Interview With Author Chris Kauzlarich
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a new author who just published my first book. I live in the suburbs of Chicago and have written since a really young age, even though it wasn't until my early 20s that I really began honing my craft. I can say my mom has, on more than one occasion, pulled out stories I had written when I was five or six years old and while technically not very good, my gosh the imagination! I'm so proud of myself (if only it came that easy at nearly 40).
I am married with a nearly teenage daughter and we love to travel in our airstream. Nature is my happy place, so any time I see an opportunity to sneak off for a vigorous hike where I can plop down to write, I take it.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest published book is Lazarus, a novella about pharmaceutical vampirism with a supernatural twist. This book was inspired by an article I had read in 2019 that started as a short story and blossomed into the suspense thriller it is now during the uncertainty and craziness of the COVID-19 pandemic. The variety of conspiracies and experimental treatments during the height of 2020 to 2021 could read as fiction looking back on it now and very much influenced my state of mind as I wrote Lazarus.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wish I did! My writing habits are pretty vanilla. I need either silence or white noise such as rain/ storm sounds, or if I need some emotional weight, dramatic classical music. I don't have a dedicated writing space or time of day but I am easily inspired by things I see, so taking walks or going for a hike will really stimulate my creative flow.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are too many to name as I read books like the air we breathe (fiction is essential), but there are some definite standout authors who have influenced my writing style and inspired certain stories, Robert Jordan and Stephen King chief among them. The intertwining of the supernatural or fantastical into my stories is a natural reflex for me.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on two projects.
The first is to wrap up the final revisions of a short story collection that Lazarus used to be a part of. These stories do have a supernatural and/or horror bent for the most part, and I am putting my finishing touches on the collective flow of the book.
Secondly, I am starting the opening chapters of an epic fantasy series that I have dreamed of writing (and tried to in fits and starts) for the last 11 years. This will very much be of the Tolkien, Jordan, Martin style epic and hope to pull it off as expertly.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Promotion has been tough and I don't know that I have any one best place to promote my books. Since I am still pretty new at this, I am sure it will take some time for me to figure out what has been working the best for me.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read and write often, and do not give up.
I go through the daily trial of imposter syndrome and self-doubt. I wish I could say this gets easier, but, unfortunately, it comes with the territory. Just remember that all writers feel this but keep at it and get your first draft done. Once you do that, the sky's the limit.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just remember that everyone doubts themselves, even the greats, but you will never achieve your dreams if you don't persevere and put in the hard work to get it done.
What are you reading now?
I am currently reading "The Armor of Light" by Ken Follett and undergoing the epic reread of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series (I've done this multiple times, I can't help it!).
What’s next for you as a writer?
I really plan on just continuing to improve my craft and get the stories floating around in my head down onto paper. Lazarus is in its infancy so there is going to be a huge push to get that book in front of as many readers as possible to increase my readership so my short story collection's launch will be even more successful.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
This is a tough one, but I would say: Eye of the World, The Stand, All the Light We Cannot See, and American Gods.
Author Websites and Profiles
Chris Kauzlarich Amazon Profile
Chris Kauzlarich’s Social Media Links
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