Cameron Trost

I really enjoyed your short story collection “Hoffman’s Creeper and Other Disturbing Tales”. I noticed that–although each story is dark in its own way–there is no specific genre. They ran the gamut from mystery to suspense to horror. If you had to choose, what genre would you say is your favorite?

I’d have to say that suspense, in a rather broad sense, is my favourite genre. I certainly prefer both mystery and suspense to pure horror. What I find myself doing, often unintentionally, is using horror settings and symbols to give a gothic edge to many of my suspense stories. I think that Jenny’s Dream, with the budding creature-feature director, is the most obvious example of this.

Most of the tales in this collection fit more comfortably into the genre of suspense than either mystery or horror and when they are clearly horror stories, they lean more towards psychological horror. Only a couple of the tales in this collection hint at the supernatural and, even then, it’s largely a matter of interpretation. I am working on several traditional mystery stories at the moment, but I have to say that my new work is mostly turning out to be what I would label as suburban suspense.

What is your novella “Let Darkness Take Hold” about?

Let Darkness Take Hold is another example of how I sometimes straddle genres. It’s a tale of suburban suspense that uses a generous sprinkling of both horror and mystery tropes. It’s ultimately about revenge and seeks to keep the reader wondering not only how the protagonist is going to react to the opportunity fate gives him, but also how he or she would react. I had a lot of fun writing this story, especially with the costume party… you’ll see what I mean.

How do you come up with new ideas?

Every story has a different history. Often, I’ll have an idea while I’m watching the news – not surprising for a dark fiction writer. I also get ideas taking a shower, walking to work, listening to music, watching a movie, reading, having a conversation with somebody, or just observing people in the street. Some stories work themselves out quickly while others require patience and periods of incubation.

What is your writing process? Do you plan ahead, outline each scene? Or do you prefer to let the story unfold on its own? Do you stick to a daily word count, etc?

When I have an idea, I jot it down in a paragraph or two. When I start writing the story, I usually just start at the beginning and let it unfold. From time to time, I’ll write the climax first and then go back to the beginning and work my way towards it. I don’t stick to daily word counts. Some days, I just can’t write, especially if I have something else on my mind. When I have time and the words are flowing, I just go with it. I often put some music on and kick back with a glass of scotch… thus the frequent alcohol references in my work.

What are you currently reading?

At the moment, I’m reading from several anthologies of ghost and detective stories. I try to keep a record of what I read on my Goodreads page.

If you could invite any five authors from any time period to dinner, who would they be?

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Edgar Allan Poe, Ruth Rendell, Guy de Maupassant… oh, we need another lady… Agatha Christie, there you go. I’d have just a handful of candles for lighting and leave the window open to the night. Hopefully, a thunderstorm would come rolling across the city to add to the dramatic effect.

Do you remember the first thing you ever wrote?

Not really… Just wait while my hypnotist puts me into a trance… All right, I knew I’d repressed something. When I was a kid, I wrote some kind of Celtic fantasy story about a hero who saves his village from giant monsters. I tried to include some kind of romantic subplot but it wasn’t easy for a ten year old who’s only experience in the field was when he’d kissed a girl on the cheek and got slapped for his trouble.

Besides the titles we’ve discussed, where else can we find your work? Are there any anthologies or magazines you’d like to mention?

Most of the short stories from Hoffman’s Creeper and Other Disturbing Tales were first published in ezines, magazines and anthologies. Since then, I’ve had other pieces published. One of them is Old Mabel’s Stray Cat, an extremely weird tale in volume one of FEAR: A Modern Anthology of Horror and Terror. Another is The Lutwyche Carnivore from the ezine, Fever Dreams #2. Also, I have two new stories being published soon. I post all of my news on my blog (refer to the final question) and on my Facebook page.

What scares you?

I used to have a thing about grasshoppers, but I’m over that now. People scare me, especially once you put them in a car. Have you read Crash by J.G. Ballard? It’s only a slight exaggeration of reality.

What do you enjoy doing outside of writing?

