Grayson Cole is a first-time author living in Moscow. His novel, “Steam and Shadow,” was published commercially by Xlibris Corporation in March. The book is available in both hardcopy and PDF format through Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

Tell me about yourself. Where are you from, and what are you up to?
“To answer your questions in order: Southern Idaho. Theology, these days. I’m a fan of late nights, stiff drinks and good food. I have a preference for Italian.”

What’s your novel about, without giving too much away?
“It’s a mystery novel based on several true crime events. The primary characters are Greenwood and Holder. Holder is down-to-earth and hardworking, and Greenwood is more of a conspiracy theorist. She has grander ideas about schemes than what is actually going on. The book is broken up into four sections based on the four cases covered.”

What made you want to be a writer?
“I’d tell you if I knew. It’s something I’ve been doing for as long as I remember. It’s something I do to keep a blabbermouth like myself preoccupied.”

And what was the inspiration for “Steam and Shadow”?
“I’ve always been into the mystery genre. More recently, I got into true crime, in part due to the cases I used in the book. I’m already working on a new book in the genre with the same characters.”

Can you give us a sneak preview of the book in progress?
“It involves a serial killer who works out of a candy factory.”

How was the writing and publishing process for you?
“The writing process took a little over two years. The publishing process kind of snuck up on me. I’d been trying to go through a different publisher for a while, but that deal fell through. But then a new company contacted me out of the blue, and in maybe in a month-and-a-half or two, it was published.”

And I suppose you recommend the book, right?
“Oh, I recommend my own book, yes. If you’re into true crime fiction or the steampunk genre, I would say go ahead and check it out.”

Do you have any tips and tricks for other writers?
“Work on it, right? Get it done. Don’t storyboard for months, don’t theory craft. Work on the book. It’s unfortunately advice people don’t often take.”

Reporting by Anna Young