M.D. Nuth, after growing up in Colorado, resides in Southern California, his adopted home of the past three decades.  Before turning to his passion for writing, M.D.’s professional career spanned for-profit and non-profit organizations that enabled him to work with a diverse set of people that included international business leaders as well as the poorest of the poor.  In both his personal and professional life, he remains grounded through family, faith, music, and writing.

Life experience gives M.D. a unique perspective and knack for storytelling, providing him insight to illustrate the human factors that affect all of us.   His writing transcends socio-economic status to speak to each of his readers on a personal level, unifying them through life events in which all humankind can relate.  

Matt’s book, Nails, has now been published by Crimson Cloak Publishing.

“Be forewarned, “Nails” is a gritty novel that echoes the beginning of fascism of Hitler’s Germany and Putin’s Russia, and it will have your stomach churning, but it’s well worth the ride, especially as a warning to today’s political environment.” —Rick Stepp-Bolling (Author of Patch Man)

Fantastic review of Nails by Literary Titan!

NAILS

Oct 25

Posted by Literary Titan

Nails is a haunting piece of political fiction based on what would happen if viewpoints of certain political factions were to be driven to the extreme. We follow three different protagonists, who all consider themselves to be the hammers that strike down the nails; the weak people, and guide them toward the way they need to be going or bend them and discard them for being useless to the cause. They represent the three levels of involvement and control they have within the organizations they serve: the foot soldier, the propagandist, and the boss.

This is not a dystopian book in itself, I think it’s more of an introduction into a dystopia. This book does a fantastic job of increasing your anxiety concerning politics or potential dystopias with how well it utilizes contemporary worries to ground the story and create an authentic atmosphere. The ending to this riveting novel is fantastically distressing with how probable it could be… or maybe the author just does a great job of making it all feel possible?

I enjoyed the well-conceived narrative driving this story forward. The plot is fast paced and intriguing. There are time skips that keep the reader guessing, but instead of feeling like a fault, they feel like a feature, as they happen more often when the characters start dissociating from the work they were once so interested in. The characters are compelling and unique. I felt like the characters come off as undecided about whether they are against the big plan or for it, and that adds a layer of intrigue to the story. I would have enjoyed a bit more worldbuilding to the story, because what is given is so fascinating and I wanted to know more about the overall world.

Nails is a a thrilling read that is immensely entertaining. This captivating psychological thriller is for anyone interested in how political regimes may develop and how they ensnare different people into believing what they want them to believe. If you’re a reader looking for a political thriller with a unique cast then this is a novel that you’ll certainly enjoy.

Pages: 279 | ASIN: B0BDXRTCPB

Go to the actual review here

Meet Matt Nuth | Author

June 13, 2023

We had the good fortune of connecting with Matt Nuth and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matt, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Honesty. It might sound trite, but I think it’s a value that has largely taken a backseat in recent decades. We see the lack of commitment to honesty almost everywhere: in the news sources we watch, in the rumors and stories we repeat, in the personas we create for ourselves on social media. As a note, I am not defining honesty as merely the avoidance of lying, but to a larger definition that includes a commitment to not deceiving in any way. Unfortunately, we are bombarded continuously with partial truths that devide and damage us.

I was raised under the adage of truth being the best policy and have found that to ALWAYS be true. It minimizes misunderstandings, missteps, hurt, and mistrust.

Why is so easy to slip away from honesty? I guess it’s always seductive to avoid tough issues, but I also think we have had a culture shift to one in which winning is everything anything goes in the achievement of that goal… including our civility and integrity.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Writing has always been fun for me. In business, the challenge was to communicate quickly, clearly, and simply… leaving no room for misunderstanding.
With novels I take a similar same tack, but there’s a story to tell; it has to be interesting, it has to be engrossing, it has to surprise and grip the reader or make them feel emotion. My first novel made people cry, my second made the reader fear and feel troubled. The third will sadden and surprise. I think the aspect of my writing that might set it apart from most novelists we see today is that I refuse to be defined by one genre. I write based on what seems interesting and I get inspiration from everyday occurrances. In other words, I don’t have a basic story formula I adhere to.

I do have some rules that guide me, however: don’t waste words, develop what needs development, but don’t waste time with meaningless things, and always place myself in the world of my charcters. This last point is critical. I even write mostly in the first person because it helps me imagine and communicate not just what a character does, but why.