I like walking and bushwalking (not sure what you call that in the USA) and playing chess. I like traveling and discovering new places too. I’m not particularly sporty. I used to go jogging and do chin-ups and so forth. I really ought to get back into that. Socially, I don’t like nightclubs at all. I prefer going to restaurants, pubs and rock concerts. I bet you weren’t expecting an exciting answer like that! Hmm, let’s go back to talking about writing.

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m doing a lot of rewriting and editing but also working on three new short stories, an urban adventure / suspense novel, and a mystery novella. Yes, I’m one of those writers who switches back and forth between different projects depending on the alignment of the moon and what colour socks I happen to be wearing.

Where can we find you on the web?

All over it! You can find me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/cameron.trost) and Goodreads, but my blog is the best place to find out about my writing: www.trostlibrary.blogspot.com

John Grover

You seem to write mainly horror, yet there are other genres mixed in there as well. Do you like to experiment with different styles of writing?

I do, very much. In my horror writing I tend to write “quiet” horror and a more Gothic type of fiction. My stories have a Twilight Zone feel, a slow build and a turn of events with characterization. I don’t tend to use a lot of blood and gore. Lately, I have switched to trying to write fantasy fiction, the sword and sorcery type with magic, castles, and monsters. There is a common theme in both the horror and fantasy stories… monsters. I love monsters and use them in many stories. My newest fantasy series Song of the Ancestors, has some good monsters in it and the undead, especially book 1 Web of the Spider Queen. So, even my fantasy writing has a little bit of a horror twist. I’m hoping that makes them a bit unique.

What are some of your recent releases? Can you give us a short synopsis of each?

One of my newest is Oblivion 6. This novella is about a group of six strangers with psychic and supernatural powers that are brought together by the government to stop an apocalyptic force. The old Aztec Gods have returned to our world in the form of giant monsters and are out to destroy everything. This is sort of my ode to superheroes and comic books. Another novella getting a lot of attention is Frozen Stiff–my first zombie story. It’s about the end of the world and a group of survivors that are led to a secret military base in the Canadian Arctic by a search and rescue team. At this base they discover there are worse horrors than the icy wasteland.

How do you come up with new ideas?

That’s a tough one, because sometimes I don’t even know. Some have come from dreams… or nightmares that I have. Some just come to me as I am driving to work or watching TV. Others start out as questions… what if this happened or what if this life wasn’t all that it seemed? Sometimes characters just reach out to me and tell me their stories. I see ideas like movie scenes. They play in my head when I am bored or relaxing. Many times titles just come to me or string together. I try to jot them down somewhere or I email them to myself a lot. I even write the stories based on just the title with no forethought as to what the story is about. I have such a vivid imagination that I can get tons of ideas all in one day.

Years ago, one of your short stories was made into a short film. How exciting! Can you tell us about the basic plot of the story? How did it feel to see your fiction on film?

It was very exciting. It was early in my writing career and I was approached by some Canadian film students who wanted to do a short film of my story Black Out. They had seen it published on a horror e-zine. It was supposed to appear on Canadian TV and I still have the CD they sent me. The story was about a woman in a crappy, run-down apartment. The building would have frequent black outs. During one black out the tenant witnesses something she shouldn’t, something sinister that happens in the building on a regular basis. I wrote that story in one sitting and it was one of my most popular stories at the time. It is still available in my chapbook sampler for Kindle, Terror in Small Doses: 6 flash stories.

What is your writing process? Do you plan ahead, outline each scene? Or do you prefer to let the story unfold on its own? Do you stick to a daily word count, etc?

For short stories I never plan ahead, I just let the tale take me where it takes me. As scenes pop into my head I take notes into the doc so I don’t forget. For novels and novellas I do a very rough outline. Not too detailed… some character names, some juicy scenes, a basic plot so I have a guide but then as I write I let it take off on its own. Sometimes the plot changes as it goes and sometimes I don’t even know what the ending will be. I don’t have a daily word count… I mostly write on weekend nights and write until I get tired.

What are you currently reading?

The Strain by Guillermo Del Torro and Chuck Hogan. It’s good scary stuff. I’m really enjoying it and I think I’m a bit late to the party with it too.

If you could invite any five authors from any time period to dinner, who would they be?

H.P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, Shirley Jackson, Edgar Allen Poe and Mary Shelley.

