Dean M. Drinkel talks about Through a Forest Dark, part of the Dark Continents Darkness and Dismay release.

Okay Dean M Drinkel, this is a little Q & A to get to know a little more about you and thicken up those stalker portfolios.

1 – Milk or dark chocolate?

                       

            Definitely Milk.

2 – What are your feelings in reference to LEGO’s?

If you mean the children’s toy then yes, love it, always have.  Luckily I have two nephews that love it too and this past Christmas I bought them some Star Wars Lego sets.

            If you don’t mean the children’s toy then let me know LOL

3 – I know a lot of people as what the favorites are in regard to horror movies, but my question to

you...what is your favorite comedy and why?

This is Spinal Tap!  Can’t stop watching it – very very funny.  Would love to make a film like this one day.  Love Christopher Guest’s movies ever since.  I have also made shorts based on two of my own comedy plays and by God, these are so funny that we need to make feature length films about them.

4 – What is the story/novel you are most proud of?

Great question – without sitting on the fence, I love everything I create (otherwise I wouldn’t ‘put them out there’) but for different reasons. As well as writing stories I write and direct short films and in the theatre. 

           

A couple of years back I directed Clive Barker’s play “Frankenstein in Love” in London.  We staged it in a small theatre, it was very claustrophobic.  For those that aren’t familiar with the play, the first act finishes with one of the characters being flayed.  We didn’t have a big budget but we managed, with low lighting and some clever thinking, to create something very memorable – which led to many walkouts (girls screaming / fainting – nice) due to the violent nature of the scene!!!!  As a director I was very happy with that.

Also, my first short film “The Imp Of The Perverse” (inspired by Poe’s short story) also screened at the Cannes Film Festival.  Again, low budget so we had to think on our feet – we created something quite atmospheric and I managed to get some great performances from the two actors I cast.

Last year, my story “Y for YHWH” which appeared in the anthology “M is for Monster” was also a great success and received some amazing reviews – I was compared to early Clive Barker which was a great honour.

From “Monster” I came up with the idea of an anthology based on “Phobias” – I pitched this to Dark Continents and they let me run with it.  I have to say with 28 writers, it wasn’t always easy but we got there in the end and I have to say, produced a very high spec product.  James Powell created an amazing cover which has literally blown people away.  We had a signing event at Forbidden Planet in London which went down a storm – loads of copies were sold and the store was very very happy with us.  It was brilliant to walk into the store, see the book everywhere and then they asked to sign numerous “pre-sold” copies!!!!!  I hope we can do a sequel.

5 – What is the most interesting thing you have learned?

I am educated to degree level and when I look back at my life (not that I’m that old!!!) it suddenly hits me that I was schooled in England, Saudi Arabia and the US at various points in my life – not bad hey?!

It is quite fashionable nowadays to take time out from leaving school to going to University.  I didn’t, but sometimes I look back and wished I had.  I didn’t get a bad degree but I think if I had done it a couple of years later, with a bit more “experience” under my belt then maybe I would have done even better.  In my thesis I also argued that the Salem Witches really were witches – not sure if that was the best way forward.

As I’ve got older – I’ve studied a lot more history and in the future want to write something about Napoleon, Louis XIV and Arthur Rimbaud.

One thing though – life is too bloody short!!!!

6 – Do you do a lot of research for your writing?

            Depends – at the moment I am completing a short antho on the Titanic so yes, that has meant

some research.

7 – Tell me about the collection you have with Dark Continents?

It is called “Through a Forest Dark” – four stories set in Paris, two of the stories are connected whilst the remaining two are independent.  However, there are common themes running between the stories and there are references to the poet Dante posted throughout the collection – even the title is taken from The Inferno.

I have to say, the stories are quite dark with a good smattering of violence and sex (though not necessarily violent sex it must be said) – these are definitely not for the faint-hearted, just the way I like it.

There is another story that is part of the connected ones – this story is called “The Rape Of Emmanuelle” – we decided not to include this story at the time but I am hoping to have it as an “added extra” either in a future collection or as a stand-alone story. Again, this is a very dark piece and does push a boundary or two!!!!!

 http://www.amazon.com/Through-A-Forest-Dark-ebook/dp/B006SAM1XA/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327703253&sr=8-1-spell

8 – How do you like to tell a story? Character driven, location of importance, or something else entirely?

Without sounding pretentious, the way I look at it is that the basic foundations for any story I write run through my head, perhaps like rivers, and whenever I need to, I dip in my toe and see how hot the water is!!!  Sometimes it can be a character’s name that interests me and then I can go with that.  The last couple of years I have been spending more and more time in France and that is becoming more and more evident in my stories and also how I write them!!!

9 – What kind of music do you listen to when writing?

I’m always getting into trouble for my eccentric taste in music – I can listen to Opera, French Baroque but then also a great deal of Pop music – the Killers, U2, Robbie Robertson for example.  I’ve really been getting into Florence and the Machine, David Lynch’s new album is brilliant as is Tom Waits.

10 – What is the most difficult thing you find about being a writer?

Probably the same as most, money!!! Time also can be a pain – you have to learn the juggling act!  Also – if you have a life – it can get in the bloody way.  The more writers I meet, we all seem to suffer from insomnia – is this because our minds are always on the go?  I often say I didn’t want to be a writer, I had no choice, I AM a writer.

11 – Something about you that no one would believe.

Leonardo DiCaprio came to my 30^th birthday party which was in Cannes a couple of years back, oh and I was frequently abducted by aliens when I was a child but that happened to everyone, right?

12 – Okay, now promote yourself here, what else have you done that you would like people to know about?

