INTERVIEWS
Raven Dane has worked with dean m. Drinkel for a number of years - she is very much part of the family. Recently They sat down and talked about many things including Raven's new book.
Your book The Bane Of Bailgate has recently been published – well done by the way (and what an amazing cover)! - without revealing too many spoilers can you tell us a little about it? Are these new characters or is the book part of a series?
Thank you! The cover is fabulous; it totally reflects the story of an ancient evil possessing an 18th century automaton murderously haunting a shop in old Lincoln. It is a stand alone novella, written to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Steampunk Weekend at the Asylum. This event has blossomed into the biggest steampunk festival in the world and is held in the historic part of Lincoln, including Bailgate. All the characters in the novella are new.
You have written both stand alone novels as well as series of books (the successful Cyrus Darian for example). When you come up with an initial story idea do you decide then whether it should be part of a series / stand alone or do you work on it for a little while and then make the decision?
I never decide anything in advance, including the plot. I am a total seat of the pants writer. All my novels are character led and they tell me where the story is going and whether it has ‘legs’ for further books. The whole Legacy of the Dark Kind trilogy began with just one scene of a dark clad rider travelling through a tangled wood at night. Cyrus Darian and his world was such enormous fun to write, I couldn’t leave it at just one book.
You’re very well known in the ‘steampunk’ world. What is it about that specific genre that attracted you to it?
To be honest, it wasn’t the genre literature that first attracted me to steampunk. It was the whole aesthetic and the warm, welcoming and highly creative community that drew me to it. I found myself wanting to make jewellery, gadgets and clothes at first. I have a strict quarantine process, and avoid reading anything in the same genre when writing. I have never read a modern steampunk book, for example. The much younger me, however, loved the books of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, also the ghost stories of M.R. James and they certainly were early and important influences on my work.
You have a great relationship with your readers – is this something you have deliberately nurtured or did it just happen by a process of osmosis? It appears your readers have really bought into your work – IF they suggested ways to take the characters or suggest future plots / stories would you take their advice?
This came very naturally to me. From the publication of my first novel, Blood Tears, the feedback from readers was such a surprise and delight, that becoming friends with them was an easy step. They have shared a journey with me and my characters and the stories that provoke emotions…it is a bonding process. I have nothing but love and respect for them. I haven’t had any feedback from readers such as suggested future plots as yet. As I do not pre-plan my stories, I am not sure that would work. I once had to part ways with an editor who tried to push my Dark Kind stories into a totally different direction that was not true to the characters. It would also have alienated my readers. That was definitely not on.
Can you tell us a little about how you were involved in the films Dragonheart and First Knight? Any more film work coming up?
Oh gosh, I wish there was more work! That was a long time ago, when I was fit and much younger. I am a professionally qualified trainer of horses and a riding instructor. Horses have always been important to my life since a child though I do not come from a country background. Far from it! The only equines I had contact with as a child were the ponies that pulled the milkman or totter’s carts. As an adult, I worked for a man who specialised in medieval tournaments and film work. We taught actors how to stay on a horse convincingly and stunt people how to fall off horses safely. We were kept busy and solvent answering calls from actors’ agents desperate to get them ready for parts where they needed to ride, usually with very little notice. Stunt people’s CVs, we jokingly called ‘The Book of Lies’ as they listed their many achievements that were somewhat stretching the truth. I loved working with them, great, down to earth performers that never get enough recognition. Dragonheart and First Knight kept us very busy and it was enormous fun. Age and infirmity means those golden days are long gone but what wonderful memories.
You also collaborated on the Telos release: The Daemons of Devil’s End. How did that come about?
The project started when Telos was approached by Keith Barnfather from Reeltime Pictures. Keith was in contact with the amazing veteran actress, Damaris Hayward, who played the white witch Olive Hawthorn in the Dr Who episode The Daemons. This was during Jon Pertwee’s time as Dr Who. Keith was delighted she was keen to reprise the role in a spin off film. As an ancient fan of Dr Who since the very first episode and a practising pagan witch myself, it was an honour and delight to be asked to collaborate on the film script. I also was given a speaking part in the film! Telos then brought out a novelisation of the script which gave us the most welcome chance to further elaborate on Olive Hawthorn’s life, protecting the village of Devil’s End from supernatural evil.
Which format do you prefer writing in – short stories or novels?
I used to prefer writing novels and did not have the experience or skills for short stories at the beginning of my career. I find short stories easier at the moment due to health issues but I am desperate to get back to longer work. Novellas are helping me get back the stamina needed, I really want to write a full novel length story again.
You have worked with Dean several times over the years and including on The Thirteen Signs (Nocturnicorn Books, 2016) how did that came about and your story – is it a ‘stand alone’ or is it connected to a wider series / universe?
I cannot remember the original circumstance over working with Dean, beyond my gratitude to be asked to take part in such original and intriguing anthologies. My stories are all stand alone except one. Dean sets us themes in his anthologies that really stretch our imaginations! I know from my own experience working with him as an editor, that my short story writing skills have improved immensely. You mention The Thirteen Signs, My story for this anthology was called Carapace, and the zodiac sign I was assigned was Cancer the Crab. This story was well received by readers and I realised the world I created definitely had ‘legs'. This is the one I am currently working on, expanding it to a much larger work.
You’ve been known to attend various conventions – how successful do you find these in respect of book sales or do you use them to connect with your readers and catch up with friends?
All of the above...I love going to conventions…genre and media fan based ones. The ones sniffy writers look down on, especially the cosplayers. Their loss! I find these events lively, enormous fun and a great way to meet existing readers of my work and find new ones. Book sales vary, there are no guarantees. I sold out all my stock before midday at a three day convention one year and at another I was lucky to shift five copies. But it is all good. Time spent with enthusiastic readers and with other authors is never wasted. The events are always exhausting physically but they do recharge the old creative batteries. One a personal note, I am also a shameless ligger! Getting guest passes allows me to meet stars of films and tv shows that I enjoy. A definite perk. Cosplayers are fun, creative people, I would rather be in their company than those sniffy writers.
What does 2019 hold for you – any upcoming releases (in terms of stories / novels etc) you can tell us about?
2019 is a bit of an empty, unwritten book at the moment. I am on a long waiting list for a Tor submission that if successful, could make a huge difference to the direction of my career. I do have some work in process to finish. One that is set in Cyrus Darian’s world of a dystopian alternative Victorian London but with different characters. I also have to finish an occult detective book, also set in Victorian times…but not Cyrus Darian’s London. The only release at the moment I can mention is the third of the Cyrus Darian series, coming out with Telos Publishing.
biography
Raven Dane is a UK based author of dark fantasy, steampunk novels and horror short stories. Her first books were the dark fantasy Legacy of the Dark Kind trilogy: Blood Tears, Blood Lament and Blood Alliance. These were followed by a High Fantasy spoof, The Unwise Woman of Fuggis Mire. Her steampunk novels so far are the award winning Cyrus Darian and the Technomicron and sequel Cyrus Darian and the Ghastly Horde. She has had many short stories published, including one in a celebration of forty years of the British Fantasy Society and in international horror anthologies. These have included Tales of the Lake 2, alongside Richard Chizmar, Ramsey Campbell, Tim Lebbon and the late Jack Ketchum. She also had a story in Frightmare – Women Write Horror which was shortlisted for a Stoker award in 2017. She has appeared in two international lists of best female horror writers. In 2013, she was signed up by Telos Publishing for her collection of Victorian ghost stories, Absinthe and Arsenic and in 2015, the alternative history/ supernatural novel, Death’s Dark Wings. All the Cyrus books are with Telos now in new editions with the third book in the series on the way. A lifelong Dr Who fan, in 2017, Raven was on the script writing team on a Dr Who spin off film. She was also involved in the novelisation and had an acting role in the film. Her latest work is the spooky novella, The Bane of Bailgate, published in 2018.
Links
Website: https://www.raven-dane.com
Twitter: @RavenDane
Your book The Bane Of Bailgate has recently been published – well done by the way (and what an amazing cover)! - without revealing too many spoilers can you tell us a little about it? Are these new characters or is the book part of a series?
Thank you! The cover is fabulous; it totally reflects the story of an ancient evil possessing an 18th century automaton murderously haunting a shop in old Lincoln. It is a stand alone novella, written to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Steampunk Weekend at the Asylum. This event has blossomed into the biggest steampunk festival in the world and is held in the historic part of Lincoln, including Bailgate. All the characters in the novella are new.
You have written both stand alone novels as well as series of books (the successful Cyrus Darian for example). When you come up with an initial story idea do you decide then whether it should be part of a series / stand alone or do you work on it for a little while and then make the decision?
I never decide anything in advance, including the plot. I am a total seat of the pants writer. All my novels are character led and they tell me where the story is going and whether it has ‘legs’ for further books. The whole Legacy of the Dark Kind trilogy began with just one scene of a dark clad rider travelling through a tangled wood at night. Cyrus Darian and his world was such enormous fun to write, I couldn’t leave it at just one book.
You’re very well known in the ‘steampunk’ world. What is it about that specific genre that attracted you to it?
To be honest, it wasn’t the genre literature that first attracted me to steampunk. It was the whole aesthetic and the warm, welcoming and highly creative community that drew me to it. I found myself wanting to make jewellery, gadgets and clothes at first. I have a strict quarantine process, and avoid reading anything in the same genre when writing. I have never read a modern steampunk book, for example. The much younger me, however, loved the books of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, also the ghost stories of M.R. James and they certainly were early and important influences on my work.
You have a great relationship with your readers – is this something you have deliberately nurtured or did it just happen by a process of osmosis? It appears your readers have really bought into your work – IF they suggested ways to take the characters or suggest future plots / stories would you take their advice?
