Erasmus Cromwell-Smith II
Biography
A father, a son, and a shelf that keeps growing.
Erasmus Cromwell-Smith II is an American poet, writer, playwright, and pedagogue.
Interviews
In conversation.
The following interview, by Clancy Tucker, offers a good deal of insight into the author’s mindset.
Tell us a little about yourself and your writing journey.
Read the “Behind the Scenes” section on my website, where I talk about it at length.
When and how did you become a writer?
Since an early age, though I only became serious about it ten years ago.
What preparation do you do for a manuscript? Do you plan everything first, or shoot from the hip?
I plan everything first. I visualise and map out everything before I start. In spite of all that, there is still ample room for creativity and improvisation along the journey.
What do you enjoy most about being a writer?
Being able to express myself, and to live in a continuously inspired and creative state of mind and spirit.
What were you in a past life, before you became a writer?
An entrepreneur and a pedagogue.
What is the hardest thing about being a writer?
The endless and necessary pursuit of excellence and perfection.
What is your greatest writing achievement?
The Equilibrist series.
What are you working on at the moment?
Finishing the fourth book of a young-adult series, The Orloj of London; editing the third, The Orloj of Paris; going to print with the second, The Orloj of Venice. The first, The Orloj of Prague, is already out in print, and a couple of months ago we recorded the audiobook.
What inspires you?
My family, life, people, the world, nature, and so on.
What genre do you write?
Fiction: inspirational and motivational, poetry and fables, and the outlier — science fiction.
Do you have any tips for new writers?
It takes ten thousand hours of dedicated, disciplined effort to master anything in life. There is no way around it — provided you have the talent for it.
Do you suffer from writer's block?
No.
Do you have a preferred writing schedule?
Early morning is the best time of day for creativity. I use the mechanical part of writing — corrections and so on — to decompress and distract myself.
Do you have a favourite writing place?
No. I do write a lot while standing — my desk is pretty tall for that reason.
What is your greatest joy in writing?
The completion — the birth — of one’s work.
Who is your favourite author, and why?
It depends on the genre, the country, the era, and how old I was. I am extremely selective yet a voracious, lightning-fast reader. I had to think about this one very carefully: Jules Verne, Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, Dostoevsky, Jorge Luis Borges, Ron Chernow, Laura Hillenbrand, Rudyard Kipling, Tara Westover, and Mahatma Gandhi.
What's the greatest compliment you ever received from a reader?
I want more.
What was the worst comment from a reader?
None. Most criticism is extremely helpful.
Writers are sometimes influenced by things that happen in their own lives. Are you?
Absolutely. The Equilibrist series was driven and influenced by some of the key moments of my life.
Other than writing, what else do you love?
My family, friends, life, endurance sports, reading — letting loose the insatiable curiosity that afflicts me.
Did you have your books professionally edited before publication?
Yes and no. I did, but I had the last word on any changes. I rejected ninety-five per cent of the edits.
Describe your perfect day.
Every day I am still alive and healthy. I mean this. I strive for a sunny disposition towards life, and I am keenly, utterly aware of how precious life is. I have not even a second to waste. The clock is ticking. Besides, I do not understand the words boredom, gossip, or ownership.
If you were stuck on a desert island with one person, who would it be? Why?
My wife. We love each other. It is also intimate, comfortable, and never dull.
What would you say if you had the chance to speak to world leaders?
To focus on world hunger and disease, followed closely by education.
What are your plans for the future?
To live life in full — and part of that is to keep writing with impetus.
What are your views on book trailers? Do they sell books?
More than ever, we are nowadays mainly a visual society.
Do you see yourself in any of your characters?
I am all of my characters and at the same time none of them. It is all about how much of my spirit inevitably sneaks into the creative process.
Does the publishing industry frustrate you?
Not at all. They play a role in the marketplace. You have to use them the same way they use you. It is all a matter of how much leverage one has when negotiating. In many ways their business model is obsolete, and it is just a matter of time — exactly as happened in the music and film industries — before their paradigm is first disrupted, which is already happening, then broken, and inexorably replaced.
Did you ever think of quitting?
That is one of my worst character flaws: I never, ever quit.
What was your favourite manuscript to write? Why?
The Equilibrist, Volume I.
How would you define success as a writer?
Twofold: each time you complete your work, and when you are recognised by readers.
What should readers walk away from your books knowing? How should they feel?
Happy, inspired, and wiser.
Would you like to have your books made into movies? Have you ever written a screenplay?
Absolutely. I wrote The Equilibrist’s screenplay, and also the play.
How much thought goes into designing a book cover?
It takes a lot of work to create a single page that symbolises an entire book.
What's your ultimate dream?
To share a full life with my family.
Writing is one thing. What about marketing your books and your brand?
Through publishers, one’s role is more that of a pawn in their marketing strategies; engaging with readers in all sorts of forms is still part of that route. Self-publishing requires the writer to do it all: social media, total commitment, and the use of highly sophisticated tools and expertise in data analytics and search optimisation.
Are your books self-published?
Yes and no. For English-speaking countries, that is the case. But in all other markets I license my copyrights country by country, with in-country publishers. My copyrights are not for sale.
Describe yourself in five words.
Driven, joyful, creative, disciplined, aware.
What is the title of the last book you read? A good one?
Sapiens. The trilogy is extraordinary.
What would be the very last sentence you'd write?
Have an insanely awesome life!
What would make you happier than you are now?
Having grandchildren. The next book.
Anything you'd like to add?
Writing is an art. Visualising one’s craft that way greatly enriches the experience and the journey of discovery we embark on when creating a book.
Readers
What readers say.
The Happiness Triangle — The Equilibrist Series, Vol. I — averages 4.8 out of 5 across 16 ratings on Amazon.
This is a book that contains poetry — it is not a book of poetry.
It is like someone has written the language of my soul.
This is the type of book to age like fine wine.
I almost feel like I was one of the students.
Timeless words and wisdom. Impeccably written.
It truly forced me to re-evaluate certain aspects in life.
Heartwarming and uplifting.
A very hopeful and inspiring tale that makes you wish to read more.
Excerpts from reader reviews, quoted with attribution.
Press
Editorial reviews.
“In choosing to explore universal concerns within a captivating fictional realm, Cromwell-Smith II strikes an ideal balance for his storytelling.”
“Poetry is used as an inspirational telescope to gaze at the wonderful universe of life.”
“The best book and most wonderful in the last five years.”
“Perhaps the most inspirational, intellectually and emotionally rewarding book I have ever performed.”
From the author
I seek to elicit joy and reflection with my writings. I aim at provoking awareness and attention to the small details in life. In the final analysis, it is inspiration that I try to bring out of every reader.
Excerpts from published reviews, quoted with attribution.
Selected works
Eight worlds. Two languages.
Twenty-five fiction and biography titles are for sale today, twenty-one of them in Spanish as well, alongside five South Beach language courses. Twelve more finished manuscripts are waiting on the calendar.