Horror UK

Tonight’s event was at a library. I did a little presentation at a weekly meeting of horror writers. Horror UK, they’re called. There’s about 20 of them, mostly retired men. Most of it was Q&A. Burbank transcribed some of the best questions here for you:

1. What is it about horror writing that you like? Would you ever write a different sort of genre?

I grew up reading scary stories. It must just be that feeling that you get when you read a really good scary story that can’t be found when you’re reading Jane Austen or something. I write some mystery sometimes because there’s an innate structure. It’s like it’s already outlined and I just have to fill in the blanks. Like Mad Libs. I guess romance and sci-fi and all those have structures too, but I’m not familiar with them, so I don’t try.

2. What’s your writing process?

It doesn’t involved coffee or alcohol. I feel like everyone always says it’s about the drink. Umm, I do a lot of prewriting—by hand—and then I write an outline. I’m an outliner. Then I just sit down and write it start to finish. I always go back and do a lot of rewriting. When I’m happy with that, I send it to my agent who sends it to an editor. Then we do a few more drafts, and it’s done.

3. What do you read?

Everybody reads Stephen King, I think. Bentley Little is good. If you’re looking for something different, I do buy a lot of memoirs.

4. Are you worried about all this talk about ebooks?

I’m excited about it, actually. It’s going to screw things up for a little bit while they try to sort out prices and logistics, but we’re moving into a new age. Not that it’s going to push print out. It’s too tactile to ever really go away.

5. How important is it for an author to have a website?

Oh, very. Mine’s still what you might call Beta mode. It’s a great ad tool as long as people are able to find it when they search for your name and as long as you supply them with information on where to buy your work and how to contact you. Social media’s important too. They say to get on Facebook and Twitter and all that to sell your brand. I even have a blog now, apparently.

6. How did you land a publishing deal?

Uh, the way most people do. I’m from New York, so I know some people who work in the book industry. When you’re a novelist, you can’t keep it under wraps very well because eventually your friends begin to get suspicious as to why you’re cooped up in front of your laptop all the time. So my manuscript got shown around for a while before Lenore said she wanted to represent me.

7. How much control do you have over the final product?

Well, I do sign off on everything. I’m pretty fortunate to be able to work with the editor as long as I do to make sure the content is the best it can be. Sometimes a book is so rushed, it doesn’t get the kind of revision it needs before going to press. As far as book covers and things like that, I don’t really have much to do with that, but I really can’t complain. Covers and titles sell the book. That’s their only job.

8. Where’s your favorite place to see your books?

Readers’ hands, I think is the appropriate answer. Sometimes I might see someone reading one of my books in the subway and that feels good. I’m not a huge fan of seeing them on Google’s books because I don’t know how I’m supposed to make a living if you can read the whole book for free, but I don’t mind Amazon giving away a sample chapter. I’d like to see my book on an e-reader someday. We haven’t gotten around to that yet, but someday. I know they have my books at the chain store, so sometimes I’ll pop into an indie store just to see if they stock my novels, and it feels good to spot them on the shelves there too…unless they’re in the bargain bin.

9. What are you working on now?

This book tour. No, I have some ideas stewing in my head for the next Angela Beam novel, but I’m not giving anything away.

10. Where do you get your inspiration?

Oh God. I knew that one was coming. Um, I really should have an answer prepared, but I don’t think there’s exactly some well of inspiration that I draw from. I might just hear something on the news that triggers an emotion or concept. My biggest advice is to read widely, not just in the genre. I don’t want to be like every other horror writer, so there’s elements of other genres in my horror novels too. I think that’s what feels so relatable.