Welcome back for this week’s author interview! Today, I’m thrilled to spotlight the amazing Craig Laurance Gidney! I had the pleasure of meeting Craig in Atlanta at The Outer Dark Symposium, and we even got to hear him read from his forthcoming novel, A Spectral Hue. Suffice it to say, it’s going to be one of the best books of the year without a doubt!

Recently, Craig and I discussed his journey as an author as well as what we can expect from his new novel!

A couple icebreakers to start: when did you first decide to become a writer, and who are some of your favorite authors?

I knew that I wanted to be a writer when I was in second grade. At the point at which I could spell and make quasi-legible words, I started writing stories and making stapled chapter books. The books were accompanied by my illustrations. I can remember their titles: The Story of Dum Dum was about a hobo dog, and A Bird of Stars was a book of religious poetry. As I read more widely, my writing started to mimic whatever book I was reading. Around 10 or so I read Southern Gothic short stories—Flannery O’Connor and Eudora Welty. I think O’Connor’s love of the grotesque and her blatant use of symbolism was a formative influence. Patricia A McKillip and Tanith Lee’s work taught me what I could do with language and atmosphere. Octavia E Butler taught me the importance of theme, and that it was imperative that I center black and brown people protagonists, and Samuel R Delany showed me the importance of the queer (and black) point of view.

Congratulations on the forthcoming release of your novel, A Spectral Hue. What can you share about this book? What was your inspiration, and what was the process like in writing A Spectral Hue?

The seed of A Spectral Hue was planted during a college course I took on the Surrealist movement. One of the guest lecturers was a specialist in Outsider Art. I believe he spoke about Henry Darger, the reclusive Chicago janitor who secretly wrote and illustrated an epic science-fantasy novel about child slaves, aliens and the heroic Vivian Girls. I saw slides of his works among other lesser known artists and was blown away by their otherworldly depth. During the summer, when I was staying at my parents’ house, my father, who was a dentist, told me about a patient of his that would give him handmade books of her poetry. He brought one of the books home, and I got the same otherworldly feeling. My dad’s patient was an older African American woman, who, like Darger, had created an elaborate world that centered around a mythic figure, known as the Chocolate Soldier. She wrote cryptic poems about his adventures, and, like Darger, illustrated the work with unearthly collages.

The novel went through a few drafts before I found the right way to tell the tale. At one point, it was a YA novel! I have scores of false starts on my hard drive. The ultimate form was a result of workshopping the book in 2015.

How, if at all, is your approach different when writing short fiction versus longer fiction? Do you outline ahead of time, or is your process more free-form?

It depends on the project.

My novella Bereft was outlined, but not excessively so. I think because it was a young adult and realistic book, I was more controlled than I was with my other stuff.

Most of my short fiction isn’t planned, per se. I’ll have an idea and a character and basic plot and go from there.

I think, though, for the most part, I am a chaotic pantser—which makes novel writing a messy experience. You know how in cooking shows, the host has everything lined up in neat little ramekins? I’m not like that At. All. I’m the flour-stained, gravy-spattered chef.

Your chapbook, The Nectar of Nightmares, was released through Dim Shores in 2015, and was also re-released last year as a standalone ebook. How did this particular book develop?

The novelette itself was one of those spur of the moment things that just jump out from your brain and onto the page. The first part was inspired by the ballet-horror movie Black Swan. The second part sprang from the fact that I was working part-time for a Native American lobbying group. The overall theme, about a sleep demon, had been kicking around in my head for a while. I wrote the story and it just sat on my hard drive, without a particular market in mind.

Then I went to World Horror Con in 2015 and met Scott Nicolay (of the Outer Dark podcast). He was the one who told me about Dim Shores and got me in contact with Sam Cowan. Orion Zangara, the illustrator, had sent me a nice note about my fiction maybe a year earlier. I loved his artwork, and Sam let me choose him for the project.

You’ve been a professional writer for a number of years at this point. How do you feel your approach or perspective on the craft or industry of writing has changed over the last few years? How has it stayed the same?

A few things have happened. There is a renaissance of speculative fiction from marginalized voices, so that there isn’t just one Black or Asian or queer writer—-there’s lots of them. And people, all people, seem to be hungry for different voices, and different stories. We most certainly have a far ways to go, but it’s nice to know that there isn’t a competition for a tokenized place at the table. Now, we are the table.

I know that Social Media can be terrible. But the bulk of my commissions come from Social Media. That’s really changed — and the fact that you don’t have to send hard copies in the mail! I remember making a trek to the post office, sending SASEs and waiting (sometimes for two years) to hear back from markets.

Out of your published stories, do you have a personal favorite?