This came very naturally to me. From the publication of my first novel, Blood Tears, the feedback from readers was such a surprise and delight, that becoming friends with them was an easy step. They have shared a journey with me and my characters and the stories that provoke emotions…it is a bonding process. I have nothing but love and respect for them. I haven’t had any feedback from readers such as suggested future plots as yet. As I do not pre-plan my stories, I am not sure that would work. I once had to part ways with an editor who tried to push my Dark Kind stories into a totally different direction that was not true to the characters. It would also have alienated my readers. That was definitely not on.
Can you tell us a little about how you were involved in the films Dragonheart and First Knight? Any more film work coming up?
Oh gosh, I wish there was more work! That was a long time ago, when I was fit and much younger. I am a professionally qualified trainer of horses and a riding instructor. Horses have always been important to my life since a child though I do not come from a country background. Far from it! The only equines I had contact with as a child were the ponies that pulled the milkman or totter’s carts. As an adult, I worked for a man who specialised in medieval tournaments and film work. We taught actors how to stay on a horse convincingly and stunt people how to fall off horses safely. We were kept busy and solvent answering calls from actors’ agents desperate to get them ready for parts where they needed to ride, usually with very little notice. Stunt people’s CVs, we jokingly called ‘The Book of Lies’ as they listed their many achievements that were somewhat stretching the truth. I loved working with them, great, down to earth performers that never get enough recognition. Dragonheart and First Knight kept us very busy and it was enormous fun. Age and infirmity means those golden days are long gone but what wonderful memories.
You also collaborated on the Telos release: The Daemons of Devil’s End. How did that come about?
The project started when Telos was approached by Keith Barnfather from Reeltime Pictures. Keith was in contact with the amazing veteran actress, Damaris Hayward, who played the white witch Olive Hawthorn in the Dr Who episode The Daemons. This was during Jon Pertwee’s time as Dr Who. Keith was delighted she was keen to reprise the role in a spin off film. As an ancient fan of Dr Who since the very first episode and a practising pagan witch myself, it was an honour and delight to be asked to collaborate on the film script. I also was given a speaking part in the film! Telos then brought out a novelisation of the script which gave us the most welcome chance to further elaborate on Olive Hawthorn’s life, protecting the village of Devil’s End from supernatural evil.
Which format do you prefer writing in – short stories or novels?
I used to prefer writing novels and did not have the experience or skills for short stories at the beginning of my career. I find short stories easier at the moment due to health issues but I am desperate to get back to longer work. Novellas are helping me get back the stamina needed, I really want to write a full novel length story again.
You have worked with Dean several times over the years and including on The Thirteen Signs (Nocturnicorn Books, 2016) how did that came about and your story – is it a ‘stand alone’ or is it connected to a wider series / universe?
I cannot remember the original circumstance over working with Dean, beyond my gratitude to be asked to take part in such original and intriguing anthologies. My stories are all stand alone except one. Dean sets us themes in his anthologies that really stretch our imaginations! I know from my own experience working with him as an editor, that my short story writing skills have improved immensely. You mention The Thirteen Signs, My story for this anthology was called Carapace, and the zodiac sign I was assigned was Cancer the Crab. This story was well received by readers and I realised the world I created definitely had ‘legs'. This is the one I am currently working on, expanding it to a much larger work.
You’ve been known to attend various conventions – how successful do you find these in respect of book sales or do you use them to connect with your readers and catch up with friends?
All of the above...I love going to conventions…genre and media fan based ones. The ones sniffy writers look down on, especially the cosplayers. Their loss! I find these events lively, enormous fun and a great way to meet existing readers of my work and find new ones. Book sales vary, there are no guarantees. I sold out all my stock before midday at a three day convention one year and at another I was lucky to shift five copies. But it is all good. Time spent with enthusiastic readers and with other authors is never wasted. The events are always exhausting physically but they do recharge the old creative batteries. One a personal note, I am also a shameless ligger! Getting guest passes allows me to meet stars of films and tv shows that I enjoy. A definite perk. Cosplayers are fun, creative people, I would rather be in their company than those sniffy writers.
What does 2019 hold for you – any upcoming releases (in terms of stories / novels etc) you can tell us about?
2019 is a bit of an empty, unwritten book at the moment. I am on a long waiting list for a Tor submission that if successful, could make a huge difference to the direction of my career. I do have some work in process to finish. One that is set in Cyrus Darian’s world of a dystopian alternative Victorian London but with different characters. I also have to finish an occult detective book, also set in Victorian times…but not Cyrus Darian’s London. The only release at the moment I can mention is the third of the Cyrus Darian series, coming out with Telos Publishing.
biography
Raven Dane is a UK based author of dark fantasy, steampunk novels and horror short stories. Her first books were the dark fantasy Legacy of the Dark Kind trilogy: Blood Tears, Blood Lament and Blood Alliance. These were followed by a High Fantasy spoof, The Unwise Woman of Fuggis Mire. Her steampunk novels so far are the award winning Cyrus Darian and the Technomicron and sequel Cyrus Darian and the Ghastly Horde. She has had many short stories published, including one in a celebration of forty years of the British Fantasy Society and in international horror anthologies. These have included Tales of the Lake 2, alongside Richard Chizmar, Ramsey Campbell, Tim Lebbon and the late Jack Ketchum. She also had a story in Frightmare – Women Write Horror which was shortlisted for a Stoker award in 2017. She has appeared in two international lists of best female horror writers. In 2013, she was signed up by Telos Publishing for her collection of Victorian ghost stories, Absinthe and Arsenic and in 2015, the alternative history/ supernatural novel, Death’s Dark Wings. All the Cyrus books are with Telos now in new editions with the third book in the series on the way. A lifelong Dr Who fan, in 2017, Raven was on the script writing team on a Dr Who spin off film. She was also involved in the novelisation and had an acting role in the film. Her latest work is the spooky novella, The Bane of Bailgate, published in 2018.
Links
Website: https://www.raven-dane.com
Twitter: @RavenDane
Jason D. Brawn has Worked With Lead editor Dean M. Drinkel across a number of titles and publishers. They recently sat down and chatted - here's a transcript of their interview:
You recently performed a reading of one of your short stories at the London Horror Festival – well done ! – what was the story, how did that come about and what next for the tale?
Thanks for the praise! The title of the story is The Intruders. It's a tale about witch-hunting still existing in rural Lancashire that concerns a young couple. I had heard about Scare Slam on The London Horror Festival programme and decided to enter my story. A few hours after the deadline, I received an acceptance from the organiser who loved it. The story will also be featured in an anthology based on the Pendle Witches, coming out on Halloween by Spooky Isle.
You have worked across a number of different mediums from comic books to short stories to radio plays…why so many and which is your favourite?
I love to try out and experiment in many mediums. My favourite medium is screenwriting, but I seem to find more success in short fiction.
And talking about comic books – how did that happen (asking for a friend ha ha)?
I never limit my interests, and so, as part of a test, I crafted a couple of comic book scripts and sent them out to see how far they would go. I always wanted to write for Hallowscream, which is a tribute to the 80s horror comics Scream that was banned after 15 issues.
As a writer – how would you describe yourself – strictly ‘horror’ or do you branch out into other genres?
I'm afraid that straight horror is all I write. I do plan to write a couple of science fiction stories, in the vein of They Live and Invasion of the Bodysnatachers. I do not see horror as a genre, but instead it's a mood. Almost like comedy. You can pair horror with any genre. Horror thriller is the most common use of this style of storytelling.
As well as your fiction you’ve also been studying for your M.A and congrats you recently submitted your dissertation – can you tell us a little about the course and your thesis in particular as I understand they were both related to the ‘Gothic’?
Again thanks! It's an M.A. in Gothic: Culture, Subculture and Counterculture, where I attended two evenings a week, for a year in Strawberry Hill – the birthplace of the Gothic. My 10,000 word dissertation was based on the representation of class in British horror films, picking many examples from Hammer and Amicus and later Eden Lake and Kill List. My reason for committing this whole year on the course was to learn a lot more on the Gothic and to evolve myself as a writer of dark fiction.
What do you think is the best short story you’ve ever written and why? Would you ever return to that ‘universe’ in a future tale?
My last story that I read at Scare Slam (The Intruders). For the first time, I got everything right and I believe that I am beginning to find my voice. I would like to write another story based on the Pendle Witches.
You appear to be a massive fan of the Hammer films and horror films in general from the 1960s / 1970s – what is about them / that period that you like so much? Has it impacted your work?
I guess it was my childhood, when I used to stay up on a Friday night and a Saturday night watching those countless horror films from all periods, especially the BBC double bills and Appointment of Fear on ITV. They were my Grimm Fairy Tales and they had a great atmosphere. My favourite British horror film will always be From Beyond the Grave. In terms of the impact they have caused to my work, people who know my work are always reminding me those influences. Like the short film I scripted called Portrait, is often likened to a From Beyond the Grave segment titled The Gatecrasher'. When I write a story, I never think of the influence. I just write what scares me the most. I am a very hard person to scare, and so what scares me will probably scare many readers, listeners or viewers. It's like what makes a comedy writer laugh.
You have worked with Dean several times over the years and recently on “12 Dark Days: One Helluva Christmas” (Nocturnicorn Books, 2017) how did that happen and your story – is it a ‘stand alone’ or is it connected to a wider series / universe?
Dean and I go back a long way. He's not only a good drinking buddy, but he believes in my work and whenever he asks for a submission I always jump within a heartbeat. I enjoy writing standalone tales for his anthologies, and will continue to do so.
You’ve been known to attend quite a few conventions – how successful do you find these in respect of book sales or do you use them to connect with your readers and catch up with friends?
To be honest, I only go to these conventions and festivals to have a good time from a fan's point of view. I'm a horror fan who happens to write horror stories. I like meeting new people, and many times I get approached by strangers who are familiar with work and often praise me for scaring them, which I am deeply touched.
What does 2019 hold for you – any upcoming releases (in terms of stories / novels etc) you can tell us about?
