Tag: author interview

Halloween Extravaganza: INTERVIEW: Patrick Lacey

megHan

Meghan: Hi, Patrick. Welcome to Halloween Extravaganza. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Patrick Lacey: Hi, I’m Pat Lacey. I’ve been publishing horror fiction since 2012 and I have a six-foot tall Freddy Krueger cardboard cutout in my office.

Meghan: What are five things most people don’t know about you?

Patrick Lacey: I absolutely love to cook. I drink around three cans of seltzer a day and can stop whenever I want to. Even though October if my favorite season, I do prefer warmer weather. I cry very easily during movies. I once got a mole removed.

Meghan: What is the first book you remember reading?

Patrick Lacey: I want to say it was a Dr Seuss book involving the ABC’s but I might be confusing it with Crime and Punishment.

Meghan: What are you reading now?

Patrick Lacey: I just finished up Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes, who was new to me and will certainly be on my TBR for the rest of time. An actual perfect mix of horror and crime, a combination that can so easily go wrong if not done right. She does it right.

Meghan: What’s a book you really enjoyed that others wouldn’t expect you to have liked?

Patrick Lacey: American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson is one of my favorite memoirs of all time (I say this like I’ve read more than three) and one of the only books I actually devoured in one day.

Meghan: What made you decide you want to write? When did you begin writing?

Patrick Lacey: The first thing I wrote was The Curse of the Scorpion, a knock-off Goosebumps novel. I was in third grade. It never got published. I liked the process and toyed with writing off and on until college, when I gave it the old… college try. Sorry.

Meghan: Do you have a special place you like to write?

Patrick Lacey: I typically write in my office, which is a hoarder’s dream if you like horror memorabilia and action figures. But I can and do write anywhere. In my car, in coffee shops, on the back porch. I don’t like being tied to any one place. I think that creates this idea that if you’re not in your favorite writing spot, you can’t get anything done.

Meghan: Do you have any quirks or processes that you go through when you write?

Patrick Lacey: Procrastination. I like to do literally anything to avoid writing before I actual sit down and work the magic.

Meghan: Is there anything about writing you find most challenging?

Patrick Lacey: All of it. I’ve written something like fifteen novels now and they never get easier. To be honest, I don’t particularly love the process of writing. I find editing subsequent drafts much more enjoyable. On the flipside, if I go more than two days without writing, I get cranky. I just can’t quit you, written word.

Meghan: What’s the most satisfying thing you’ve written so far?

Patrick Lacey: Trick question. It’s usually the thing I’m currently working on. So in this case, it’s the thing I’m currently working on.

Meghan: What books have most inspired you? Who are some authors that have inspired your writing style?

Patrick Lacey: I started out with King, like the majority of the world, but when I gave writing a go, I identified with writers with more white space on the page. Off the top of my head: Jack Ketchum, Graham Joyce, Richard Laymon, John Skipp, Richard Matheson, Joe Lansdale.

Meghan: What do you think makes a good story?

Patrick Lacey: I think it’s totally subjective, all of it, except for this: if you want to keep turning the page, the story did something right—or write, if you will. Sorry again.

Meghan: What does it take for you to love a character? How do you utilize that when creating your characters?

Patrick Lacey: I’m 95% pantser, meaning I don’t outline before I write. So sometimes, I don’t even know if I like a character until I’m well into the first draft. Usually, they’ve got to have a quirk. For example, though extreme, in Bone Saw, there’s a private detective who’s addicted to cough syrup. I wasn’t sure why when I first started writing, but as it went on, that addiction makes total sense.

Meghan: Which, of all your characters, do you think is the most like you?

Patrick Lacey: The main character in We Came Back is a dead ringer for me. We both lost our fathers in high school, and we both tried lifting weights with little to no results.

Meghan: Are you turned off by a bad cover? To what degree were you involved in creating your book covers?

Patrick Lacey: Yes. Judge that cover all you want. I usually had a good amount of say in the covers of my books. I’ve learned over the years to speak up if something doesn’t gel with me and to give as much feedback as possible.

Meghan: What have you learned creating your books?

Patrick Lacey: Books are really hard to write.

Meghan: What has been the hardest scene for you to write so far?

Patrick Lacey: There’s a car crash scene in We Came Back where we learn about the death of major character and it wasn’t very enjoyable to write. Definitely one of those kill-your-darlings moments. Literally.

Meghan: What makes your books different from others out there in this genre?

Patrick Lacey: Tough to answer this one without sending pretentious, but I guess I try take what might seem like a pulpy concept and treat it as serious as I can. That doesn’t mean I can’t have fun with it (see cough-syrup-addicted-private-detective for more information). It just means when I’m writing it, any general weirdness is (hopefully) serving the story instead of being there for the sake of it.

Meghan: How important is the book title, how hard is it to choose the best one, and how did you choose yours (of course, with no spoilers)?

Patrick Lacey: I do think it’s important and for me, it’s never easy. I usually jot possibilities down as I’m working on the first draft but I rarely choose one until the book is done. Sometimes they’ll change once the publisher gets on board. I usually lift a line or concept from the book and take it from there.

Meghan: What makes you feel more fulfilled: Writing a novel or writing a short story?

Patrick Lacey: Both. With novels, I’m working on them for the better part of a year and like I said: it’s never easy. So when they’re done, it’s hard not to look back and nod in approval. But short stories? They’re like instant mac and cheese: quick and delicious and, oddly, sometimes orange. And since my writing style tends to be on the slim side, they just feel right.

Meghan: Tell us a little bit about your books, your target audience, and what you would like readers to take away from your stories.

Patrick Lacey: Someone once called my stuff “pulp with heart” and I can dig that description. As for my target audience, literally anyone who wants to read about haunted amusement parks, teenage cults, or god-like serial killers.

Meghan: Can you tell us about some of the deleted scenes/stuff that got left out of your work?

Patrick Lacey: Oh, there’s tons of stuff. I usually cut about 10,000 words from my novels. It gets cut for a reason (i.e., it’s boring), so there wouldn’t be much to tell.

Meghan: What is in your “trunk”?

Patrick Lacey: I do not have a trunk novel. I have six of them. When I first started writing, I wrote six books without even thinking of submitting them. I looked at them as practice. They’ll never see the light of day because a.) they’re mostly terrible and b.) I’ve since mined characters and plots to use in my published work.

Meghan: What can we expect from you in the future?

Patrick Lacey: I’ve got a super-secret surprise coming in October, so if you’re reading this after it’s out, that’s what I was talking about and if not, I think I just vaguebooked. I also have a new novel coming out early next year through Grindhouse Press. It’s called A Voice so Soft and in a word(s), it’s what happens when Satan wins American Idol.

Meghan: Where can we find you?

Patrick Lacey: There’s a bar down the street from my apartment that serves half-price apps on Wednesdays. Otherwise, I’m on Twitter and Instagram.

