrors. Other notable novels/stories are The Straw Men novels (The Straw Men, The Lonely Dead and Blood of Angels).

A number of Michael’s stories have been looked at and reached various stages of adaption by the movie and TV industry, and he has also provided extra materials for other shows and movies. These include TV seriesDare To Believe(2002),Cruise of the Gods(TV Movie, 2002) andLater(2011).

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Michael’s first published story was The Man Who Drew Cats which won the British Fantasy Award in 1991 for “Best Short Story”. He has been published in Postscripts. His first novel, Only Forward, was published in 1994 and won the August Derleth Award for Best Novel in 1995, and then the Philip K. Dick Award in 2000. The plot involves the lead character, Stark, having to find a missing man he believes to have been kidnapped, and travel through the strange zones of his city. In 1996 his second novel, Spares, was released, a novel in which the lead character, Jack, goes on the run with clones who are used for spare body parts for rich people, when he realizes they are people with feelings. Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks purchased the film rights for Spares, but a film was never made.

In this episode we spoke to word class fiction author Mr. Michael Marshall Smith. In it we discuss Michael’s writing style, various aspects of genre writing if you are a budding author or just curious you will love this episode.  

This conversation will engage your writing genius. 

FIND TRANSCRIPT HERE 

Find Michael and his work Visit michaelmarshallsmith.com.

or at http://www.ememess.com/

on Instagram: @ememess