Interview with Horror Author Jonathan Janz

Jonathan, welcome to my blog. It’s great to have a fellow Samhain Horror author here to provide an interview.

Thanks so much for inviting me here, Brian! I'm a huge fan of your work, so getting to know you has been a great experience for me.

1. As someone who has worked in the film business, I just love the concept of your latest novel The Sorrows, about a couple of film composers who spend a month on a creepy island to work on a movie. Can you give us some more details of what the story is about?

The Sorrows was born of several disparate ideas and experiences, but it all started with a single image: a man imprisoned in a tower with nothing but a piano. The song that he played in my imagination gave birth to this novel.

Ben Shadeland and Eddie Blaze are movie music composers who're trying to score a big budget horror film for the most demanding (and diabolical) director in film. Their deadline is looming, but Ben (the creative half of the duo and my protagonist) hasn't written a note because of a nasty divorce and the resulting loss of custody of his three-year-old son, who happens to be the only thing that matters in Ben's life.

Chris Blackwood is the heir to his family's fortune, which includes the Sorrows, a supposedly haunted island off the coast of northern California. Chris is in deep with a vicious loan shark, and because his father has cut off his money supply, to make some quick cash (and to save his hide) Chris allows Ben, Eddie, and two women (Eva, the gorgeous assistant to the film director, and Claire, an aspiring composer with a huge crush on Ben) to stay a month in the island's castle.

What none of them know is the horrific history of the island or the evil that awaits them there. I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that the tale is a nightmarish roller coaster that's been receiving some wonderful praise. I'm very proud of it and want everyone to read it.

Of course, every author probably feels that way about his/her book, right?

2. Yes, I would agree. The Sorrows sounds like a great setting for a horror novel. Is the island off the coast of California real or fictional? And what inspired you to you come up with this story?

It's a fictional island, but it has existed in my head since I was about twenty-one. I didn't know where the island was though, until my family and I visited my wife's relatives in Sonoma County, California. Like you, Brian, I'm a nature lover, and when I spent time on the coast and in the mountains near Santa Rosa, I knew exactly where my novel would be set.

You're not the first person to ask me this question (regarding inspiration), but because it's such a good one, I'm going to give you an answer I don't think I've ever given before, but since the novel's release, I've realized that some very strong feelings of mine are expressed in The Sorrows.

The first belief is that sin, like a loyal dog, returns to its owner. Maybe not in this life, but eventually, I do believe that we reap what we sow. And in that vein, my fictional island is like a psychic magnet for revenants or vengeful ghosts (many of whom were wronged in life).

Men commit many sins, but a disturbing number of them are toward women, and a staggering number of those are unholy minglings of sex and violence. In fact, I find many men's attitudes about sex to be inherently violent (if not physically, then without a doubt emotionally). The notion that a woman is a thing, an object, an instrument of temporary pleasure is so endemic to our society that we barely notice how wrong-headed and frightening it is.

There are several monsters in The Sorrows, many of whom are unfeeling lechers whom society enables and even sanctions. They objectify women, exert power over them, and inflict violence on them simply because they can. When you take a step back and examine it, it's really a primitive, animalistic code. Of course, that's an insult to animals, because few species are capable of sinking to the depraved depths that men often do.

I'm proud to be a man, and I'm not down on the whole gender, but I believe most of the world needs to take a serious look at gender politics and consider starting from scratch. As the son of a single mother, the husband of a wonderful wife, and the father of two amazing daughters, I've had many occasion to wonder just how in the heck men can justify the way they treat women.

There is ill treatment of women in my book because I want to write with truth. But there are also consequences to that treatment, and though those consequences don't begin to redress the wrongs that are done, I think they do reflect my feelings on the matter pretty clearly.

3. I agree on everything you said above. The novel I'm currently writing also has some villains who are violent towards women. My protoganist, on the otherhand, holds women in high esteem and takes a stand against such monsters for his sister and the woman he loves. What authors influenced your writing style and in what ways?

Stephen King was my first and most important influence. I wouldn't have been a reader, much less an author, without his writing. So much of what I believe about writing came from him, too. The story is the boss. Edit mercilessly. A story isn't driven by the author, it's driven by the characters; it's merely the author's job to transcribe what the characters tell him. These ideas are just a sliver of what I've learned from Stephen King.