Meghan: Do you have any closing words for your fans or anything you’d like to say that we didn’t get to cover in this interview?

Patrick Lacey: Thank you for having me! And thanks to everyone who’s read even a sentence of my work. Let’s all have the best Halloween ever!

Patrick Lacey was born and raised in a haunted house. He currently spends his nights and weekends writing about things that make the general public uncomfortable. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, his over-sized cat, and his muse, who is likely trying to kill him. Follow him on Twitter, find him on Facebook, or visit his website.

Where Stars Won’t Shine

I’ll be seeing you.

That’s the note left behind for Ivy Longwood when infamous killer Tucker Ashton murders her boyfriend. Several years later, after Tucker vanishes from his jail cell, Ivy travels to Ashton’s hometown of Marlowe, Massachusetts. Not for closure or therapy. She’s being called there. Steered by forces beyond her control. What she’ll find is not the quiet suburban town Marlowe once was. It’s something new. Something dark. Something that answers the question: Where did Tucker Ashton go?

We Came Back

Growing up dead.

Melvin Brown sees things that aren’t there. Monsters with tentacles and razor-sharp teeth. Ever the social outcast, he is bullied to the point of suicide. And his hatred of those who did him wrong does not die with him.

One decade after Melvin’s death, something strange is happening to Lynnwood High School’s smartest and most popular students. They begin to act out and spend time at the former high school, now abandoned and said to be haunted. And their numbers grow at an alarming rate.

Is this just a passing fad or are the rumors true? Does Lynnwood really have a teenage cult on their hands?

Bone Saw

Liam Carpenter spends most of his time above his aunt’s garage, watching obscure horror movies and drinking cheap beer. But this week’s different. This week, things are getting weird. First, there’s his favorite director, Clive Sherman, showing up in town unannounced. Then there’s the string of murders that all seem like something out of Clive’s popular Pigfoot movie monster franchise. Throw in Liam’s mysterious new crush and the cough-syrup-addicted private investigator chasing her down and you might gain somewhat of a clue of what’s going on in Bass Falls lately.

And don’t even get him started on she-demons and blood sacrifices. Bone Saw studios is in town and they’re bringing you the bloodiest sequel featuring a pig-human hybrid killing machine you’ve ever seen.

Halloween Extravaganza: INTERVIEW: Armand Rosamilia & Chuck Buda

megHan

Meghan: Armand, you’ve been interviewed by me a couple of times now and Chuck has not, so I’d like to spend the first few questions focused on him, if you don’t mind.

Chuck, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Chuck Buda: I’m a boy trapped in a man’s body. I love pizza and Black Metal. And when I’m not writing, I can be found watching The Big Bang Theory, Ancient Aliens, Ghost Adventures, or NASCAR races. Secretly, I’m in love with Armand Rosamilia.

Meghan: What are five things that most people don’t know about you?

Chuck Buda: Wow! A tough one right off the bat. I have to dig deep for what most people don’t know about me. Let’s see, I’m an Eagle Scout. I cried like a baby when the New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1994. I’m a momma’s boy. I’m a sucker for beautiful eyes. And I can hold my breath under water for ninety seconds.

Meghan: Tell us a little bit about your books, your target audience, and what you would like readers to take away from your stories.

Chuck Buda: I like to write different types of stories. My work ranges from psychological thrillers to splatterpunk, depending on the story. To date, I have written four series of books: The Debt Collector Trilogy (psychological thriller), the Gushers Trilogy (occult/splatterpunk), the Zombie Lockup series, and the Son of Earp series (supernatural western horror). I think my target audience is someone like me, a person who enjoys their horror in all kinds of flavors, shapes and sizes. The overarching theme in most of my work deals with the fact that humans are the most frightening monsters.

Meghan: Now, for questions that both of y’all can answer:

Are y’all reading anything good lately?

Armand Rosamilia: I’m always reading. Mostly nonfiction, but I’ve recently read a couple of really good horror books: The Dark Game by Jonathan Janz and Will Haunt You by Brian Kirk. Wait… was I supposed to mention a couple of Chuck’s books instead?

Chuck Buda: I’m currently reading a few great books. Bleed Away the Sky by Brian Fatah Steele and Bigfoot in Pennsylvania by Timothy Renner. I recently finished Dirty Deeds 2 by Armand Rosamilia which was a lot of fun.

Meghan: I am obsessed with offices lately. What makes yours “you”?

Armand Rosamilia: My office has to feel like chaos, with papers and Post-It notes all over my desk. But I know where everything is and what everything is. When we have company over my wife yells at me to at least straighten it all up, but then it takes me a few days to get it back to stuff on the floor and on my bookshelves so I can work.

Chuck Buda: I work from the dining room table. It’s the only place in the house where I have enough room to spread out all my work materials. Someday, when my kids graduate from college, I will convert a bedroom into a soundproof studio so I can have a legit office space and a place to sing out loud without harming anyone. I’ve collected lots of cool art over the years, too, which I would love to hang on my office walls.

Meghan: What do you think makes a good story?

Armand Rosamilia: For me it starts with the characters. You can have a great plot but with so-so characters it falls apart, while a so-so plot can really be dragged along with great characters and is entertaining. Now, have great characters and a great plot and I’ll keep reading.

Chuck Buda: I think compelling characters with a plot that leaves the reader wanting more, each scene and chapter, is the best kind of story. Too much description loses me, pulling me out of the story. I like to feel as if I am sitting around a campfire listening to an entrancing storyteller.

Meghan: Which, of all your characters, do you think is the most like you?

Armand Rosamilia: Easily James Gaffney from my Dirty Deeds crime thriller series. He has the same quirks and sense of humor I have. He’s a bit overweight and not your typical hero-type and knows he has his limitations but makes the best of it. He might not be as sexy as me but he’s fiction.

Chuck Buda: It’s a tie between Michael Wright from my Debt Collector series and James Johnson from my Son of Earp series. Michael Wright is a semi-autobiographical character in a semi-autobiographical story. James Johnson is a younger version of me, when I was naïve and rebellious and full of adventure.

Meghan: What makes you feel more fulfilled: Writing a novel or writing a short story?

Armand Rosamilia: Finishing a story. It doesn’t matter the length to me. I get that sense of accomplishment whether it’s a flash fiction piece or a full-length novel. When I first started in this business thirty years ago, I wrote so many opening scenes or chapters and never finished any of them. You hear about and talk to so many fellow writers who never complete projects. Sometimes they never complete a single work. Getting a story started is the easy part. Getting to the end and knowing you’ve finished something you’re proud of is always my goal.

Chuck Buda: I feel more fulfilled writing novels but I am more satisfied completing short stories. Oddly, I find short stories much more difficult because you must convey the same amount of tale in an economy of words. It is really challenging for me and I struggle each time I work in the shorter medium.