My black queer coming out fairy-tale “Circus Boy Without a Safety Net” seems to bring such joy to people. I view it as “the little story that could.”

What projects are you currently working on?

In addition to a couple of short commissions (including a nonfiction essay), I am working on a new novel that explores themes of vampirism, colonialism, gentrification and hoodoo (black folk magic). It’s in the conceptual stage at the moment.

Where can we find you online?

I have a site/blog at: craiglaurancegidney.com, and my Twitter (very infrequent) and Instagram are both @ethereallad

Link: to Orion Zangara: http://orionzangara.com

Huge thanks to Craig Laurance Gidney for being part of this week’s author interview series!

Happy reading!

Welcome back for this week’s featured interview! Today, I’m pleased to spotlight Richard Writhen. Richard is the author of A Host of Ills, The Hiss of the Blade, and his latest novel, The Angel of the Grave.

Recently, Richard and I talked about his favorite authors as well as his new book and all about his writing plans in the future.

A couple icebreakers to start: when did you first decide to become a writer, and who are some of your favorite authors?

I had always toyed with the idea, and wrote on and off throughout my life, but would usually just wind up deleting everything. I really didn’t get down to brass tacks until I became a copywriter for a retail website. That was very good writing practice. I had turned thirty-six. Then, I saw an ad on Craigslist that was looking for blog posters, and I thought, what the heck, go ahead and submit. When it comes to literature, I like noir, darkness. Poe, HPL, Dennis Lehane, Richard Price, Paul Tremblay, Daphne du Maurier, Gillian Flynn, Paula Hawkins.

Congrats on your forthcoming novel, The Angel of the Grave! What was the process like writing this book? How long did it take you, and were there any unexpected roadblocks along the way?

Thank you, very much. This book was like a miasma, a quicksand. It took over two years to write. Thankfully, I had some experience with this, as my first novella took 28 months to write as an amateur. As the second and third one took eight months apiece, I thought this one would be easy. But alas, that was not to be. Every time I wrote a couple hundred words, it became more complex. I almost thought that I was going to die before completing it, that it would go unpublished. One of the narrative arcs in the book was actually part of The Hiss of the Blade originally, but I came to feel that it didn’t fit in with the overall tough-guy-ness of the rest of the book, so I pulled it and used it in the new novel.

Your novel incorporates many aspects of the occult, including witchcraft and divination. What draws you to these subjects, and do you have any strange experiences with the supernatural yourself?

I have always been drawn to those kinds of subjects. I grew up reading Stephen King and Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman. I wanted to do my take on witchcraft for this book. The first three novellas feature magic, but it’s not really the focus. So, this one was different. Also, my last novella was about toxic masculinity, and I wanted to address femininity, as it were. I remember going to see Sucker Punch and being very disappointed, as it’s very much a girl power film. Maybe Zack Snyder didn’t set out to create that, but it was the result. A vanity project. In hindsight, I feel that it will probably gain a cult following in the future. It’s kind of an experience, not so much a narrative. I think that my first novel will be like that as well, in a sense. I set out to create art. I’m sure some men will read it and probably be like, “What is this s**t …?!” But, I don’t care.

You’ve written novellas and now a novel. Do you find that the length of a project affects your approach to writing at all? Is there a certain length of story you prefer, either as a writer or a reader?

Jack London set out to write a short story, and it became The Call of the Wild. You have to be true to the work, that’s all, IMO. Length is inconsequential.

If forced to choose, which is your favorite part of the writing process: crafting dialogue, establishing setting, or developing characters?

For me, it’s connections. Easter eggs. Little flourishes that probably no one will even get. But yeah, I also enjoy all the usual processes. I don’t write like most people. I am not only writing the books out of sequence, I literally write the content of the prose out of sequence. Kind of weird. I’m going to try and work in a more linear fashion next book.

What projects are you working on at the moment?

I have one short story that I know I want to do, and after that, I will probably start book two of The Celestial Ways Saga. The title of book two will be The Crack of the Whip. I have some notes, some dialogue written, but I don’t really outline.

Big thanks to Richard Writhen for being part of this week’s author interview series. Find him online at his author site and on Facebook.

Happy reading!

Welcome back for our first interview of April! Today, I’m thrilled to spotlight Serena Jayne. Serena is the author of Kiss Me Dead along with numerous short stories, and she’s also a frequent reviewer and incredible supporter of her fellow writers.

Recently, Serena and I discussed her new book as well as her inspiration and her future writing plans.

A couple icebreakers to start: when did you first decide to become a writer, and who are some of your favorite authors?

