Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Louisville, Kentucky and have spent most of my life in the small town of Hillview, just south of there. My wife, Jenny, and I are ghost hunters who own and operate two local ghost walks (Jacob Floyd’s Shepherdsville History and Haunts Tour and Jacob Floyd’s NuLu History and Haunts Tour), both of which you can follow on Facebook.
My love for horror began at an early age when I first saw The Return of the Living Dead, and my desire to write it began in my teen years when I started reading R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps series. Other than Stine, I list Clive Barker, Charles Dickens, James Herbert, J.R.R. Tolkien, S.E. Hinton, Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Jordan, and Brian Keene as my major literary influences.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Pleasure Hunt. It was inspired by an article I read about how social media and the Internet in general are alienating people. At the time, I was also reading a lot of occult studies, and stuff about Lilith and the succubae caught my attention. I began studying more about that and that’s where this book came from. There is a lot of Clive Barker influence, as well as some Tolkien. Bits of the Zohar and the Necronomicon played their parts, too.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I just like peace and quiet.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien; Charles Dickens–A Tale of Two Cities early in life, then much of his other work as time went on; the novels of S.E. Hinton really sparked my interest in writing and developing characters; R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps series is probably why I’m even a writer, today; the poetry of Edgar Allen Poe taught me how to use dark emotions to tell tales; reading Clive Barker’s horror work really revealed to me how I want to write; I have also found influence in the works of James Herbert, Robert Jordan, and Brian Keene.
What are you working on now?
An animal swarm horror novel about a small town in Kentucky that gets overrun by one of the most unlikely of creatures. It’s in the revision stages and my publisher has already shown interest in it, so it may very well find a home soon.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still learning that side of authorhood. I get decent responses on Facebook and even Twitter, but I am now branching out, looking for advertisement sites that are within my budget, blogs, and review sites.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be tough and don’t give up. You’ll get rejected a lot and want to quit, but don’t. Rejection doesn’t mean you’re no good. It’s a tough world to get into and equally tough to stay and thrive in. You have to love it and want it if you want to succeed. Always be looking to improve your writing, but also write for you. Most of all, familiarize yourself with the indie publishing scene because there are a lot of publishers out there who may take your work without an agent. A huge portion of book sales come from the Indie world. But, there is a lot of product, so be ready to interact and solicit reviews. Agents are great to have if you can land one; and, if that’s your goal, you can always build your name on the indie scene and make yourself more desirable to agents who can get you good contracts. Also, make sure you do your homework: there are bad publishers, too. Never go with someone who will make you pay an upfront fee to get published. Ever! Learn to network with publishers, reviewers, and bloggers. It’s all about exposure and this is where you get it. Get involved. Books don’t sell themselves. But, don’t forget to love what you do. If it gets too much, step back for a minute and clear your head.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Know your worth. J.P. Willie, author of Blood in the Woods, said that to me. You MUST do that as an author. Don’t sell yourself short.
Also, keep writing. That was said to me by HellBound Books CEO, James Longmore. The more you put out there, the more your name is out there, and the more attention you’ll receive. This is key.
What are you reading now?
Quiet Places by Jasper Bark. He is a great author. I am looking forward to interviewing him on my blog, Jacob Floyd’s Ghost and Monsters.
What’s next for you as a writer?
My wife and I write paranormal books, too. We’re working on a few of those and I am working on other novels, shorts, and considering submitting some of my poetry. What’s next for me as a writer? My sight is set on getting my name known, putting out more work, and maximizing my exposure. I want to entertain as many people as I can, either with my novels, our ghost books, our tours, my blog, or whatever else. This is what I love to do.
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?
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Exorcist, BleakWarrior by Alistair Rennie, and the LOTR edition with all three tales in one book.
Author Websites and Profiles
Jacob Floyd Website
Jacob Floyd Amazon Profile
Jacob Floyd’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account