Meghan: What is your writing kryptonite?

Armand Rosamilia: Depression. I know that’s kinda heavy and gloomy, but it’s the truth. Usually I am very good and getting my ass in the chair and writing something most days. But sometimes I get inside my head and it’s either because something in my life has derailed me or I get imposter syndrome and feel like a hack writer who will never sell another damn book. I mentor a few new authors and they always ask me when imposter syndrome finally goes away. I tell them when it happens for me I’ll let them know.

Chuck Buda: Hands down, self-doubt. As writers, we live inside our heads far too much. And our minds are always fighting imposter syndrome, second-guessing our abilities and questioning our self-worth. Many peaks and valleys in the writing life but we must keep doing it. To stop writing is to stop breathing.

Meghan: And now some “group” questions:

Y’all podcast together and do some writing together. Tell us about that.

Chuck Buda: I just do what Armand tells me to. He is my mentor and close friend. Everything I’ve learned and achieved in this craft is a direct result of his guidance. Every day we work together is a dream come true for me. I got to sleep with him once. Not like that. Or maybe it is like that…

Armand Rosamilia: She said Y’all. I love living in Florida, too. Chuck and I are like the same entity right now except one of us is slightly older and one of us is sexier. I’ll let the audience decide.

Meghan: What is it like working together?

Chuck Buda: When Armand and I are together, it’s like two best friends or brothers. We laugh, we tease each other, we fight (I always lose) and we share so many common interests. The Mando Method Podcast is really a chance for us to goof off each week. We talk for an hour before and after the show. During the show… it is all business… like our mullets in the 80’s.

Armand Rosamilia: Truthfully, Chuck and I clicked as soon as we met. It was a bromance and I knew he was someone who wanted to succeed in writing, took his work seriously and had a ton of ideas. He’s a dreamer like I am.

Meghan: Tell us a little bit about the latest release.

Chuck Buda: We published Keyport Cthulhu 2 earlier this year which was a wild ride. H.P. Lovecraft weirdness set in New Jersey! The book has so many Cthulhu tropes, yet it feels fresh and tossed gently in a New Jersey dressing. I really like the vibe and I believe we both did an excellent job of staying true to the first book.

Armand Rosamilia: Chuck just told you about Keyport Cthulhu 2, so all I’ll say is it was a pleasure writing this story with him and I think he treated the source material from Lovecraft as well as playing in my version of that world with respect as well as upping my game with some key scenes in the book.

Meghan: Why should we read it?

Chuck Buda: Cosmic horror is different than most of the monster and ghost tales one finds on the market these days. The setting and the mood are more like active characters. Readers will get a chance to peak into the Lovecraftian universe without having to sift through the original artist’s writing style, which I find interesting, but for some, it is an acquired taste. Our book is more relatable and digestible for the modern horror fan.

Armand Rosamilia: I really don’t remember giving you a damn choice. I mean…

Meghan: For anyone who hasn’t read book one, how would you get them to buy a copy?

Chuck Buda: I recommend buying the first paperback because the artwork is excellent and we’ve included collectible seaweed from the Jersey Shore between chapters. But the eBook will play nicely too!

Armand Rosamilia: You should really read the first book before the second, which is why I number the books. So it’s hopefully not confusing. But if you were just starting the series or thinking about it? I’d do it. This stuff is life-changing. Probably the best book you’ll ever read in your entire life, and I’m not biased at all.

Meghan: Can we expect another Rosamilia-Buda collaboration in the future?

Chuck Buda: I would love to collaborate with Armand in the future. We’ve been tossing around some ideas about a Viking/Black Metal series but Jay Wilburn is vying for dibs. I could see Armand and I working on a same-sex Romance novel based on a true story… Oh, and many more Keyport Cthulhu sequels!

Armand Rosamilia: I really hope so. The obvious goal is for Keyport Cthulhu 2 to do so well we write a third book in the series or at least in this world for next year.

Meghan: And now down to the nitty gritty (haha):

I follow Armand on Instagram just so I can see all the different foods that him and his amazing wife eat, so there has to be a food question in this interview – What’s your favorite sandwich?

Armand Rosamilia: Pork roll egg and cheese at a New Jersey diner at midnight.

Chuck Buda: Ditto. The only difference is I would be really drunk while eating it.

Meghan: Which one of you is the smart one and which one of you is the cute one?

Armand Rosamilia: I hate to say it (because I’m so humble) but I got the brains and looks in this relationship. Now, by any other standard, Chuck would be a smart good-looking man… but when you’re comparing him to me it’s no contest. Again… I am humble enough to tell you the truth.

Chuck Buda: Armand IS the total package. I’m fine with that. But what I lack in looks and brains, I make up for in extra effort (wink, wink).

Meghan: Who would push who down first so they could escape a hoard of zombies?

Armand Rosamilia: I would beg Chuck to knock me down and survive. The world deserves to have a living Chuck Buda and not a zombie Chuck Buda. I’d sacrifice myself for a true friend. Plus, who wants to live in a world without easy access to M&M’s?

Chuck Buda: I just have to outrun Armand, so I wouldn’t need to push him down. I would miss him after the zombies got him. But probably not for too long as I would get eaten, too. I’m like a Thanksgiving feast for the undead.

Meghan: How many third graders would it take to overwhelm the two of you in hand to hand combat?

Armand Rosamilia: Seven. Trust me, I already know this. It wasn’t pleasant, either. Those little monsters swarm like ants on a fallen praying mantis. In this scenario I was the fallen praying mantis.

Chuck Buda: I’m a Hungarian and we are known for being mad. I’d give the third graders the first shot and then I would obliterate them with my old-country rage and fists of fury. Then I would buy them ice cream cones and teach them my moves.

Meghan: I need some stalker links – where do you want people to find you?

Armand Rosamilia: You can find me on most social media, especially on Twitter, with @ArmandAuthor. I am also here and Project Entertainment Network carries The Mando Method Podcast, which we co-host.

Chuck Buda: I spend most of my time on Twitter. My new secure website is here. And like Armand said, come check us out on The Mando Method Podcast.

Armand Rosamilia is a New Jersey boy currently living in sunny Florida, where he writes when he’s not sleeping. He’s happily married to a woman who helps his career and is supportive, which is all he ever wanted in life…

He’s written over 150 stories that are currently available, including horror, zombies, contemporary fiction, thrillers and more. His goal is to write a good story and not worry about genre labels.

He not only runs two successful podcasts…

Arm Cast: Dead Sexy Horror Podcast – interviewing fellow authors as well as filmmakers, musicians, etc.

The Mando Method Podcast with co-host Chuck Buda – talking about writing and publishing

But he owns the network they’re on, too! Project Entertainment Network

Chuck Buda explores the darkest aspects of the human condition. Then he captures its essence for fictional use. He writes during the day and wanders aimlessly all night… alone.