Reading has always been a passion for me. I dreamed of becoming a writer, but pursued science, while taking every single writing class offered in college. After a few years doing laboratory work, I turned my focus to technical writing and eventually management. By 2009, I was burned out. After too many moments like the one in Eat Pray Love where Elizabeth Gilbert describes sobbing and lamenting the course of her life on her bathroom floor at three AM, I knew I needed to make some changes. With a new determination to follow my dreams, I sought out online writing communities, joined the Romance Writers of America, and enrolled in Seton Hill University’s MFA program in Writing Popular Fiction. I met a bunch of phenomenally talented people whose belief in me helped me foster belief in myself.

Some of my favorite authors include Jim Butcher, Laurel K. Hamilton, Randall Silvis, Kresley Cole, Don Winslow, Rainbow Rowell, Blake Crouch, and Sara Wolf. I loved your short story collection, And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe, and your novel, The Rust Maidens. Your other works are at the top of my To-Be-Read list.

Congratulations on your new book, Kiss Me Dead! What was the inspiration behind this story?

I took an outstanding intensive course on using tarot cards in writing taught by Devon Ellington. I drew the death card for my protagonist and my reaper hero was born. My draw for the story included a number of major arcana cards, including the magician, the star, and the hanged man. I expanded the story by adding in elements from Greek Mythology and Death’s personal assistant.

I absolutely love Matt Andrew’s art for your cover! What can you tell us about how that cover artwork developed?

As a huge fan of Matt’s art and writing, I was thrilled when he agreed to do the cover. His attention to detail makes his work shine. We both love retro-style pinups and his vision brought the elements of horror and romance together in a fun and sexy way. He absolutely captured the heart of the story with his stunning artwork. I couldn’t be more pleased.

Your work spans numerous genres, including horror, dark fantasy, noir, mystery, and romance. Do you have different approaches to a story depending on which genre you’re writing?

The genres tend to put me in different emotional headspaces. With romance, I know the main characters are going to end up in a good place. With noir, horror and other dark genres, happy ever afters aren’t necessarily in the cards. One of my professors at Seton Hill taught me that paranormal/dark romance is a subgenre of horror. Everything is connected and life is a mix of all the things—and I want to write about them all.

With all my stories, I tend to come up with the situation or the protagonist or some other seed and let it stew in my mind until I know enough to get started. My process tends to be different depending on the length of the piece, rather than on the genre. For shorter works, I’ll brainstorm a bit and then get writing. With longer works, I need to plot more. It’s not enough to have a beginning and end. I need a more detailed map or else I tend to get lost. My go to move when I am stuck is to hop in the shower. There’s nothing like some hot water and suds to get my subconscious cooking.

In addition to your fiction work, you’re also a reviewer. What inspired you to become a reviewer, and has it changed your approach to fiction writing at all?

Reviews are crucial to me, both as a reader and as an author. I’ve one-clicked books based on reviews or recommendations from friends. Book seller algorithms make books with numerous reviews easier to discover. A friend got me hooked on NetGalley. Advanced reader copies are the best. I wouldn’t say it’s changed the way I write fiction, but becoming a reviewer has taught me the importance of blurbs. When I find a book on NetGalley that looks interesting, if the blurb doesn’t grab me, I won’t request it.

What’s your favorite part of the writing process: crafting dialogue, developing characters, or creating a sense of setting?

My favorite part of the writing process is developing characters and those precious ah-ha moments when things start to gel. I’ve found each story to be unique. Some are easier to write, while others need to be scraped out of my brain and heart in tiny, bloody chunks.

What’s next for you?

I’m working on several horror short stories and a noir novel. There’s a romantic comedy novel series featuring generation-X characters bouncing around in my brain. I’m hoping to get the first installment written this year, while I’m submitting my thesis, an urban fantasy novel, to publishers. I haven’t published anything 20,000 words or longer yet. I’m hoping to change that soon.

Tremendous thank to Serena Jayne for being part of this week’s author interview series! Find her online at her website as well as on Twitter and Instagram!

Happy reading!

Welcome back for our first interview of March! Today, I’m thrilled to spotlight the amazing Larissa Glasser! Larissa is the author of F4, a novella from Eraserhead Press’s New Bizarro Author series, as well as numerous short stories.

Recently, Larissa and I discussed F4, as well as her story for last year’s Tragedy Queens anthology, along with what she’s working on next.

A couple icebreakers to start: when did you first decide to become a writer, and who are some of your favorite authors?