I am a published short story writer, poet, film writer / director as well writing / directing for the theatre.  I was runner up for the Sir Peter Ustinov Screenwriting Award for my feature film screenplay Ghosts in 2001 (an International Emmy Award).  My first short story collection, The Burial is soon to be re-issued.  I have recently contributed to M Is For Monster, Monk Punk, Estronomicon, Theaker’s Quarterly and Morpheus Tales.  In 2011, I compiled and edited Phobophobia for Dark Continents Publishing.  2012 sees the release of my anthology Cities of Death (Static Movement) and Titanic Tales (Dark Continents).  I am currently working on a horror novel set in the South of France which should see publication, fall 2012.

Matthew Tait, author of Slander Hall, talks about writing and Tim-Tams

Okay, Matthew Tait, this is a little Q & A to get to know a little more about you and thicken up those stalker portfolios.

  

1 – Milk or dark chocolate?

Dark Chocolate. I like anything exotic. Over here we have these awesome chocolate biscuits called Tim-Tams and they’ve recently brought out a dark chocolate range. Suffice to say I can’t get enough of them.

2 – What are your feelings in reference to LEGO’s?

Fellow Tales of Darkness and Dismay author Daniel I Russell might be the better one to answer that question because my own feelings toward Lego’s are almost entirely non-existent. I don’t own any Lego and don’t believe I ever have. However, if I were to purchase such educational plastic I’d have to go with some STAR WARS Lego.

3 – I know a lot of people as what the favourite are in regard to horror movies, but my question to you...what is your favourites comedy and why?

OFFICE SPACE. Hands down no other comedy comes even close in my mental rolodex of favourites. It’s rich enough for repeat viewings and very powerfully portrays the horrors of working a 9-5 desk job … which is something I’ve always tried to avoid. Perhaps that’s why the full-time writing lifestyle appeals to me like no other.  

4 – What is the story/novel you are most proud of?

A few years back I penned something called CAR CRASH WEATHER – which ended up receiving a commendation. I’m very proud of it because it was the first time I stood back and thought: I think I can actually do this

5 – What is the most interesting thing you have learned?

Interesting question. I’d have to say the most interesting thing I’ve ever learned came very early on in life: finding out that stars are actually other suns … most of them a lot larger than ours.

6 – Do you do a lot of research for your writing?

Not particularly. I find the best fiction comes from the heart … or what I think of as instinct or faith. When dealing with the tropes of other worlds and metaphysical horrors there’s really not all that much research required … because the entire story is one big playground and the canvas is huge for invention.

7 – Tell me about the novels you have written?

SLANDER HALL is about my tenth attempt to tell a coherent tale. Of course, most of the early ones are just far too ghastly to ever see the light of day. A few years back I wrote something called DARK MERIDIAN and now it has a sequel called OLEARIA. I plan on doing a few more drafts but I hope it eventually sees publication. We all have our muses, and I guess DARK MERIDIAN is my Clive Barker book but bristling at the seams with my own philosophies.  Last year I released a collection of short stories to Amazon called GHOSTS IN A DESERT WORLD – and I think there’s enough continuity in the stories to give the whole thing a ‘novel’ feel. Right now I’m in the closing stages of a huge thing called DAVEY RIBBON. If anything eventually breaks me out into mainstream I think it will be this one.

 http://www.amazon.com/Slander-Hall-ebook/dp/B006SRR6NS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327518689&sr=8-1

8 – Do you consider yourself prolific?

I’ve become somewhat prolific in the reviewing world with my work at HORRORSCOPE and now HELLNOTES – and I’m very thankful for the new world this has opened up. I’ve been introduced to some heavy-hitters in the genre I love the most. Something that I only used to dream about.

 http://hellnotes.com/

9 – How do you like to tell a story? Character driven, location of importance, or something else entirely?

Character. Definitely. Some of my favourite stories are actually the ones where not a lot of action takes place … except for in the protagonists head. Perfect examples of this would be Gerald’s Game by Stephen King. There’s not a lot of dialogue in any of my stories: I’m more a fan of syntax that’s bulky and weighted with metaphor.

10– What kind of music do you listen to when writing?

I’m going to give a very similar answer to the one I gave Nerine. J

It is no secret among my writing friends how much Clive Barker has influenced me over the years. Not only as a writer but ultimately as a person. His keen insights and philosophies have always been pertinent with my own. When composing, I like nothing more than listening to Danny Elfman’s soundtrack from the film Nightbreed. The opening sequence of music never fails to induce a frisson of pleasure. But I am just enamoured to the music of Lord of Illusions or even Candyman. There is a haunting quality to all of it – an apocalyptic ease I try to imbue into everything I write. When editing, the tune changes somewhat and my heroes from the nighties all get a spin: Nirvana, Bush, Alice in Chains and most of the music featured around that era.

11 – What is the most difficult thing you find about being a writer?

Convincing other people that you are not wasting your time. On the surface it appears you are doing very little: merely sitting in the act of typing. But obviously there is a lot more going on. What Stephen King called ‘dreaming awake’ or ‘creative sleep.’

12 – Something about you that no one would believe.

I really dig romance. Not only up on the big screen but also how it relates to real life.

13 – Okay, now promote yourself here, what else have you done that you would like people to know about?

After being very stoked with sales I now have my collection GHOSTS IN A DESERT WORLD available for free over at Amazon and Smashwords. 

http://www.amazon.com/Ghosts-Desert-World-ebook/dp/B005MK1BW4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1327518941&sr=1-1

Chantal Boudreau talks writing.

Okay, Chantal Boudreau,  This is a little Q & A to get to know a little more about you and thicken up those stalker portfolios.

1 – Milk or dark chocolate? 

White chocolate – I refuse to be limited by other people’s choices.

