Max Elliot Anderson literally grew up in the film production business. His father, Ken Anderson, was the founder of Gospel Films in Muskegon, Michigan, and later, Ken Anderson Films. At the age of eight Max was “killed” by a hit-and-run driver, while riding his bike in one of his father’s motion pictures. But, since the film was being shot in black & white, the blood came out of a chocolate syrup bottle.
With a degree in psychology, Max has always been fascinated with the power that audiovisual presentations have to instruct, motivate, and influence the thinking of others.
Anderson won Best Cinematographer for his work on the feature film, Pilgrim’s Progress. This was also the first feature film for actor Liam Neeson, known for his work in Schindler’s List, Star Wars, and other films. Mr. Anderson has also won national Telly awards for his productions of Youth Haven, a Safe Place for Kids, and Tracy’s Choices. Tracy's Choices was also awarded Best Christian Documentary. Other programs he has produced have won numerous local, regional, state, and national awards.
Anderson was a producer on the nationally televised PBS special, Gospel at the Symphony that was nominated for an Emmy, and won a Grammy for the double album soundtrack. He has produced, directed, or shot over 500 national television commercials for True Value Hardware Stores. Mr. Anderson owns The Market Place, a client based video production-company for medical and industrial clients. In addition he is the owner of M V P Productions & Distribution. This company was established for the production and distribution of Christian films such as Tracy's Choices.
In addition to his film and production work, Max Elliot Anderson has written thirty-four manuscripts for a chapter adventure series for boys ages eight and up. Seven of these books, Newspaper Caper, Terror at Wolf Lake, North Woods Poachers, Mountain Cabin Mystery, Big Rig Rustlers, Secret of Abbott’s Cave, and Legend of the White Wolf have been published.
Enjoy the interview below and the chance to get to know Max a bit better
MSM: Please introduce yourself to the readers
MEA: I grew up in a family of seven children, and I hated to read. This was interesting because my father was the author of over seventy books. He also wrote, produced, and directed dramatic films and I loved to hang out around the studio to watch production. When I was old enough, I began actually working on some of the film projects and shot my first film when I was only 16. We were in Germany when the cinematographer stepped into a hole and severely cut his foot. Since I’d observed so many productions, it wasn’t difficult to take over the camera so the production could go on.
Later I shot the film, Pilgrim’s Progress, which was the first feature film for Liam Neeson. And today I continue working in video productions and television commercials.
MSM: Tell us about your writing experiences
MEA: I remember back in my film production days how I didn’t think it was fair that a person could sit off in a cozy writing room someplace and dream up scenes for the film script. Sure, it was easy enough to write them, but it was the production crew that had to bring those written images to the screen. But I believe it is my visual, film background that helps me to bring that same excitement and heart-pounding action to the action-adventures and mysteries that I’m writing today.
My writing includes thirty-five of those action-adventure manuscripts along with magazine articles, short stories, video and TV commercial scripts, and a couple anthologies.
Though most of my stories take a few weeks to write the first draft, in the case of Legend of the White Wolf, I completed it in just three days. I don’t write to an outline. Though I already know the beginning, middle, and end, along with the setting and main character, I have no idea what will happen in the rest of the story. So with Legend of the White Wolf, I simply couldn’t wait to see how it would all turn out.
MSM: What lead you to your love of writing for young adults?
MEA: Because I grew up with little interest in reading, I decided to see if I could write the kinds of stories that I would have enjoyed as a child. Once I began this journey, it was almost as if I didn’t care if anyone ever bought a book because the actual process of writing was so completely enjoyable. I loved diving into a scene, interacting with the characters, and then finding out, at the same time they did, what was going to happen next.
I know that boys would rather be doing things than reading about them. They love their computers, video games, and trying out the latest electronic wonder. But there are things that happen to their brains, while reading, that don’t happen with any other activity. I write in order to grab the attention of young readers so they find it difficult to put one of my books down once they begin reading. Probably the best compliment I get back is when kids tell me that reading one of my books is like being in an exciting or scary movie.