I started writing steadily during high school. Up to then, I had thought I was going to be a musician. I’d studied jazz guitar for about five years, and during my teens I balanced music and writing, and I found a creative outlet with each, although each is a different creative process. I played in a lot of bands, which was usually a collaborative effort, jamming and improvising whereas writing is usually a solitary process. Gradually I became more involved with writing and it took over. William S. Burroughs and Clive Barker were huge influences on me when I first started writing. There are so many authors of whose work I admire and study now, but a few writers who totally changed my universe are Clark Ashton Smith, Monica J. O’Rourke, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Damien Angelica Walters. Then there’s Torrey Peters, she’s a trans writer out of New York and her work really liberated me, encouraged me to come out of my shell with writing trans narratives. Along with Torrey, Jack Ketchum also recently changed my outlook–his work taught me how horror can be character-driven to a greater effect, that our uniqueness in our own trauma helps us resonate with the reader.

Your novella, F4, was released last year from Eraserhead Press to rave reviews. How did this book develop? How long did it take you to write it, and did the process have any surprises along the way?

F4 came from so many different places. I had thought of the middle part first, inspired by coverage of the Taylor Murphy assault trial. Laverne Cox (trans lady actress, Orange is the New Black) was reporting on it for The Huffington Post where she detailed the media’s horrific treatment of the main prosecution witness Claudia Charriez, a trans woman Murphy had physically abused during their relationship. I morphed this tabloid journalism with my main protagonist Carol, a witness to a murder who then becomes a target of media harassment just because she’s a trans woman. This all still happens in real life, and as a former journalism student I wanted to call that out.

I also grew up with kaiju movies. When I was a kid I used to watch Creature Double Feature on Saturdays, and those were usually Godzilla and monster movies. They made a huge impression on me, larger than life beings stomping cities into paste and they wouldn’t stop until they just got bored. A lot of the kaiju films haven’t aged well, but they fired my imagination back then and I wanted to infuse that enthusiasm into the concept of F4. My degrees of success or failure on that front are up to the readers–the trans readers, especially.

Your story, “Rituals of Gorgons,” was featured in last year’s highly regarded Tragedy Queens anthology. What was the inspiration behind this particular story?

In 2016, I had an opportunity to participate in a writing workshop created by Topside Press specifically for transgender women. Topside had pretty much been one of the first presses to spotlight trans authors and release their work. Previously to that trans women hadn’t had much representation in mainstream publishing. Anyway, this workshop got about fifty or so trans women together from all over the planet, and I workshopped an excerpt of a story about the trans daughters of rockstar celebrities who both fall in love while being plagued by the paparazzi. After I met Leza [Cantoral] of Clash Books and she told me about the idea for the Sylvia Plath-Lana Del Rey theme of the anthology, I wanted to morph the story idea into “Born to Die” by Lana Del Rey and “Edge” by Sylvia Plath. The latter mentions “a Greek necessity” so that brought Gorgons to mind, and I decided to roll with that.

I’ll share here that I’m going to expand the “Rituals of Gorgons” idea into a new work with the same basic trans lesbian love story idea. But this will have more of a folk horror theme. I’m developing into a novel with the working title “The Brightening.” I’m excited about it.

What is it about speculative fiction, in particular horror and bizarro, that appeals to you as a storyteller?

I grew up with horror and sci-fi, and more recently bizarro for me seemed like the perfect genre to mash the two and expand them into new places. I also grew up with British comedy, and that early 1980s show “The Young Ones” still seems like greatest precursor goddess of bizarro. You could have non-sequiturs and sudden infusions of the ridiculous in a situation and since the writers had built that world with the four main characters who couldn’t have been more different from one another and yet were stuck together in that dilapidated London apartment, everything could still entertain the audience. I think what made “The Young Ones” work so well is because it aired during an oppressive political climate of Reagan-Thatcher-Pinochet. It was also the final end run of The Cold War so their absurd, violent sense of humor also played into that. Laughter and satire are great remedies for fear. So that’s how I see horror and bizarro working well together.

To follow up on that last question, what would you like to see as the future for horror and bizarro?

I’d like to see more queer voices in both, and to see them get recognition. I don’t know if I’ll be part of that, but I’ll do my best and to raise the voices of others like me and to encourage them.

Do you have any specific writing rituals, such as writing at the same time or writing to certain music?

I usually just write when I can, usually in the evening because I am a terrible morning person. I usually write to ambient or chamber music, because lyrics distract me.

What’s next for you?

As I work on my next books, “The Brightening” and “Princess of Rabies,” I’ve got a busy con schedule ahead, including but not limited to Necon, StokerCon, The Outer Dark Symposium, and Necronomicon. I’m also doing research about my dad, who was a spy during The Cold War. That could turn into a nonfiction book, hopefully. On the professional front, I’m looking into academic library jobs in New York City so I can finally relocate to Brooklyn (if anyone hears of anything, please hit me up).

Tremendous thanks to Larissa Glasser for being part of this week’s author interview series! Find her online at Twitter and on her blog!

Happy reading!