June 09th, 2015

Name: Essel Pratt
Down and Dirty Questions:

1.      If you had one image/idea to represent you, what would it be?
a.      This is quite a tough question.  However, if I had to choose an idea to represent myself, it would be servant leadership.  Basically, this means that I don’t just give orders to others, but instead use the opportunity to teach.  When editing, I attempt to give examples and suggestions, rather than simply telling, as an example.
2.      What s one theme you cover and explore within your writing?
a.      The one theme I tend to explore is the human psyche.  As a student of psychology, I have an enormous interest in the human mind and the behaviors that accompany it.
3.      Give us one (or 2) character (s) (tell us the book(s)) and tell us why you admire/hate/ love that person.
a.      The first are Chij and Franklyn, from Final Reverie.  Both live in a world that is very familiar to them, filled with magic and wonder.  However, the past and future is largely unknown to them, so they are naïve to what dangers are out there.  However, they are tasked with a journey that sees them mature in the process.
b.      The second character would be Rabin, also from Final Reverie.  In the book, he is old and wise, but also a bit insane.  He doesn’t get much face time in Final Reverie.  However, he is a key character in the Reverie Series and will see some more time in the next book, Abiding Reverie.
4.      Pick one of your covers and tell us how that represents your book. Who did the cover? How was the experience? What was the planning like?
a.      The cover I choose is from ABCs of Zombie Friendship, created by the one and only Catt Dahman.  The cover shows the innocence of children, even when faced with death and reanimation.  The planning was quite easy, I simply gave Catt a brief description of what I envisioned, and she brought it to life.

Books:

Final Reverie, ABCs of Zombie Friendship, How to Be A Successful Facebook Admin

Anthologies:

31 More Nights of Halloween, The Undead that Saved Christmas Vol. III: Monster Bash, Horror-tica, Another 100 Horrors, Dark moon Digest 13, Ugly Babies 1, Ugly Babies 2, Cellar Door II, Bines II, Mardis Gras Murder, Memento Mori, Serial Killers Quattuor, Vignettes from the End of the World, Heroe’s Best Friend: An Anthology of Animal Companions, We Are Dust and Shadow, Demonic  Possession, Misunderstood: Hiding Behind a Mask of Hope, Fractured Realms, No Sight for the Saved, Nightmare Stalkers and Dream Walkers 2, Silent Scream, JWK Best of Horror 2013, The Undead War, Blood Type: An Anthology of Vampire SF on the Cutting Edge, Rejected for Content, In Creeps the Night, Autumn Burning: Dreadtime Stories for the Wicked Soul, Bones III, Floppy Shoes Apocalypse, Cellar Door III/Hell II, Indiana Horror Review 2014, The Grays, Inanna Rising, Journals of Horror: Found Fiction, Undead Legacy, Chunks: A Barfzarro Anthology, Rejected For Content 2

5.     What is publishing like? Is it difficult? Easy? Why?
a.      Publishing is tricky.  I would say that overall, publishing is not easy. There are many that take the “easy way out” and self publish, without realizing that editing, cover design, and marketing are integral to a book’s success.  When choosing a publisher, one needs to be cognizant of the contract terms and the publisher’s intentions.  However, when you find a great publisher, like J. Ellington Ashton Press, publishing can be easy and fun.
6.      In 10 years, what do you want readers to say about your work/you?
a.      In ten years, I want people to still be discovering me for the first time, looking back at my older writings, and telling me honest opinions about my work.  Then, I want them to tell others bout my work and share how they found me.

7.      Do you have favorite words to use in writing? What are they?
a.      Maybe it is because I write horror, but my favorite word seems to be “nefarious”.  I’m not sure why, but I use it a lot.
8.      What is the funniest writing experience you’ve had?
a.      I wrote a story that is quite strange, involving a baby, eating, defecating, and birth.  I received an acceptance, although the book as sense faded into nonexistence, and I showed it to my wife during my daughter’s dance recital at school.  She read it and yelled out, “What’s a butt baby?” during intermission.  I laughed quite hard as people around us stared her down.
9.      How do you title a book? Where does it come from?
a.      Titles are always hard for me.  Some book titles just come to me out of nowhere.  Others remain hidden until the end.  I usually try to use a concept from within the story and summarize it into the title.
10.      What are your strongest abilities in writing?
One of my strongest abilities in writing is to take a concept or idea and create a story out of it.  I think that is why I love writing for anthologies, the themes give me a base to write from and I get to create the sce

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Name: Roy C. Booth

Titles: The One: Children of Destiny; Inanna Rising: Women Forged By Fire; All That Remains; Doorway to Death; Points; Rejected For Content 2; Midnight Remains; A Werecat's Journal: First Life; A Werecat's Journal: Second Life; Autumn Burning; JEApers Creepers; and Kaiju: Lords of the Earth.

Down and Dirty Questions:

1. If you had one image/idea to represent you, what would it be?
Top of my head: A fleet of fully operational smiley faced Death Stars with no inherent design flaws. Welcome to the Roy C. Booth Empire, folks.
2. What's one theme you cover and explore within your writing?
 Postmodern rationalizing.
3. Give us one (or 2) character (s) (tell us the book(s)) and tell us why you admire/hate/ love that person
High Shaman Ozen from The One: Children of Destiny, an ancient, shriveled up, horrid-looking, bobbing up and down Ogre who only communicates through cackles, gestures, and the rattling of his fetish staff. Although thought by some to be quite mad, his “words” of wisdom often speak volumes.
4. Pick one of your covers and tell us how that represents your book. Who did the cover? How was the experience? What was the planning like?
 The Werecat's Journal series covers are by David McGlumphy and reflect the the skylines of the cities the books primarily take place in, such as Atlanta, GA, Birmingham, Al, et al. He pays attention to the source material, a huge, refreshing plus.
5. What is publishing like? Is it difficult? Easy? Why? 
Ever changing, yet adaptable if you keep up with current market trends, work hard, research, network, pay attention to your audience, have something to say, allow yourself to grow as a writer, which should be an ongoing, continuing process, and a few other niggling heres, theres, and wherefores. (It also helps to pay forward on occasion, if even just for the warm fuzzies.)
6. In 10 years, what do you want readers to say about your work/you?
“He's still alive and cranking out bestsellers. I bought his latest five books yesterday. Check out his author page on Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/roycbooth.”
7. Do you have favorite words to use in writing? What are they?
 When I collaborate as of late: “Blink/ed/ing.”
8. What is the funniest writing experience you’ve had? Alas, currently unavailable for print and/or public consumption.
9. How do you title a book? Where does it come from? Very carefully with full regards to reflecting the overall story inside.
10. What are your strongest abilities in writing?
 Dialog (I'm also a playwright/longtime theatre person), plot points, and collaboration.