Chad Ryan resides in the desert of Arizona and spends his days cooking up stories. He loves blending genres and breaking rules to make something fresh. He mostly dabbles in horror, fantasy, and dark fiction.
He is a member of the Horror Writer’s Association, and co-founder of Lost Boys Press, an independent publishing house.
His debut horror novel, Ghost River, is available at major retailers.
What attracted you to the horror genre?
Since childhood, I’ve been a fan of fantasy and horror in story-telling. Scooby-Doo probably started me off. Using make-believe, whether fantastic or horrific, to explore compelling issues and the human condition is my jam.
To me, horror is more than just scary monsters and things that go bump in the night. It’s about pushing boundaries and diving deep into the core psyche of what makes us human. Fear. Isolation. Repression. Horror touches so many concepts that other genres are not necessarily suited to grapple with.
How do fellow authors help improve your writing?
I think being a writer is being an eternal student. I am constantly enamored by the work of others. Style, voice, imagery, technique, you name it. I’m trying to read more lately in the pursuit of sharpening and broadening my own skillset.
Being humble and receptive to the work and success of your friends and peers is a great way to improve! If you’re not willing to accept there’s always more to learn, you’ll never push yourself to get better.
When did you first discover you wanted to be an author?
I knew at 16 years old. That’s why I dedicated my first novel Ghost River to myself (at 16). Not to be arrogant, or self-congratulatory, but to recognize that young man and his dreams had finally arrived. Sadly, I lost my way for a lot of years and that boy’s dreams fell by the wayside.
Luckily, in my late 30s, I decided to chase those dreams once and for all. It seemed fitting to give that book to him. It was his to begin with. Imaginative, wily, and explosive like he was.
What does your family think about you writing horror?
Ha! I’ll let you know when they find out. I haven’t shared my writing with them. The time is coming though. It’s getting harder to hide what I do behind closed doors, and it *probably* isn’t healthy to do so in the long run. I’m planning on stepping out from behind the curtain when my next book drops. I want them to share in my success too. It’s been quite a journey for all of us.
What is your biggest fear?
Maybe this is corny, but it’s true. My biggest fear is fear. I spent a lot of years repressing my dreams and self-destructing because I was afraid to be myself and embrace the writerly voices in my head. Fear is the killer of dreams and it needs to be shivved.
Welcome to Spooky Sundays. Today’s interview is with Brian Paone. Brian is the founder of the Facebook group, Fiction Writing, which has played a fundamental part in my role from an amateur writer to a multi-published author. For the past seven years, this group has been growing its membership from its grassroots beginnings to nearly 145,000 members.
Brian Paone, a Massachusetts native, has been a published author since 2007. Brian has,thus far, released seven novels: “Dreams Are Unfinished Thoughts”—a memoir about befriending a drug-addicted rock star; “Welcome to Parkview”—a macabre cerebral-horror novel; “Yours Truly, 2095”—a time-travel romance novel (which was suggested for a Hugo Award, though it did not make the finalists); the “Moonlight City Drive” trilogy—a supernatural crime-noir series; and “The Post-War Dream”—a historical war fiction novel.
Brian has been a professional editor since 2014 and has edited almost 700 manuscripts for authors from all over the world, in all genres.
Brian currently lives in Fort Belvoir, VA with his wife—a Commander in the US Navy—and their four children. He is a retired police officer and worked in law enforcement for sixteen years from 2002 – 2018.
He is a self-proclaimed rollercoaster junkie, a New England Patriots fanatic, and his favorite color is burnt orange. And, in 2019, he fulfilled his lifelong dream of becoming the proud owner of a 1981 DeLorean!
You have what a lot of people might consider an unconventional, or even spooky, childhood. You grew up living in a funeral home, right? Can you share any spooky experiences from your childhood? Has your upbringing influenced your writing in any way?
Yeah, growing up in a funeral home and having parents who worked there (my stepdad is a funeral director and my mom is the property caretaker) made sleepovers pretty fun! Sometimes, and don’t let my parents read this, I would have friends sleep over and we would sneak downstairs to play hide and seek throughout the funeral home, and I would be the only one brave enough to hide inside the showroom caskets.