My readers find my work to be the type you don’t want to read but you can’t put it down. That said, it’s not for everyone. It is mature and can be unsettling; to some it is too intense. It’s not for the feint of heart. By the way, for those wanting to taste my work, you can find it in Amazon by searching for M. D. Nuth.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
What isn’t fun in San Diego. Day One would be a visit to Balboa Park for a picnic and visit to the museums, capping off the day with a quick dinner and drinks at Trust. Day Two would be start with a USS Midway tour. After taking in some military history, enjoy a walk along the bay to take in life along the water before hopping on a segway for a quick tour of downtown. Finish Day Two with an early dinner at The Lion’s Share and a concert at Rady Shell. Day three head inland. Time to visit to visit Julian for some apple pie and to get a touch of the mountains and hiking. Don’t forget to try out some of the regions most authentic mexican food in Ramona before heading back to the city.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
That’s easy, but I have to cheat and provide you with two shoutouts. The first is my wife. She is incredibly supportive, but also my favorite critic. Not only can I count on her for kind words and encouragement when I need it, but she is also willing to call me on the carpet when I’m not at my best. I would not have any of the things this tremendous world has provided me: a loving family, a couple successful careers, a wealth of friends… without her. In fact, i would have never written my first book, Countenance of Man, and now I have a second, Nails, with a third and fourth, My Brother’s Keeper and The Day Before Tomorrow, on the way.

My second shout out goes to Bible. It might not be as popular to cite the Bible or one’s faith as it once was, but I cannot think of one source of truth that has impacted me more. Although I am hardly a scholar of the Bible, I can say that EVERY time I read as an adult I get something new from it. Of course, it wasn’t always that way. When I was young, reading it was something more akin to a chore. Today, it’s a gift.

Website: mdnuth.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewnuth/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matt.nuth.5

Other: https://www.crimsoncloakpublishing.com/matt-d-nuth/

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSocal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.

https://sdvoyager.com/interview/daily-inspiration-meet-matt-nuth-2/

Daily Inspiration: Meet Matt Nuth

Hi Matt, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory. 
To say that writing and music were the intentional destination for my life would be a radical overstatement. In fact, I spent an entire career avoiding them; they were things I loved, but I could never imagine that they would become central to defining who I was. Granted, writing and communication was critical to my success in business, and music was something with which I have had a lifelong love affair. They were a part of me even though I never acknowledged them. Now, I can’t imagine a day without them. 

I was lucky to have a long career with Hewlett-Packard. This company allowed me to be the best I could be and never put me in a position that forced me to compromise my values. In fact, those years allowed me to recognize and acknowledge what was most important to me: family, faith, and relations. As a note, I can’t imagine anything more important to living a fulfilling life than understanding and honoring one’s values. 

Retirement should be the conclusion of one’s life, right? Wrong. It was the beginning of mine. My career provided me the skills and retirement provided me the time to do something good and critical for our community here in San Diego through Father Joe’s Villages. I like to think Father Joe’s needed me, but in retrospect, I needed them. I still joke that HP gave me the financial resources to do what I wanted, but it’s Father Joe’s that touched my heart to ensure that what I wanted to do was good. They’re a blessing to San Diego. Between the two of them, they provided me a wealth of experiences to fuel my writing for years to come. 

So, how did I get into writing and music? Music was something that was forced upon me by my parents and is something for which I will forever be grateful. Of course, as a child, being forced to practice the cello seemed more a chore than a gift. It wasn’t until I became an adult and a parent that I realized how important music had been in shaping my life. It provided confidence, relaxation, peace, and a massive shot of humility… all good things for a good life. I now play with the Poway Symphony and knock around with some dear friends, playing jazz and folk music for fun.

In addition, music has taught me the importance of commitment. With writing, this is especially critical. It’s easy to turn off the PC if writing something becomes difficult, but you can’t. It’s not that you must continue pounding away at some story idea that isn’t working, but, just as with music, it’s also critical to not quit. So, when I hit a snag in my writing, I shift to writing something different, a poem or an article, just to get the creative juices flowing again. 

Writing is something I feel compelled to do. Not only does it feel natural; it’s something that fulfills me. It’s about saying something that elicits something from the reader, too. I hope that when you read one of my books, you feel as though you’ve experienced something with me, that we’ve gone on a worthy journey together. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Smooth road? Heck no, but then again smooth roads aren’t nearly as fun or challenging as rocky dirt trails. There have been a number of potholes along my life’s way that could have prevented me from doing the things I love. For years, I was a partner in a growing and successful audio electronics business. A downturn in the market wiped out the business along with a substantial amount of our financial resources. Finger injuries made cello playing even more challenging. And specific to my writing, just finding a publisher willing to give a 60+-year-old, fledgling writer a shot was a difficult and time-consuming effort.

On the positive side, every setback has been a wonderful learning experience, not just from personal expertise perspective, but they also in that showed me that I can always rely on my family and friends for support. My wife has become my number one fan and my number one critic, two things that are absolutely critical. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My third novel, My Brother’s Keeper, was just published by Crimson Cloak Publishing. It’s a fast-paced story with a huge psychological twist that readers will love. It’s a significant deviation from my previous books: the sensitive story telling in Countenance of Man or the dark disturbing shock of Nails, but I have no doubt it will also be a read you won’t want to put down.