After King I'd put Joe R. Lansdale, Jack Ketchum, Richard Laymon, and Richard Matheson on my list of primary influences. The same could be said for Ramsey Campbell, Peter Straub, and Ray Bradbury. Some other names I don't think I've mentioned in other interviews are Hemingway, Steinbeck, Roald Dahl, Poe, Chuck Palahniuk, Shirley Jackson, John Farris, Charles L. Grant, Harry Crews, and James Herbert.

The above writers couldn't be more different, but one thing binds them together: storytelling. There's no single correct way to tell a story, but if anything else gets in the way of the story, the writer hasn't done his job. I love Jack Ketchum because he refuses to lie. Lansdale writes with a similar honesty, but the two have their own unique styles. Laymon's known for pace, violence, and sex, but I like him for a different reason: he fully inhabited his POV characters. Hitchcock called it subjective treatment, and I suspect he would have really enjoyed Laymon's stuff. Matheson is as good as anybody at setting up a big moment and letting it pay off in a spine-tingling way.

4. I've read and studied many of these authors, especially Stephen King and Richard Laymon. I pick up a little knowledge from every writer I read. It's good to read outside of your genre, as well, because horror novels aren't just about writing one horror scene after another. They include dramatic scenes and comic relief, romance, and sexual tension between the characters.

You’re married with three children. How do you make time for writing? Can you share your writing schedule and offer some success secrets to being a busy husband and father who still manages to create time to write novels?

Well, I'm a full-time teacher, so because that's my family's livelihood, I have to make sure I do my best at that. As for the rest of my time, it's a constant internal struggle between spending time with my family and my writing career, and what always suffers is the writing. In a perfect world, I'd have four extra hours a day (at least!) to devote to my writing career, but since I don't, I have to make some tough choices. So when in doubt, I always choose to play with my kids.

This is just a personal philosophy, and I'm certainly not criticizing anyone who lives by a different code, but for me, my family has to come first. I've heard plenty of guys in their sixties, seventies, and eighties who bemoan having spent so much time on their careers. But I've never heard a man regret spending too much time with his family Of course, it isn't just guilt that causes me to make those choices--I honestly believe I was made to be a father and a husband.

What all this means is that I've got to be very smart with my time and very strategic about what I do and when I do it. My wife watches the kids on the weekends during the afternoons, so I get to write and edit then. I write a novel every summer (one of the perks of being a teacher), and I view that time as a pure and marvelous burst of discovery and creativity. I also write at night and in any other free moments I get (which aren't many).

5. You have another novel coming out in June of 2012 called House of Skin. Awesome title. Wish I’d thought of it. Tell us more about this book and what’s in store for us.

Thanks for liking the title, Brian! We're even now, because Dead of Winter is a fantastic, jealousy-inducing title as well.

Essentially, House of Skin is a ghost story with both a gothic sensibility and a breakneck pace. Strangely, the two authors I kept channeling as I wrote it were Peter Straub and Richard Laymon, and though I love them both, most would agree that you couldn't choose two more diverse horror writers.

Don D'Auria wrote a great synopsis for House of Skin, so I'll let his words answer the question…

Myles Carver is dead. But his estate, Watermere, lives on, waiting for a new Carver to move in. Myles’s wife, Annabel, is dead too, but she is also waiting, lying in her grave in the woods. For nearly half a century she was responsible for a nightmarish reign of terror, and she’s not prepared to stop now. She is hungry to live again…and her unsuspecting nephew, Paul, will be the key.

Julia Merrow has a secret almost as dark as Watermere’s. But when she and Paul fall in love they think their problems might be over. How can they know what Fate—and Annabel—have in store for them? Who could imagine that what was once a moldering corpse in a forest grave is growing stronger every day, eager to take her rightful place amongst the horrors of Watermere?

(End synopsis)

I love that description, and though it does give you a great idea of what the book is about, I'd add one quick thing. There's a character in House of Skin named Sam Barlow. He's the local sheriff, and he's deeply entwined in the history and the happenings surrounding Paul, Julia, and Annabel. Sam is one of my favorite characters, so I'm anxious for others to get to know him.