Do you remember the first thing you ever wrote?

Yes, it was a short story called The Heirloom. My mom loved it! At the time I worked at a supermarket, I was a teenager then and I let a bunch of my co-workers read it and they were glued to it, they couldn’t put it down. I knew then that I could write some good horror.

What scares you?

Flying.

What do you enjoy doing outside of writing?

I love to cook, going out to the movies, I like to read a lot, not just fiction but history, true crime, Native American Culture, dinosaurs, the solar system, spirituality. I also go camping, fishing, hiking and enjoy gardening, playing video games, collecting old horror movies.

What are you working on at the moment?

Right now I am writing various shorts to my fantasy series The Books of Braenyn. My next book is a dark fantasy titled Knightshade: Perdition Bleeds. I plan to begin writing it by the end of June.

Where can we find you on the web?

www.shadowtales.com or facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johngroverdarkfictionauthor

Michael West

I’m happy to say this blog has been going for over a year now, and what a year it has been! Feel free to peruse the archives if you missed out on past interviews. I’d like to say congratulations to the winner of the Amazon gift card contest, Ms. Valerie Ortiz, and a big thank you to everyone who entered.

Now, without further ado, I’m pleased to present…

Hi, Michael. Thanks for joining us.

Thank you for having me.

How long have you been writing, and when did you start taking it seriously?

I’ve always been a storyteller.  Before I could write, I would draw pictures to illustrate the tales that were spinning around inside my head.  At age seven, after watching Star Wars for the first time, I decided that I wanted to be a filmmaker.  I would write screenplays and make movies in the back yard with my parents’ video camera.  And, as the stories I wanted to tell outgrew my meager budgets, I eventually turned my attention to writing short stories and novels.

You edited the anthology “Vampires Don’t Sparkle” which features the work of some amazing authors. In addition to providing quality fiction, a portion of the proceeds from sales of this anthology go to cancer research institutions. That’s a great cause.

Thank you. It is a very personal cause for me.  One year ago, I lost one of my closest friends, author Sara J. Larson, to cancer, and then my wife was diagnosed with the disease last fall.  I hope that, with this anthology, we can help win the fight against this real-life horror.

Was this your first time editing an anthology? Is it something you will do again in the future?

Yes, to both questions. LOL I had never tackled anything like this before, but I did enjoy it and could see myself doing it again.

I recently finished reading “Cinema Of Shadows”. This is definitely a book I would recommend to others. There were a lot of different levels to the story, incidents in the main characters’ pasts that brought everything together nicely, in my opinion. I know it’s a typical question, and it doesn’t always have a clear-cut answer, but what inspired the idea behind “Cinema Of Shadows”?

I’m a huge movie buff, and I worked as a theater manager for a time. One of the cinemas I managed was haunted. If you walked in, and it was completely dark, you could see the glowing outline of a person sitting in one of the seats. Someone told me that it was the spirit of a man who had a heart attack and died right there in his chair.

Then, years later, I started going to classic films at an old movie palace in Franklin, Indiana. The Artcraft. It had fallen into disrepair, but now it is being restored to its former glory–the original Art Deco design, the neon, the huge marquee with the chasing bulbs. This is what theaters were like before the multiplexes, and now they are quite rare. Just amazing!

So the more I thought about it, the more I wondered…if the theater I managed was fairly new and already had a ghost, how many spirits might be trapped inside one of these cinemas that had been around for decades? And that’s when I realized that a crumbling movie palace would be a unique and amazing setting for a Horror story.

In what genres have you written? Your bibliography screams “horror author”, but some titles such as “Poseidon’s Children” appear to contain elements of sci-fi, or even fantasy. Do you consider yourself a “horror author”?

I write in several genres, but I consider myself to be, first and foremost, a Horror author. I’ve loved Horror as long as I can remember. I used to trick babysitters into letting me stay up late to watch Night Gallery episodes and Hammer films. I’d collect toys based on the classic Universal monsters. In the eighties, when a new Horror film opened, I was always first in line. Even when I wrote scripts for Educational Television, I found ways to sneak in Horror themes. I pitched a program called Teen Terrors—a look at the stress, fears, and anxieties that all teenagers must face—and filmed host segments in graveyards and the torture chambers of local haunted houses. It was only natural that, when I finally put pen to paper to write prose, the result would be horrific.