Spooky experiences? We would need a whole separate interview for that. We experienced everything from appliances turning on, knocking on doors, footsteps in the hallways, glimpses of movement from the corner of our eyes, and a lot more.
I don’t think my upbringing has influenced my writing per se, but it has affected my view on death.
What is your biggest fear?
Mirrors. Seriously. I’m always terrified of seeing something behind in the reflection that might not be there if I turn around.
I know you write rock fiction. What inspired you to take that route? How are the stories influenced by the music? Do the lyrics come into play or is it the sound of the song?
Music is my #1 love in life. I was in 4 bands (released 7 albums total) and spent years playing shows. I have attended over 500 concerts. I listen to almost 600 different bands.
However, being an author is my actual career, so I wanted to brand myself as someone who wrote about music. But not “about” music (like non-fiction or biographies.)
I have spent my whole life listening to albums and thinking about how some of them would make awesome movies (like a reader thinking a novel would make an awesome movie.) But I’m not a filmmaker. I’m an author.
So I thought, why not novelize all these amazing albums instead of waiting for someone to adapt it into a film? So I take the lyrics as my outline, then make it my own and expand on everything.
At the end of the day, the album may be the “source material,” but all my novels are truly my own voice and tone, the same as when a director adapts a novel.
If you could be a ghost or a vampire, which one would you be? Why?
Vampire for sure. They are way sexier. And my life goal is to bring sexy back.
What’s your favorite scary movie?
The Exorcist and Insidious are probably tied for my favorite horror film, that is not Stephen King (my favorite author) or David Cronenberg (my favorite director).
What is the plot of the Moonlight City Drive trilogy? What music inspired it?
A detective is hot on the trails of a Jack-the-Ripper-style killer, but there’s a 300-year-old witch and her army of ghouls manipulating both the detective and killer against each other.
The detective gets wind of this and has to make a decision: side with the witch to take down the killer or side with the killer to take down the witch.
It is a completed trilogy, and part 1 is a novelization of Dog Fashion Disco’s concept album, “Adultery.” However, part 2 and 3 do not use any source material; they are completely fresh ideas from my brain.
Welcome to Spooky Sundays. Today, I chose to interview an author, editor, and publisher, Donise Sheppard.
I have had a short story, Something Beyond, published by her publishing imprint, Pixie Forest Press. I am honored to get a chance to interview this woman I admire.
Donise Sheppard is a romance and horror writer residing in southern West Virginia with her husband and four children.
Donise found her passion for books at an early age and has been chasing stories ever since. She is an author, editor, and co-owner of Pixie Forest Publishing.
Love and romance are her first passions, but who can resist a scary story? When she isn’t working, she’s reading for pleasure, baking, or singing off key.
You are both a publisher and a writer. How have you found the two roles influence one another?
I decided I wanted to become a publisher because as a writer, I was seeing more and more unpaid anthologies and it was frustrating. Writers work hard, dedicating hours upon hours for their art. They deserve some form of payment.
Also, I think being a writer makes me more objective when reading and choosing stories. I can set aside what I enjoy as a reader and look at the writing itself.
As a publisher, I choose themes for upcoming anthologies. These themes aren’t always something I’m familiar with writing, which puts me out of my element and makes me a stronger writer.
Your publishing imprint does fantastic anthologies. I was honored to be featured in “Phobia” last year. In honor of spooky season, what’s your biggest fear?
As a parent, my biggest fear is losing my children.
I’m afraid of most things, but my absolute biggest normal fear would be of rats and mice. I can’t even look at a picture of them or I start to panic.
Why do you write?
I’ve loved books and stories since I was six years old. I dreamed of being a publisher in New York and writing on the side. I write for myself as well as others. I am a very emotional person and writing helps me work through them. I also dream of inspiring someone, making them love literature as much as I do, or just giving them an escape from their own lives and emotions.
Are there any “little things that go bump in the night” that keep you awake? Worries, fears? If so, what are they?
I am a worrier. I worry about everything, almost nonstop. I’ve actively been trying to learn to let the little things go, but I’m a work in progress. I constantly worry about failing or finding new readers or just being good enough so I can show my children they don’t have to settle in a job they hate to survive.