2 – What are your feelings in reference to LEGO’s? 

I have this fantasy about being trapped in a vault with a huge selection of every shape, size and colour.  Oh the things I would build...

3 – I know a lot of people as what the favorites are in regard to horror movies, but my question to

you...what is your favorite comedy and why? 

I love zomedies, like Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland and Fido, because I’m drawn to dark humour.  On the other hand, I’ve watched episodes of The Big Bang Theory multiple times and laugh myself silly over the same jokes.  That show kills me.

4 – What is the story/novel you are most proud of? My novel, Elements of Genocide, yet unpublished.  It is my most daring, and I pushed a lot of my own comfort boundaries.  Published, it would be my short story, “Little Sister”.  It made it through to the finals in Fangoria Online’s Weird Words competition, when there were thousands of entries.

5 – What is the most interesting thing you have learned? 

So many things from my research, it’s hard to pinpoint one thing.  I think perhaps the most interesting thing is how much a horrific erotic sex scene between two female Spiders can make people squirm, while still holding their attention.

6 – Do you do a lot of research for your writing? 

I love doing research.  I’ve researched languages, assorted wildlife from puffer-fish to bears to crows, a variety of obscure mythologies, plant use, genetic manipulation and even the type and nature of coffee grown in Haiti.  Researching for a story or novel is part of the plotting and discovery process for me.  Just because you write about the supernatural and fantastic, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t include elements of realism in your tale.

7 – Tell me about the novels you have written? 

I’ve written seventeen to date, three of which have been published and one that is scheduled for release as an ebook this month.  There are eight in my Masters & Renegades fantasy series so far and two more in planning, although only one has seen print so far.  Magic University was my first ever written and has been published through May December Publications.  It takes place in a single 24 hour period and I think it has a pretty interesting and unusual cast of characters.  MDP also has published the first two books, Fervor and Elevation, in my dystopian science fantasy series.  The third book in that series, Transcendence, is with test-readers at the moment.  The series is set in an alternate world where people possess psychokinetic powers that they refer to as “magic” which they use to fuel their technology, but it is also a place where power rests in the hands of the scientists who essentially control government and use the benefit of society as an excuse unethical treatment of individuals.  I also have a tribal dark fantasy trilogy and two dark fantasy/horror novels based on obscure mythologies that I have high hopes for.  My one and only urban fantasy romance, with Christian overtones, When you Whisper, should be available from Trestle Press as an ebook by the end of January.

8 – Do you consider yourself prolific? 

I suppose I am, but it’s relative.  I’ve been very prolific in the past two and a half years, considering I have a full-time day job and a family that requires my attention.  Before that I hadn’t written for years, because of school and other responsibilities.  Then again, I generally max out at about 6,000 words on my best days, while I know of other writers who can manage much higher daily word counts and pump out far more short stories than I do.

9 – How do you like to tell a story? Character driven, location of importance, or something else entirely?

My stories are primarily character driven, but plot is also extremely important to me.  I am a die-hard plotter and I won’t start writing until I have the framework of my story established.  I usually begin with the idea for an ending, along with a few major plot points.  I decide on my characters, do whatever research is necessary and set up a chapter-by-chapter outline, revising my ideas until I have a consistent and carefully thought out story.  Once I know my story well and can envision it in a cinematic way, I start writing, filling in any outline gaps and flushing out specific details.  When the first draft is done, I set it aside for a few months so that I can look at it with fresh eyes for the first edit.

10– What kind of music do you listen to when writing? 

I like edgy, primarily alternative rock, with some soulful pop, folk and global.  My playlists have included Linkin Park, 30 Seconds to Mars, Evanescence, The Fray, Billy Talent, Afro Celt Sound System, Finger Eleven, Skillet, Korn, Adam Lambert, Pink, Sarah Slean, Tori Amos, Seether, Three Days Grace, Trapt, Fuel, Bif Naked, Our Lady Peace, Nelly Furtado, Evanescence, Paramore, Megan McCauley, Avril LaVigne, Nickelback, Good Charlotte, and Creed.

11 – What is the most difficult thing you find about being a writer?

Not being able to just be a writer.  If you want to be published, now days you have to be promoter, blogger, editor, salesperson and social media mogul.  I’m an introvert at heart.  I love writing, but everything else associated with it is extremely challenging for me.

12 – Something about you that no one would believe.

Anyone who really knows me wouldn’t put anything past me, so I don’t think I could come up with anything I could actually mention in public here.

13 – Okay, now promote yourself here, what else have you done that you would like people to know about?

Well, I designed my own website, despite being a bit of a technophobe.  You can find it at: http://www.writersownwords.com/chantal_boudreau .  You’ll find free reads on my blog on that site as well as details regarding my published works and links to some interesting things, including the sites of writers I admire.  You can also find everything I have happening at Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Chantal-Boudreau/e/B004O1FP2E/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1 and if you want a taste of what I do via excerpts, teaser tales and research documentation, you can find all of those at : http://www.scribd.com/chantal_boudreau .

A.J. Brown and Suzanne Robb talking about Darkness and Dismay and writing

An Interview with A.J. Brown and Suzanne Robb – Based on a real conversation

Suzanne Robb –

Hi,

From Darkness and Dismay, would love to do an interview and same for you. I am getting questions together tonight and will send them to whoever is interested tomorrow.

A.J. Brown –

You beat me to the punch, Suzanne. I was about to send you a message as well.

I do my interviews a little different than most. I have only one set question and it is the first one. Then I build the interview from there. It can be as funny, serious or demented as you wish for it to be. And as short or long as you choose.

So, let me ask you the generic question and we can go from there. Answer it however you feel free to:

Who is Suzanne Robb?

