My Stop on the Blog Tour. Thank you, Detroit! Good Night!

I’ve heard about blog tours as I’ve slipped in and out of the dark corners of the Internet but I never participated in one. Granted, most seem to be solo missions, one author hopping from blog to blog as they promote his/her latest endeavors. This tour sounded fun as it involved answering just four questions and also throwing out a giant net to see if I could catch three other authors to play along. I only managed to swing two other writers to participate (everyone is busy, I understand this, so I didn’t feel like I should hound anyone else) and I’ll list their info at the end.

Michael Cieslak pulled me into the gravity well of this blog tour. Technically, he enticed me with it and I chose to jump in. To see how Michael handled his portion of the tour, click on the link to check out his blog, “The Napalmed My Shrubbery This Morning”.

And so, we’re off!

1. What am I working on? Right now I have two main stories I’m working on. One is a short for the seventh annual Great Lakes Association of Horror Writer’s anthology, based on myths/legends/fairy tales. As they can be from any culture and time, I’ve chosen to run with a Japanese legend of the Shikome, a hag called upon by a dead woman who was pissed at her husband for not visiting her in the underworld. The big story I’m working on is a novel about Chaos. It’s actually turning into quite an erotic adventure, which I never intended. I started with the idea of a Secretarial Council at some company having MUCH more power than it should (and yes, I was on a secretarial council when I worked for an ad agency downtown). It spiraled out of my control from there. I was stuck for about six months, having the hardest time trying to figure out how to bring about the final climax (no pun intended...well, maybe a little one) and end the story. I think I’ve got it now. I guess you will all find out if I ever get it published!

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre? Very good question and one I’d never thought about that much. I simply just write what’s in my head (or the notebook where I jot down all the crazy ideas I think up). Looking back at works I’ve had published, I do notice a theme of family or dysfunction in a family unit, mostly wives and/or mothers. Not exactly sure what that says. Yeah, my family was a bit fucked when I was younger but whose wasn’t? I’m guessing it was a lot of crap between me and my mom that never had a chance to resolve as I matured. But even if that sounds rather heavy, I also incorporate a lot of humor in my work. I do so love to laugh and if I can get someone else to share in that mirth, why the hell not? And it’s even better if I can make them cry, get angry, feel relief and/or happiness, etc. Who wouldn’t want a reader to go through the gamut of emotions in just one story?

3. Why do I write what I do? I simply can’t write anything else. The first story I ever wrote was horror and I’ve never looked back. I’ve looked sideways to incorporate some fantasy and erotica but horror is always the base of anything I do. I grew up watching Creature Feature every Saturday afternoon with Sir Graves Ghastly. Vincent Price was my first love. And The Exorcist gave me my first terrifying nightmares. I don’t recall what the dreams were about but the primeval stain that permeated every cell of my body remains to this day. I need to transfer that power to the page so others can experience it, too.

4. How does my writing process work? I don’t really have a process. Sometimes I sit at my computer and start pecking out part of a story – could be the beginning, middle, or end. Once I get writing, I figure it out. Sometimes I like to get a pen or quill/ink and sit with a notebook and scribble out a story. I never outline but I do take notes so I can remember the big plot points I want to cover. I don’t need to have any coffee or music (I actually prefer it quiet – otherwise I end up daydreaming dance sequences in my head). I also don’t write at a specific time or days of the week. Maybe I should, though. I might get more done!

The next bloggers on this tour will be Nicole Castle-Kelly and David C. Hayes. Look for their posts starting Monday, June 16. Don't worry. I'll remind you beforehand.

Nicole E. Castle preferred to play alone as a child, and out of her alone time, sprang a rich, vibrant imagination that loved all manner of monster. Check her blog at the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers site. www.glahw.com (June 16, 2014)

David C. Hayes is a writer of things. Icky things. Visit him online at www.davidchayes.com. (June 23, 2014)