Interview With Author David Bond
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a retired Hotel Overnight Manager and have recently moved to Thailand with my wonderful wife. I have written 2 books so far. They are part of a 3-book series with the main title of each being ‘The Cemetery 6’.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Cemetery 6: Festival of Fear. It is comprised of nine short stories being told by six (fictional) Thailand teens as they ‘hang out’ in a cemetery late one night. My inspiration for the book and the series came to me one day when I was riding my bike past a Christian Cemetery that had many above ground tombs and mausoleums. There was an odd breeze that gave me a strange feeling. I began to think what if? So, my inspiration for the teens comes from seeing groups of teens hanging out on Friday nights under a bridge downtown. I just decided to add them to the cemetery to tell spooky stories.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Maybe not unusual but I was reading an interview with one of my writing heroes (Stephen King) had done in the past where he said he commits to writing 4 hours a day or 10 pages. I can’t seem to write like that. When an idea comes to me, I sit and write until the story is done. Then again, I’m only writing short stories at this point so maybe I can do that when I commit to writing a full-length novel.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Edgar Allen Poe, Jack Ketchum, Stephen King, HP Lovecraft, Dean Koontz, Joe Hill. Several of their books are excellent. I think all of those writers have influenced me some. I’m currently reading: Full Throttle by Joe Hill and Gallows Hill by Darcy Coates.
What are you working on now?
I am working on the 3rd and final book in The Cemetery 6 Series titled ‘Graveyard Stories’. The book will also have nine short stories, each one having something involving a cemetery.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have used some free and paid services for promoting my first book. It’s quite the learning experience. Some of the lower cost sites and free ones (Awesome Gang included) get really good results. It’s nice to be able to track sales on Amazon so you can tell when a promotion spikes book sales. To answer your question, Facebook, Instagram and my website have been the most help for promoting the book. Friends, family, networking and joining reader / writer groups has been great as well.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you feel and what makes you happy. Make sure if you release a book to the public that it has been proofread and edited several times as you want to have an awesome finished product for your readers. Don’t worry about sales, just enjoy your writing.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t worry about selling books, just enjoy the process of writing and creating something unique for others to enjoy.
What are you reading now?
Full Throttle by Joe Hill and Gallows Hill by Darcy Coates.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Full length novel. It will be titled: ‘The Coral Island Murders’
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?
The Complete Edgar Allen Poe
Ghost Story
Complete Works of HP Lovecraft
The Shining
Author Websites and Profiles
David Bond’s Social Media Links