Chuck Buda co-hosts The Mando Method Podcast on Project Entertainment Network with author, Armand Rosamilia. They talk about all aspects of writing. Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode.

You can find The Mando Method Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher and most other places where podcasts are available. You can click on the link below and listen directly from the Project Entertainment Network website.

Keyport Cthulhu

“The painting forced him to move back with such suddenness, he nearly fell over the side of the old wooden railing. It depicted a grisly scene, as if your worst nightmare had been splattered on canvas. Despite his mind screaming to look away, he could not avert his eyes” – Ancient

Set in the New Jersey fishing village of Keyport, where the Esoteric Order of Dagon has been planning for the awakening of the Deep One all these years… 

Who can survive when Cthulhu rises?

Keyport Cthulhu 2

Welcome back to Keyport, where something is still in the water…

For the survivors of the horrific night when The Esoteric Order of Dagon attempted to unleash their dark god from the bay, the nightmare seems to be only beginning.

What new cosmic horror does Keyport have for those who look too closely under the veil of this small fishing village, seeing what cannot be unseen? 

Another journey into madness awaits readers in this thrilling sequel!

Halloween Extravaganza: INTERVIEW: Chris Miller

megHan

Meghan: Hi, Chris. Welcome to my Halloween Extravaganza. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Chris Miller: Well, I’m 36 years old, so in the final year of my mid-thirties (it’s all downhill from here, I’m told). I work for a water well company my father started the year I was born as my day job, but by night—and Saturday mornings—I write books! I’m married with three beautiful kids and we live East Texas.

Meghan: What are five things most people don’t know about you?

Chris Miller: I’m a major softy is one thing. I think a good gin is the height of perfection for liquor. I really despise all political parties and the candidates they put forth. I’m deeply religious (Catholic). And I cannot stand to see—much less even touch—wet paper, specifically paper napkins, straw covers, tissues that have gotten moist somehow… I can’t deal.

Meghan: What is the first book you remember reading?

Chris Miller: I read a lot of Hardy Boys mysteries as a kid, and eventually got into R.L. Stine’s Fear Street and Goosebumps books, but the first adult novel I read was The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy. Man, I loved that book!

Meghan: What are you reading now?

Chris Miller: Stinger by Robert R. McCammon. Very good so far, as is all of McCammon’s work. Phenomenal writer.

Meghan: What’s a book you really enjoyed that others wouldn’t expect you to have liked?

Chris Miller: A little gem called Letters Written in White by my friend Kathryn Perez. She’s local too, lives in my hometown. Terrific little book. Tore my heart from behind my meat shirt and made me weep. Not suspense, not horror, not thriller. Just a well written drama with some strong elements of romance. And I loved it.

Meghan: What made you decide you want to write? When did you begin writing?

Chris Miller: I’ve always liked telling stories, and I get really animated when I do. Like idiotically so. And I would tend to embellish a lot, and it just made more sense to start telling fictional stories. First thing I wrote was an unofficial sequel to the Narnia series which would ignore everything after the first one. But it sucked hard and fast and I didn’t make it ten pages. But I was only about ten at the time. At 18 I wrote a short story. That was my first real and complete story I’d written. I’ve been on and off since then, and really got serious about it about 5 years ago, and I write as much as I can every week.

Meghan: Do you have a special place you like to write?

Chris Miller: I don’t know if it’s special, but it’s where I normally write, which is my front living room where my iMac is. I’ve done it at work as well when things are slow enough, but that’s rare and there’s always distractions and interruptions. It’s nice and quiet at my desk at home.

Meghan: Do you have any quirks or processes that you go through when you write?

Chris Miller: I prefer to write with a glass of gin and soda with lime in front of me. I just sip it when I slow down for a bit or rest my fingers. But when it isn’t there, I feel naked, and only my wife and satanic perverts want to see me naked. Actually, not even sure my wife does. Coffee is a good substitute for this.

Meghan: Is there anything about writing you find most challenging?

Chris Miller: I wrote a story called “In The House”, which is in the anthology Killers Inside. I was writing about a home invasion, which is the scariest thing in the world to me. But as I was writing, I realized that one of the villains was going to rape and brutalize the mother of the home. I don’t write extreme horror, so I wanted to insinuate as much as possible without flat out saying what was happening, you know, let the reader fill in the gaps. But in parts it just wasn’t possible. After the scene was done, I felt almost sick. I can’t think of a more humiliating and horrible thing a person could do to another person. But the story is king, and drives all the action and terror that follows. But I had to stop writing on that story for the rest of the day and go shower.

Meghan: What’s the most satisfying thing you’ve written so far?

Chris Miller: The Damned Place, which was published earlier this year. I’m REALLY proud of that book. And it’s my longest one at this time.

Meghan: What books have most inspired you? Who are some authors that have inspired your writing style?

Chris Miller: IT has been a great inspiration for me, especially in character development. The Hunt for Red October and plenty of other suspense books have inspired me to achieve a fever pitch of suspense on the page. There’s nothing better. Stephen King, Dean Koontz (his pacing in the old days, Holy Mother, was that incredible!), Robert McCammon, Jonathan Janz, Brian Keene, Ray Garton (who gave a blurb for the cover of my second novel, The Hard Goodbye), Josh Malerman, Caroline Kepnes, and a thousand others have all been big influences on my personal style.

Meghan: What do you think makes a good story?

Chris Miller: Good characters. They’re more important than the plot. You can take a ho-hum idea, but if you have great characters, you could very well have a great book. Of course, ideally, you’ll have great characters and a great story as well.

Meghan: What does it take for you to love a character? How do you utilize that when creating your characters?

Chris Miller: Realism. Flaws. Insight into why they are the way they are. You can even love the vilest of villains if they’re properly drawn and developed. That’s a total must.

Meghan: Which, of all your characters, do you think is the most like you?

Chris Miller: Harry Fletcher and Jim Dalton are both pretty good candidates, but if I had to pick just one, probably Harry.

Meghan: Are you turned off by a bad cover? To what degree were you involved in creating your book covers?

Chris Miller: A bad cover sucks. I don’t let it be my deciding factor, but it’s sure nice to not cringe when you look at a book. So far, I’ve been very involved in all my covers, going back and forth with the designer and what I wanted until we finally saw it materialize. Who knows if that will continue, but so far that’s been the case.

Meghan: What have you learned creating your books?

Chris Miller: A LOT. I’ve learned about shaping worlds and characters and learned how to listen to them and let THEM tell the story. Follow their lead. I’ve also learned a lot on the technical side of things as well as marketing and networking.

Meghan: What has been the hardest scene for you to write so far?

Chris Miller: The rape scene from “In the House”. It just hurt.

Meghan: What makes your books different from others out there in this genre?