A novel about the current housing crisis that is horror, and a screenplay I am writing for a producer. I have also finished penning a one act stage play, which I will shop around to get made very soon. 2019 I am going to get busy as I always do. I have loads of horror stories loaded in my brain that are dying to pour out. So watch this space!
We will - thank you so much for your time. Good luck with everything and I'm sure we will be working together again soon!
Biography:
Jason D. Brawn is a writer of dark fiction, which includes a plethora of published short stories and prose poetry, as well as a few produced radio plays and comic book scripts. His short screenplay Portrait was made as a successful short film, and he holds a BA in Film and Media from Birkbeck, University of London and has just completed an MA in Gothic: Culture, Subculture and Counterculture from St. Mary’s University, Strawberry Hill.
Links to website: http://jasonbrawn.weebly.com/
Twitter: @JasonBrawn
Facebook: Jason D. Brawn
Blogpage: http://jasonbrawn.blogspot.com/
You recently performed a reading of one of your short stories at the London Horror Festival – well done ! – what was the story, how did that come about and what next for the tale?
Thanks for the praise! The title of the story is The Intruders. It's a tale about witch-hunting still existing in rural Lancashire that concerns a young couple. I had heard about Scare Slam on The London Horror Festival programme and decided to enter my story. A few hours after the deadline, I received an acceptance from the organiser who loved it. The story will also be featured in an anthology based on the Pendle Witches, coming out on Halloween by Spooky Isle.
You have worked across a number of different mediums from comic books to short stories to radio plays…why so many and which is your favourite?
I love to try out and experiment in many mediums. My favourite medium is screenwriting, but I seem to find more success in short fiction.
And talking about comic books – how did that happen (asking for a friend ha ha)?
I never limit my interests, and so, as part of a test, I crafted a couple of comic book scripts and sent them out to see how far they would go. I always wanted to write for Hallowscream, which is a tribute to the 80s horror comics Scream that was banned after 15 issues.
As a writer – how would you describe yourself – strictly ‘horror’ or do you branch out into other genres?
I'm afraid that straight horror is all I write. I do plan to write a couple of science fiction stories, in the vein of They Live and Invasion of the Bodysnatachers. I do not see horror as a genre, but instead it's a mood. Almost like comedy. You can pair horror with any genre. Horror thriller is the most common use of this style of storytelling.
As well as your fiction you’ve also been studying for your M.A and congrats you recently submitted your dissertation – can you tell us a little about the course and your thesis in particular as I understand they were both related to the ‘Gothic’?
Again thanks! It's an M.A. in Gothic: Culture, Subculture and Counterculture, where I attended two evenings a week, for a year in Strawberry Hill – the birthplace of the Gothic. My 10,000 word dissertation was based on the representation of class in British horror films, picking many examples from Hammer and Amicus and later Eden Lake and Kill List. My reason for committing this whole year on the course was to learn a lot more on the Gothic and to evolve myself as a writer of dark fiction.
What do you think is the best short story you’ve ever written and why? Would you ever return to that ‘universe’ in a future tale?
My last story that I read at Scare Slam (The Intruders). For the first time, I got everything right and I believe that I am beginning to find my voice. I would like to write another story based on the Pendle Witches.
You appear to be a massive fan of the Hammer films and horror films in general from the 1960s / 1970s – what is about them / that period that you like so much? Has it impacted your work?
I guess it was my childhood, when I used to stay up on a Friday night and a Saturday night watching those countless horror films from all periods, especially the BBC double bills and Appointment of Fear on ITV. They were my Grimm Fairy Tales and they had a great atmosphere. My favourite British horror film will always be From Beyond the Grave. In terms of the impact they have caused to my work, people who know my work are always reminding me those influences. Like the short film I scripted called Portrait, is often likened to a From Beyond the Grave segment titled The Gatecrasher'. When I write a story, I never think of the influence. I just write what scares me the most. I am a very hard person to scare, and so what scares me will probably scare many readers, listeners or viewers. It's like what makes a comedy writer laugh.
You have worked with Dean several times over the years and recently on “12 Dark Days: One Helluva Christmas” (Nocturnicorn Books, 2017) how did that happen and your story – is it a ‘stand alone’ or is it connected to a wider series / universe?
Dean and I go back a long way. He's not only a good drinking buddy, but he believes in my work and whenever he asks for a submission I always jump within a heartbeat. I enjoy writing standalone tales for his anthologies, and will continue to do so.
You’ve been known to attend quite a few conventions – how successful do you find these in respect of book sales or do you use them to connect with your readers and catch up with friends?
To be honest, I only go to these conventions and festivals to have a good time from a fan's point of view. I'm a horror fan who happens to write horror stories. I like meeting new people, and many times I get approached by strangers who are familiar with work and often praise me for scaring them, which I am deeply touched.
What does 2019 hold for you – any upcoming releases (in terms of stories / novels etc) you can tell us about?
A novel about the current housing crisis that is horror, and a screenplay I am writing for a producer. I have also finished penning a one act stage play, which I will shop around to get made very soon. 2019 I am going to get busy as I always do. I have loads of horror stories loaded in my brain that are dying to pour out. So watch this space!
We will - thank you so much for your time. Good luck with everything and I'm sure we will be working together again soon!
Biography:
Jason D. Brawn is a writer of dark fiction, which includes a plethora of published short stories and prose poetry, as well as a few produced radio plays and comic book scripts. His short screenplay Portrait was made as a successful short film, and he holds a BA in Film and Media from Birkbeck, University of London and has just completed an MA in Gothic: Culture, Subculture and Counterculture from St. Mary’s University, Strawberry Hill.
Links to website: http://jasonbrawn.weebly.com/
Twitter: @JasonBrawn
Facebook: Jason D. Brawn
Blogpage: http://jasonbrawn.blogspot.com/
Paul Woodward's odyssey of the black turtle has been published in various parts through 2018 - as we are heading towards publication of the complete novel (both on kindle and Paperback) - we sat down with Paul to talk about the odyssey and his work in general.
This is your first novel – what inspired you to write it and why now? How did you come up with the title?
I wanted to go back to the start of the canon of Western literature and bring it up to date, put it into a science fictional dystopian setting and populate it mostly with women. Create a very relevant story for the modern world. And rather than just transcribe the old Homer with female characters but instead take the zeitgeist of voyaging and journey home as a starting point. And incidents happen and the characters react in an entirely new kinetic. In the sense that there are obvious correlations in some of the episodes to Homer but the characters are women and are not behaving as the characters did in the epic Greek myth. Hence Odyssey in the title, and Black Turtle the name of the vessel which itself has a pervasive role throughout.
What genre would you class your novel? What challenges did you face writing it in this genre?
Perhaps this novel could be science fiction, or fantasy, or slipstream, or weird, or fantastical. Although I read a lot of genre fiction I’m not very good at identifying it. Probably because I don’t think it’s important. I like to think homogenously and work in whatever suits the turn of the story. If you think of the original Homer, would you recognise it as Fantasy, as magical, as a fairy story, full of mermaids and folklore? And yet it’s the backbone of mainstream literature for centuries. You have to ask yourself: what is mainstream literature? Where does it all come from anyway?
While you were writing it, did you ever feel as if you were one of the characters? Are any of the characters based on people you know? Are there parts of the novel which are based on events in your own life?
No but I will them to act how I’d like to, but sometimes not. I feel there is a necessary ambivalence that keeps the story moving. Some characters may be subconscious agglomerations of people I know, but I wouldn’t like to pin anything down. Or a mannerism you see in real life can fit a character in the story too. It’s how humans work. A bit of this and a bit of that. I doubt if anybody would read it and say, "oh is Paul writing about me?"
Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
I try to write as directly as possible and keep to the point. It’s important not to go off target, but I also sometimes need to leave things out. The difficult part in writing is working out what not to write rather than what to put in. It might sound strange but it’s all about the spaces between the words, the gaps between the chapters. What isn’t said, what isn’t explained.
Which authors / what books influenced you do you think? If you had to choose, which writer could you consider a mentor? Who is your favourite author and what strikes you about their work?
I mostly read contemporary novels, i.e. books that have recently been published. My favourites are many such as John M Harrison, Louisa Erdritch, Simon Ings, James P. Blaylock, Mary Gentle, Paul McAuley, Kim Stanley Robinson, Jeff Vandermeer, Lisa Tuttle, Alyson Littlewood, and Elizabeth Hand. One of the finest of our living writers is Nicola Barker who writes humour comedy and satire. I have an abiding engagement with the works of people like Alan Garner, William Golding, CS Lewis, JRR Tolkein, and Robert Henlein. William Carver for his sparseness of style. I have been influenced by titans of literature such as Joyce, Lawrence, Woolf, even Eliot and Chaucer. I like the stark contrast and response of "When that April with his showers sweet…" And, "April is the cruellest month." I also like the great American novelists such as Twain, Mailer, Oates, and Hemingway. And more recently people like Richard Ford, Donna Tartt - The Goldfinch’ was excellent. I could go on for a long time on this subject but I think Alan Garner tops for atmosphere.
Is there a message in your novel which you want readers to grasp? Do you have anything specific you want to say to your readers?
I’d like to think it may expand the reader’s imaginative horizons, which I hope you’ll agree isn’t as blunt as it sounds. In this age of austerity we’ve had pushed down our throats for so long now its high time we all took on an element of the extravagant and unbelievable. And in doing so turn it around from the inside out.
What next – what are your current projects? Can you share any of it with us?
I am writing a follow on book nominally entitled If I Can’t be Human then I want Feathers. But I’d prefer not to say much about it just yet. And Plans for a third book which will be about an impending Event Horizon.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?
No never. I write most days, even if it’s only just a little. Sometimes particular passages take longer to write and the going is slow. But it’s not what you would call writer’s block.
Do you write an outline before every novel you write?
Yes, definitely. It’s useful to keep focused. But I change it as I go along. I plan it out initially so every passage lasts 500 words, but some turn out to be longer and some are shorter but it evens out eventually. I aim for about 80, maybe 90,000 words. I think that s long enough for a book.