Are there any authors or books that have influenced you over the years?

Oh my, so many. Growing up in the eighties, I read everything Stephen King and Clive Barker put out. I’ve always loved the writings of Richard Matheson, Ray Bradbury, and Rod Serling. Now, I get inspiration from contemporary authors such as Brian Keene, J.F. Gonzales, and Tim Lebbon, but Gary A. Braunbeck is one of the authors I admire most. He brings this emotional reality to his fiction that is simply amazing. His work elevates the entire genre, and I was so thrilled that he was able to write the introduction to my short story collection, Skull Full of Kisses, so honored and humbled by what he had to say.

What are you currently reading?

Currently, I’m reading a short story anthology called He Is Legend, which is a tribute to the great Richard Matheson. So many great stories! I highly recommend it.

How do you come up with new ideas?

I get my inspiration from a variety of places.  Sometimes I will see an article in the news that strikes me as odd and I start to ask myself that question: “What if…?”  But a lot of my ideas come to me when I’m in the shower in the morning, in that weird, dream-like state between consciousness and unconsciousness.

“Cinema Of Shadows” left me wanting to read more of your work, so I picked up your short story “For the River Is Wide and the Gods Are Hungry” for 99 cents on Kindle. I loved this story. It tapped into my biggest personal fear: What lies beneath the surface of the water that makes up 75% of our Earth. “Poseidon’s Children” seems to share a similar theme, so I’m wondering… What inspires you to write about the water?

Just exactly what you mentioned: water makes up so much of this planet, yet it is vastly unexplored. There could be anything down there, and we won’t even know it exists until it comes up to bite us. Plus, I think the idea of being eaten is a primal fear everyone shares.

The titles I’ve mentioned so far are only a drop in the bucket. You have many more available. Do you have any personal favorites you’d like to recommend to my readers?

Well, I think my short story collection, Skull Full of Kisses, is a good place for readers to start if they are unfamiliar with my work. There is something in there for everyone: horror, sci-fi, dark fantasy, monsters, maniacs, ghosts…you name it. As far as my novels go, I don’t think you can go wrong with either The Wide Game or Poseidon’s Children. They are the first books in my series, and good places to start.

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m working on the next book in my Legacy of the Gods series, Hades Disciples. It picks up a year after the events of the first novel, Poseidon’s Children.

Is there anything else you’d like to add that we haven’t touched on yet?

I would just like to thank all my faithful readers for their support over the years, and I hope to have many more tales coming their way in the months and years to come.

Where can we find you on the web?

Faithful readers can keep up with me and my work on my website (http://www.bymichaelwest.com) or on Facebook and Twitter.

They can also visit my publisher’s website http://www.seventhstarpress.com

Joseph A. Pinto

Hola! Sorry for the delay in choosing a contest winner. I was on vacation in Cancun, Mexico. Don’t get me wrong: My wallet is thinner than a runway model, but it was my mother-in-law’s treat. How is THAT for winning the mother-in-law jackpot?

I’m back now, so let’s get down to business… I just emailed the contest winner. I wouldn’t feel right mentioning any details until they reply and give me the OK. But let’s put it this way… if you entered the contest and you do NOT have an email from me sitting in your inbox right now, you unfortunately did not win. So sorry, my lovelies, I wish I could randomly draw everyone’s name from that hat! I will announce the winner’s name next interview after they give me the thumbs up.

Now, onto the latest interview…

Lindsey Beth Goddard: I see that your novella “Dusk and Summer” has received a ton of 5 star reviews on Amazon. Why do you think people have responded so well to it? What makes “Dusk and Summer” so special?

Joseph A. Pinto: “Dusk and Summer” is the only thing I’ve written outside the horror genre. I lost my father to pancreatic cancer nearly 6 years ago. His passing devastated me, so I wrote “Dusk and Summer” as a way to honor him. Many readers have told me it’s helped them process their own grief over losing a loved one as well. In that sense, it’s become more than I could imagine.