Suzanne Robb –

I am an anxiety ridden LEGO lover.


I also do my interviews the same way, I ask really off the cuff questions and then based on the answers go from there, like you, I let the person make it as fun, demented, or serious as they like.

My question to you, milk chocolate or dark chocolate?

A.J. Brown –

Dark Chocolate all the way.

Did you say LEGO lover? We are kindred spirits then. Which LEGOs do you like?

Suzanne Robb –

Did you say dark chocolate? That seals it we are kindred spirits.

I like the Star Wars LEGO's, and have the collection issued about 5 years ago for their anniversary. My prized one is a foot and a half tall Yoda. About 4,000 pieces. My goal is the Death Star one day.

I also like the random stuff you can pick up at the LEGO store.

How about you, what are your favorite sets?

And to break tradition, I will not ask favorite horror movie, but favorite comedy.

A.J. Brown –

Favorite comedy? Hmmm... Blazing Saddles, hands down. Greatest comedy ever made.

And my favorite LEGOs are the castle ones. I have probably 50 or so of the sets. However, my second favorites are the Star Wars sets. I have the huge collector's editions of the Tie Fighter, X Wing and the Rebel Blockade Runner. I also want the Death Star one day.

I hear you have a book out now. Can you tell me a little bit about it?

Suzanne Robb –

Blazing Saddles is a great one, I like Young Frankenstein.

I already had one book out already, Z-Boat a suspense thriller with zombies,(shameless self-promotion) BUT I bet you are talking about the one with Dark Continents called Were-wolves, Apocalypses, and Genetic Mutation, Oh My!.

It is a collection of three stories. The first one is a tale that changes the myth of were-wolves a bit and has a horror/humor element. The second one is about a dysfunctional family trying to fend off the coming apocalypse. The last story is a sci-fi one in which people alter themselves in a genetic level, and well, of course something has to go wrong.

How about you? I have heard rumors from sources you also have a book out, care to share with us what we can expect?

A.J. Brown –

Young Frankenstein is one of my favorites. Teri Garr rolling in zee hay is one of the greatest scenes a young boy (as I was the first time I saw the movie) could see.

Well, I tell you what, Suzanne, the collection from DCP sounds great, but before we get to that one, why don't you go ahead and tell me a little about Z-Boat first.

And, I do have a collection coming out. Along the Splintered Path was released by Dark Continents Publishing and it features three stories. A man dealing with his childhood and the scars it left behind not just on him, but his little brother's mind; a young man trapped in a valley in the mountains after a nasty fall and in the middle of winter when a snow storm kicks up... what he finds and, well, I don't want to give too much away about that one. The last one is about a homeless man who has a bag of money land beside him on the sidewalk and where the money came from and just what he does with it.

http://www.amazon.com/Along-the-Splintered-Path-ebook/dp/B006SCJGI6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327345882&sr=8-1  

I think readers are going to like what they read. I really do.

Suzanne Robb –

I love Marty Feldman, I- Gor, makes me laugh every time. I was just a kid too, but there is great humor in that movie no matter how old you are.

Z-Boat comes across as a zombie on a submarine story, but is actually a lot more. At least this is what I am finding. It appeals more to the mystery/thriller/suspense people. I can understand why as the zombies appear in the last act. It is also very character driven. A lot of fun to write a story in the strict confines of a submarine, though at times I have to admit feeling a bit claustrophobic. 

Your collection sounds interesting, very psychological in nature. I would assume the stories are very character driven, you?

A.J. Brown –

I-gor. That cracks me up. Where wolf? There wolf.

Z-boat takes place on a submarine? Wow. That would make for a tight read... oh, I know, that was lame, but I couldn't resist. Where can we find Z-Boat?

As far as my collection goes, yes, it is very character driven. All three of the main characters are different and face their own challenges and deal with their own thoughts and it's those thoughts that drive them to do what they do. I think it's important that stories focus on characters in order to make them realistic and make the journey the reader takes worth their time and money.

Suzanne Robb –

There wolf, I love well done comedies. Galaxy Quest is another one that is very well written.

Z-Boat can be found on Amazon, and any store that has Ingrams. Yes a submarine, I always got annoyed with zombie movies as I did not think slow moving brain eaters were a real threat to people who could drive, lock themselves in an attic and so on. I decided to come up with a place and a scenario where the people were forced to deal with the zombies, and these aren't slow.

I enjoy a good character driven story; the ones that evoke an emotion at the end are the best for me. Sounds like you enjoy getting into people's heads. Do you like to scare them, show them a different way of looking at things?

I also notice that the last two stories are dependent on location, wrong place wrong time, right place right time. Was that done on purpose, or have I had too much sugar today and reading into things?

A.J. Brown –

I agree that so many of the zombie stories/movies out today make no sense. Zombies shamble. They can't run... and how in the world could other zombies be created if they all eat the brains (which, if you watch the movies, they never do)?

I like your concept for Z-Boat and will check it out. Sounds like a fun read. Now, back to your collection for Dark Continents, Were-wolves, Apocalypses, and Genetic Mutation, Oh My!. Horror, humor, an apocalyptic story and a sci fi piece, all in one collection? Did you intend to spread your wings, so to speak and show a wide range of writing or were you going for a certain feel with this book?

I love character driven stories more than any others. If you have no feelings for the characters you generally don't care much for them or what happens to them. At least that's the case for me.

When I write, the first thing I think about is the characters and the situations they are put in. How would I or someone else react in that particular situation? I try--keyword there is try--to make the characters as real as possible and if what I put them through scares someone, then that makes it all that much better.