I’m that mom who worries about the house burning down while we’re sleeping and I can’t get to my kids, or someone breaking in.
Banned books is a hot topic right now – and one that some authors fear. How would you feel if you received a notification that one (or several) of your anthologies had been banned? What would your response be?
Honestly, I’m not sure. I would definitely think it was a bit odd, but when I think back to some of the content of a few of the stories, mine included, I could understand why they would. I’m not a fan of banning books, though. If a child is reading, they should be allowed to read. It should be up to the parents to decide what is appropriate.
What does your typical day look like? How do you divide your time between writing, editing, and publishing?
Well, I’m not sure if you know this, but I’ve recently enrolled in college to get my bachelor’s degree, so my schedule looks a lot different this year than it did last year. I usually dedicate about two hours a day to my publishing company (right now I’m hunting for images for the Scars cover), and about two hours for my own work, whether editing or writing
. Editing for clients takes precedent, right after schoolwork, and I usually spend three to six hours a day on that, depending on the length and deadline.
Where do you get most of your writing done?
I have three desks, but I usually sit at my kitchen table to work. I like the lighting in there better, and it’s closer to the coffee pot. ;)
In the summer, I love to write by the lake.
If you could have dinner with any person who has influenced your career, who would it be, why, and what would you be eating?
Honestly, my mom, grandma, and dad influenced my career the most. My mom and grandma were storytellers and always encouraged me. And my dad was my biggest supporter in everything I did.
If I chose a professional author who influenced my career, it would be RL Stine. He was my very first favorite writer and made me love spooky stories. I’m not sure what we’d eat. I’d just be happy having coffee with him and chatting about stories.
What projects are you currently working on?
I am currently editing a dystopian romance novel I wrote a couple of years ago, hoping to publish it in January. I’m also writing a romance novel with no set date for publication. I have four novels written and waiting for editing, so hopefully next year you’ll be seeing a lot of me.
For the next few Sundays, I will be interviewing horror authors to celebrate my favorite holiday – Halloween. My first interview is with the author, Patricia Stover.
Patricia Stover is a Horror author from southern Oklahoma. Her works have been published with Scout Media Books and Music, The Horror Zine, and in the anthology Café Macabre II. Her work ranges anywhere from short stories to novelettes and poetry.
As an 80s kid, Stover was raised on horror. She spent late nights watching horror movies and series like Goosebumps, Tales from The Crypt, A Nightmare on Elm Street, anything with Elvira or Vincent Price and basically every cheesy 80s horror flick ever made.
I am not a horror author. I’ve only written a couple of pieces that could be considered horror, so I have to know – what scares you?What genuinely terrifies you?
In all honesty, a lot of things. This is why I write horror. There is no one answer. Especially with the past couple of years we’ve had. I’ve learned so much about the people around me. I think that thinking you know someone and then finding out that they aren’t who you really thought they are, that is really scary.
People are scary. The way we treat each other is terrifying.
Oh, and spiders. Screw those guys.
Who are some of your favorite horror directors?
You know what? I should probably pay better attention to what directors that I like. But I am not much of a snob when it comes to horror movies. This is a bit embarrassing to say, but I grew up in the 80s and I absolutely adore cheesy horror. I love slasher films and I love Y.A. horror films like Monster Squad. I have the DVD and I rewatch it and my Elvira Mistress of the Dark movie, over and over. I love The Lost Boys and Halloween.
But some of the newer things I have enjoyed, some shows and movies – Midnight Mass. Boy, did that resonate with me. Growing up in a small town, that really hits home.
I don’t get time to watch horror movies like I’d like because nobody else in my house likes them. So I have to sort of isolate myself to watch them.
Do you listen to music as you write? If so, what artists/genre of music and how does it influence your writing? If not, does the silence ever scare you since you write horror?
You know, I have a hard time with distraction. I like my silence. But I have never really tried writing to music. I might give it a try some time though. Who knows? Maybe it will inspire me.
Who are some of your greatest influences, and what about them influences you to write in the direction you write?
Growing up, I read a lot of King and Stine. You can definitely see that in some of my works. I love to write young characters. I think they are the most fun. Kids are so honest and brave compared to adult characters.
