Age: 58

Height: 5 feet, 10 inches

Residence: Nacogdoches, Texas

Lansdale has written mystery, suspense, horror, sci-fi and other novels and stories. His 2000 mystery The Bottoms (Mysterious Press) won the Edgar Award for best novel and was named a New York Times notable book of the year; it was released in paperback last week (Vintage). Devil Red (Knopf), a Hap and Leonard novel, will be released in March. In addition to his mystery awards, Lansdale has won seven Bram Stoker Awards from the Horror Writers Association.

JoeRLansdale.com

Why do you work out?

I can exercise, and do, and teach martial arts, but the past few years I haven’t been able to do what I did before, due to a nerve in my hip. However, after several years the nerve relaxed, I dropped 20 pounds immediately, and am now dropping more. But, even with the hip injury I walked and lifted light weights and did stretches, and taught martial arts, where I did the techniques and taught them, then felt like hell for a couple of days.

But you don’t quit. I’d like to look better, but I’m afraid I am what I am. Lots of work and stress in a writing career, and martial arts helps me balance it, and feel better, both physically and mentally.

What exercise(s) do you do?

Now that I’m doing better, my plans are to return to walking and light weights and more stretches, but mostly longer periods. I like to exercise three times a week, teach martial arts twice a week. I’ve been doing martial arts for 48 years, and find my body has adjusted to that so much I have to get exercise in other ways as well.

I like to exercise briefly, but intensely. Forty-five minutes three days a week, with twenty minutes of light weights and stretches the rest of the week—the workweek. I like to take weekends off. And again, this doesn’t include martial arts.

Does working out help your writing?

Yes, it does help me keep sharper, and I often think of ideas when I’m exercising. But I do the same in the shower.

Do you have any characters who are into fitness?

My characters are a lot like me. Derailed by life, but trying to stay with it. Hap Collins and Leonard Pine in my novels are martial artists, and do exercise. Leonard is better than Hap, who is lazy in many ways.

Do you do any competitive sports now or did you in school?

I didn’t. I practiced martial arts outside of school. We did have rigorous P.E. however.

Do you have a personal fitness motto or philosophy?

Try to be steady and consistent, and work around injuries or problems. You can always find a way to be healthier than you are.

What’s your typical daily diet?

I eat a light breakfast of coffee, usually decaf, and a protein bar, sometimes yogurt or cereal. When I’m on vacation, I might have eggs and bacon. For lunch I eat lots of vegetables—too many. I try not to eat much bread or desserts, as I’m not a sweet person really. I drink iced tea mostly, and I when I have meat, usually it’s chicken. I have a steak three or four times a month sometimes, then won’t have beef for two or three months. I eat fish occasionally. Mostly, I try to eat less.

My kryptonite has been eating out due to my busy lifestyle. My wife and I are trying to cut that back considerably. Travel, as I do a lot of book business in Italy, has been tough. But, gradually, we’re learning how to eat better while traveling.

Do you take steroids, human growth hormones or other performance-enhancing drugs?

I take all the basic vitamins, and the glucosamine, and saw palmetto. I don’t know how much it helps, but I do know I rarely get sick, and if I do, I usually recover rapidly.