Jonathan, I can't wait to read House of Skin. I appreciate you stopping by and chatting.

Thanks so much for having me on your blog, Brian, and thank you for asking such awesome questions!

If you haven't read any of the terrifying books by Jonathan Janz, I highly recommend him. Pick yourself up a paperback copy of The Sorrows or download the e-book to your e-reader today. While you're at it, check out his two novellas, Old Order and Witching Hour Theater. Also, this summer keep watch for his upcoming novel, House of Skin.

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Jonathan Janz grew up between a dark forest and a graveyard. In a way, that explains everything. His first two novels will be published by Samhain Horror (THE SORROWS in 2011, HOUSE OF SKIN in 2012). He has also written two novellas (Old Order and Witching Hour Theatre) and several short stories. His primary interests are his wonderful wife and his three amazing children, and though he realizes that every author’s wife and children are wonderful and amazing, in this case the cliché happens to be true.

One of Jonathan’s wishes is to someday get Stephen King, Peter Jackson, Jack Ketchum and Joe R. Lansdale together for an all-night zombie movie marathon. Of course, that can only happen if all four drop their restraining orders against him.

You can contact at jonathanjanz@comcast.net

His website: http://jonathanjanz.com/

Lust, Hunger, and Terror in the Canadian Wilderness

My latest novel, DEAD OF WINTER, is a historical horror thriller set in Canada during the blizzard season of 1870. The story is based partly on true events and an old Algonquin Indian legend that still haunts the Great Lakes tribes to this day. It’s also a detective mystery and even includes a couple of love triangles, since I am also a fan of romance and steamy sex scenes.

The Victorian mystery takes place near the end of the 19th Century at an isolated fur-trading fort deep in the Ontario wilderness. Inspector Tom Hatcher, a troubled detective from Montreal, recently captured a deranged serial killer, the Cannery Cannibal. Gustav Meraux is Jack-the-the-Ripper meets Hannibal Lecter. Even though the cannibal has been locked away in an asylum, the case still haunts Tom, so he has moved out to the wilderness, bringing his rebellious teenage son with him. At the beginning of the story, Tom has taken a job at Fort Pendleton to solve a case of strange murders by a cannibal more savage than Gustav Meraux. Some predator in the woods surrounding the fort is attacking colonists and spreading a gruesome plague—the victims turn into ravenous cannibals with an unending hunger for human flesh. In Tom’s search for answers, he discovers that the Jesuits know something about this plague. My second main character is Father Xavier, an exorcist from Montreal. The Vatican sends the priest to Ontario to help Tom battle the Devil’s Plague.

While indeed a work of fiction, I wanted this book to feel real and authentic. Throughout the story I interweave several facts I pulled from history books and an interview I did with a descendent from a Canadian Ojibwa tribe. During my research, I came across some unexplained stories that the Ojibwa and Algonquin tribes all around the Great Lakes region, including Ontario, Quebec, Michigan, and Minnesota, feared a supernatural creature that lives in the woods and stalks people every winter. The tribes migrated every year because of this superstition. This legend also spooked the white fur traders, like the men of Hudson’s Bay Company, who lived in isolated forts all across Canada and traded with the Indians (now called First Nations). In my novel, Fort Pendleton is a fictitious fort named after one my characters, a tycoon by the name of Master Avery Pendleton. When the mysterious killings start plaguing the colonists living within his fort, Pendleton hires Tom Hatcher to solve the case. Tom teams up with an Ojibwa tracker and shaman, Anika Moonblood. She doesn’t believe the killer is a man or animal, but something much more terrifying. In the book, everyone in the neighboring Ojibwa tribe is spooked by the stalker in the woods. I studied the customs of the Ojibwa people of that era, as well as shamanism, and put much of what I learned into the book. To authenticate my priest characters, I studied Jesuit history, demonology, and countless cases of real priests performing exorcisms. From the scriptures I gathered on battling demons, I could probably do an exorcism myself, not that I would ever want to.