Have you ever hated something which you have written? What was the hardest part about writing your novel?
No I don’t. It doesn’t get put down if I don’t like it. Although some moments are grim and unpleasant but that’s drama anyway. It’s all quite hard to write. Sometimes I can only manage a few sentences and then I have to have a lie down. I can sustain for longer if I write the first draft pencil on paper. I use Staedtler HB pencils and A5 reporter’s notebooks wire bound with a line space between lines to allow for corrections.
Do you see writing as a career? How did you first get started? What obstacles do you have to overcome?
I have always been a writer.
What is something your readers might be surprised to find out about you? some people seem to think I must be high as a kite when I write (I am a poet and I know it) but that couldn’t be further from the truth: I write stone cold sober and in silence. Remember Seamus Heaney, "Dig down deep into your word hoard, compose in silence, expect aurora borealis in the long foray but no cascade of light."
Thank you Paul For your time - very enlightening.
For info - Parts 6 & 7 (the final two parts) of Paul's book will be published during October. With a December release for the complete novel. Please check back to the website for exact details in due course.
This is your first novel – what inspired you to write it and why now? How did you come up with the title?
I wanted to go back to the start of the canon of Western literature and bring it up to date, put it into a science fictional dystopian setting and populate it mostly with women. Create a very relevant story for the modern world. And rather than just transcribe the old Homer with female characters but instead take the zeitgeist of voyaging and journey home as a starting point. And incidents happen and the characters react in an entirely new kinetic. In the sense that there are obvious correlations in some of the episodes to Homer but the characters are women and are not behaving as the characters did in the epic Greek myth. Hence Odyssey in the title, and Black Turtle the name of the vessel which itself has a pervasive role throughout.
What genre would you class your novel? What challenges did you face writing it in this genre?
Perhaps this novel could be science fiction, or fantasy, or slipstream, or weird, or fantastical. Although I read a lot of genre fiction I’m not very good at identifying it. Probably because I don’t think it’s important. I like to think homogenously and work in whatever suits the turn of the story. If you think of the original Homer, would you recognise it as Fantasy, as magical, as a fairy story, full of mermaids and folklore? And yet it’s the backbone of mainstream literature for centuries. You have to ask yourself: what is mainstream literature? Where does it all come from anyway?
While you were writing it, did you ever feel as if you were one of the characters? Are any of the characters based on people you know? Are there parts of the novel which are based on events in your own life?
No but I will them to act how I’d like to, but sometimes not. I feel there is a necessary ambivalence that keeps the story moving. Some characters may be subconscious agglomerations of people I know, but I wouldn’t like to pin anything down. Or a mannerism you see in real life can fit a character in the story too. It’s how humans work. A bit of this and a bit of that. I doubt if anybody would read it and say, "oh is Paul writing about me?"
Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
I try to write as directly as possible and keep to the point. It’s important not to go off target, but I also sometimes need to leave things out. The difficult part in writing is working out what not to write rather than what to put in. It might sound strange but it’s all about the spaces between the words, the gaps between the chapters. What isn’t said, what isn’t explained.
Which authors / what books influenced you do you think? If you had to choose, which writer could you consider a mentor? Who is your favourite author and what strikes you about their work?
I mostly read contemporary novels, i.e. books that have recently been published. My favourites are many such as John M Harrison, Louisa Erdritch, Simon Ings, James P. Blaylock, Mary Gentle, Paul McAuley, Kim Stanley Robinson, Jeff Vandermeer, Lisa Tuttle, Alyson Littlewood, and Elizabeth Hand. One of the finest of our living writers is Nicola Barker who writes humour comedy and satire. I have an abiding engagement with the works of people like Alan Garner, William Golding, CS Lewis, JRR Tolkein, and Robert Henlein. William Carver for his sparseness of style. I have been influenced by titans of literature such as Joyce, Lawrence, Woolf, even Eliot and Chaucer. I like the stark contrast and response of "When that April with his showers sweet…" And, "April is the cruellest month." I also like the great American novelists such as Twain, Mailer, Oates, and Hemingway. And more recently people like Richard Ford, Donna Tartt - The Goldfinch’ was excellent. I could go on for a long time on this subject but I think Alan Garner tops for atmosphere.
Is there a message in your novel which you want readers to grasp? Do you have anything specific you want to say to your readers?
I’d like to think it may expand the reader’s imaginative horizons, which I hope you’ll agree isn’t as blunt as it sounds. In this age of austerity we’ve had pushed down our throats for so long now its high time we all took on an element of the extravagant and unbelievable. And in doing so turn it around from the inside out.
What next – what are your current projects? Can you share any of it with us?
I am writing a follow on book nominally entitled If I Can’t be Human then I want Feathers. But I’d prefer not to say much about it just yet. And Plans for a third book which will be about an impending Event Horizon.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block?
No never. I write most days, even if it’s only just a little. Sometimes particular passages take longer to write and the going is slow. But it’s not what you would call writer’s block.
Do you write an outline before every novel you write?
Yes, definitely. It’s useful to keep focused. But I change it as I go along. I plan it out initially so every passage lasts 500 words, but some turn out to be longer and some are shorter but it evens out eventually. I aim for about 80, maybe 90,000 words. I think that s long enough for a book.
Have you ever hated something which you have written? What was the hardest part about writing your novel?
No I don’t. It doesn’t get put down if I don’t like it. Although some moments are grim and unpleasant but that’s drama anyway. It’s all quite hard to write. Sometimes I can only manage a few sentences and then I have to have a lie down. I can sustain for longer if I write the first draft pencil on paper. I use Staedtler HB pencils and A5 reporter’s notebooks wire bound with a line space between lines to allow for corrections.
Do you see writing as a career? How did you first get started? What obstacles do you have to overcome?
I have always been a writer.
What is something your readers might be surprised to find out about you? some people seem to think I must be high as a kite when I write (I am a poet and I know it) but that couldn’t be further from the truth: I write stone cold sober and in silence. Remember Seamus Heaney, "Dig down deep into your word hoard, compose in silence, expect aurora borealis in the long foray but no cascade of light."
Thank you Paul For your time - very enlightening.
For info - Parts 6 & 7 (the final two parts) of Paul's book will be published during October. With a December release for the complete novel. Please check back to the website for exact details in due course.
Both Dean M. Drinkel and Justin Miles have worked with the brilliant Dave Jeffery On a number of projects over the years - including 2016's Chromatics. Prior to meeting up at Fantasycon in Chester, where Peter Mark May's Hersham Horror will be officially launching Bad vision, Dean and Dave sat down to have a chat.
Your new book Bad Vision has just been published – well done by the way! - without revealing too many spoilers can you tell us a little about it? Are these new characters or is the book part of a series?
BAD VISION is a psychological horror story about a man who can see disasters as they happen but cannot do anything to stop them. He finds that on one occasion he foresees an event that he can possibly avert before something terrible happens. I describe it as The Medusa Touch meets The Dead Zone. I'm heartened that the current response from critics is highly positive. Outside of being part of Hersham Horror's Primal Range of novellas this is a standalone tale with characters created specifically for it.
You write both stand alone novels as well as series of books (the successful Beatrice Beecham for example). When you come up with an initial story idea do you decide then whether it should be part of a series / stand alone or do you work on it for a little while and then make the decision?
The Beatrice Beecham novels were always intended as a series. I had in my mind six contemporary mystery books, I certainly had those tales outlined, but with the growing supernatural backstory this is likely to continue beyond the original outline until the story is finally told. I now envisage ten books. In contrast, the Necropolis Rising series was only intended to be one book. The response to the first instalment was so unbelievable, a follow up made perfect sense. At the halfway point of writing the sequel, Necromancer, I had a story outline for two more books. Dead Empire followed and the fourth instalment will be written at some point when the zombie market isn't so crowded. I signed a multiple book deal for the Frostbite series (Severed Press) and that was meant to be individual yeti tales. Again, the first book has sold well and there are story and character elements I want to explore further so it will continue as a series as I work through the narrative.
You seem to have mastered the ‘secret art’ of both being successful in terms of sales but also obtaining reviews which is every author’s dream – just how do you do it?
Its on a moderate scale but I have been fortunate that readers connect with my work enough to invest valuable time and money. I have been lucky that people feel passionate enough to leave reviews, good or bad. Apathy is the writer's bane. I make a concerted effort to engage with readers, including responses on FaceBook and Twitter. As a reader I'm always mesmerised by responses from authors I have read and admire. Sometimes it's easy to forget the impact your work can have on another person.
As well as the pure horror stories you also write YA books – this appears to be a growing trend with the YA market growing and growing all the time – is it ‘easy’ to write between the sub-genres or do you find yourself having to ‘tone yourself down’ when writing YA? You’ve also been doing some work with the HWA (Horror Writers' Association) with regards to YA horror fiction – are you allowed to tell us a little about that?
The YA horror scene is due a shake up for sure. The primary focus is dystopian or supernatural romance, with very little notable horror fiction out there at the moment. Of what is available I'd suggest Jonathan Maberry, Darren Shan and Amy Lucavics as stand outs. The HWA work involved a questionnaire to establish membership perceptions of writing for the YA market, including what factors put them off and what they would need to support them going forward. I'm limited on what I can say about the findings as they are yet to be published for the membership. What I can say is that people want to write for the market and are clear on what resources are needed to help them do it. There are also two high profile interviews aligned with the project and these will all be published in the New Year.
You definitely appear to have a great relationship with your readers (and with other writers as you are always promoting other writers in the genre – many thanks for that, it is SO appreciated) – is this something you have deliberately nurtured or did it just happen by a process of osmosis? It appears your readers have really bought into your ethos – IF they suggested ways to take the characters or suggest future plots / stories would you take their advice?