Chris Miller: The level of suspense and intensity to the stories. I’ve figured out how to really ratchet up the tension and take things to a really explosive, satisfying climax. Even some of the best out there seem to miss this mark sometimes. It was another of the myriad reasons I started writing myself, because this is what I wanted to read, and no one out there was doing it quite the way I wanted it done. So I’m filling that void.

Meghan: How important is the book title, how hard is it to choose the best one, and how did you choose yours (of course, with no spoilers)?

Chris Miller: It’s important. Quite important. Sometimes the title comes more easily than others. Sometimes you write a line in the story and realize you just found your title. Other times it comes to you with the idea for the book. Yet other times, you have several ideas you have to bounce off people. It should convey something about the story, but not give anything away. And when the reader finishes they should ‘get’ why the title is what it is.

Meghan: What makes you feel more fulfilled: Writing a novel or writing a short story?

Chris Miller: A novel. Reason being it just feels good to finish a large scale story, especially when it really comes together and works. I can pump a short story out in an afternoon, and some that I have are in anthologies. I love doing that as well, and I’m proud of my shorts, but I’m even more proud of my longer work.

Meghan: Tell us a little bit about your books, your target audience, and what you would like readers to take away from your stories.

Chris Miller: I tend to call myself a suspense writer. Most of my short fiction falls into the horror category, and my longer fiction are thrillers, supernatural thriller, hard-boiled crime, and now with The Damned Place a full-blooded horror story. But even with my thrillers, they are written in a horroresque manner of prose. They always brush elbows with horror, even if they’re technically more properly labeled as thrillers. Anyone who loves suspense and can handle some gore should love my work. As for what I want them to take away, more than anything, entertainment. I have some morals weaved into the work and some things to think about for sure, but if I don’t entertain you, I’ve failed. Books should be fun before they’re anything else. And that’s my goal.

Meghan: Can you tell us about some of the deleted scenes/stuff that got left out of your work?

Chris Miller: The original version of A Murder of Saints was actually written to be “Christian Fiction” because it’s inspired around some things that actually happened in a youth group at a church I was going to as a teenager, and dealt with some heavy things. So I didn’t have any coarse language and it had this happy sunny ending. Then I looked at it and said, “That’s shit.” So I fixed it. Chopped out four entire chapters, put a LOT more story into what was left, let the dirty words fly, and made an ending that stays with you long after you finish. It’s the only novel I’ve written that I did such an overhaul on, and I don’t plan to do that again. Don’t need to, either, since I won’t be writing for the CF market directly again. That story may have been set around a church scandal and had some heavy Christian influences and debates in it—I am a Christian, after all—but it really wasn’t that sort of story you’d file in Christian Fiction.

Meghan: What is in your “trunk”?

Chris Miller: I have a fantasy novel finished in first draft, a suspense horror novella finished in first draft, and another suspense novella that is unfinished. I’ll get around to them eventually, I’ve just been so busy with everything else that I haven’t really given them the attention they need. One day they’ll see the light of day.

Meghan: What can we expect from you in the future?

Chris Miller: A lot more horror. I’ve created a universe with all my books where all the characters exist together and sometimes cross over into other stories or are mentioned here and there. I’ve also developed a multi-verse that I plan to explore as these other novels come out and set the stage for what’s to come. And I do plan to write a lengthier comedy. I’ve done two short stories which were comedy, and they were hilarious. I’d like to see if I could manage that with something longer. Maybe a novella.

Meghan: Where can we find you?

Chris Miller: You can find me on Facebook or search and add me. If you’re not a creep, I’ll add you. Twitter. Instagram. I have a patreon page as well if anyone would like to support me there. And of course my Amazon page with links to everything I have available.

Meghan: Do you have any closing words for your fans or anything you’d like to say that we didn’t get to cover in this interview?

Chris Miller: I just appreciate everyone who reads and gives me a shoutout, letting me know they liked the book. Or that they didn’t. Either way, those reviewers help put the book on the map and help me grow and learn as I navigate my way through this business. God bless all of you!

Chris Miller is a native Texan who has been writing from an early age, but only started publishing in 2017. Since the release of his first novel, A Murder of Saints, he has released a novella – Trespass – another novel – The Hard Goodbye – a single short story – Flushed – and has been inducted into multiple anthologies, including the acclaimed And Hell Followed from Death’s Head Press, where his story “Behind Blue Eyes” appears alongside stories from Wrath James White, Jeff Strand, and The Sisters of Slaughter, just to name a few. He has another new novel coming soon, the first part of a trilogy of horror, and will be featured in more anthologies throughout the year. He is happily married to the love of his life, Aliana, and they have three beautiful children.

A Murder of Saints

Sophie Fields is a little girl tortured by her memories of Damien Smith, a much-loved and respected church elder with a secret lust for the unmentionable. After his misdeeds are covered up by church leaders, she climbs to the roof of her house and jumps to her death, right in front of her shocked brother, Charlie.

Twenty years later, detective Harry Fletcher is still haunted by the personal demons associated with the church cover-up. After losing his faith, his wife, and now his partner, Fletcher learns that Charlie Fields has come back to town with one mission: to kill everyone responsible for his sister’s death. It is Fletcher’s job to track and stop the crazed killer. But as it becomes clear who the main targets are, Fletcher finds himself in the midst of a moral quagmire. Although he sees justice in Charlie’s crusade, the killer seems to be taking out others not responsible for his family’s destruction. As Fletcher and his new partner battle each other in a test of ideology and limits of the law, the real demons show up and change everything.

The Hard Goodbye

As the old axiom goes, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. 

John Savage realized that too late. 

Following the biggest job of their lives, John and his small crew think they’ve got it made. But a lawyer, a junkie, a crooked cop, Savage and his girlfriend have unknowingly opened Pandora’s Box. And they won’t know it until it’s too late. As the brutally tortured bodies of their partners come to light, tensions rise all the way to the screaming, chaotic conclusion of this bloody crime thriller. 

High risk brings high reward, but the safe bet is usually the smartest. Stick to the plan, or get ready for the hard goodbye.

Trespass

An adrenaline pumping, nerve wracking, intense thiller that will leave you breathless. Frank took his son hunting and what was supposed to be a pleasant time of bonding turned into an absolute nightmare. Out in the middle of nowhere, on their own property, They stumble upon a group of trespassers trying to get rid of a secret so damning they’re willing to kill anyone that sees it. Get ready for a relentless page turner as Frank dares to fend off the assailants, while racing to get his son help before he bleeds to death.Chris Miller tells a story that any father could relate to. Trespass has what it takes to be a thriller best seller.

Flushed

You’ve had a bad day before. We all have.
But Marty is in a whole other level of shit.
Literally.

Following a drunken night of sex with the office secretary, Marty’s guts are rebelling after his personal hangover remedy, nachos with jalapenos and hot sauce.