The scenarios in all the stories are pretty much a combination of the wrong place and right time scenarios. If you think about it that is what life is. Someone goes into a bank to deposit their check. It's the right time for them to do so. But, what if someone comes in with a gun to rob the bank. Uh-oh, wrong time after all. Then what if the robber decides to shoot someone? Still, worse timing.  Or maybe someone buys a lottery ticket on their way home from work and the next night they win a hundred million dollars--right time, right place. But, then say they die before they claim the winnings? Everything in life is about placement and timing--why shouldn't our stories be the same way?

Suzanne Robb –
I am in total agreement with you on the zombie thing. Probably why I prefer the 28 days series, they are at least fast. I wanted to make the zombies a challenge and the way they turn is not some experiment gone wrong, it is actually more reality based which is why they are not the typical zombies. The book itself however is very character driven and has a lot of the old mystery suspense elements to it.

As for Were-wolves, Apocalypses, and Genetic Mutation, Oh My!, it is funny because I am not a horror writer, at least I do not think of myself as that. I love to write creative non-fiction, and parody. A friend told me to give horror a shot and a year later this is where I am. I suppose I am still looking for my niche as it were, but I love the horror/parody stories. That and changing mythologies around to something new.

http://www.amazon.com/Were-wolves-Apocalypses-Genetic-Mutation-ebook/dp/B006SBC2UQ/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kstore_4?ie=UTF8&m=AZC9TZ4UC9CFC 

I love character driven stories, they are what make the tale worth reading. How do you "try" to make your characters real? Research, watching people in everyday situations, or some other mind reading secret?

Interesting take on the right place/right time, wrong place/right time elements. I do not think I read a lot that emphasize that element, which you are in fact right about it being a mainstay of life.

What other elements do you try and put into your stories to make them more real?

A.J. Brown –

I'm going to have to pick up Z-Boat--it sounds like it's right down my alley.

So, you don't classify yourself as a horror writer? That's fine, but tell me how do you feel about writing in the genre now that you've been doing it for a while?

What do I do to make my characters real? I pay attention to what's going on around me. Things like mannerisms and conversations. I listen to folks even when they think I'm not. I also pay attention to feelings and the way people respond to hurt, joy, sadness, anger, whatever... even sicknesses. There is desperation in all of those things, to be seen, to be heard, to be felt, even when someone is excited and happy. I try to put that in my stories.

One thing I think is crucial in character driven--or even any story--is to use your surroundings as a character. Your scenery can be used to set the mood of the entire piece, therefor creating everything you need to develop your characters as well. Think about how many times you've read a story where it starts with a storm. Immediately you have the image of what the weather is and you have somewhat of a mood created.

Suzanne Robb –

It is weird to think about writing in the genre now because I know so little about it. Most of the people I meet read all these horror authors and I have no idea who they are. I know comedy/parody/non-fiction people.

I do think that it has broadened my horizons and made me stretch my imagination to some degree, and then in another way it scares me at how easy it is to come up with scary scenarios.

Interesting what you say about your stories. I have degrees in Anthropology and Psychology and was basically taught to look at what is going on around me, look at body language, and also to look at the surrounding area to re-build the past.

I know what you mean, a storm sets a mood and is visual. A dark room, a musty hotel with peeling paper. All these little things help the reader create a picture in their head.

Do you write outside your genre?

A.J. Brown –

You're not alone, Suzanne. I've been writing in the horror genre since 2005 and I still have no clue who most of the folks are. I'm still learning with each passing day. And, you know what's really scary? It's not just coming up with the stories that chill you to the bone, it's the simple fact it's outside your box and you’re spreading your wings and trying something new.  It’s a daunting task. What is the scariest thing you've come up with since writing in the genre?

I've never taken Anthropology or Psychology--I just don't think I'm smart enough to do so--but, watching folks and listening to the world as it passes by makes writing horror easy--they say write what you know and if you've lived at all, then you know a lot of stuff. If you've paid attention to the life around you, then, really, writing is not so difficult.

Sometimes I write outside the genre, but rarely. I enjoy the darker stories and the way they feel. However, I can write humor if I want to and I could probably write--gasps--romance, but that's not a road I want to go down...

Suzanne Robb –

Good to know I am not the only one who draws a blank when someone asks what horror writer inspired me to write. C.S. Lewis or Roald Dahl just does not go over well, trust me.

I agree it is daunting to step outside and create new stories. For me the one that shocked me the most was one based on a relationship gone south. Based on experiences it was a bit too easy to seek out revenge.

I think all people are smart in their own way, and I bet you could take psychology or Anthropology. I did and I am not that smart. I did take a cannibalism class that was one of the more interesting classes I have ever taken. Imagine a whole semester devoted to how to eat a body and make sure no one knows you did it.

I felt like a serial killer when I would talk to my friends.

Do you write dark humor or fun humor? Also, this romance thing intrigues me, not many men go for that genre, is it the Fabio covers?

A.J. Brown –

Roald Dahl is probably one of the more underrated writers of his time--he gave us Charlie and the Chocolate Factory after all.

Did you say you took a cannibalism class? I should have consulted you when writing Round These Bones--seeing how there is some cannibalism in there.

I tend to write fun humor, when I write it. I love to pen song parodies in the vein of Weird Al. I've tried my hand at Bizarro, but I just don't think I have it in me. One thing about romance--I never said I have written any, just that I could and NO there would be no Fabio on the covers, but maybe Ashley Judd in something skimpy...

Suzanne Robb –

I agree about Roald Dahl, I fell for his writing with The BFG. He also has many other collections that are very much adults only.

Yes I did take a cannibalism class, was one of my favorite. Not sure what that says about me?

Ah Weird Al. Have to love music, without it I could not write. In college I used to make up new lyrics to remember things for tests to Sir Mix-a-lots baby got back, again not sure what this means about me.