I have spent the bulk of my life working in mental healthcare. I am, by nature, a caring and supportive person. To be honest I don't know how to be any other way. That people consider this a positive warms me. Most people are appreciative and let me know it, others chose not to but the choice to support them is mine not theirs so it matters not. I'm always open to ideas from readers, from character names and traits. It's important to listen to the fans. I think a ceiling to that is if the story requires something dramatic to happen and a character is killed in the process. I've emails from fans who have been gutted by the death of one of their favourite characters and feel the need to vent. Such emails are bittersweet as I empathise with their views but also see it as affirmation that I have created credible characters to which people feel connected.
As well as your short stories / novels / novellas you also work in film with your company VLM (Venomous Little Man) – I know you put the film stuff on hiatus for a little while but I saw a post on social media recently where it seemed to suggest you might be back producing again? I hope so because I’ve loved your output to date – can you tell us any news about VLM?
Sadly VLM as a production company is no more. We were putting things out there for three years and won awards for each of those years. So I guess we knew something about what we were doing but, in the end, the financial investment we needed to take things further just wasn't there. This came with significant shout outs from from the likes of Clive Barker, and Fangoria and Starburst magazines. These days I tend to write commissioned screenplays for the independent genre sector. Recently I was approached by James Jobling from Rebel Skulls Productions to write a screenplay based on his short story Once Bitten Twice Die. The story featured in a Duncan P Bradshaw and David Owain Hughes edited George Romero tribute anthology, Stories of the Dead (EyeCue Productions). The movie features Adam Millard and is set to film in Spring 2019. It's good to be writing screenplays again, I enjoy the process immensely. It doesn't take much to get me back into this format.
You are a strong advocate for sufferers of Mental Health which seems to be becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society – can you tell us a little about that and do you write about it in your fiction?
As I've said elsewhere I will never use the genre as a platform to perpetuate the stigma of mental illness. I frown on the ignorant, I'll-informed parodies of mental illness that feature in the work of some well-respected authors. Yes, I enjoy horror in all of its forms but the story must never be exploitative. It's the quickest way to get me to disconnect from a pierce of work. I would urge any genre writer planning a story where mental illness is a feature to read Finding Jericho. It's been endorsed by both BBC Health and the mental health charity MIND, and is on the recommended reading list for Independent School Entrance Exam for English. Or get in touch with me for basic guidance on how to apply the nuances of mental health to their characters. I'll help where I can or at least signpost them to a recommended reading list.
You worked with Dean on 12 Dark Days: One Helluva Christmas (Nocturnicorn Books, 2017) how did that came about and your story – is it a ‘stand alone’ or is it connected to a wider series / universe?
I've worked with Dean on several occasions and my Four Calling Birds story for the 12 Dark Days anthology was a product of reading a little too much (Ray) Bradbury last year. Yes, I know that when it comes to Bradbury there's no such thing as 'too much'! The tale tries to distill the idea of a dystopian world that has arisen from an ecological crisis and the concept of human sustainability. Again, the story is a standalone but I'd love to extend it into a longer piece, a novella if not a novel.
When you can, you attend conventions – how successful do you find these in respect of book sales or do you use them to connect with your readers and catch up with friends?
I have found a correlation between online sales either during or immediately post-conference. I can only equate this attending and promoting the currently releases. I did a few panels and readings at FantasyCon last year and find these enjoyable. This year I'm going to see friends and launch Bad Vision. It's an event I look forward to and always get a creative kick from being around likeminded people.
What does 2019 hold for you – any upcoming releases (in terms of stories / novels etc) you can tell us about?
I have two books out next year with Severed Press, a Sci-fi action story called The Phase War, and the second Frostbite book. I am also expanded Beatrice Beecham universe with a mash up novella titled Beatrice Beecham's Soul Stealer, a collaboration with Monique Snyman's Shadow Grove series. We're hoping to get this book out via Gigi Publications in 2019. I would also urge fans of gritty YA fiction to read Monique's first book, The Night Weaver. It's damn good. I have another project that I'm not able to announce until I have contracts signed but it's all exciting stuff that will keep me busy for most of next year. But I'm not complaining, I'm lucky to be in this position.
Dave thank you so much - all the best for the future. thanks for all you do to support us writers / artists / publishers in the horror genre (and beyond). It really is appreciated!
biography
Dave Jeffery is author of 12 novels, two collections and numerous short stories. His Necropolis Rising series and yeti adventure Frostbite have both featured on the Amazon #1 bestseller list. His YA work features critically acclaimed Beatrice Beecham series and Finding Jericho, a contemporary mental health novel which has featured on BBC Health and the Independent Schools Entrance Examination Board's recommended reading lists. Jeffery is a member of the Society of Authors, British Fantasy Society (where he is a regular book reviewer), and the Horror Writers Association. He is also a registered mental health professional with a BSc (Hons) in Mental Health Studies and a Masters Degree in Health Studies. Jeffery is married with two children and lives in Worcestershire, UK.
Links
Website: www.davejeffery.webs.com
Amazon author page: Http://viewauthor.at/davejeffery
facebook author page: https://m.facebook.com/davejefferyauthor/
Twitter: @davebjeffery
Here At the lycopolis press, we believe in spreading the love for former contributors where we can - every little bit helps so we say. As such, Both Justin Miles and Dean M. Drinkel have been heavily involved in ALex S. Johnson's Nocturnicorn press. In the interview which follows, Lead Editor Dean M. Drinkel chats with Heide Goody & Iain M. Grant who contributed to 12 Dark Days: One Helluva Christmas - their new book Snowflake has also just been published to critical acclaim.
You have just released a new book Snowflake (well done by the way!) – without revealing too many spoilers can you tell us a little about it? Are these new characters or is the book part of a series?
This is a new book. It’s about a young twenty-something, Lori, who is effectively dumped by her parents. They sell the family home and move away while Lori is on holiday and don’t tell her where they’ve gone. Lori, who is the clueless snowflake of the title (but very much our heroine) has to learn to make her way in the world as an adult. And, it being a comedy, she gets everything wrong.
Reading recent reviews of Snowflake talk a lot about how the characters feel “real” (and actually this is a common comment across many reviews of all your titles) – are they based therefore on people? If so, for some of the darker / funnier moments in Snowflake are they also based on events which really happened?
We rarely base characters in books on real people. It’s happened a couple of times but we don’t stalk people to steal their personalities. However, we definitely derive some of our inspiration from real world situations. For example, both of us have adult children and we’re both acutely aware of how tough life is for young adults. They grow up with lots of expectations heaped upon them (get a degree, get a job, get a house) by people who grew up in a different age (when degrees were free, when jobs paid a decent salary and houses were affordable, etc). This was one of our inspirations for Snowflake and a we got to work out a lot of those frustrations and gripes through that story.
You write as a duo – how does that work exactly? Do you each write a chapter for the other to edit or do you both jointly write each chapters? Or even focus on specific characters as I know some writing duos tend to do. When I co-wrote a film script, my co-writer and I worked on each scene together (in the main because there were one or two scenes which we initially wrote separately) – we edited together and then I did the final ‘polishes’. That system seem to work for us on that particular project.
We have a number of different ways we work. On some books, notably the Clovenhoof series, we both write it at the same time, each telling the other what to write for certain chapters and then leapfrogging our way through the story. On other books, like Snowflake, one of us acts as the plotter and ‘polisher’ and the other one does the bulk of the writing. We like to think our writing styles match up closely so readers don’t notice who has written what although, as a general rule of thumb, if a scene is really, really, really silly then that’s probably Heide’s handiwork (says Iain).
As alluded to earlier, you write both stand alone novels as well as series of books (the successful Clovenhoof for example). When you come up with an initial story idea do you decide then whether it should be part of a series / stand alone or do you work on it for a little while and then make the decision?
There are good reasons for writing books in series: readers will hopefully read through all subsequent books without too much persuasion, and Amazon definitely pushes readers towards series. There are also good reasons for writing books set in different worlds: each world is a saleable property in terms of TV and film rights etc. At the moment we have several ideas for stories on the backlog. When we develop an idea we run through a process of discussing whether it belongs in one of our existing worlds, e.g. could this be a Clovenhoof story? So much depends on how the idea popped up. Sometimes an idea turns up with its own characters, but other times it’s more conceptual, so we could flex it into a different setting.
You seem to have mastered the ‘secret art’ of both being successful in terms of sales but also obtaining reviews which is every author’s dream – just how do you do it? You write a newsletter – how often does that go out and how useful have you found it as an ‘author’s tool’ – for example has it brought you new readers or is it just a case of updating the readers you currently have (which isn’t bad in itself)?
Our newsletter doesn’t bring us new readers, it helps us to maintain a relationship with the ones that we already have. We probably don’t send newsletters as regularly as we should — it’s a balance between being spammy and making sure that people remember who we are when they get an email from us. We probably average one newsletter every three months, but we know that monthly would be much better. For getting reviews, we make sure that we maintain a good relationship with book bloggers. We know quite a number of them and see them at various events throughout the year. As a result, if we have a blog tour to launch a new book, at least we can be confident that there are some bloggers who will know who we are, and might decide to review the book. By the way, for anyone who doesn’t know what a blog tour is, it’s when a book is featured on a series of blogs, for reviews, extracts or perhaps some other kind of content. With a concentrated burst of activity, it raises the profile of a book, so lots of people will see the cover and hear snippets about it. Organisers of blog tours charge a nominal fee, but bloggers aren’t paid. Their support cannot be understated!
You definitely appear to have a great relationship with your readers – is this something you have deliberately nurtured or did it just happen by a process of osmosis? It appears your readers have really bought into your ethos – IF they suggested ways to take the characters or suggest future plots / stories would you take their advice?
