Interview With Author Paul Christou
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Midnight Multiplayer is my debut novel. I’m a lifelong gamer who wrote it as a love letter to the games that shaped me—blending battle-royale action with the real-life struggles of love and relationships. It’s a raw, fast-paced, and emotionally charged story, sure to impact anyone who loves video games.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Midnight Multiplayer was inspired by my desire to write a screenplay, but that quickly pivoted to writing a novel. I was concerned that a screenplay would get buried at the bottom of some executive’s pile, never to be read. That’s wasn’t good enough for me. So I learned the craft of novel writing. I watched hundreds of videos and read dozens of books on writing before I even placed my pen onto the page.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I use the “Notes” app on my phone to capture ideas before they leave my brain. Then I print out the notes for me to review. It’s not the most effective method, but it works for me.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ll give the obvious one here: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. As soon as I read it, I knew that people could be invested in a fun video game like story. Andy Weir has been a real inspiration to me that an indie author can make it. I loved The Martian and am currently reading Project Hail Mary. Cormac McCarthy (The Road). Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinneman. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen was an early influence on me, as well as Stephen King (The Bachman books, Thinner, and The Stand).
What are you working on now?
Trying to get the word out on Midnight Multiplayer since it has just been released. I’ve also been storyboarding some ideas for my next book, which may or may not be about video games. Stay tuned!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
TikTok and Instagram. I’m just starting out, but I hope that people who love video games will gravitate towards the upcoming content I plan to put out soon.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Learn the craft by reading books on writing and watch YouTube videos for writing tips. There’s a lot of good information out there. For me, I started watching a lot of screenplay writing videos because I was planning on writing a screenplay. At first, I thought that I had wasted my time because I changed my mind and decided to write a novel. But I quickly realized that learning how to write a screenplay was invaluable because it taught me how to write visually. In other words, to “get to the point.”
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I have to paraphrase from Quentin Tarantino, who said something like, “Write the movie you want to see. Write the thing that hasn’t been made before because you haven’t made it.” I would also add “Be authentic.” If you can write in an authentic voice, people will take notice.
What are you reading now?
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir and Awaken Online: Catharsis by Travis Bagwell.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Getting the word out for Midnight Multiplayer and writing my next book.
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 Bachman Books by Stephen King (who wrote them under the name Richard Bachman). All four novellas in there were amazing, including “The Long Walk” (which was recently released as a movie). The Road by Cormac McCarthy. The Count of Monte Cristo (best revenge story ever). The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (one of the greatest stories ever told).
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