I originally self-published “Dusk and Summer” in 2008 and have always donated a portion of the proceeds to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. I’m proud to announce that Sirens Call Publications acquired the rights to “Dusk and Summer” several months ago and with a few tweaks here and there, my novella will be available again in the very near future. If you think “Dusk and Summer” is simply a story about my father, think again. It’s a raw, heartfelt tale written with my usual twist. Readers are in for a unique journey.

Lindsey Beth Goddard: Your novel “Flowers For Evelene” is probably not for the conservative reader, described as having “strong sexual content”. I must admit, this piques my curiosity. What inspired you to write something erotic?

Joseph A. Pinto: Easy now Lindsey! lol Only teasing. “Flowers For Evelene” is a dark and brooding story about a sex addict struggling with his personal demon. Who…or what that demon is, well, I won’t spoil the surprise by giving the answer away. While there are erotic scenes in the story, I wouldn’t consider it an erotic novel at all. It’s firmly entrenched in the horror genre.

Lindsey Beth Goddard: It looks as though there are a few alternate book covers for “Flowers for Evelene”. Is there any particular reason why?

Joseph A. Pinto: “Flowers for Evelene” was my first horror novel, written and published in 2005. I knew nothing of the publishing industry at the time and decided that self-publishing was the course I wanted to take. My first cover for “Flowers for Evelene” was a photo of an old gravestone, and I’ll admit I got caught up in the excitement of my first publishing experience. Later on, I realized the initial cover didn’t convey the mood of the book. Hence, the creation of a second cover.

Fast-forward to today, and my voice has completely evolved into its own style. As proud as I am of “Flowers for Evelene”, I’ll be giving my first love a well deserved rewrite. I’m also hoping to publish it traditionally. In 2005, I made the mistake of toning it down; thinking a tale of sexual addiction should be a bit “softer” around its edges. Silly me!

Lindsey Beth Goddard: You have a strong online presence. Your personal blog alone has nearly 3300 followers! How do you manage to gain so much public interest? Is it hard to balance writing with promoting?

Joseph A. Pinto: I’m still learning the in’s and out’s of promoting every day, just as I’m constantly refining my writing each day. I don’t think you ever stop learning, nor should you ever want to. I stumbled along with my blog when first starting out, but I think I’m beginning to hit my stride now.

I realize, in terms of my personal blog, that I need to write about me and allow readers a glimpse of what makes me tick. I wanted to humanize myself – become an individual readers could relate to. You’d be amazed how much you can learn about someone when they offer you a roadmap. My blog offers poetry, song lyrics, short fiction and insight behind the pieces I create. From time to time, I write about my daughter, but do so in story fashion. It also offers a peek into my personal interests outside the writing world. I want my blog to vary, and I want you to feel like I’m sitting beside you, chatting away. I want you to invest in me before my writing. It makes a big difference.

Lindsey Beth Goddard: You write poetry as well as short stories and novels. If you had to pick one form of expression and stick with it, what would it be and why?

Joseph A. Pinto: Hmm…well, poetry is something I only dabble in but I love it. It keeps my brain circulating and fresh. If I had to choose a favored form of expression, I’d say short stories or flash fiction. They are far harder to write than people think. There are so many elements involved: character, plot, mood, emotion, and all in a limited word count. You need to be tight and concise. One of the positive aspects of it that triggers my creativity is that you can experiment with a tale and then, boom, you’re on to the next.

Lindsey Beth Goddard: Is there anywhere online we can find your poems?

Joseph A. Pinto: Most of the poetry I share can be found on my personal blog at http://josephpinto.wordpress.com. But again, poetry is only something I write when I catch a spare moment or two. My poetry is always raw and unedited, as are the song lyrics I write. What you’re reading is always the first draft; the pure emotion, thought, sight or experience that inspired me in that moment. It’s exhilarating when a reader connects with it and feels the raw power of emotion I was feeling when I penned the piece.

Lindsey Beth Goddard: I am a follower of Pen of the Damned, a blog that offers free weekly prose from several contributing authors. Please, Joe, tell my readers more about this project so they can hurry on over and subscribe!