We interact with readers and meet them whenever we can. There’s a Facebook reading group called TBC which has several local meetups. We’ve been to a number of them around the country, and also helped to organise the one in Birmingham. Another thing we like to do is to hand sell books. For example, we have attended Collectormania at the NEC for the last two years. It’s very hard work manning a stall for two long days, but we meet people who have read our books and we persuade others to try them for the first time, and we get a real buzz from that. Readers have made suggestions to us lots of times and we always take note of their feedback. As an example, there was a minor character in the second Oddjobs book called Steve the Destroyer. Lots of readers wanted more from him, so he plays a big part in the next book in the series.
You worked with Dean on 12 Dark Days: One Helluva Christmas (Nocturnicorn Books, 2017) can you tell us a little about how that came about and about your story – again is it a ‘stand alone’ story or is it connected to a wider series / universe.
Iain: I seem to recall that Heide bagsied the Eight Maids A-Milking slot. We passed a lot of ideas back and forth and we were both drawn to the idea of killing of eight maids in a sort of cut-down slasher horror story. Fitting that kind of narrative into the short story mould was very difficult and we looked at numerous ways of addressing it. At some point, one of us (neither can remember who) thought it might be good to have an omniscient cow-god tell the story! There are currently, no plans for further cow-god-related stories. Sorry.
You do attend a number of conventions – how successful do you find these in respect of book sales or do you use them to connect with your readers and catch up with friends?
Heide: We have a rule, invented by Iain to curb some of my crazier excesses. When we’re considering whether or not to do something, if it will EITHER sell books OR it will be fun then we will do it. If it does both, then even better! Conventions probably fall more into the “fun” camp. It’s wonderful to catch up with friends and talk books and writing. I went to Stokercon in the US last year, and it was enormous fun. I made connections there that had real value, and I am very excited that Stokercon is coming to the UK for the first time in 2020. We have seen spikes in book sales that we can attribute directly to our activities at conventions. For example, we have learned the value of a succinct hook. If anyone ever hands a microphone to me and I can crowbar in the line “Clovenhoof is about Satan, made redundant from Hell and sent to live in Birmingham” then I know that it’s likely to tickle the fancy of someone listening.
Can you tell us a little about the ‘writers’ course’ that you recently ran in Derby – do you have any others coming up and how can our readers find out more about them?
We’ve been writing together for seven years now and we’ve picked up a lot of tips and techniques from some wonderful writers and teachers and learned a lot along the way. As a writing partnership, we need to have a very clear idea of what we’re planning to do so plotting and character development have been a big part of our process. We’ve been running workshops with the Quad in Derby and Writing West Midlands in Birmingham to share some of these insights and techniques. A lot of this has been very practical and hands on. We’ve had writers from beginners to professionals on our courses and we have a lot of fun and we hope to run plenty more next year all across the country. We’ve also been trialling a wonderfully mad mini-workshop called Fractal Storytelling which teaches some of the basics of story structure through the medium of coloured paper, scissors and sticky-back plastic.
What does 2019 hold for you both – any upcoming releases you can tell us about?
We have a couple of books that are ready or almost ready. The next in the Oddjobs series will be making an appearance in 2019. We need to decide on the project(s) that we’ll start after Christmas. We have a really strong hankering to write something that emulates the “Florida Whackjob” comedy-crime style of Carl Hiaasen, Tim Dorsey, Jeff Lindsay and others. We want to set it in Skegness and arrange for some sort of literary twinning to take place. It’s likely that we will give in to this at some point in 2019.
Final question then – just what is it with that damn baby?!!!!
Heide: I went looking for a baby doll when we released Beelzebelle, a story with a baby at its core. When I came across Baby, I initially borrowed it for a few days to take some pictures. It didn’t take long to realise that Baby provokes a strong reaction. Some people are fascinated by Baby’s dreadful appearance, others are repelled. As it happened, I was with my uncle, Bob Carolgees (he of Spit the Dog and TISWAS fame) and he told me that I needed to buy Baby. He knows a thing or two about these things and so I did, and the adventures of Baby have amused and horrified anyone who will pay attention for about three years now. There are some short stories featuring Baby, and it’s entirely possible that a novel will follow...
Heide, Iain - thanks for speaking to us.
A review of snowflake will appear in due course.
(please note the author photo of Heide and Iain was taken by Peter Coleborn - and yes that is GRR Martin with BABY!)
Biography
Heide and Iain met at the Birmingham Writer's Group and started co-writing in 2012. Since then they have self-published more than ten comic-fantasy novels and their books feature regularly in the top twenty of the amazon satire charts. WHen they write together Heide brings farcical stupidity and iain brings geeky cleverness and then they blend it together, almost never arguing about who is lennon and who is McCartney.
Website: http://www.pigeonparkpress.com/
Twitter: @heidegoody and @iainmgrant
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Clovenhoof-Books-285544508177333/
You have just released a new book Snowflake (well done by the way!) – without revealing too many spoilers can you tell us a little about it? Are these new characters or is the book part of a series?
This is a new book. It’s about a young twenty-something, Lori, who is effectively dumped by her parents. They sell the family home and move away while Lori is on holiday and don’t tell her where they’ve gone. Lori, who is the clueless snowflake of the title (but very much our heroine) has to learn to make her way in the world as an adult. And, it being a comedy, she gets everything wrong.
Reading recent reviews of Snowflake talk a lot about how the characters feel “real” (and actually this is a common comment across many reviews of all your titles) – are they based therefore on people? If so, for some of the darker / funnier moments in Snowflake are they also based on events which really happened?
We rarely base characters in books on real people. It’s happened a couple of times but we don’t stalk people to steal their personalities. However, we definitely derive some of our inspiration from real world situations. For example, both of us have adult children and we’re both acutely aware of how tough life is for young adults. They grow up with lots of expectations heaped upon them (get a degree, get a job, get a house) by people who grew up in a different age (when degrees were free, when jobs paid a decent salary and houses were affordable, etc). This was one of our inspirations for Snowflake and a we got to work out a lot of those frustrations and gripes through that story.
You write as a duo – how does that work exactly? Do you each write a chapter for the other to edit or do you both jointly write each chapters? Or even focus on specific characters as I know some writing duos tend to do. When I co-wrote a film script, my co-writer and I worked on each scene together (in the main because there were one or two scenes which we initially wrote separately) – we edited together and then I did the final ‘polishes’. That system seem to work for us on that particular project.
We have a number of different ways we work. On some books, notably the Clovenhoof series, we both write it at the same time, each telling the other what to write for certain chapters and then leapfrogging our way through the story. On other books, like Snowflake, one of us acts as the plotter and ‘polisher’ and the other one does the bulk of the writing. We like to think our writing styles match up closely so readers don’t notice who has written what although, as a general rule of thumb, if a scene is really, really, really silly then that’s probably Heide’s handiwork (says Iain).
As alluded to earlier, you write both stand alone novels as well as series of books (the successful Clovenhoof for example). When you come up with an initial story idea do you decide then whether it should be part of a series / stand alone or do you work on it for a little while and then make the decision?
There are good reasons for writing books in series: readers will hopefully read through all subsequent books without too much persuasion, and Amazon definitely pushes readers towards series. There are also good reasons for writing books set in different worlds: each world is a saleable property in terms of TV and film rights etc. At the moment we have several ideas for stories on the backlog. When we develop an idea we run through a process of discussing whether it belongs in one of our existing worlds, e.g. could this be a Clovenhoof story? So much depends on how the idea popped up. Sometimes an idea turns up with its own characters, but other times it’s more conceptual, so we could flex it into a different setting.
You seem to have mastered the ‘secret art’ of both being successful in terms of sales but also obtaining reviews which is every author’s dream – just how do you do it? You write a newsletter – how often does that go out and how useful have you found it as an ‘author’s tool’ – for example has it brought you new readers or is it just a case of updating the readers you currently have (which isn’t bad in itself)?
Our newsletter doesn’t bring us new readers, it helps us to maintain a relationship with the ones that we already have. We probably don’t send newsletters as regularly as we should — it’s a balance between being spammy and making sure that people remember who we are when they get an email from us. We probably average one newsletter every three months, but we know that monthly would be much better. For getting reviews, we make sure that we maintain a good relationship with book bloggers. We know quite a number of them and see them at various events throughout the year. As a result, if we have a blog tour to launch a new book, at least we can be confident that there are some bloggers who will know who we are, and might decide to review the book. By the way, for anyone who doesn’t know what a blog tour is, it’s when a book is featured on a series of blogs, for reviews, extracts or perhaps some other kind of content. With a concentrated burst of activity, it raises the profile of a book, so lots of people will see the cover and hear snippets about it. Organisers of blog tours charge a nominal fee, but bloggers aren’t paid. Their support cannot be understated!
You definitely appear to have a great relationship with your readers – is this something you have deliberately nurtured or did it just happen by a process of osmosis? It appears your readers have really bought into your ethos – IF they suggested ways to take the characters or suggest future plots / stories would you take their advice?
We interact with readers and meet them whenever we can. There’s a Facebook reading group called TBC which has several local meetups. We’ve been to a number of them around the country, and also helped to organise the one in Birmingham. Another thing we like to do is to hand sell books. For example, we have attended Collectormania at the NEC for the last two years. It’s very hard work manning a stall for two long days, but we meet people who have read our books and we persuade others to try them for the first time, and we get a real buzz from that. Readers have made suggestions to us lots of times and we always take note of their feedback. As an example, there was a minor character in the second Oddjobs book called Steve the Destroyer. Lots of readers wanted more from him, so he plays a big part in the next book in the series.
You worked with Dean on 12 Dark Days: One Helluva Christmas (Nocturnicorn Books, 2017) can you tell us a little about how that came about and about your story – again is it a ‘stand alone’ story or is it connected to a wider series / universe.
Iain: I seem to recall that Heide bagsied the Eight Maids A-Milking slot. We passed a lot of ideas back and forth and we were both drawn to the idea of killing of eight maids in a sort of cut-down slasher horror story. Fitting that kind of narrative into the short story mould was very difficult and we looked at numerous ways of addressing it. At some point, one of us (neither can remember who) thought it might be good to have an omniscient cow-god tell the story! There are currently, no plans for further cow-god-related stories. Sorry.