Marty has to go. And he’s got to get across the office to do so. Standing in his way are Nikki, the secretary from the night prior, Brad, the vape enthusiast douche, and possibly even his boss. The office door is always open, after all.

Join Marty on his trek, like a vulgar Lord of the Rings. The distance may be shorter, but the stakes are just as high.

The Damned Place

A small town with dark secrets. A house hidden in the woods that holds horrors unimaginable. Four friends on summer break fighting off a group of bullies dead set on ruining their summer of fun. The little town of Winnsboro has buried its secrets beneath years of history and faded memories. But, it’s about to be unearthed releasing ancient creatures as a budding psychopath blooms Will they survive what comes for them and possibly the world or will The Damned Place end it all?

Halloween Extravaganza: INTERVIEW: Danger Slater

megHan

Meghan: Hi, Danger! Welcome back… er… um… back, but to my new home. It’s been awhile since we sat down together. What’s been going on since we last spoke?

Danger Slater: I’ve just been kicking ass and taking names. Okay, that’s not true. I haven’t kicked a single ass or taken a single name since we last talked. I’ve mostly just been hanging out and playing video games.

Meghan: Who are you outside of writing?

Danger Slater: A dude with a small bladder. I pee a lot. It’s kinda annoying. Don’t take me on a car ride.

Meghan: How do you feel about friends and close relatives reading your work?

Danger Slater: Eh, if they are into it, then sure. But I’m not reading their stuff.

Meghan: Is being a writer a gift or a curse?

Danger Slater: Neither. It’s not a gift because you have to work at it. It’s not a curse because nobody is making you do it. It’s more like… a job.

Meghan: How has your environment and upbringing colored your writing?

Danger Slater: I mean, probably a lot. But I don’t know how exactly because I have no other frame of reference.

Meghan: What’s the strangest thing you have ever had to research for your books?

Danger Slater: Research is for scientists and nerds. I’m writing fiction so I can just make stuff up if I don’t know the answer. Who was the 12th President of the USA? I have no idea. But if I was writing a book, I’d say it was Taylor Johnston. Is that factually accurate? No idea.

I do look up how to spell words though. Want my spelling correct.

Meghan: Which do you find the hardest to write: the beginning, the middle, or the end?

Danger Slater: The beginning. It sets the tone for the whole book. I rewrite my beginnings over and over again, those first few pages or chapters. Sometimes 20 times. Whatever it takes for me to really figure out the characters and the tone of the book. Once I have that down, it’s just setting up the pieces for the rest of the novel.

Meghan: Do you outline? Do you start with characters or plot? Do you just sit down and start writing? What works best for you?

Danger Slater: I don’t outline, generally speaking, but I will go in a with a few ideas. The story takes shape as I go over it again and again. I write towards certain scenes or character beats, but I also keep it pretty loose and don’t hold myself to that too much. Sometimes I’ll outline the third act, if I have a lot of loose plot points I need to resolve before the book wraps up.

Meghan: What do you do when characters don’t follow the outline/plan?

Danger Slater: Nothing. Keep writing.

Meghan: What do you do to motivate yourself to sit down and write?

Danger Slater: I’ve done it on a regular basis for long enough that I don’t have to motivate myself. I just sit down at my “writing time,” which I try to keep around the same each day, when I first wake up, and I go to work.

Meghan: Are you an avid reader?

Danger Slater: Of course.

Meghan: What kind of books do you absolutely love to read?

Danger Slater: I like bizarro and horror. Weird stuff that goes in unexpected directions. Characters that I can relate to stuck in impossible and unreal situations. Reading gives me the opportunity to let someone else help guide my imagination, so I try to be selective. I will put a book down after 3 pages if I’m not feeling it. Likewise, I can be 300 pages into a 400 page book, and if I stop feeling it, I’ll just put it down. No sense in punishing myself. It’s supposed to be fun.

Meghan: How do you feel about movies based on books?

Danger Slater: No opinion. The types of books they make movies from are typically not the kinds of books I have read.

Meghan: Have you ever killed a main character?

Danger Slater: No. Well, like, kinda but not really. Often times characters will transform after some kind of personal apocalypse, so maybe that is a type of death. I don’t know.

Meghan: Do you enjoy making your characters suffer?

Danger Slater: No, because I suffer with them.

Meghan: What’s the weirdest character concept that you’ve ever come up with?

Danger Slater: The main character of my last book Impossible James impregnates himself with his clones over and over again, which has some… unintended consequences on his body. I guess that’s pretty weird.

Meghan: What’s the best piece of feedback you’ve ever received? What’s the worst?

Danger Slater: I honestly don’t recall either. I have a terrible memory. Best advice is probably something like: keep writing! Worst advice is probably something more like: quit writing! Haha.

Meghan: What do your fans mean to you?

Danger Slater: They’re great. It’s exciting for me that people read my stuff, and I like when people write reviews or message me about it. It’s a satisfying feeling to know that people are connecting with my stories.

Meghan: If you could steal one character from another author and make them yours, who would it be and why?

Danger Slater: I’d take Don Quixote because all my characters are basically him anyway.

Meghan: If you could write the next book in a series, which one would it be, and what would you make the book about?

Danger Slater: I wouldn’t want to do that, but if someone made me, I’d do the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy because 1.) it’s great, and 2.) it’s the only book series I can ever remember reading.

Meghan: If you could write a collaboration with another author, who would it be and what would you write about?

Danger Slater: I would collaborate with Michael Allen Rose and we’d write a book about toast. MAGICAL TOAST!

Meghan: What can we expect from you in the future?

Danger Slater: I’ve already finished my next two books, editing a third, and working on a fourth, so a whole bunch more fiction coming your way!

Meghan: Where can we find you?

Danger Slater: Twitter is best. Or just google me. I’m not invisible.

Meghan: Do you have any closing words for your fans or anything you’d like to say that we didn’t get to cover in this interview or the last?

Danger Slater: Meghan, I think you’ve asked literally every question in the whole entire world, so there is nothing unsaid and nothing left to cover. Also, if you’re out there and reading this right now: buy some books, preferably mine. Thanks!

Meghan: Just wait until round three…

Wonderland Award winning author Danger Slater is the world’s most flammable writer! He likes to use a lot of exclamation points!

Impossible James

My father was dying. There was no hope. Then he took a screwdriver to the brain. Got pregnant. And found the cure for death.

Impossible? That’s my dad.

IMPOSSIBLE JAMES

He Digs a Hole

Get a job. Get married. Buy a house. Cut off your hands and replace them with gardening tools. Dig a hole. Can you hear the worms calling? Keep digging.

I Will Rot Without You

Meet Ernie. His life is a mess. Gretchen’s gone, and the apartment they once shared is this grey, grim city is now overrun with intelligent mold and sinister bugs.

Then his neighbor Dee shows up, so smart and lovely. If he can just get past the fact that her jealous boyfriend could reach out of her blouse and punch him in the face at any moment, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship.