Joseph A. Pinto: Pen of the Damned has been in existence for just over a year now. We’re a small group of writers sharing a specific vision: writing short pieces of pain, angst and horror offered freely for anyone who enjoys reading them as much as we enjoy writing them. One of the things that makes our group unique is that the spotlight remains exclusively on one author per week. Our blog, www.PenoftheDamned.com, is no frills; you want pain, angst and horror, you’ll get pain, angst and horror. I believe we’re gaining a great deal of momentum due to the diversity of the authors, and the quality of the content each presents.

Lindsey Beth Goddard: What draws you to writing? Do you remember the first thing you ever wrote?

Joseph A. Pinto: I still have the very first story I ever wrote called “The Story of the Supernatural”. I was ten or eleven when I wrote it. Let’s just say it’s something that I’ll keep forever, but will never see the light of day! lol

My father’s book collection was what sparked my desire to write. He always kept old horror novels on his bookshelf, and I’d sneak them out for a read. That set the groundwork. What continues to draw me, however, is the solitary nature of writing. It’s a sabbatical experience for me. I discover a newness about myself, and a newness in style, with everything I write. The true wonder of it all is that I never know what to expect.

Lindsey Beth Goddard: How do you come up with new ideas?

Joseph A. Pinto: I’m addicted to my newspaper and I find it helps me tremendously. I greatly enjoy people watching when I’m out and about. And I’ve kept a journal of ideas, rooted in the fantastic to the everyday norm, for a long, long time now. It’s something I always refer to.

Lindsey Beth Goddard: What are you working on at the moment?

Joseph A. Pinto: At the moment, I’m putting the finishing touches on a short piece titled “Lunch”, a ghost story that I’m very excited about.

Lindsey Beth Goddard: Where can we find you on the web?

Joseph A. Pinto: You can always find something different on my personal blog at:

http://josephpinto.wordpress.com.

If you’re brave enough, join me and the other Damned at www.PenoftheDamned.com as well.

Thank you for having me aboard, Lindsey!

Michael Fedison / Amazon Gift Card Contest!

Contest alert! At the end of this interview, there is a 3 question “pop quiz”. Answer the questions, and you might win a $5 gift card for Amazon.com. The best part is: Even if you flunk the quiz, your name still goes into the hat (or salad bowl, or whatever I decide to use)!

This contest is strictly for fun–in honor of you, the reader! The lucky winner can spend the $5 Amazon credit however he or she pleases. It’s up to YOU to choose your own prize! So make sure to play!

What is your novel The Eye Dancers about?

Thematically, it’s about childhood, growing up, the courage to believe in magic and hope for things unseen. It’s about exploring the very concept of what we term “reality” and all the layers that entails. It’s about the connections we share with others, even people who, on the surface, seem so far away. More than anything, it’s about friendship, bonding, and reaching for your dreams.

The synopsis for The Eye-Dancers is as follows:

Seventh-grader Mitchell Brant and three of his classmates inexplicably wake up at the back edge of a softball field to the sounds of a game, the cheering of the crowd. None of them remembers coming here. And as they soon learn, “here” is like no place they’ve ever seen. Cars resemble antiques from the 1950s. There are no cell phones, no PCs. Even the spelling of words is slightly off.

A compulsive liar, constantly telling fantastic stories to garner attention and approval, Mitchell can only wish this were just one more of his tall tales. But it isn’t. It’s all too real. Together, as they confront unexpected and life-threatening dangers, Mitchell and his friends must overcome their bickering and insecurities to learn what happened, where they are, and how to get back home.

The answers can be found only in the mysterious little girl with the blue, hypnotic eyes. The one they had each dreamed of three nights in a row before arriving here. She is their only hope. And, as they eventually discover, they are her only hope.
And time is running out.

How do you come up with new ideas?

In reality, I don’t! What I mean by that is—I can’t “think” of good story ideas. Whenever I try to force them, they don’t work. I have found that, for me, ideas come to me—not the other way around. I can be walking on a quiet road, mowing the lawn, or dreaming—and that’s when an idea hits. Ideas always arrive unplanned for, unasked. It’s almost like ideas are preexisting things, floating somewhere out there in the universe. We as writers just need to discover the ones that are meant for us.