You do attend a number of conventions – how successful do you find these in respect of book sales or do you use them to connect with your readers and catch up with friends?
Heide: We have a rule, invented by Iain to curb some of my crazier excesses. When we’re considering whether or not to do something, if it will EITHER sell books OR it will be fun then we will do it. If it does both, then even better! Conventions probably fall more into the “fun” camp. It’s wonderful to catch up with friends and talk books and writing. I went to Stokercon in the US last year, and it was enormous fun. I made connections there that had real value, and I am very excited that Stokercon is coming to the UK for the first time in 2020. We have seen spikes in book sales that we can attribute directly to our activities at conventions. For example, we have learned the value of a succinct hook. If anyone ever hands a microphone to me and I can crowbar in the line “Clovenhoof is about Satan, made redundant from Hell and sent to live in Birmingham” then I know that it’s likely to tickle the fancy of someone listening.
Can you tell us a little about the ‘writers’ course’ that you recently ran in Derby – do you have any others coming up and how can our readers find out more about them?
We’ve been writing together for seven years now and we’ve picked up a lot of tips and techniques from some wonderful writers and teachers and learned a lot along the way. As a writing partnership, we need to have a very clear idea of what we’re planning to do so plotting and character development have been a big part of our process. We’ve been running workshops with the Quad in Derby and Writing West Midlands in Birmingham to share some of these insights and techniques. A lot of this has been very practical and hands on. We’ve had writers from beginners to professionals on our courses and we have a lot of fun and we hope to run plenty more next year all across the country. We’ve also been trialling a wonderfully mad mini-workshop called Fractal Storytelling which teaches some of the basics of story structure through the medium of coloured paper, scissors and sticky-back plastic.
What does 2019 hold for you both – any upcoming releases you can tell us about?
We have a couple of books that are ready or almost ready. The next in the Oddjobs series will be making an appearance in 2019. We need to decide on the project(s) that we’ll start after Christmas. We have a really strong hankering to write something that emulates the “Florida Whackjob” comedy-crime style of Carl Hiaasen, Tim Dorsey, Jeff Lindsay and others. We want to set it in Skegness and arrange for some sort of literary twinning to take place. It’s likely that we will give in to this at some point in 2019.
Final question then – just what is it with that damn baby?!!!!
Heide: I went looking for a baby doll when we released Beelzebelle, a story with a baby at its core. When I came across Baby, I initially borrowed it for a few days to take some pictures. It didn’t take long to realise that Baby provokes a strong reaction. Some people are fascinated by Baby’s dreadful appearance, others are repelled. As it happened, I was with my uncle, Bob Carolgees (he of Spit the Dog and TISWAS fame) and he told me that I needed to buy Baby. He knows a thing or two about these things and so I did, and the adventures of Baby have amused and horrified anyone who will pay attention for about three years now. There are some short stories featuring Baby, and it’s entirely possible that a novel will follow...
Heide, Iain - thanks for speaking to us.
A review of snowflake will appear in due course.
(please note the author photo of Heide and Iain was taken by Peter Coleborn - and yes that is GRR Martin with BABY!)
Biography
Heide and Iain met at the Birmingham Writer's Group and started co-writing in 2012. Since then they have self-published more than ten comic-fantasy novels and their books feature regularly in the top twenty of the amazon satire charts. WHen they write together Heide brings farcical stupidity and iain brings geeky cleverness and then they blend it together, almost never arguing about who is lennon and who is McCartney.
Website: http://www.pigeonparkpress.com/
Twitter: @heidegoody and @iainmgrant
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Clovenhoof-Books-285544508177333/
Dean M. Drinkel speaks to Paul Flewitt who wrote the story Climbing Out for DEMONOLOGY back in 2015.
Hi Paul, great to speak to you again. Hope you’re doing well. For those that don’t know you, can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
Hi Dean, it’s a pleasure to speak with you again. Yes, For those who don’t know me, I am a horror and dark fantasy writer from Sheffield, UK. I’ve been writing for press since 2012 - mostly short stories (which is a situation that will be remedied soon.) I’m a father of two children and married to the wonderfully supportive Julia. I am an avid reader and try to support up and coming writers as much as I possibly can, even if only to offer a little advice and encouragement. I’m a lover of music, mostly rock and heavy metal, although I do find myself listening to classical music on occasion. Other than that, there really isn’t a whole lot more to tell; I’m just a simple, relatively normal human being…despite rumour and evidence to the contrary.
Can you tell us how you became involved in DEMONOLOGY.
That was entirely your fault, Dean. I’m afraid your reputation preceded you and I think I’d stalked and dropped (not very subtle) hints with you for a while that I wanted to write for one of your anthologies. They’re known for having quality stories and very interesting themes, and I wanted in. I think I’d finally beaten you into submission when Demonology came along, and when you explained the theme to me it was right up my street. I was already gestating a bit of a demon story at the time (which has so far come to naught, but is still in my files) so I decided to write a prequel to that…and you seem to have quite liked it, thankfully.
Your story was called Climbing Out (and what a brilliant story it is!) – tell us about it if you don’t mind.
As I alluded to above, I was already thinking about a story about a demon when Demonology came along. At the time, I was planning quite a long work based around a Nephilim called Jezriel. I didn’t want to shorten it down or give you an abbreviated version of that story, but I did think it would be fun to write a backstory for him. Climbing Out was that back story, which is essentially the story of that demon’s escape from Hell. On the long climb out of the Pit, he remembers his childhood and being brought up among humans and the evils that were done to him…and how he came to be cast down. It was a nice little tale to write; left me quite quickly as I remember and people still comment on it now. One day, I will finish the longer tale.
So, What inspired you to write Climbing Out?
First and foremost it was the theme of the anthology and the fact that I was already planning a story along similar lines, so the stars were apparently in alignment. More broadly, I was raised quite strictly in a Christian household until I was around ten, and the bible has always held a fascination. Taking any ideas of faith out of the conversation, there are some bloody good horror stories in that book. So, I guess it’s inevitable that I might look to that source for decent story ideas. The Nephilim is a story that has always fascinated me, and so that’s where I went first for inspiration. The whole Nephilim tale and the flood is quite apocalyptic in itself, isn’t it?
In 2016 you had your novel Poor Jeffery published – can you tell us about that – what’s the book about?
Ah, Jeffrey. It’s quite a bit older than that, in fact. 2016 was the second pressing for that book, but it was originally released in late 2012. It’s a funny little story where I decided to throw every horror cliché I could think of into one story, so there are the obligatory group of disaffected teens, a crazy preacher, a small American town gone a bit mental, a world-weary investigator and his young and hungry sidekick, a serial killer and a zombie… why not? Seriously though, it came about at a time when I was striking around for story ideas. This was at a time when zombie stories were de-rigeur and everyone seemed to be writing them. A friend suggested that I try writing one too; which I balked at because I figured every writer and their father was writing them and they’d been done. This friend went on about this zombie tale, and so I relented; but MY zombie would be a vegan, pacifist who is accused of murder…and so Poor Jeffrey was born. It began as a short story, which was fleshed out to novel length at the suggestion of the original publisher. The literary in-joke for a friend turned into a good story, which garnered a lot of praise when it was published. Its one of those stories that surprised the writer, because it pops up from nothing and ends up bigger than anyone expected. I think the fact that it was released a long time ago now, and the fact that people still seem to want to talk about it, really says it all.
You’ve contributed to several anthologies now – what do you like about writing / contributing to them?
That was actually a total accident, if I’m honest. Following on from Poor Jeffery’s release, I started receiving invitations to write for anthologies. At that time, I didn’t want to say no to anyone because, like many new writers, I feared what might happen if I did say no. I didn’t want to be seen as a snob or to have snubbed anyone before I’d even started (these fears were totally unfounded…you CAN say no)…and so I found myself writing solely for the short fiction market. Projects like Demonology, I did because I wanted to work with the editor or because I liked the theme. I recognise that, while I have enjoyed writing for anthologies, it has probably distracted me from writing longer works for far too long. The thing is…they’re a lot of fun to do. The thing also with anthologies is that they’re good practice and have allowed me to hone my voice in a way that sticking to longer works wouldn’t have done. In hindsight, I probably did things backwards in releasing a novel and then concentrating on shorter stories for a few years. I’m not saying I won’t do anthologies anymore…I will, but I have to be pickier and sometimes say no.
What would you rather write in – long or short form?
I don’t think I have a preference. Some stories need to be told with brevity, others need to be more effusive. I can switch from one to another quite readily and enjoy the challenge of both equally. Either way, they normally take me an age to write anyway haha
What are you working on at the moment, anything you can share with your readers?
Oh, I’ve been a busy bee this year…you ready? I have a novel with my editor right now; The False Prophet, which is the first book in a planned trilogy. I’ve been tinkering with this one for a long time, and now I think I’m at a stage where I can do it justice. This one is the most epic and ambitious project I’ve ever attempted, but I’m really excited about the prospect of getting it into the hands of readers. Next up, gives the lie to my previous answer to a question…because I’m almost done with a short story haha. The Defeat of the Black Worm is probably the most personal thing I’ve ever written and is essentially about a battle with anxiety…of course, it’s very veiled and very much a dark fantasy piece, rather than an essay on mental health. Lastly, I’m about half way through writing another novel: The Family Jeraboam. This one is another dark fantasy set in 1800’s San Diego. People often compare me with Clive Barker, and this one is where I have really embraced that comparison and run with it. If you liked Climbing out and its visions of Hell, you’ll love this one.
Creatively what do you think the future holds for Paul Flewitt – do you set yourself yearly aims / objectives – if so how has 2018 treated you?