Unfortunately for all involved, a Great Storm is coming and it will wash away everything we’ve ever known about the human heart.

Halloween Extravaganza: INTERVIEW: Iona Caldwell

megHan

Meghan: Hi, Iona. Thanks for agreeing to take part in this interview today, and welcome to Meghan’s House of Books. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Iona Caldwell: My name is Iona Caldwell. I am an outspoken druid and devoted author of the classics. Iona is indeed a pen name with a preference to keep my real name hidden. However, I am a very friendly person who is active on my social media and who loves to meet new people. I wrote Beneath London’s Fog to begin a journey I long wanted to begin. When FyreSyde picked it up, it elated me to find someone enjoyed it. To this day, I am blown away at how well it has been received. When I am not writing, I love to blog about books and movies on my review blog. My personal blog is devoted to my love of Druidry, gardening, sustainability and awareness. I feel we need to devote more time to conserving Mother Earth rather than taking advantage of her. The Oaken King, my personal blog, is in the middle of a shark related series in light of the recent shark week.

Meghan: What are five things most people don’t know about you?

Iona Caldwell: I do not know why but many have fallen under the impression that I live in the UK. Though I would love to live there, I do in fact live in the US. I am also a practicing herbalist, an avid gamer, and a blossoming geomancer. One might also find me in a tea shop in light of my love for tea or perusing the True Crime section as my love of studying serial killers has become almost legendary in my household. I rarely read modern writing, preferring the company of masterminds like Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Mary Shelley, Poe, and other masters of the writing craft. I love to bake, doing so mostly in the Autumn and Winter time. That is probably more than five but eh.

Meghan: What is the first book you remember reading?

Iona Caldwell: I fell in love with R.L Stein’s Goosebumps as a kid. I devoured them before moving on to Annette Curtis-Klause’s paranormal romance books Blood & Chocolate and The Silver Kiss.

Meghan: What are you reading now?

Iona Caldwell: Right now I am enthralled in a non-fiction titled The Ardlamont Mystery: The True Case that Inspired Sherlock Holmes. As an author of detective and occult fiction, I keep myself “in the loop” on the methodology of the Victorian serial killer. For fiction, I’m enjoying Dean Koontz’s Prodigal Son. It is a modern day Frankenstein set 200 years after the monster escaped and Frankenstein died.

Meghan: What’s a book you really enjoyed that others wouldn’t expect you to have liked?

Iona Caldwell: I do not believe many would believe I am an avid fan of cozy mysteries considering how my books are written. The cozies offer me a chance to break from the dark occult/gothic worlds I create with lighter humor and the occasional romance. The Hannah Swensen mysteries by Joanne Fluke and Aurora Teagarden are some of my favorites.

Meghan: What made you decide you want to write? When did you begin writing?

Iona Caldwell: I had been wanting to write professionally for a while but never could gather up the courage to actually pitch a story to a publisher. I have been a blogger longer than an author but recently started running two blogs. One is The Oaken King. This blog contains my love of all things nature, sustainability and conservation, plus more. The other is The Antlered Crown. This is my review blog where I review books and movies, mainly in the horror genre. I began writing seriously in college where I studied history. I let my writing go for a while to pursue other things I thought were passions but found they actually were not. Hence, the writing of Beneath London’s Fog.

Meghan: Do you have a special place you like to write?

Iona Caldwell: I have a few places I prefer to write. It usually depends on how I am feeling. When I find creativity stunted, I tend to go out to Barnes & Noble, Starbucks, or even a favourite restaurant to write. When I am at home, either my office or the couch work just fine.

Meghan: Do you have any quirks or processes that you go through when you write?

Iona Caldwell: Before I write, I perform a ritual including lying on the couch to let the stresses of the day to drain off of me. Once I feel relaxed, I meditate for about 20 minutes to focus and relax my mind further. As far as quirks, I am a punster so there are those rare times where I suffer from a temporary lapse in where to go. However, this is incredibly rare and I am usually able to finish a novella in a month or two. I also do not write every day. If I feel like I don’t want to and would rather do something else, I do. My other hobbies help me refill what I call the “creative well.”

Meghan: Is there anything about writing you find most challenging?

Iona Caldwell: Honestly, no. Writing is as natural to me as breathing. I do not focus on what others may think of me and write what I want. The challenging thing is to decide which of the many ideas I would like to work on next. This is alleviated via the use of a notebook and the feeling of a sparking passion that occurs in an “aha” moment. If I do not feel that moment, I throw the idea aside even if I have started writing it.

Meghan: What’s the most satisfying thing you’ve written so far?

Iona Caldwell: There are too many to name a single satisfying thing. I tend to find satisfaction in completing a manuscript itself.

Meghan: What books have most inspired you? Who are some authors that have inspired your writing style?

Iona Caldwell: I am an avid reader of the classics. Very rarely do I indulge in reading modern authors unless they are Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, Ruth Ware, Darcy Coates, Nick Cutter, Charlaine Harris, Joanne Fluke, or Clive Barker. Among my favorites are Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, and HP Lovecraft.

Meghan: What do you think makes a good story?

Iona Caldwell: To answer this, I will say what makes a good story is one that feels it does not, in fact, have to explain every facet of itself. Masters of horror have often criticized modern authors for their over-use of details and their feeling they have to explain everything. Deep characters with real flaws, world-building and the ability to show and not tell everything are bonuses. The latter is not really necessary since one merely has to read a Sherlock Holmes novel to find Conan Doyle is indeed a teller. A strong, unique story, well-formed dialogue and a fair amount of decent twists also gives a story a firm foundation. An author also does not have to manufacture an entirely new trope but to take what exists and make it into something unique. An example of this is perfectly exhibited in del Toro’s The Strain. Two tropes well known (a plague and vampires) to literature are taken and reformed into something new and unheard of. A well-designed inciting incident and a plot that pushes the story forward are also what makes a good story.

Meghan: What does it take for you to love a character? How do you utilize that when creating your characters?

Iona Caldwell: I need to feel the character’s emotions. If I do not feel connected – like I am hearing, smelling, seeing, touching and tasting – to the character, then they are lost. I love characters that are flawed, Characters that are not perfect like an alpha male or overly strong female. The way I am able to do this is I only write in 1st person. This allows me to put on VR glasses and see what they are seeing. I must walk in their shoes and experience all they experience. 1st person, I think, is under-valued but again, Conan Doyle utilizes first person in his novels. Many classics did so and they are timeless. 3rd person limited and omniscient make it easy to write a character. 1st person makes it easy to experience them.

Meghan: Which, of all your characters, do you think is the most like you?

Iona Caldwell: I do not have a single character most like me. As I mentioned, I wear the skin of all of them. Each carries a piece of me within them and I in them. This might not be the answer requested but it is the best I have.