What is your writing process? Do you plan ahead, outline each scene? Or do you prefer to let the story unfold on its own? Do you stick to a daily word count, etc?

A little bit of both. Before writing a story, I will have a general idea where I’m going, and a pretty good idea of how the story will end. But—I try not to be rigid, and for that reason, I don’t do chapter-by-chapter outlines. The characters always do and say things you don’t expect, and sometimes the story can take unexpected twists and turns. I value these experiences, and try to let the creative process unfold naturally and without restraints. I can’t tell you how many times I thought I had a good idea how a chapter would end, and then, halfway through, something happens I just didn’t foresee. That’s always exciting.

I don’t have a daily word count quota. It just depends on the day. Some days I can only spare a few minutes, others I am more fortunate and can devote hours to the story.

What are you currently reading?

I do freelance proofreading for a handful of book publishers, and they keep me busy! So, much of my reading is assigned. It’s an eclectic mix of publishers, and I generally proof sixty to seventy books per year—which doesn’t leave as much time for “pleasure reading” as I’d like. But I still do a fair bit of that, too.

If you could invite any five authors from any time period to dinner, who would they be?

Interesting question! William Shakespeare, Truman Capote, Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, and H.G. Wells would make for some lively conversation, I think!

Do you remember the first thing you ever wrote?

I do! It was a short story called “The Magic Key,” which I wrote in the second grade for a school project. It was a very “out there” story, and, looking back, I really wonder what my teacher must have thought about it!

What made you decide to write a book for young adults?

I think childhood and adolescence is a magical time of life, one full of wonder, self-discovery, and growth. Writing a novel featuring young adults came very naturally to me, and I hope the young adult audience will enjoy The Eye-Dancers. That said, I also hope the novel will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers, encompassing all age ranges.

What do you enjoy doing outside of writing?

Reading, of course.:) I also enjoy sports, with tennis as my favorite. I love geeky collectible old comic books, and have been a collector since I was a kid. I enjoy pop-culture history, history in general, astronomy, nature, animals, and just learning new things.

Have you been involved in any other projects you’d like to talk about?

I have written many short stories, a few of which have been published in small literary magazines. I also periodically post short stories on The Eye-Dancers website (www.eyedancers.wordpress.com).

What are you working on at the moment?

I have begun a sequel to The Eye-Dancers. I am hoping to complete it sometime in 2014. I am definitely in the beginning stages at the moment. I look forward to delving into that world again—I really enjoy the characters, who are inspired by friends I knew growing up.

Where can we find you on the web?

The Eye-Dancers website is at www.eyedancers.wordpress.com.

The Eye-Dancers Facebook page is: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Eye-Dancers/213004492164436.

You can also find me at Twitter: https://twitter.com/msfedison27

To play, just click the image above or go to http://lindseybethgoddard.polldaddy.com/s/amazon-gift-card-contest-1. You don’t have to get the answers right. Everybody has a chance to win. Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for the winner announcement!

Jeff Dawson

Psssssst. Hey, you. You there. Yeah… you!! In the computer chair. If you enjoy the following interview, please share it via Facebook, Twitter, email, etc. Ask your friends to follow the blog. There are fun contests coming up, and you know what that means. Prizes! Plus, with every new follower this blog receives, an author gets its wings… or something to that effect.

Now, onto the main attraction…

What is your writing process?

Nothing ground shaking here. I wake up, get some coffee, hit the power button and wait for the brain and fingers to start working.

Do you plan ahead / outline each scene, or do you prefer to let the story unfold on its own?

I know what the chapter will encompass, but how the action transpires and develops as the scene unfolds takes on its own mind. At times I feel like a referee or a traffic cop. Characters have a way of trying to dictate what happens. Keeping them on point can be trying at times.

I have a general idea where I would like the story to go, but that doesn’t mean the characters will co-operate. It’s a joint-venture to say the least.

Do you stick to a daily word count?

No. I know there’s a lot of talk about 2000 a day, even if it’s bad. I’m not a subscriber with this thinking. Some days I won’t write a thing, while others, I might top 5000. It all depends on how well the juices are flowing.