Ashley Judd in something skimpy, and your favorite movie by her? For me it is Kiss the Girls, she kicks butt in that one.

Fun humor, will we ever see a collection of that from you?

A.J. Brown –

That's the thing about the publishing world: there are too many underrated writers who never really get their due and then there are entirely too many who are vastly overrated. I won't name names.

Since you like to make up song lyrics as well, and without music you wouldn't be able to write, what do you listen to when you write and who are your favorite bands/singers?

And since you took cannibalism, next time I have a story that involves that subject I'll let you know. I would like to know a bit more about that anyway... not that I want to eat anyone or anything like that... no, nothing like that at all.

Favorite movie by Ashley Judd? I'm not sure I have one. Kiss the Girls was great, but I've liked most of what she's been in.

And fun humor. Maybe one day. I would like to put together a collection of stories where my parody songs segued into the next piece.

Suzanne Robb –

I know what you mean about the publishing world. There are some writers who are everywhere and I say what is the big deal, and then there are some I say WOW why don't more people read this!

As for music, I listen to a lot of scores, usually ones by Ennio Morricone or Hans Zimmer ( I have a tendency to write the lyrics of what I am listening to at times, makes for interesting beta read) Others would be Orgy, Arcade Fire, Portishead, Andrew Bird, Peter, Bjorn & John, I adore Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and a lot of indies like Reichenbach Falls, Luisa's Bones, Wolf Parade...

Anything you want to know about cannibalism I am game. One anthropologist did report that human flesh tastes a lot like marmite, just saying.

That fun humor collection sounds like a good idea.

How about you are there any musicians you prefer to listen to while writing?

A.J. Brown –

I haven't heard of some of those bands. I'll have to look them up. As far as what I listen to when writing, mostly I don't anymore, but if I want inspiration, Concrete Blond, Motorhead and Carbon Leaf all help me get into my dark place.

Is there anything else on the horizon for you, Suzanne, anything else the readers can look forward to in the near future?

Suzanne Robb –

On the horizon for me are two anthologies. One is called Read The End First I am co-editing with Adrian Chamberlin. It is apocalyptic in nature and 24 writers each took on an individual time zone and end the world in a unique way. The other is Anxiety Disorders, a collection of non-fiction stories I have compiled and edited for Hidden Thoughts Press.

And yourself? What other interesting reads do you have in store for us?

A.J. Brown –

Right now, only one slated to come out in the near future, in Night Terrors II. It's a fun little tale about boy and girl and shadows.

Suzanne, it's been wonderful talking with you. Now, I have one last question: Coffee or cappuccino?

Suzanne Robb –

Coffee, if I were to have cappuccino I would have to sign some sort of non-responsible clause for what happens. I have far too much energy as it is.

Great talking with you as well, and my last question

Dog or a cat person? (Brownie points if you like Boston Terriers)

A.J. Brown –

Coffee it is. I don't care much for the crappuccino at all.

Interestingly enough, I like both, but my real preferences are Oscars and all of their bad attitudes.

Suzanne Robb –

I have no idea what an Oscar is...though I think of the Muppets when you say that.

I like both as well, but am allergic to cats 

A.J. Brown –

Hahahaha--it's a fish.

Suzanne Robb –

Ah, never would have guessed that ever.

Are they hard to keep?

I was going to get a water dragon until I found out they need an enclosure as large as my bathroom when full grown.

A.J. Brown –

They are great fish and you can feed other fish to them. And, really Oscars are pretty easy to keep, including the water chemistry. They get kind of big, but it also depends on the tank you have them in.

A Water Dragon, eh?

Suzanne Robb –

Feed other fish, I sense a cannibalism theme in the things you like...

I had Beta fish at one time and some gouramis but they had babies, fry, I guess they call them, and they ate them all! Turned me off fish. As for the water dragon, yeah, he was super cute.

I am not one to take animals to a pet store. I will try to take them all home and convince myself a Toucan, a stable of cats and dogs, and multiple fish, and a variety of rodents can live happily.

So um, out of curiosity if you had a dog, what would you feed it?

A.J. Brown –

Depends on what I have. I do have a dog and, for the most part, I try to feed her moist food since she's fourteen years old and a little long in the tooth. But, if I had to feed her meat... you know... flesh... I guess she would eat it. Or maybe not.

Suzanne Robb –

Interesting, good to know. (making mental note that if I ever have dinner at your house to eat salad)

A.J. Brown –

Hahahaha--my wife is a great cook and I don't think she's ever cooked people, though I could be wrong there....

Suzanne Robb –

You might want to check, just saying.

Though you are the cannibalism obsessed one.

A.J. Brown –

Yes, I am... and the cutting obsessed one as well.

Suzanne Robb –

Right, so keep an eye on you and sharp things too. Got it.

A.J. Brown –

Yup.

Welcome Andy Taylor, writer and LEGO cannibal

Okay, Andy Taylor, This is a little Q & A to get to know a little more about you and thicken up those stalker portfolios.

1 – Milk or dark chocolate?

            -Can I say Sour Gummi Bears instead?

2 – What are your feelings in reference to LEGO’s?

            -The most awesome thing invented since air.  You’re talking to the guy who cannibalized a bunch of other LEGO’s so he could make his very own Zombie Survival Center complete with reinforced walls, a small power plant, water reclamation center, and tiny farm.  I’m of the type that believes you’re only as old as you feel.

3 – I know a lot of people as what the favorites are in regard to horror movies, but my question to

you...what is your favorite comedy and why?

