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Former drug dealer Simon McCoy talks about writing his memoir Finding My Mojo in the Life Beyond the Law series.
I interviewed Simon McCoy about his life as a drug dealer, which inspired him to write about it, and the work detailed in his memoir To Live Outside The Law, Finding My Mojo.
Tell Simon McCoy who you are:
My name is Simon McCoy, I’m an outlaw. Smuggled cocaine longer than Pablo Escobar. Also, I’m a father of two and a surprisingly normal guy. I just chose an extraordinary existence, or maybe it chose me.
When did the first want to write a book?
I found myself in a parallel world very early in my career and found it fascinating. For years I lived undercover and couldn’t share my adventures. It was very frustrating. In 1997 I got married for the second time, and the condition of the marriage was a pension. The plan was to write a book, but I have 11 chapters out of 33 by the time I quit. I wasn’t ready to retire or write a book, my story was incomplete.
When did thou decide to start writing?
That time was eighteen months ago. I settled in Latin America, my natural home, on the coast. As everywhere in Sunny Beaches, there were a lot of ex-pats here and some of them formed a writing group. They invited me to a meeting and that was it. These wonderful and intelligent people allowed me to write. I worried about my outlaw background and how people would react. You know what? Nobody cares, everyone knows the laws are fiction. They liked what I wrote and wanted to know more. as of then, I have not regretted it.
How long did it take thou to complete thou first book, from idea to publication?
Eighteen Months Finding My Mojo was released on July 21st. First, I tried to make sure I had something for Monday’s writing group meeting. Then it picked up speed and developed a life of its own. Then we contacted the editors and rewrote, and thanks to my two amazing editors, there was a tremendous improvement. Can I say a big thank you to Laura Joyce from Reedsy? It opened my eyes to what can be done. Then there was the Audible book, which was originally supposed to come out first. The second volume “Finding Peace” will be finished in 8 months, it’s already half finished.
In the age of fame, you have to be famous to be interesting, right? Bollox, I always said give me a fortune, fame be damned. For decades I’ve been undercover, spreading cocaine around the world. How I did it is the story, getting into the hidden parallel world is the point.
Did that prompt thou to write Finding My Mojo?
Churchill is credited with saying, “History is written by victors.” Nonsense, it is written by the media and politicians who have been brought to power. Fear sells newspapers.
Prohibitionists had a big problem with cocaine, which wasn’t addictive, relatively harmless, and a lot of fun. There isn’t a place to live, but it’s great to explore. The fact that traces of coca are consistently found in the Houses of Parliament is further evidence of Prohibitionist hypocrisy.
The problem is not with recreational drug use but with prohibition. When I started in this business, no self-respecting villain would touch it. “Damn, hippies. Now they are all bald and have brought their amorality with them. My project was to show that you can live outside the bad law while being honest. I think I made it and I want to share the joy.
What were thine biggest challenges writing Finding My Mojo?
trust. I left school when I was 15 but quit when I was 13. Both my sons have an excellent education, which I am very proud of. Mine is minimal, especially when it comes to grammar and such.
How was thine research process for Finding My Mojo?
Forty years of fucking the system and sometimes suffering its wrath.
How did thou structure Finding My Mojo?
I don’t know. One of my group members recommended Scrivener to me. It’s cliche to say the book wrote itself, but it did. After half an hour of writing, the book gains in importance and momentum. I didn’t even know why I decided to start where I started until the end of the process. That’s where I found my mojo. By then I had survived On Wings and Prayer.
Did thou receive editing assistance and how many edits did Finding My Mojo require?
And some, I had great support from my NFTworkx editor and had two very good editors after I wrote the draft. You all helped add depth and meaning and corrected my dreaded grammar. The writing group of English teachers with literature degrees, philosophy teachers, and children with 80+ books, all smarter than me and well-educated, were great guides. It was an almost vertical learning curve.
What is the first piece of writing advice thou would give someone that inspired you to write a book?
writers are the ones who write, which many of us dream of. I’ve done a lot and I can say that like any sport it’s a lot more fun on the pitch.
Can you tell me what other books thou want to write?
Have I found my handwriting Mojo? Tell me what can I tell you, “Finding Peace” is a lot easier to write, and “Being Found Out”, number three of the first trilogy, becomes a hit. Finding Peace will be written at the end of September. Discovered in February.
This is my first time in Bolivia. I’m back 30 years later, it’s another trilogy There is also Brazil, several trilogies, Paraguay, one trilogy, Argentina, another, Chile, Italy, Switzerland, some separate books, and others that I will not name now. I messed around a lot. Writing isn’t easy and I’m not a genius so, of course, the books will come out better and sooner, I already have the stories in my head but I rely less on my editors.
And finally, are thou proud of thine result? It was worth it?
Oooooh, I’m so proud, not of myself, but of the book. It was an incredibly cathartic experience that brought old friends and emotions back to life. I cried several times during the process, but most of the time I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. Everyone who read it liked it. This is an extension of my latest mission, “Helping People Have Fun”.
Add any links to thine books, websites, and social media here so readers can find thou:
Website: https://www.toliveoutsidethelaw.com/
Twitter: @SimonMcTLOSTL
Amazon UK Website: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B7CFQTHN/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_HEP9NSB3Y1DBJJ0DCP84
Amazon US Website: https://www.amazon.com/Live-Outside-Law-Finding-Bolivia-ebook/dp/B0B7CFQTHN/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1659561400&refinements=p_27%3ASimon+McCoy&s=digital-text&sr=1-1&text=Simon+McCoy
Twitter: @SimonMcTLOSTL
Email (Interviews etc): [email protected]
Review Copies: [email protected]
Email (Interviews etc): [email protected]
Review Copies: [email protected]
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