Tell us a bit about your latest work.
My latest work is a self-published collection of poetry and flash fiction called Liber Dulcis Dolorum: The Book of Sweet Sorrows. Its contents are horror and pulp fantasy themed in a vein like Clark Ashton-Smith and features my own Illustrations. It will be available in June as a physical book, With electronic editions coming this summer.
What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer?
This is complicated, but at the end of high school I realized (and by realized, I mean was informed by career counselors) That my math skills weren't good enough to get me into college for the career in science I was pursuing. Their computer job assessment was that I would be best suited to do car repossessions for the IRS. I literally looked up from the paper and said "** this, I'm doing comics." I learned to draw and had some minor exposure as a newspaper cartoonist in rural Kansas, but couldn't get a break in comics after eight years. People did tell me I was a gifted speaker and storyteller, so I took a correspondence course in creative writing. Afterward, I had some essays and op-ed column's run and won a $250 prize from the Marquette monthly's annual short story contest. But I didn't like the literary fiction style. I grew up reading authors like Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, and various other pulp authors. In 2014, began writing neo Pulp pieces and had greater success getting published. It's not profitable, but I enjoy it
What inspires you to write?
A mix of dreamlike fantasy and real-life pain. I'm on the Autism spectrum and was beat to hell by other kids when I was young. My retreat was books of both pulp fiction and books on the paranormal, occult, and science. Dark, pulp fantasy is my comfort zone and I write both for the joy of storytelling some degree of catharsis
What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?
Many of my themes are opposites, ironically. For adventure, I liken themes of heroes fighting for the people they love against impossible odds. Horror, I do cosmic and body horror with a strong sense of impending doom. See, my family was always close-knit, but very sick. I spent far too much of my life at hospitals and nursing homes. That medical suffering had a great influence on my horror writing. I also love Egyptian, Middle Eastern, and Semitic mythology. I return to those themes constantly. Those cultures aren't well known to modern readers, and increase the sense of the unknown and ancient, as well as a good introduce my readers to near eastern philosophy.
What would be your dream project?
My dream project would be to write a screenplay for an adaptation of an H.P. Lovecraft work or remake a cheap 70's movie with a pulp twist. I've not written a screenplay before, but my first writings were comic scripts in screenplay format. I'd love the challenge! Oddly, not many pulp authors did.
What writers have influenced your style and technique?
Most of my influences were literary fiction types like Steinbeck, Hemmingway, and Ray Bradbury (Bradbury is still my favorite author). Some of Lovecraft rubbed off on me in reverse, I hate going adjective happy in descriptions. But if I had a pulp influence, it would be Robert E. Howard. That go-for-the-throat intensity he had -- powerful!
If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?
For a do-over, my novella The Rocket Molly Syndicate. When it was being edited, I was asked to make the changes of four beta readers. Those changes pushed the word count to over 12,000 on an anthology that had a stated word count of 8,000. since the changes weren't all my idea, the editors allowed it, but I wound up cutting a scene of character development that made the ending make more sense. I'd edit it to be about six pages longer to fit it in.
Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?" Why?
Is writing an art or science? All art IS science. Writing is to me a trade like any other, learning to engineer sentences. I see drawing like that, too. People often compliment me on only taking three art lessons in my life, and say they "don't have a natural talent." My answer is: neither do I, because in my mind natural talent doesn't exist only dedication to the craft. I have a disability that affects my fine motor skills. I couldn't tie my own shoes till I was 27, you still don't want to see me play a video game. But I can draw because I put in the effort to compensate for my shortcomings and learn how. Writing was no different. There are principles of grammar, theme, dialogue, and plot that are like a kitchen recipe. Learn to use them and the story inside you comes out.
What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
Time. I do most of my work at night when any other priorities are done with. I don't really sleep at night, my wife is on me about that all the time. Otherwise, it's more like how do I get the process to stop? I get ideas everywhere, every day, more than I can express.
How do your writer friends help you become a better writer? Or do they not?
I'm a member of the Marquette Poet's Circle in Marquette, MI. We do regular online open mic events and writing workshops for all written forms. I get free beta readers for some of my short works, both fiction and poetry, and they will promote their member's work for free on their Facebook page. When the Circle did their five-year anthology, I had three pieces run, one was a Pulp Sword and Sorcery poem that was actually compared to Robert E. Howard's style in local magazines. Have a pool of creative people with different voices who believe in each other is an amazing thing
What does literary success look like to you?
Success to me is connecting with a broad audience. My writings will likely not be highly profitable in my lifetime, but If I was in this for the money, I'd have quit years ago. I want to write someone's favorite story. The one that sticks with them for a lifetime. Staying power is big for me, too. I want to leave something behind when I'm gone that can express my take on themes I cared about for decades to come. I mentioned before I was beaten up a lot as a kid. If those bullies have to someday help their grandkids write a book report on my works, I'll call it even...
For more information, visit:
https://www.deviantart.com/iron-triceratops
That's my online visual arts portfolio and new home of my writings. Some content may be NSFW, but that's my creative hub.
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