As I researched Canada’s legendary evil spirit even deeper, I discovered an article about a real isolated fort in Quebec where all the colonists went crazy and turned cannibal. In the late 1700s, a Jesuit priest who visited this fort documented the case in his journal, describing the deranged colonists as possessed by the devil. This is all factual and documented by the Catholic Church. I also did extensive research on the history of frontier life in Canada in the 1800s. During the long winter months, cannibalism became a way of survival for isolated villages that ran out of food. After consuming human flesh, people often turned insane, or what the Jesuits would describe as “possessed.” Sometimes soldiers would arrive at a fort to find that all the colonists dead except one man, who survived by eating the others.

While my novel is definitely a horror thriller, I mix in other genres like the detective mystery and romance. As Inspector Hatcher hunts for a backwoods serial killer, two women residing at the fort fall in love with him. One is his boss’s wife, Lady Willow Pendleton, a spoiled debutant who hates her cheating husband, Avery. The other woman is Anika Moonblood, the native tracker who has been assigned to work with Tom. Theirs is a love-hate relationship, because Tom only sees Anika as a heathen. To make matters more complicated, she is Avery Pendleton’s mistress, albeit against her will. While Tom feels burning desires for both Willow and Anika, getting involved with either has dangerous consequences, for Master Pendleton is not a man to cross.

I had a blast writing DEAD OF WINTER and I hope you enjoy reading it. My imagination was running wild at the time. I also enjoyed seeing the mystery unfold. When I write, I never know how a book is going to play out. I have a general idea that gets me started writing, but most of the time I’m solving the riddle right alongside my detective. I did my best to make DEAD OF WINTER the scariest book that I could write, while igniting not just fear and terror, but all the emotions to offer readers a truly visceral experience. I am grateful that Samhain Horror released my novel and I’m excited to share this story with readers. Enjoy the adventure!

DEAD OF WINTER is now availble in paperback and e-book.

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Brian Moreland writes novels and short stories of horror and supernatural suspense. He lives in Dallas, Texas where he is diligently writing his next horror novel. You can communicate with him online at http://www.brianmoreland.com/ or on Twitter @BrianMoreland.

New Books Just Arrived!

My publisher sent me copies of my new novel DEAD OF WINTER, just in time for Christmas. The paperback version releases January 3rd. The e-book is now available at Amazon.

 

Interview with Author Martin Lastrapes

Happy Halloween, everyone! Today completes my October series of interviews with horror authors, and I have a special treat for horror fans with an up close ad personal interview with Martin Lastrapes, author of Inside the Outside.  Martin has written an outstanding debut novel that the girls over at Biblio Babes rated 10 out of 10. Read Cara's review. Read Kat's review.

Brian: Martin, your debut horror novel Inside the Outside is about a young woman who was born inside a cult of cannibals and escapes into the outside world. I just love the concept. Can you give us a few meaty morsels about the story and about how you decided to write about cannibals?

Martin: Well, the main character is Timber Marlow, a teenage girl who was born and raised in a cult up in the San Bernardino Mountains. Cannibalism is one of the core tenants of the cult’s belief system, so she grows up believing, among other things, that killing and eating people is normal. I liked the idea of writing a story about a sympathetic killer.

Brian: You’ve come up with an original character with Timber Marlow. I mean, by the time she’s 15, she’s already killed three men. Give us some background on how you came up with her character. Did you develop her from the beginning or did her multi-dimensions evolve over the course of writing the book?

Martin: The only thing I knew about Timber Marlow before I set out to write her story was she was a woman. I was fascinated with the idea of creating a female killer, since, historically, there aren’t a lot of female killers in literature. Other than that, she was basically a blank slate who developed organically along with the story itself.

Brian: Who is Timber’s main nemesis and why?

Martin: The primary nemesis that readers will probably connect with her is Daddy Marlow, the leader of the cult. He is a big, brutal man who does quite a few terrible things to Timber. But, more than any one character, I think Timber’s real nemesis is the cult itself and the tension that builds as it becomes clear she needs to get out.

Brian: Which do you create first … the plot or the characters?

Martin: Ideally, the plot comes first. For me, characters are there to serve the story and not the other way around. The best reading experiences I’ve had involve books with great narrative plots, so, naturally, those are the types I’ve books I want to write. That being said, once I’ve worked out the plot, I take great care in developing my characters, making them as real and interesting as possible.

