Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Like most people, I think, I hate this question. I never know what to say. I’m a pretty boring guy. I live in North Bay, Ontario. I’m married and I have 5 children. I have written 4 books to date, 3 of them are in the horror genre and the 4th one…isn’t.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Well, technically, my latest book is an older book that has been republished. It’s called Little Angels and it was inspired by a family trip to Nova Scotia back in 1992 or 94. We stayed in these cottages right on the ocean and the beach had these cliffs on either side of it. On one of these cliffs was a small graveyard that looked really old and decrepit. So, one morning I wake up and go outside and there’s my dad up at this graveyard, checking it out. I went to join him and as I was looking at the graves, I noticed every single person there had been under 12 years old. That really freaked me out at the time since I was only 12 or 14. Years later, this memory pops into my head and I start thinking about why all those kids died. I figured it was probably some kind of disease since those graves were really old, but then my mind started inventing other ideas, which led to writing Little Angels.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Unlike most people I know who are writing books, I sit down at my computer to write other than just talking about writing books. I’ve discovered this is an usual thing to do these days.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Wow…way too many. Jonathan Janz, Brian Keene, James Herbert, Graham Masterton, Brian Knight, Gord Rollo, Steve Vernon, Stephen King, Bentley Little, Douglas Clegg, Edward Lee, Wrath James White, Peter Straub, William Peter Blatty. That’s just off the top of my head.
What are you working on now?
I’m about halfway through a story for an anthology I was invited to called The Ghost of the North. I’m also in the planning stages of another story, which is yet untitled. Once those are out of the way, I have another novel to finish, tentatively titled Only the Ghosts Know.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m terrible at self-promotion. I just want to write books. This is why I had to publish with a publisher rather than self-publish. I need help with the marketing aspect of publishing. If I could, I’d stay home all day and just write and let the publisher sell the books.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Ass to chair, fingers to keyboard.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
See last question.
What are you reading now?
I just finished reading Odd Man Out by James Newman, which is a great, disturbing read. Next up will be Children of the Dark by Jonathan Janz. If you’re not reading either of those two writers, you’re missing out.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep writing and keep trying to publish what I write.
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?
I can only take 3 or 4? That’s just mean. You are cruel human being for making me choose only 3 or 4 books. Does my kindle count?
Well, I guess I would bring a Bible. Lots of good horror stories there. The Exorcist is still a personal favourite, so I’d bring that one for sure. Collected works of H.P Lovecraft. That would keep me busy for a while. And maybe a good, big collection of ghost stories.
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