Interview With Author Michael Parkes
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name’s Michael Parkes, and I’m a multi-genre Canadian author. So far, I have two books published, Cheryl, a novel, and Gnomes and Knights, a short story collection. I enjoy hiking, painting, and reading along with writing.
In addition to my books, I also have two free-to-read short horror stories on my website and blog. They were both originally guest posts on Shaun Fitzgerald’s website (Portraits) and K.L. Robinson’s website (Eternity) respectively. Both lean towards cosmic horror. My current manuscript is also a cosmic horror novel.
I also do free author interviews on my blog. They go up every Monday and Friday! Authors just have to email me through my website’s contact form to do one.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Gnomes and Knights is my last published book. It was inspired by a somewhat droopy teal pine with a nice decorative fence around it. Unsurprisingly, it had a really nice garden behind it too.
I’ve also always wanted to write a kids’ book and thought rhyming would be fun to do.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Sometimes I write out-of-order or put placeholder text in brackets. I find it helps me keep my writing momentum going when I get stuck.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Hard to say. I’ve always found Stephen King’s books interesting, and Adam Nevill’s, though I write a different type of horror than they do usually.
I also always liked Dr. Suess’s writings. Maybe that’s partly what inspired me to write Gnomes and Knights.
What are you working on now?
My current manuscript is a cosmic horror novel set on an isolated farm. It tells the story of a boy named Elijah, homeschooled and lonely, who lives with his mother, sister, and profoundly abusive father. It explores themes of religious abuse, isolation, and child-like wonder while also being mainly centered around cosmic horror.
The cosmic horror part comes from him toying with bizarre powers beyond his understanding out in the woods nearby his home, though the manuscript isn’t particularly well-developed at this time.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My number one way to sell books is to do a discount ebook campaign and buy a lot of ads for it. Often planned months in advance, I try to do one yearly. With a little planning and some marketing budget it’s profoundly effective at selling books.
I’m also a big fan of Amazon ads and networking with other authors.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t be afraid to network! Meeting new people is fun and especially for creatives it’s crucial in getting established and getting visibility. Do all the author interviews, podcasts, and book signings you can!
Also don’t be afraid to set limits with social media. I found it kind of overwhelming suddenly having to market my books all the time. That’s why I find ads to be helpful; I can take a more hands-off approach that way as opposed to social media marketing. Especially since social media has become a less effective way to market books for most authors in recent times.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Focus on your own corner of the world. Don’t freak out about things outside your control, and don’t overthink everything, because things often work out as they should regardless of what action you take or don’t take.
That doesn’t mean don’t take any action. But it does mean don’t worry too much about things outside your direct locus of control. If you can’t directly control the outcome, why worry at all?
What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading Sweet Pea by C. J. Skuse. It was a Christmas gift from my cover artist.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m going to publish my third book in the coming years and continue to interview a wide variety of authors of all kinds!
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?
1. The Help. It’s probably my favourite book of all time.
2. The Bible. I’m not religious in the slightest, but the sheer number of stories in there would keep my entertained for a while.
3. A survival guide. Preferably with tips on improvising water filters, foraging for food, and building a shelter. If I’m stranded out there I’d like to have a way to survive. Possibly a guide on raft building too.
4. I can’t really think of a 4th book. Maybe something by Adam Nevill? Apartment 16 was pretty good.
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