Bobby Nash is a veteran and multi-award-winning script, screenplay, comic book and novel writer. Following the release of the latest instalment in his acclaimed Snow series, What We Reading sat down with Bobby to discuss everything from his roots as a comic artist, the success of Abraham Snow and his aim of keeping readers entertained!
Thanks for speaking with us, Bobby! First off, tell us a bit about yourself and what led you to the world of writing.
Thanks for inviting me to be part of this. Hi. I’m Bobby. I write a little bit of everything, including novels, comic books, short stories, audio scripts, and screenplays. I like to dabble and try new things. I got into writing by way of art. Growing up, I wanted to be a comic book artist. Unfortunately, my art isn’t quite up to professional standards for comics, but I started writing stories that I could draw. Eventually, I started writing for other artists and eventually sold my first pro script back in 2000. Then, I decided to try writing a novel. My first novel, EVIL WAYS, came out in 2005. It’s been steadily busy since then. I’m a hybrid author, both traditionally and independently published. It’s the best of both worlds.
Talk to us about Abraham Snow and the Snow series. It’s already made quite the splash, right?
Snow has been a nice surprise. It seems to be my most popular series to date based on what I hear. So far, there have been 7 Snow novellas (Snow Hunt is #7) and 3 collections of Snow Shorts (9 short stories by me and other authors). We also collect every 3 novellas into collected editions so there are 2 Snow collections and 1 Snow Shorts collection. We also do ebooks and audio for each. There’s also a Snow audio short called Snow Drive. Whew. Snow also won some awards, which is always a nice bonus.
When the series begins, Abraham Snow is an undercover government operative. Working for the super-secret organization code-named Mother, he has been embedded inside the Ortega Cartel. He’s about to have his first face-to-face with the elusive Miguel Ortega. Arresting him will bring his assignment to an end. Unfortunately, Ortega has learned his true identity and shoots Snow, leaving him to bleed out on a South American runway.
Snow survives, of course, but his career is done. He returns to the life he left over a decade earlier and reconnects with family and friends, tries to pick up work where he can, helps people out as much as possible, and keeps looking for the man who shot him so he can finally close his last case.
There’s a lot of action and adventure in the Snow thrillers. I tell people that these books are my love letters to things like The Rockford Files and Magnum P.I. They share similar tones.
What is the number one goal you want your work to have with readers?
First and foremost, I want my readers to be entertained. I want them to have a good time, fall in love (or hate) with the characters, cheer or root for them to win or fail, get lost in the adventure, and just have fun. If I accomplish any of that, I’m happy. If readers get something good out of my work, that thrills me. I just want to tell stories readers want to read.
What do you think makes you stand out as an author?
That’s a good question. I like to think that I tell stories that are fun and easy to read. I try to be personable and professional in all of my interactions with readers, publishers, and other creators. I try to be outgoing and easily approachable. I think I succeed most of the time, but we all have our days, right?
What would you say has been your biggest success so far?
That’s tough because they all seem ‘biggest’ when they happen. The first was selling my first novel, but then holding a copy of Evil Ways in my hands for the very first time became the biggest. Winning awards also feel that way when they happen. Getting to know other creators, some of whom I was a fan of before I got into writing, is just the coolest thing. Success, for me, is a bit of a sliding scale. I’ve had successes, but then the mythical “success” keeps moving out and I keep chasing after it.
I’m not sure if that actually answered the question or not.
If you could go back in time to one book you read for the first time, what would it be and why?
Snowbound Six by Richard Martin Stern. I would go back to this one, not because it’s the greatest novel ever, but because it was the first novel I ever read. I would go back to try and recapture that sensation of falling in love with reading like I did when I read it the first time. That book kicked off a love of reading that remains today.
What’s one tip you would give your younger self if you had the opportunity?
Focus. Focus on your work. For many years, I only half-heartedly followed my dream. I wrote as a hobby so I did it when I felt like it. It took me a long time to realize that, if I wanted writing to be my job, then I had to treat it like a job. That was a breakthrough moment for me. As soon as I started treating writing like my job, my output improved, my speed increased, my plotting became tighter, and stories got finished. That one piece of knowledge was golden. I just wish I had realized it earlier.
And finally, what do you hope the future holds for you and your writing?
I certainly hope the future allows me to continue writing. I love what I do and I’m thankful that there are readers and publishers out there that enjoy it enough to keep inviting me back into their lives. My plan is to keep writing my own titles: Snow, Sheriff Myers, etc., writing for other publishers (prose, comics, audio, screenplay), and writing media tie-ins. I love those. Those are big fun. Hopefully, the future is bright.
Bobby Nash Author Bio:
Bobby Nash is not a man-action or a hero. He is, however, an award-winning author who pens novels, comic books, short stories, screenplays, audio dramas, and more. Bobby is a member of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers, International Thriller Writers, and Southeastern Writers Association. On occasion, he acts, appearing in movies and TV shows, usually standing behind or beside your favourite actor, but sometimes they even let him speak.
From time to time, he puts pen to paper and doodles, usually on envelopes. For more information on Bobby Nash and his work, please visit him at www.bobbynash.com, www.ben-books.com, and across social media.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
Thanks, James.
Bobby
> look forward to discovering your stories.