About the Author

Carl T. Smith

Carl T. Smith is the author of NOTHIN' LEFT TO LOSE and LOWCOUNTRY BOIL. Carl was born in Chicago, Illinois, but moved to Danville, Virginia at age two and considers himself a born and bred Southerner. Son of a North Carolina-born carpenter and a Swedish mother, he chose a career-path of music and theatre before taking an interest in writing.

Carl attended The Richmond Professional Institute of the College of William and Mary where he met and became life-long friends with Tom Robbins, who later distinguished himself with such novels as Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and Skinny Legs and All. Robbins, who wrote reviews of Smith's theatrical performances encouraged him to write. Theatre and music were his primary interests, however, and he worked in the professional theatre, film and music for thirty years. Time spent writing music in Nashville in the 70's along with other struggling songwriters such as Mickey, Newberry and Kris Kristofferson and as CEO of Carl T. Smith Associates, an entertainment management firm in Philadelphia, formed the basis for Carl's first novel, NOTHIN' LEFT TO LOSE.

After stints as a professional speaker and consultant, educator on the secondary and college levels, Smith headed back south to finally take up the full-time pursuit of writing. Three years later, after going through the legendary rejection process that most all writers face, NOTHIN' LEFT TO LOSE was published to excellent reviews in Publisher's Weekly, Foreword Magazine and newspapers throughout the country. With the bankruptcy of the small publishing company that published his first book, he found himself back at square one.

In August of 2002, a writer friend referred him to River City Publishing in Montgomery, Alabama. With encouragement from other authors, including Robbins, and after assuring himself of the financial stability and quality of the company (River City published Robert McCammon's first novel in ten years, SPEAKS THE NIGHTBIRD in 2002) Carl signed a contract for his new novel, LOWCOUNTRY BOIL.

He has completed a second Sam Larkin novel, LOUISIANA BURN, which will be published in 2006. A third, IN PLAIN SIGHT is in the midstage of completion.