            -That’s like asking me what my favorite bar is…oh wait, that’s The Venice Café in downtown Saint Louis. Still, it’s hard to say a favorite comedy. I know I’m going to get groans for this but it’s a tie between Tommy Boy and Idiocracy.  Tommy Boy because Chris Farley was always my favorite comedian (one of only three famous people I shed a tear for on their passing, the other two being Johnny Cash and Charles Schulz), and he is at his best in Tommy Boy.  Idiocracy because, well, because it’s Idocracy, Mike Judge’s best work next to Beavis and Butthead.

4 – What is the story/novel you are most proud of?

                                                                                          

            -The novel I am currently working on would have to be the one I’m most proud of and the happiest with (usually a bad sign).  It’s the comedic tale of a zombie fanatic who accidentally ends up with his very own horde of the undead, my childhood dream.

5 – What is the most interesting thing you have learned?

            -Monkeys can’t really fly.

6 – Do you do a lot of research for your writing?

            -Most defiantly but never through Wikipedia.  I actually enjoy doing research, learning new facts is always fun, plus it helps you kick ass in Trivial Pursuit.  Even if I’m making something up I’ll still do research for anything involved.  Take my story There Are Needs and There Are Needs, the town of Pecanon, WY is a fictional place but since the setting was during the California Gold Rush I looked up the most common route used during the time and found a spot in Wyoming that was the halfway point.  There were no town there but it seemed to me that if someone had built one, they could have made a lot of money resupplying travelers, thus Pecanon was born.

7 – Tell me about the collection you have with Dark Continents?

            -My collection, The Drunk and the Dead, combines two of life’s greatest joys, booze and zombies, then adds some of our favorite classic monsters for a laugh.  Drunken Monsters has a man attending an AA meeting full of the creatures many of us grew up with, There Are Needs and There Are Needs finds a lonely drunk in the old west combatting the dead, and When A Zombie’s Heart Breaks is a first person account of what it’s like to be a zombie, if said zombie was a cynical asshole.  I have to say that out of everything I’ve ever written, I had the most fun writing Drunken Monsters.  The argument between Count Dracula and The Phantom of the Opera had me laughing the whole time I was writing it.

 http://www.amazon.com/Drunk-Dead-ebook/dp/B006SB597Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1327040459&sr=1-1

8 – How do you like to tell a story? Character driven, location of importance, or something else entirely?

            -I like to tell a story with great characters and good dialogue.  One of the things I hate the most when reading a story is a character I can’t connect with at all or don’t care about so I try to craft characters that a reader will feel for. 

9 – What kind of music do you listen to when writing?

            -Depends on what I’m writing, though for the most part it’s Rockabilly or The Blues with a healthy dash of the King of Cool, Frank Sinatra.  If I’m writing something angry I’ll put on some Death Metal, maybe Cannibal Corpse or Morbid Angel.  If I’m writing something happier I’ll put on Ska or Rockabilly, usually Mad Caddies, The Chop Tops, or Cherry Poppin Daddies.  If it’s something sad than The Blues comes out, either that or Bob Marley, Reggie depresses me for some reason.

10 – What is the most difficult thing you find about being a writer?

           

            -Slowing down, I always want to keep going. Even sleeping is an issue because I feel like there is something I can be doing and late at night is a great time to get some writing done, at least for a night owl like myself.

11 – Something about you that no one would believe.

-I’m a major Star Wars fan but I despise George Lucas; if I ever got the chance to meet him, despite the consequences, I would punch him in the face.  Also, I can stick to walls, shoot webbing, and lift a car…wait, that might be someone else.

12 – Okay, now promote yourself here, what else have you done that you would like people to know about?

            -I’m a reviewer over at littlebunnycthulhu.com as The_Undead_Review, my zombie alter ego.  One of my favorite things about reviewing for the site is the wide definition they have of horror such as including the film Arlington Road or the book How We Die (a book that includes anyway a person can die).  I’m also the head of a Saint Louis based paranormal research team and have been lucky enough to spend time at some of the most haunted spots in the county.

Please come and see what William Todd Rose, author of the books: STFUaD, The 7 Habits of Highly Infective People, Cry Havoc, Sex in the Time of Zombies among others.

Okay, Todd.  This is a little Q & A to get to know a little more about you and thicken up those stalker portfolios.

1 – Milk or dark chocolate? 

I’d gladly take either if you’re offering.

2 – What are your feelings in reference to LEGO’s? 

When I was a kid, I was more of a Lincoln Log and Tinker Toy type of guy.  I can’t actually remember messing around with Legos until much, much later in life;  but once discovered, I loved them.  How can you not?  And I totally want to go to Legoland in Florida.  Have you seen pictures of that place?  It looks awesome.

3 – I know a lot of people as what the favorites are in regard to horror movies, but my question to

you...what is your favorite comedy and why?  

Does Big Trouble in Little China count as an action comedy?  I love the campiness in that film, the exaggeration of characters and events.  It’s actually one of my favorite movies in any genre.

4 – What is the story/novel you are most proud of? 

That’s a really hard question.  They all have a really special place in my heart.  I feel like a parent who’s about to lean down and whisper into one child’s ear, “You know you’re secretly my favorite, right?”  That being said, it would be either The 7 Habits of Highly Infective People or The Dead and Dying.  I poured a lot of myself into those books, more so than anything I’ve ever written.  I love the characters in both of them equally. 

http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Dying-William-Todd-Rose/dp/1453746412/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1326677956&sr=1-1

Due out from Permuted Press in February

5 – What is the most interesting thing you have learned? 

That it takes the same amount of force to rip off a human ear as it does to tear through 12 sheets of regular bond paper.  So if you ever want to know if you’ve got what it takes, you can now put yourself to the test.

6 – Do you do a lot of research for your writing? 