What is your novel Occupation about?

Plain and simple. Two warring vampire clans unite and take on an opponent more evil than themselves: The Third Reich.

Do you only write horror / thrillers, or do you dabble in other genres?

I have no particular genre. Two autobiographies, one science fiction work, two baseball manuals, a short story of humor and one on erotica.

How do you come up with new ideas?

The most recent work, Gateway: Pioche, was pitched to me by a friend. He’d been thinking about the idea for over two years. After describing his premise, I worked out an outline, and nine months later we released it.

The WWII vampire story was a collection of ideas. The woman taking care of my mom, (RIP, July 2011) suggested I write a love story about WWII. Not happening. It’s been overdone: Enemy at the Gates and Pearl Harbor. I called my fiance’s daughter (RIP Debbie, July 2009) and asked her if vampires were still hot. She emphatically said yes. I took their thoughts, my knowledge of WWII and created Occupation. Never close off the doors to ideas. You never know where they’ll come from.

What are you currently reading?

Dwells in Darkness by Glen R. Krisch, Shadow of Time by Jen Minkman and At Drakes Command by David Wesley Hill. I’ll read almost anything.

If you could invite any five authors from any time period to dinner, who would they be?

Bram Stoker, David Glantz, Earl Ziemke, Cornelius Ryan and Tom Clancy. The stories they could tell.

Do you remember the first thing you ever wrote?

I wrote a play in Junior High about the last ten days of Hitler; a parody along the lines of Mel Brook’s The Producers. Needless to say, the school didn’t show a lot of enthusiasm for the play.

Have you been involved in other writing projects you’d like to talk about?

I’m currently talking to two gals who want to write an autobiography. They contacted me after reading Loves True Second Chance. Each story is unique and interesting. This should be fun.

What are you working on at the moment?

A sequel to Occupation and a novel surrounding the largest tank battle in 1943.

Your book has some rather scary elements, so I’m wondering… What scares you?

Ants. Ever since I placed my foot on a red ant pile at the age of twelve, causing them and myself much distress, resulting in being bitten multiple times, the memory haunts me to this day. Imagine looking down and noticing your jeans had turned the color red. Those pinchers really hurt!

Where can we find you on the web?

Website: http://www.lddjenterprises.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeffDawson59
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupation/231877123504847?hc_location=timeline
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Jeff-Dawson/e/B0054DRYIO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Checking in / Writerly advice

Hi, everyone. I’m sorry that I tend to go a while between posts. I promised myself when I started this blog that it wouldn’t interfere with my writing time. In the past 5 weeks, I’ve written 2 stories, reaching a total of 13,000 words together. And that’s after editing. Imagine how many words I actually physically wrote! One of the stories has already been accepted for publication and the other is floating in cyber-judgement. Keeping my fingers crossed.

But I digress. This blog is not about ME. Sure, I throw a little advertisement for my short story collection on the side menu, but hey… don’t we all? This is a place where I get to know fellow authors, which I believe–in its own way–helps me grow as a writer. Author Interview Corner’s following is still a modest one (only 65 email subscribers and 220 Facebook followers). And yet, this blog has potential.

I’ve always had a passion for asking questions of fellow writers, and my love for horror fiction inspired me to take a trip to Horrorhound Weekend in Cincinnati this past month. That’s a 6 hour drive! (Okay, maybe the big name actors had something to do with it, too.) At this convention, I got to meet the awesome authors of Samhain Publishing, and I discovered something about myself. I am not a social butterfly! Slap me in a computer chair in front of a keyboard, and I’m as long winded as old grandpa in his rocking chair prattling on about “the old days”, but put me in a real life situation… and my tongue apparently ties itself in knots. I need some practice. Hopefully I can attend another convention soon.

What is the point of all my rambling? Although my posts are not as frequent as other blogs, I’m not going anywhere. I juggle three kids, plus personal writing time, and this blog, but I’m still here if anyone wants to drop a line at any point. I promise I’ll get back on track with interviews soon, but for today, I’ll leave you with some Youtube writing advice from the master. It’s such simple and such OBVIOUS advice, but something I have to remind myself of, constantly, in my busy life. Enjoy…