They say, "Network with other writers."
*Writes past midnight*
*Meanders on social media*
*Gets invited to late night Q & A*
Am I doing this right?
Geeking out about writing is always a blast, so thanks to KA Dowling for the invite to this hilarious Halloween Q & A. The link to yours is right here, and if you click it three times. . .
Halloween's a time when your bravado falls away like the cheap mask it is.
Here's a little of what's underneath mine.
1. Are you a scaredy cat or a horror aficionado?
Love watching horror movies and reading thrillers, but here's how you know I'm a scaredy cat: If the movie gets into my head too much, I look for plot holes or puns and belt them out like a snarky protection spell. "He's a holey man." "I've seen that dead person before." "She's just hanging out." Yep, that's the giveaway.
2. Would you ever consider writing a horror novel?
Writing a horror novel that gives readers nightmares is the dream. One of the dreams. Perhaps a paranoia-inducing horror/thriller about a psychologist and the ex-patient who stalks him. I'm more fascinated by character arcs and worldbuilding. Is world-murdering a thing in writing?
3. What is your favorite bookish costume you've ever worn?
Jay Gatsby. All-time favorite character from literature. Being a Tom Sawyer or a Peter Pan is one thing. Building yourself up the way Gatsby did, moving mountains for the dream, that's huge.
4. What is the best bookish costume you've seen someone else wear?
Katniss Everdeen, cosplayed by none other than the fantastic woman who creates the art for my blog, The Reaper's Case Notes. Beki, if I posted a picture of that here, would you say, "Thank you for your consideration?" or just fire off some arrows at me?
5. What literary villain is your favorite?
Literary villain: Daisy Buchanan. She does more damage as a careless villain than any mustachioed badass with a plot. Fantasy villain: Nicodemus from Skin Game. The things he can do, his killer shadow, and the things he'll sacrifice to achieve his ends. . .chilling.
6. Will you be visiting a haunted house this year?
Of the tourist-attraction sort, no. Of the truly haunted sort, I hope so. An editor I worked with had a spectral adventure recently and I've yet to actually experience anything of the supernatural sort. Except once at Devil's Lake, WI.
7. Would you rather go to a Halloween party or go Trick-Or-Treating?
Party. Party! PARTY! I'm hosting one in a few days. My amazing girlfriend is painting sugar skulls and carving pumpkins with me that feature sundry geek-worthy characters on them.
8. What's the best Halloween song?
Skillet's "Monster" or Michael Jackson's "Thriller." I jumped a foot in the air the first time I heard "Monster" on the radio. Catchy metal tune, kept up with the lyrics, then that headbanging turned into me searching the room for an actual monster when "feel like a monster" roared out in that deep, raspy voice.
9. What scares you most about the writing process?
Learning that I'm full of hot air and don't know a thing about writing. That moment always strikes when I'm writing a manuscript, novelette, or blog series. Typically I futz around doing everything but writing for a couple weeks when that moment hits. Then I come back and write (or edit) another story. Working my fears into each character and shoving them into a knock-down drag-out fight is like therapy. That's how I learn to conquer those fears. Make 'em face each other.
10. Monster Mash - If you had to say your antagonist was a mix of two traditional monsters, what would those be?
I've got two WIPs.
Villain one: Jack Te-Konos. Part werewolf, part zombie.
Villain two: Vansen. Part giant, part vampire (with a huge freaking gun).
11. Would your MC be more scared of being left alone in a dark forest or an abandoned castle?
Ava could fly out of the forest. For her, a castle is a trap, and that's much more dangerous to her than a bunch of trees. Silvan would go insane in a dark wood, so that's where I forced him for his final fight.
12. Does anyone in your WIP believe in ghosts?
They're food for my characters, so yes, they believe in what they eat. Ava harvests souls with The Reaper, and the ones they miss turn to ghosts. You wonder how all those small-town hauntings and urban legends come to be? They're the souls Ava didn't bother with or couldn't find.
13. Which character would last longest in a scary movie?
A woman I cannot name in this blog. No spoilers until I publish.
14. Good witch or bad witch - Do you enjoy torturing the characters in your WIP or do you feel bad about it?
Torture. It's the most fun when there's something for the character to lose. Ava's gotten good at holding onto a few close friends. Silvan's descent into strung-out madness is part of the character arc. He's ONLY left with decisions that will break him.
15. Pick a love interest from your WIP: Would they be most likely to scream like a little kid or punch someone in the face if they were scared abruptly?
Terrence and Jules are face-punchers. Him with a fist, and her with a swarm robotic bees.
Happy Halloween! Time to ditch responsibility and write urban fantasy like a good little adult.