MSM: Please give the readers a brief overview of your works.
MEA: A lot of my story ideas come from places where I’ve worked on film projects. Big Rig Rustlers was one of these. After shooting a film on a gigantic ranch in Wyoming, I wrote that story.
North Woods Poachers takes place on Dore Lake, in northern Saskatchewan. I had shot dramatic children’s films there on two separate occasions. Dore is a pretty remote location where float planes bring in fishermen. It was a perfect location for an international crime ring, with poachers of exotic animals flown in from all over the world for distribution.
Other titles include Newspaper Caper, Terror at Wolf Lake, Secret of Abbott’s Cave,Legend of the White Wolf, and Mountain Cabin Mystery.
I should point out that my first publisher was unable to withstand the recent financial downturn and closed late last year. These seven books are going to be republished by Comfort Publishing later this year. In addition, they’ll be publishing a new one, Barney and the Runaway also this year. And Comfort Publishing has contracted a right of first refusal on 16 additional titles.
I’m also developing a traditional series with a second publisher, Port Yonder Press. This is the Sam Cooper Adventure Series. The first book, Lost Island Smugglers, will be released this August. The smugglers in this story are involved in bringing illegal drugs into the country by way of Florida. The next two books in that series will be Captain Jack’s Treasure and River Rampage. This series is expected to grow into several more titles.
One of my short stories, Big Foot, is included in Lay-ups and Long Shots, published by Darby Creek. That book was a Junior Library Guild selection in 2008. And last month, one of my true-life stories was published in a book by Guideposts.
My blog, Books for Boys http://booksandboys.blogspot.com consistently ranks # 1 on Google, when searching that subject.
MSM: What other novels do you have in the works?
MEA: The 16 titles for Comfort Publishing, and the ongoing Sam Cooper Adventure Series, contain stories and adventures that cover a wide range. Pelican Publishing is also looking at one of my manuscripts, Ghosts in the Old Attic. But I stopped writing for a time in order to find homes for what was completed. That doesn’t mean that my writing mind has gone to sleep. My process is to get the idea, take a small recorder and tell myself the basic story, type those notes, and then put them away until I’m ready to write. Right now, I have twelve to fifteen of those solid story ideas I could begin writing. But I’m choosing to shepherd the finished manuscripts and to work more in promotion, marketing, and publicity for now.
MSM: Where can readers find your works?
MEA: When my first eight books are rereleased, they will be widely available through distribution by Ingram and Baker & Taylor. That means that readers should be able to find them in their bookstores and libraries. They’ll also be available through outlets online like Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Or, people can contact me at mander8813@aol.com if they’re interested in details concerning signed copies.
MSM: What is your favorite part of being an author?
MEA: There are two of them, really. I love to close the door to my writing room, turn on music appropriate to the mood of the scene I’m writing, light a candle next to the computer screen, and disappear into a world of my own creation. It’s the most fun, creatively, I’ve ever had in my life. But greater than that is when I’m out speaking and a young reader, or a parent, comes up to tell me how one of my books has touched them.
Nothing compares with that because the writing process is such a solitary experience. Most of the time we never know if the books make a difference or not.
MEA: What would you like to tell your readers?
If you hate to read...do I ever have good news for you. If you love to read...do I ever have good news for you. If you’re a boy, girl, or adult...do I ever have good news for you. Reading my books really is like being in an exciting or scary movie. And it’s a good scary. I think the reason readers enjoy them so much is that I see them as movies on the big screen as I’m writing.
MSM: Last comments?
MEA: There’s nothing like reading. Reading opens up areas of your brain that can’t be opened any other way. Reading allows you to make full use of your imagination at a time when most media tells you what to think, manipulates you with sound effects and music, and limits using your imagination. And remember, readers are the leaders others follow.
Please visit the Author web site http://www.maxbooks.9k.com