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Simpson, editor at The Courier, builds career, sells first novel

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“You just have to put in the work,” he said. “You have to show up and hope your muse shows up, too.”

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His niche basically is writing about Arkansas while continuing to develop a unique “Southern dialect” in his characters. “I feel I am getting pretty good at that,” he said.

Simpson has developed a friendship with Eli Cranor of Russellville, a football coach and teacher turned writer. Cranor has achieved success with recent novels, including winning the heralded Edgar Award for mystery and crime writing.

He relates to Cranor bringing a “football mentality” to the writing craft. “You need to have your nose to the grindstone every day,” Simpson said. “You also need to be willing to be rejected and not stop.”

It has indeed been a challenge for Simpson to manage all the responsibilities and commitments in his day-to-day life while resolutely pursuing his dreams as an author.

Once again, he credits the direction and support provided by his wife Melissa. “I wouldn’t be here without her,” Simpson said.

His wife also recognizes that hard work and is excited about his first book sale. “Travis has been working on this for years,” she said in an article in the Log Cabin Democrat in Conway. “After we had our son, Jeffrey, he told me he wanted to make this a reality to show his kids they can chase their dreams, too. Travis is an active dad, going to practices or shows, having dinner together and then, when everyone was asleep, he would stay up for hours writing.

“I’m incredibly proud of the discipline he had to balance work, his family and pursuing his dream.”

In that same article, Simpson said he needs to take advantage of this literary achievement. “It’s simultaneously exciting and terrifying,” he said. “Plenty of books come out and flop, and the author is never heard from again. I need it to sell well. And I need to write something to follow it. It’s a lot of pressure.”

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