Media Kit

Sample Questions and Answers

If you’re so nice, why write this kind of stuff?

Because many of my stories are funny, gross, or horrific, all of which appeals to my–shall we say–underdeveloped maturity. Rest assured that even though my work might not fit the sensibilities of some readers, I truly mean no harm nor offense. Frankly, if you don’t want to be horrified you should not be downloading horror stories. Perhaps you would be happier with another genre.

When did you start writing?

First Grade. My first story was about overalls and why everyone should wear them.

What motivates you?

Funny and horrific ideas occur to me on a regular basis. Writing them down seemed like a simple way to prevent them from eating me inside out. Putting them out there for other people to read seemed like a simple way to keep the neighborhood kids off my lawn.

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?

I grew up in the rural American South. It might occasionally influence my colloquial word choices. Other than that, I don’t really think it does influence my writing. I write short tales of dark comic horror. Is there any place in this world that it doesn’t exist? Aren’t we all just residents of Planet Internet now anyway?

What is your writing process?

I’m more of a seat-of-the-pants type of writer. You might find a few paragraphs of idea lying around, but you’ll rarely find me with a completely functional outline for a piece. I form an ultimate critical scene in my head, then I write narrative to explain how everything culminated in that scene. After a first draft of that process, I go back and rewrite and fill in the gaps, add some logic and realism, and generally polish things.

What inspires you to get out of bed each day?

The need to urinate. Well, that and the fact that I need to earn a living.

Who are your favorite authors?

I expect that very few authors in my genre could answer this question without citing Stephen King. I will admit that the work of his early career was most influential on me. That said, I also like Joe Hill (Stephen King’s son), Thomas Harris, Anne Rice, Shirley Jackson, Richard Matheson, and many more you’ve probably never heard of.

How long until you are rich and famous?

Neither getting rich nor becoming famous stand among my reasons for writing and publishing my books. Unless you are Stephen King or of a similar career arc and era, the odds of becoming wealthy as a horror author are long. Ditto becoming famous. So why do I do this? Because I want to.

I create stories out of both need and desire. I promote them as best I can because, yes, I want people to read them and I want people to enjoy them. I also hope they take away a little something from each of them that enriches their lives in some small way. Money and fame are goals for other folks, and that’s fine for them. Not for me.

What are some causes you support?

There are many. Top of my mind right now are The Trevor Project, LDF, and The CPTSD Foundation because I think those organizations are working toward a better world in which bigotry is on the decline and the stigma surrounding mental health finally abates.

What are your thoughts on trigger warnings in books?

I believe books (horror in particular) should challenge people, institutions, and mindsets. But they should not seek to harm.

It’s important for potential readers to understand who a work is for and who might want to steer clear of it. Trigger warnings are not “you might be offended” warnings. Those who interpret them in such fashion might not understand what triggers are. Or, they suffer from the ingrained ableism of growing up awash in the stigma that surrounds mental health. It’s not entirely their fault. The use of mental health terms like triggers, OCD, and PTSD outside of their clinical context has obfuscated and watered down their meanings. Warnings are also typically not spoilers if they’re worded in a generalized way that does not give away plot or story, like the warnings that accompany movie ratings.

My recent works include QR codes/links to content warnings, which are more general than trigger warnings but include as much information as I think I can provide about potential triggers. I include them because horror is a broad genre. What triggers mental health crises in some people does not trigger it in others. So I give readers an option. If you’re bothered by content warnings, no one requires you to scan the QR code or click the link. If you want to know whether the book contains triggering content that could cause you to spiral, the QR code is there to help you. I also use the codes/links so that the warnings themselves can be easily updated if I later discover something I should have included that I originally did not.

Finally, trigger warnings/content warnings are not censorship. Although I empathize with folks who note and call out attempts to censor by both the right and the left sides of the political spectrum, I think it’s important to know that trigger warnings/content warnings do absolutely nothing to restrict the content of a book. People choose what they read based on whatever information they have beforehand. This information can include warnings, reviews, ratings, cover art, titles, the author’s prior work, and/or the book’s synopsis.

Hell, content warnings could actually help sell a book to some readers.

Therefore, warnings are not censorship. Book bans and demanding authors exclude content from their work is censorship.

How do you feel about the increase in attempts to ban books in recent years?

I think it sucks. People who attempt to ban books are afraid of the power of free expression and the power of ideas. Book bans are an attempt by a tiny group to control what the majority think and feel. I actively support the American Library Association’s battles against book bans.