Well, I didn’t learn the ear fact from personal experimentation.  Or did I?  I’ll never tell.  All kidding aside, I really do.  And that’s one of the things I love so much about the Internet.  I usually write with a word processor up in one window and a web browser in the other so I can quickly toggle between the two.  If I were ever suspected of committing some horrendous crime and forensics explored my browsing history, I’d have a lot to explain.   “Mr. Rose, why were you looking at an article entitled How To Butcher The Human Carcass?  And what about this series of links on effective torture and brainwashing techniques?”  This was really driven home when the Casey Anthony case was suddenly everywhere in the Media because, not two weeks earlier, I’d been searching for an online guide to creating homemade chloroform.

7 – Tell me about the novels you have written?

My first published book was Shadow of the Woodpile, which was an attempt to combine the narrative style of the 50s Beat writers like Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs (both of whom I admire greatly) with the horror genre.  I followed this up with what I think of as a pre-apocalyptic novel called Cry Havoc which is set in the beginning stages of the end of civilization.  On this one, I challenged myself to write a novel of at least 40,000 words within a consecutive 24 hour period, which was a lot of fun.  After that I released Sex in the Time of Zombies, which is a collection of short stories exploring the roles of sex and sexuality in an undead apocalypse.  This was initially a fan freebie, but was later picked up for a print version by Living Dead Press.  Sex was followed up with an experiment in brutality titled Shut the Fuck Up and Die!, which was my foray into extreme horror.  That one is odd in that it is probably my least accessible book in terms of content and tone.  I’ve had people tell me that they tried to read it but couldn’t get past the first chapter because it makes them too squeamish and uncomfortable.  And yet I’ve sold more copies of it than all of my other works combined.  Anyhow, after STFUaD, I released The 7 Habits of Highly Infective People, which is a novel of contagion, drugs, time travel, and the living dead.  This one was on the market for about a month before Permuted Press asked to see it and a second, revised and expanded edition should be out this year.  Before signing the contracts with Permuted I also published two novellas as fan freebies.  Apocalyptic Organ Grinder is set 150 years after a religious cult brought humanity to the brink of extinction by releasing The Gabriel Virus.  No zombies in this one, just “a bunch of miserable people trying desperately to survive”, as one reviewer said.  The other novella is the first in a planned series.  Undead Nocturne: Even Dead Men Die is kind of a homage to the hard-boiled detective/film noir genre which introduces zombies into the mix.  Finally, there’s The Dead and Dying.  This one is interesting in that I actually stopped working on it to write Shadow of the Woodpile and then went back and finished it up.  It was submitted to Library of the Living Dead Press and was accepted, but there were a lot of delays in its publication.  It should have been my second book published, but ended up taking close to two years to see print.

 http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Woodpile-William-Todd-Rose/dp/1448633060/ref=pd_sim_b_1

8 – Do you consider yourself prolific? 

Not as much as I used to be.  I’ve hit a slow point because of some contractual obligations, but I’m still working away, even if I can’t publish for a while.  I’ve got three major projects I’m currently working on, pretty much simultaneously.

9 – How do you like to tell a story? Character driven, location of importance, or something else entirely? 

Characters are definitely the most important element in my writing.  If the reader doesn’t care what happens to them then everything else is kind of pointless, in my opinion.  I’ve also realized lately that weather factors a lot into my writing.  Especially with The Dead and Dying. One of the minor characters in that one was a meteorologist before civilization collapsed and thunderstorms, blizzards, and tornadoes all play a role in the plot. 

10– What kind of music do you listen to when writing? 

That really varies.  All of my books to date have had a “soundtrack” to the writing.  But those soundtracks can contain country, goth, industrial, heavy metal, 1940s era, classical:  they really run the gamut.  While writing The 7 Habits for example my playlist contained a lot of darkwave bands peppered with electro-medieval and even some Lady Gaga thrown in for good measure.  Lady Gaga may seem like an odd choice but take this challenge:  read the section in the book where the song appears, when Bosley is confronted by Clarice Hudson at the bar.  Think of that scene while listening to the lyrics of Bad Romance and you’ll see that song is perfect for that scene.  If you take songs out of context, it’s really amazing how well they can mesh.  In the revision of The 7 Habits there’s a scene which goes into more detail about how Clarice actually become infected to begin with.  Since she was a Gaga fan, she was listening to Teeth at this point in the book.  “Take a bite of my bad girl meat” implies something totally different in the world of the living dead.

11 – What is the most difficult thing you find about being a writer? 

The most difficult part is getting your name out there.  You can write the greatest novel in the world (which I’m not saying I have) and nobody will ever read it if they don’t know it exists.  I do a lot of indie writing and publishing with small presses, so the advertising budget that a major publisher has just isn’t there.  Which means you have to be creative in your marketing.

12 – Something about you that no one would believe. 

I am actually a black belt space pirate who came to Earth in my gerbil-powered ship, The StarSucker, to plunder the planet of its coffee beans.  You didn’t say it had to be true.  Well, the coffee bean part … that has the ring of truth to it.

13 – Okay, now promote yourself here, what else have you done that you would like people to know about?   

Well, when not writing I also have a side project called Dead Hooker Scenario, which is basically just me and my computer making electronic music.  I also spend a lot of time in Second Life, where I am the U.S. Public Relations Manager for Club Re:Noize and also design avatar accessories (as you can probably tell by my interests, I’m a bit of a hermit).  And of course, for more information about my books and writing, I can be found online at www.wiliamtoddrose.com

 http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/55221

 http://www.amazon.com/Cry-Havoc-William-Todd-Rose/dp/1450538029/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326677739&sr=8-1

 http://www.amazon.com/Time-Zombies-William-Todd-Rose/dp/1935458957

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/33168