Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have spent my life as a ‘Storyteller’. The majority of that in a long career in Broadcast Journalism as a Writer/Producer/Photographer and Editor. I spent the bulk of my broadcast career in sports, so the connection to the game of baseball is deep. The only issue with working in Journalism is that FACTS can get in the way of a good story…so thus the birth of a fiction series, The Jake Eliam ChickenBone Mystery Series. The series features 4 books…Rabbit Shine…Hoochy Koochy…MudCat Moon and BirdDog Boogie. All just easy to read, Southern Fried FUN! Hoochy Koochy was named the Silver Medal Finalist for Georgia Author of the Year in 2016.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
BirdDog Boogie. It’s inspired by the ‘BirdDogs’ I met during all my years covering baseball. A Birddog is a old time baseball scout. Long before computers and video, the scout would BIRDDOG a player…searching far and wide and down backroads to find the NEXT great player. It’s a fun mystery, but I wanted to pay homage to a dying breed of baseball man that is now almost gone.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Baseball again…most like quiet and undisturbed. I do my best writing with a baseball game droning on slowly in the background on TV.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
First mysteries I got hooked on were the Robert Parker SPENSER series, now taken over by a great southern writer Ace Atkins. I love quirky characters like those of Carl Hiaasen and Tim Dorsey and I wish I could write with promise of poetry and mystery like James Lee Burke.
What are you working on now?
The fifth book in the Jake Eliam ChickenBone series…Jake’s adventures continues to take him into another area of baseball as he heads off to coach a summer league team known as the TULLY CITY TATERHEADS!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Everything you want to know from background…to samples…to purchase can all be found at my own site
cliff.yeargin.com
Do you have any advice for new authors?
When I started writing fiction, I tried to copy my favorite writers….my work STUNNK! Learn from them…but keep writing or in my case keep DUMBING it down until you find your OWN VOICE…Then WRITE!!!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t write for money…Don’t write for fame…write because it is your passion. If the other comes, great…but at the end of the day the most satisfying feeling is that you are a STORYTELLER!
What are you reading now?
The Redeemers by ACE ATKINS
What’s next for you as a writer?
EASY…put rear in chair and WRITE!
What is your favorite book of all time?
Dixie City Jam by James Lee Burke
Author Websites and Profiles
Cliff Yeargin Website
Cliff Yeargin Amazon Profile
Cliff Yeargin’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account