Welcome to BookView Interview, a conversation series where BookView talks to authors.

Recently, we interviewed author Tyson Collin about his writing and his debut novel, Homecoming Heist, a fast-paced, thrilling roller-coaster ride with high stakes. (Read the review here.)

 Tyson was born in De Soto, Missouri, a small town south of St. Louis. He began modeling at the age of 20, performing runway, fashion shows, and print ads for clients including Rawlings and Anheuser-Busch. Then he made the jump to local, regional, and national commercials. Later his antics and shenanigans led him to perform stand-up comedy in the Midwest, landing small television and independent movie roles. Homecoming Heist is his debut novel which matches a screenplay he wrote during the pandemic. He would like to give credit to all that have helped him along his journey.

Website: tysonmilner.com

You have experience in the film and television industry. What led you to writing, and especially to writing a novel?

I was always writing, rather it be a bit or a joke for some stand-up routine or just some funny scenario that might be part of something one days.

Homecoming Heist started as a screenplay. Why did you choose to write it as a novel instead? Could you still see it being made into a movie?

Yes, even more now. A friend who helped teach/guide me with writing screenplays was the one who came the idea to make this into a novel.

What inspired the premise of Homecoming Heist?

A joking observation while I was attending my own high school’s homecoming parade my senior year.  – The whole town is here, wouldn’t be funny if someone robbed a bank right now? They’d probably get away since the police are all down here.

What’s something you’ve learned from screenwriting that you think every novelist should think about more?

Just for me: Write every idea down, from a scene, character, location, setting, lines or phrases. I never know when one or two of those will come together and I can make something out of it.

What’s more important: characters or plot?

That’s hard to say. Both.

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

Original! That is me to a T. I feel people want to see, hear about something different. I know I don’t like when I can call out the ending of something in the first quarter of reading or watching it.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Learn how to spell better, you delinquent, and probably typing… After crushing the keys for 10 minutes, then looking up and more than half of the screen is red and green with spelling errors and grammar mistakes, it kind of slows you down.

What are your favorite books? What about your favorite movies?

Books – Westerns, modern and the old West.

Movies – The ones I can relate to, Sports, Comedies, Actions. I’ll watch the sappy lovey dovey stuff with my lady but not by myself.

What’s next for you?

I have another screenplay I want to turn into a book. I have a few more ideas for novels. One is all the true stories I’ve collected over the years. Creating a character and having them go through everything, telling the story of the ups and downs in life. The good with the bad, I think it’s something most people could relate with. Another one is a children’s book with daughters.

Keep writing and working on my screenplays, that’s how I started this writing process so don’t let it go to the wayside.

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