I’ve given up on setting targets and telling people when things will be released or completed. I always miss them anyway and it all adds to a sense of failure. I’m always working on two or three projects at a time, and it normally takes me an age to actually get anything finished. There are files of half-complete manuscripts that died a death because I rushed to hit an imaginary deadline and burned out, so I stopped doing that to myself. I’m in a position where I don’t have deadlines imposed by a press, I have no contracts to honour and so things are done when they’re done. Productively, I’ve been more active in 2018 than I have in quite a while. Unfortunately, the fruits of that labour may not be seen for a while due to the editing process and then finding a publisher…but don’t worry…there’s a whole swathe of books to come from me yet.
Though you are known to be a horror / dark fantasy writer have you ever thought about straying outside the genre and writing something else – if so, what?
I’ve always said that horror and dark fantasy is my playground. I like reading other genres, but I feel that my voice is suited more to the darker arts. I’m not sure that I could be a romance or an erotica writer; I’m not sure I’d want to. Horror and dark fantasy is where my heart is and what I know, and there’s a lot of material to cover…why would I want to play anywhere else?
Thank you for Talking to us paul - very enlightening! We Look forward to working with you again.
BIOGRAPHY
Paul Flewitt lives in Sheffield, UK with his partner and their two children. He is a writer of horror and dark fantasy. Paul is the author of Smoke a flash fiction which appeared in OzHorrorCon's Book of Tribes anthology, Paradise Park and the stand alone novella Poor Jeffrey. In 2014, Poor Jeffrey was nominated in the Preditors and Editors Readers Poll for Best Horror Novel. In subsequent years he has penned more short stories; including Climbing Out (Demonology, THE Lycopolis Press,) Apartment 16b (Behind Closed Doors, Matt Shaw) and Always Beneath (Dark Light vol 3, CHBB/Vamptasy) and many more. He has also written a monologue for screen (Silent Invader; Fragments of Fear).
TWITTER: @realpaulflewitt
LINK: Https://www.facebook.com/Paul-Flewitt-Author-of-Dark-Fiction-352745188170046/
Hi Paul, great to speak to you again. Hope you’re doing well. For those that don’t know you, can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
Hi Dean, it’s a pleasure to speak with you again. Yes, For those who don’t know me, I am a horror and dark fantasy writer from Sheffield, UK. I’ve been writing for press since 2012 - mostly short stories (which is a situation that will be remedied soon.) I’m a father of two children and married to the wonderfully supportive Julia. I am an avid reader and try to support up and coming writers as much as I possibly can, even if only to offer a little advice and encouragement. I’m a lover of music, mostly rock and heavy metal, although I do find myself listening to classical music on occasion. Other than that, there really isn’t a whole lot more to tell; I’m just a simple, relatively normal human being…despite rumour and evidence to the contrary.
Can you tell us how you became involved in DEMONOLOGY.
That was entirely your fault, Dean. I’m afraid your reputation preceded you and I think I’d stalked and dropped (not very subtle) hints with you for a while that I wanted to write for one of your anthologies. They’re known for having quality stories and very interesting themes, and I wanted in. I think I’d finally beaten you into submission when Demonology came along, and when you explained the theme to me it was right up my street. I was already gestating a bit of a demon story at the time (which has so far come to naught, but is still in my files) so I decided to write a prequel to that…and you seem to have quite liked it, thankfully.
Your story was called Climbing Out (and what a brilliant story it is!) – tell us about it if you don’t mind.
As I alluded to above, I was already thinking about a story about a demon when Demonology came along. At the time, I was planning quite a long work based around a Nephilim called Jezriel. I didn’t want to shorten it down or give you an abbreviated version of that story, but I did think it would be fun to write a backstory for him. Climbing Out was that back story, which is essentially the story of that demon’s escape from Hell. On the long climb out of the Pit, he remembers his childhood and being brought up among humans and the evils that were done to him…and how he came to be cast down. It was a nice little tale to write; left me quite quickly as I remember and people still comment on it now. One day, I will finish the longer tale.
So, What inspired you to write Climbing Out?
First and foremost it was the theme of the anthology and the fact that I was already planning a story along similar lines, so the stars were apparently in alignment. More broadly, I was raised quite strictly in a Christian household until I was around ten, and the bible has always held a fascination. Taking any ideas of faith out of the conversation, there are some bloody good horror stories in that book. So, I guess it’s inevitable that I might look to that source for decent story ideas. The Nephilim is a story that has always fascinated me, and so that’s where I went first for inspiration. The whole Nephilim tale and the flood is quite apocalyptic in itself, isn’t it?
In 2016 you had your novel Poor Jeffery published – can you tell us about that – what’s the book about?
Ah, Jeffrey. It’s quite a bit older than that, in fact. 2016 was the second pressing for that book, but it was originally released in late 2012. It’s a funny little story where I decided to throw every horror cliché I could think of into one story, so there are the obligatory group of disaffected teens, a crazy preacher, a small American town gone a bit mental, a world-weary investigator and his young and hungry sidekick, a serial killer and a zombie… why not? Seriously though, it came about at a time when I was striking around for story ideas. This was at a time when zombie stories were de-rigeur and everyone seemed to be writing them. A friend suggested that I try writing one too; which I balked at because I figured every writer and their father was writing them and they’d been done. This friend went on about this zombie tale, and so I relented; but MY zombie would be a vegan, pacifist who is accused of murder…and so Poor Jeffrey was born. It began as a short story, which was fleshed out to novel length at the suggestion of the original publisher. The literary in-joke for a friend turned into a good story, which garnered a lot of praise when it was published. Its one of those stories that surprised the writer, because it pops up from nothing and ends up bigger than anyone expected. I think the fact that it was released a long time ago now, and the fact that people still seem to want to talk about it, really says it all.
You’ve contributed to several anthologies now – what do you like about writing / contributing to them?
That was actually a total accident, if I’m honest. Following on from Poor Jeffery’s release, I started receiving invitations to write for anthologies. At that time, I didn’t want to say no to anyone because, like many new writers, I feared what might happen if I did say no. I didn’t want to be seen as a snob or to have snubbed anyone before I’d even started (these fears were totally unfounded…you CAN say no)…and so I found myself writing solely for the short fiction market. Projects like Demonology, I did because I wanted to work with the editor or because I liked the theme. I recognise that, while I have enjoyed writing for anthologies, it has probably distracted me from writing longer works for far too long. The thing is…they’re a lot of fun to do. The thing also with anthologies is that they’re good practice and have allowed me to hone my voice in a way that sticking to longer works wouldn’t have done. In hindsight, I probably did things backwards in releasing a novel and then concentrating on shorter stories for a few years. I’m not saying I won’t do anthologies anymore…I will, but I have to be pickier and sometimes say no.
What would you rather write in – long or short form?
I don’t think I have a preference. Some stories need to be told with brevity, others need to be more effusive. I can switch from one to another quite readily and enjoy the challenge of both equally. Either way, they normally take me an age to write anyway haha
What are you working on at the moment, anything you can share with your readers?
Oh, I’ve been a busy bee this year…you ready? I have a novel with my editor right now; The False Prophet, which is the first book in a planned trilogy. I’ve been tinkering with this one for a long time, and now I think I’m at a stage where I can do it justice. This one is the most epic and ambitious project I’ve ever attempted, but I’m really excited about the prospect of getting it into the hands of readers. Next up, gives the lie to my previous answer to a question…because I’m almost done with a short story haha. The Defeat of the Black Worm is probably the most personal thing I’ve ever written and is essentially about a battle with anxiety…of course, it’s very veiled and very much a dark fantasy piece, rather than an essay on mental health. Lastly, I’m about half way through writing another novel: The Family Jeraboam. This one is another dark fantasy set in 1800’s San Diego. People often compare me with Clive Barker, and this one is where I have really embraced that comparison and run with it. If you liked Climbing out and its visions of Hell, you’ll love this one.
Creatively what do you think the future holds for Paul Flewitt – do you set yourself yearly aims / objectives – if so how has 2018 treated you?
I’ve given up on setting targets and telling people when things will be released or completed. I always miss them anyway and it all adds to a sense of failure. I’m always working on two or three projects at a time, and it normally takes me an age to actually get anything finished. There are files of half-complete manuscripts that died a death because I rushed to hit an imaginary deadline and burned out, so I stopped doing that to myself. I’m in a position where I don’t have deadlines imposed by a press, I have no contracts to honour and so things are done when they’re done. Productively, I’ve been more active in 2018 than I have in quite a while. Unfortunately, the fruits of that labour may not be seen for a while due to the editing process and then finding a publisher…but don’t worry…there’s a whole swathe of books to come from me yet.
Though you are known to be a horror / dark fantasy writer have you ever thought about straying outside the genre and writing something else – if so, what?
I’ve always said that horror and dark fantasy is my playground. I like reading other genres, but I feel that my voice is suited more to the darker arts. I’m not sure that I could be a romance or an erotica writer; I’m not sure I’d want to. Horror and dark fantasy is where my heart is and what I know, and there’s a lot of material to cover…why would I want to play anywhere else?
Thank you for Talking to us paul - very enlightening! We Look forward to working with you again.
BIOGRAPHY
Paul Flewitt lives in Sheffield, UK with his partner and their two children. He is a writer of horror and dark fantasy. Paul is the author of Smoke a flash fiction which appeared in OzHorrorCon's Book of Tribes anthology, Paradise Park and the stand alone novella Poor Jeffrey. In 2014, Poor Jeffrey was nominated in the Preditors and Editors Readers Poll for Best Horror Novel. In subsequent years he has penned more short stories; including Climbing Out (Demonology, THE Lycopolis Press,) Apartment 16b (Behind Closed Doors, Matt Shaw) and Always Beneath (Dark Light vol 3, CHBB/Vamptasy) and many more. He has also written a monologue for screen (Silent Invader; Fragments of Fear).
TWITTER: @realpaulflewitt
LINK: Https://www.facebook.com/Paul-Flewitt-Author-of-Dark-Fiction-352745188170046/