Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m just a guy who loves to write. I typically write horror / thriller, and I’ve been doing it since I was about eight years old. I’ve written dozens of short stories – some have been published and some just collect dust. I’ve also written a couple of novellas and 5 novels, which have either been published traditionally, independently, or left to rot, either way it was fun writing them.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest published book is titled, All the Pretty Ones. My family and I made a move for a career opportunity. We ended up in one of these subdivisions where every lawn is perfectly manicured and the houses are all relatively new and well taken care of. From the outside it’s the perfect little neighborhood, but I started to wonder, ‘What goes on behind some of these closed doors?’. Because things go on, they always do, and it’s often the places where you’d least expect it. I decided to explore that, and the story just took flight.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Is writing naked unusual? Well, I don’t do that. I don’t think I do anything unusual, actually. I do have a few habits that tend to help me out though. When I go places I tend to take pictures of landscapes or things that I’d like to use in a story. It could be a creepy, old house, the way a dirt trail winds through the trees, the way the sky looks just before a nasty storm… You get the picture. I do this so that i can look back and use the pictures to enhance my description, because my brain doesn’t always remember every little detail. Another thing I do is after a couple of drafts of a book I’ll wait a few weeks and then convert the book to Kindle format and put it onto my Kindle. This allows me to view the book with fresh eyes and from the reader’s perspective. You have no idea what a huge difference this makes in editing. This helps tremendously.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I used to (and still do) love to read short horror stories. I think a lot of those inspired me. I’ve always loved a really good twist ending. I’ve always enjoyed reading stuff by Ramsey Campbell, Richard Laymon, Ray Bradbury, and Stephen King. Stephen King is inspiring not only for the personal challenges he’s overcome, but for how effortlessly he can pull you into a story. That’s really important and not nearly as easy to do as it may seem.
What are you working on now?
I’m finishing up final edits on a book that I hope to release in early December. The book is called The Shadow Walkers. The book is about a group of people who inadvertently attract something really bad into their lives (entities that are known as shadow walkers), and their only recourse is to face the darkness in their own lives, because that’s what these things thrive on.
I’ve also completed a book called, Obsession. This is in the third draft. It’s a ghost story that gets more graphic than I’m typically comfortable with, but so far I’m really happy with it and excited to release it.
I am also about a quarter of the way into a new book, which is coming along well.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Promotion is something I wish I was a lot better at. I use Facebook, Twitter, and my blog. I’m always trying to come up with new ideas and ways to reach people, but it’s not always so easy.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I don’t know that I’m the person to be giving advice, I’m still hammering this thing out myself, but I guess there are a few things I’ve learned that I’d pass along. Id’ say you’ve got to do what you love. Life is too short to live in fear. If you want to write, write, and do it everyday. The more you write and the more you read, the better you’ll be. It’s just like with anything else. Don’t get hung up on old stuff. We all write crap. See where you went wrong and write better from that point (everything’s a stepping stone). And most importantly, never let other people’s fears and doubts become yours.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
There’s so much great advice I’ve heard over the years, but here’s my favorite because I think it pertains to one of the hardest things about writing (or anything, really). You can hand the same book to 100 people. 50 will love it, 50 will hate it. That’s just the way it is. You’ll never please everyone, so don’t try to. You’ve got to write for yourself first. Write what you love. Become engrossed in the story, the characters, the world you create. Not everyone will like it, but you can’t expect everyone to. This is a very subjective field. Take any criticism with a grain of salt and learn from it. don’t be offended by it.
Side note: I’ve actually written editors back and asked where I went wrong. Some never responded, but others gave me some of the best feedback I could have asked for.
What are you reading now?
The Shining by Stephen King
What’s next for you as a writer?
More books, more stories. I’m in it for the long haul. My plan is to write full time. Everything I write is a step in that direction.
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?
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Anything in the Mammoth Book of Horror series
A survival guide – somehow I think this would come in handy
Author Websites and Profiles
David Probert Website
David Probert Amazon Profile
David Probert’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account