As a note, I haven’t forgotten those Nails readers who have asked me for more. The sequel is written and is already at Crimson Cloak for editing. The name? The Bent Nail. 

So, what’s different about my writing? Subject matter – it’s whatever hits me at the time. Perspective – I write in 1st person because I need to imagine myself as the protagonist, experiencing what he or she experiences. My readers expect it. Innovativeness – I enjoy for different story structures and subject matter. It takes a little longer, but I think the reader deserves more than rehashed stories recast with the same characters. Plus, it makes me work harder in my research. 

What’s next: I have completed a sensitive look at WW1 through the eyes of a single soldier at the tail end of the war struggling with the emotional burden of killing individuals a cause he doesn’t believe in. It’s a both troubling and uplifting tale that will bring tears to some. Tentatively, I call it The Day Before Tomorrow because in that particularly disturbing and wasteful war, peace was always “tomorrow,” never “today.”

And what am I working on now? An extremely painful and touching story about a young man and his fall into schizophrenia. The story is told from two perspectives: his and his closest friend. This will be a tough story, both to read and write. 

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
What do I see changing in my industry over the next five to ten years? Probably the most significant change will be that of a transition of talent. I suspect everyone reading this interview has established their personal list of favorite writers, and in these lists several names will come up time after time. And guess what? Those have been the same names that have come up for decades. I suspect we will see a major shift over the next five to ten years as publishing houses look to revamp their aging talent pools.

Regarding physical books vs. ePublishing, I would have bet on the demise of physical books last decade, but I don’t think so any longer. People like the tactile aspect of books. I get it. As such, I expect digital printing technology to continue to scale and drop in cost providing a means to bring print-on-demand directly into major booksellers, thereby reducing the cost of distribution and enabling the brick-and-mortar to support perhaps a more diverse set of talent and creativity addressing the needs and demands of their unique markets.

Perhaps the most perplexing aspect that I see within the current industry is the relative lack of innovation and creativity. Unique and thought-provoking story telling has largely been displaced by woke, easy-to-read, cookie-cutter novels and novellas that strive to satiate the reader through titillation rather than challenging them to think. AI will have a profound and significant impact here. 

As a technology, AI has no issues with cobbling out cookie-cutter, mindless stories at a massive pace. Writers must become focused at generating true pieces of unique art. Publishers should be looking to combine AI and digital publishing to position themselves as the curators of that art. AI can provide a tool to evaluate talent and differentiate one publishing house from another. In other words, I suspect publishing house brands will migrate to meaning something to the reader, much like they do today for authors and booksellers. 

Book wholesalers? They maintain a grip on the industry today based on old supply chain limitations and economics. Maybe not so much in the future.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.crimsoncloakpublishing.com/matt-d-nuth/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matt.nuth.5
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewnuth/
• Other: www.mdnuth.com

My Brother’s Keeper

My Brother’s Keeper, by M.D. Nuth, thrusts readers into a vividly portrayed plane crash, experienced through the eyes of the protagonist, Anders, known as Andy. This intense opening to the novel sets the stage for a tale that is both a survival story and a deep dive into complex familial relationships against the backdrop of the Japanese invasion during World War II.

The narrative introduces us to a cast of characters whose personalities and backstories are intricately woven into the fabric of the story. Andy’s strained relationship with his analytical and seemingly cold-hearted brother, Simon, forms a central thread. The tension between the brothers is further complicated by the presence of Shelly, or Ess, who is unaware of Andy’s romantic feelings toward her. These personal dynamics unfold alongside the larger survival drama as the characters must navigate not only their interpersonal issues but also the immediate threats to their safety.

The author skillfully uses detailed descriptions and dialogue-driven storytelling to enhance the emotional depth of the novel. Readers are given a front-row seat to the survivors’ challenges in finding water and dealing with the harsh realities of their environment. The character of Toothless Joe, with his practical survival skills and emerging leadership, brings a crucial element of hope and direction to the group’s dire situation. Nuth’s writing excels in its exploration of human psychology under duress. It delves into the theme of brotherhood not just as a familial bond but as a complex, sometimes contentious dynamic that impacts each character’s decisions and survival strategies. The historical context of the story not only adds depth but also raises the stakes, making the narrative even more compelling.

My Brother’s Keeper is the perfect read for fans of historical dramas and survival narratives. M.D. Nuth offers a dramatic and engaging experience and promises an intense exploration of its characters’ psyches, driven by a plot that expertly balances personal conflict with historical events. The novel is a testament to the human capacity for resilience and adaptability, even in the most extreme conditions.

Pages: 293 | ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CXJF1V35