But I always loved King for his complex characters. Each time I start a story, I try to start with the character.
I think if I can write a deep character that people can really relate to, one that is not perfect, that has their flaws, that is what gets readers hooked. Because we all have our flaws.
We are imperfect and we want to know that other people are too. We want to feel less alone in this crazy world. That is what books give us. Not just something to entertain us, but characters who help us feel less alone.
We are imperfect, and we want to know that other people are too. We want to feel less alone in this crazy world. That is what books give us.”
Patricia Stover, Horror author
Paperback, hardback, or eBook?
Paperback or hardback. I don’t have a kindle or tablet or whatever. I grew up in the pre-internet era.
I remember when computers first started to be a thing. Cellphones were the size of bricks and if you had a car-phone you must be rich. Plus, there is nothing like the feel of a vintage paperback in your hands. I love the old covers.
What got you into writing horror? How were you sucked into this macabre world?
I didn’t discover my talent for writing prose until college. I dabbled a bit with poetry and such in school, but I never really tried writing stories until college.
I was in my mid twenties and had taken my first creative writing course. My teacher was this quirky woman with loud outfits who encouraged me in my writing. I’ll always be thankful to her for that.
I knew when she assigned a two page screenplay and I was like seven pages in and still not even near finished. I just knew I was meant to do this writing thing. I loved it. The thrill of inventing characters and creating the stories that had always been living inside my head. I had always had a wild imagination.
I daydreamed a lot as a child. But I had never known what to do with it. I just thought I was weird. So, I never told anybody about the daydreams and went on about life.
It was amazing to finally find a blank page to put these dreams on. I don’t know why it had never occurred to me to write them down before that moment.
Growing up, my school never really encouraged the arts. It was a small town and everything revolved around football and other sports.
How do your family and friends react to things you write?
I think my mom is proud, no matter what I do. But with everyone else, we don’t really talk about it.
My son likes it though. Every time I order a book and it comes in the mail, he’ll ask, “Are you in that one too?” If I say no, he gets this disappointed look on his face. It’s too cute. I love that he is my biggest supporter.
Dallas, Texas Poet J.G Gibson is a first time author with his debut book, ‘Feelings’. He is known among the poetry community as clever, poignant and creative in an original way.
Most of his work, surrounds the themes of heartbreak, loss, depression, and death but are not limited to those categories.
What are three words you would you use to describe your poetry?
Clever, lyrical, and entertaining are usually three words that come to mind when I think of my poetry.
From quick wit to rhythm and rhyme, I tend to leave the reader entertained and amazed.
When did you begin writing poetry, and what was the impetus?
At age 16. I like to blame music for me becoming a poet. I remember always searching for the lyrics of songs and reading them in my head, without the music playing in the background.
Some of my favorite artists today, are Taylor Swift, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd.
What are some of your writing habits? How do they affect the content of your poems?
To say I have any writing habits would be a fib. I write sporadically, there’s no schedule or direct process. I do not write everyday.
All I know for sure is I write most frequently when I am emotional – good or bad.
With that being said, most of my themes surround relationships of all kinds – whether it’s death, the downfall of one, weddings, or meeting parents.
My choice of content allows me to highlight different moments and aspects of a relationship.
What is the most difficult part of the poetry-writing process?
For me personally, it is finding subjects I can personify or use as metaphors to elaborate the story that I’m trying to tell. It drives me insane trying to write the perfect-worded poem.
I find in my writing, I include little metaphors or references that only certain readers will understand. Having said that, do you ever include similar references?
Yes, in my upcoming book, “Feelings”, there will be references throughout the whole book that connect poem by poem. I like to think of it as, a loosely episodic structure of a poetry collection.
Why do you think so many readers find poetry inaccessible?
Actually, I do think it’s accessible, but I think it’s been watered down, or modernized.
In today’s climate, I always see poems as a caption: it’s a one-line, witty attention grabber. Or it’s substance when posted in other places is cliché.
So I do believe poetry is accessible, I just think the people who really love it, don’t really appreciate the statuses which are aka, “the new poetry.”
Carousel
Farewell, carousel that takes me back to you. Round after round thinking, you’ll go around too But you just add change, and yet stay the same, and around I move.