Meghan: Are you turned off by a bad cover? To what degree were you involved in creating your book covers?

Iona Caldwell: I am usually willing to give a book a chance as long as it has a promising story. Do I look at covers? Absolutely. However, I do not let them be the deciding factor on whether or not I will try the story. I have the privilege of working with a publisher who lets their authors be involved in every step of the publishing process. This being the case, I have a say in which cover I would like and if I do not like it or want something changed, FyreSyde happily helps.

Meghan: What have you learned creating your books?

Iona Caldwell: The most important thing is to not worry about “pleasing every reader.” We, as authors, simply cannot and will not be able to earn approval from every reader. Bias plays a vital part in reviews and we need to remember that. I was terrified when I got feedback from one of the beta readers of Beneath London’s Fog but then I realized they had a different preference. Authors need to remember, we will get bad reviews. To think we will not is arrogant. Learn from them and let them help you appreciate the reviewers who are your fans.

Meghan: What has been the hardest scene for you to write so far?

Iona Caldwell: The last scene in every novella is the hardest. It means I am nearing a relationship I worked hard to nurture. We grow attached to our characters and ending a manuscript can be just as sad as starting a new one can be exciting.

Meghan: What makes your books different from others out there in this genre?

Iona Caldwell: My genre is rarely written. I do not classify it as romance, horror, etc. My genre is Occult or Gothic fiction. My books are different because they exist in a genre not well-known to modern authors. When asked why I write Occult Fiction, I always answer with the diversity. It is such a magnificent genre because there are no bounds to what one can do with it. It is also one of the oldest genres. We have all experienced it in one way or another, we just might not know or realize we have.

Meghan: How important is the book title, how hard is it to choose the best one, and how did you choose yours (of course, with no spoilers)?

Iona Caldwell: I do not have any trouble crafting titles. They are often the first things I have right after the very basic of plots. A title is like the pitch before a reader glimpses the synopsis. They, in my opinion, are more important than the synopsis. Often it is the title that catches the potential reader along with the cover. Once these two have done their job, the reader picks up the book and turns it over. I chose mine because it is the story. A dark story hidden beneath a very real and mysterious aspect of London. Fog is mischievous. It deceives, conceals, yet is beautiful to see. It is associated with the occult as a veil for spirits or for evil. That is what led to my choice of Beneath London’s Fog.

Meghan: What makes you feel more fulfilled: Writing a novel or writing a short story?

Iona Caldwell: A blog post makes me feel fulfilled. Why? Because it is a passion. Any form of writing fulfills me because I have woven another world with words even if I decide to keep it for myself. In the case of a blog post, I love to read and review books and I love to write about my other passions. Also, something to look at is with each time you write, you get a little better, which is fulfilling in and of itself.

Meghan: Tell us a little bit about your books, your target audience, and what you would like readers to take away from your stories.

Iona Caldwell: I have to chuckle with this one because I know some of my readers are going to be left with questions. I will never write a series because I do not always explain every little detail. As a matter of fact, there are many mysteries that will remain so. I do this on purpose. I want my readers to theorize and to ask questions. My target audience is mainly adult since there are some graphic scenes but with movies as they are, who knows? My books are full of flawed characters and characters who often walk the fine line of what is morally right and wrong. For example, Jonathan from Beneath London’s Fog, sees himself as a villain because of his monstrous nature. Yet, he is also a gentle and loving father. Markus from Hell’s Warden (my next title) can be classified as an anti-hero because of his choices (not saying). I want my readers to see these flaws but look beneath them to find a deeper story. I also want my readers to enjoy the story for its value which is why I never write series or show my face. Looking at the examples of the literary masters again, how often did they write “series?” True Agatha Christie wrote Poirot and Conan Doyle wrote Sherlock but those were not considered “series.” They were more installments in a saga of characters. Why? Because each was a stand-alone story in and of itself rather than a consecutive string of events.

Meghan: Can you tell us about some of the deleted scenes/stuff that got left out of your work?

Iona Caldwell: There really are not any. Since my novellas are short, I tend to include the most prudent scenes and make sure they are crafted carefully to be needed. In my first book, there were no scenes cut, not one. Instead, a few were moved around where my editor thought they may help with the pacing.

Meghan: What is in your “trunk”?

Iona Caldwell: I am a jack of trades. Outside of writing, I focus on raising organic seeds, baking, practicing my druidic rituals, cooking, gardening, gaming and reading. This is another reason why I do not really consider writing a career. I do not wish it to be. I just enjoy it. My other passions take up large amounts of my time and I plan on adding more as the years progress. I must admit, I have never heard it referred to as a “trunk” before. We learn something new every day.

Meghan: What can we expect from you in the future?

More novellas, intriguing characters and a growing number of gothic mysteries. Otherwise, I am very active on social media and share things on my Instagram and Twitter almost daily (yes, I am one of those oddballs who does not let social media rule me). Otherwise, I am very fast at writing and getting titles out. Thankfully my publisher knows this and is willing to work with me.

Meghan: Where can we find you?

Iona Caldwell:

Twitter ** Instagram ** Betwitching Book Club ** Antlered Crown Reviews
Goodreads ** The Antlered Crown ** The Oaken King

Meghan: Do you have any closing words for your fans or anything you’d like to say that we didn’t get to cover in this interview?

Iona Caldwell: Surprisingly no. You were quite thorough. I suppose all I can really add is to invite anyone who wants to connect with me to do so. I am taking reviews (paperback only) and enjoy meeting new and aspiring authors, bloggers, gardeners, etc. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me on any of my social media.

About the author:

My name is Iona Caldwell. I’m the author of the British Occult Fiction Beneath London’s Fog, which was published by FyreSyde Publishing this month. When I’m not busy weaving worlds of the arcane and dark, I’m spending time out in nature. I love books. My biggest inspirations are H.P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, and Edgar Allen Poe. I blog about many things, but mostly everything bookish.

All of my novels are stand-alone novellas, each with a cast of people I hope my readers will come to love as much as I have.

Beneath London’s Fog

Jonathan is the immortal master of Raven Hollow Manor – a decrepit mansion riddled with superstition, murder and restless ghosts. Beneath it lies a restless malice.

Its previous owner driven mad, violently kills his guests with a rusted ax, creating the perfect venue for Jonathan to seclude himself in a prison of his own device.

When the streets of London begin to run red with blood; the bodies exhibiting disturbing signs and baffling wounds, the identity of the killer remains elusive to police.

The bodies are just the beginning of Jonathan’s troubles. A mysterious letter accusing Jonathan of committing the murders appear, raising suspicion in the police. Hidden beneath the mangled bodies, Jonathan soon realizes he is being forced to face demons he thought died in a forlorn past he attempted to escape. 

One thing Jonathan knows for certain: He must deal with the demons of his past if he is to survive his future. Not only him but those he has come to love as well.