Brian: What kind of research did you do? Did you visit any of the locations you wrote about or do it all from the Internet?

Martin: Most of the research I did was relegated towards the cannibal stuff. I tried to learn as much as I reasonably could about the human anatomy and what happens to a body after it dies. I also did quite a bit of research on sustainable living communities, as the cult in the book exists off the grid. As far as the locations went, I wrote mostly from memory, since I grew up around where the book takes place. I do the majority of my research with books. The Internet is great for little things, but, for the big ideas, books are the way to go.

Brian: How did a man who loves pizza and watches movies over and again get started writing fiction? And were you always drawn to horror thrillers or did you try your hand at other genres?

Martin: I wanted to be a screenwriter and I figured if I learned the fundamentals of prose fiction, I could then apply those lessons to screenwriting. But, as it turned out, I fell in love with fiction writing and never really went back to screenwriting. I’ve always loved horror movies, but I don’t actually read much horror fiction. I did, however, read a whole lot of Stephen King at one point in my life. As for writing, though, I think of myself as more of a literary author with a flair for the quirky and offbeat. So, if you would’ve told me a few years back that my first novel would be a horror story, I’d have thought you were crazy.

Brian: I also wanted to be a screenwriter and took screenwriting classes in college. I found the 120-page structure to be too limiting and felt more freedom writing prose, so I too turned to fiction writing as my main writing format. You studied at Cal State San Bernardino, achieved a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a Master’s Degree in Composition. How did your studies mould your writing? And can you share a technique or two that you learned on how to write compelling fiction?

Martin: Because my B.A. focused on creative writing, it allowed me to just write, write, and write. And, more than that, I also got to workshop most of my writing, which was invaluable to my development. As far as my M.A., the best thing I took from that was how to do good research, which comes in very handy when working on a novel. One of the best, and most simple, lessons I learned about writing compelling fiction is to make sure every scene has some level of tension in it.

Brian: Writing novels takes discipline, and writers often spend long hours by themselves typing at a computer. The process can take several months to even years. How long did it take you to write your first novel? And how do you motivate yourself to write?

Martin: I spent roughly five years writing Inside the Outside. Generally speaking, I’m motivated to write simply because I love books and I love reading, so having the opportunity to contribute my own work to the literary world is just really cool. But, more importantly, I love writing and telling stories. Of course, to actually complete a novel, I think you have to be at least a little crazy, so there’s that as well.

Brian: What is your writing schedule like? Daily or when you can find the time?

Martin: In a perfect world, I would write daily, but it’s so hard to find time every day. If I’m in the middle of writing a chapter, I’ll usually stick with it for a few days in a row until it’s done. I tend to take breaks in between chapters, but I try not to stay away from a project for more than a few days. Even when I’m not working on my new book, I’m usually writing for my blog or working on the screenplay adaptation of Inside the Outside, so, in that sense, I guess I write every day.

Brian: What was the journey you took to getting your first novel published?

Martin: Well, the initial goal was to find a literary agent and go the traditional route. But, after a year or so of searching, I decided I would be better served to redirect my energy in a more productive way. That’s when I decided to publish the book myself. I started my own imprint, Cannibal Press, and went on from there. Being an independent publisher is a lot of work, but it’s very satisfying.

Brian: I also self-published my first novel. After many frustrations with trying to get an agent or publisher to even read my book, I finally decided to form my own publishing company and just get the book out there. In hind-sight, it was the right decision for me and I’ve already sold that novel to traditional publishers three times now. Do you have any advice you like to share for aspiring writers?

Martin: Read every day. Even when you don’t have time to write, you must make time to read. Not only does it help sharpen your craft, but you need to be intimately engaged in the world with which you want to live, so to speak. Beyond that, write what you love. Don’t attempt to pander to what you think the publishing world wants. As long as you write the best book you have in you, I can promise there will be an audience who can’t wait to read it.

Brian: What lessons did you learn from professional wrestling and was that from participating or watching as a spectator?

Martin: My lessons definitely came from being a big, big fan growing up. Professional wrestling taught me about narrative arcs and how to sustain a storyline, building it up and ending it with a satisfying climax and resolution. Of course, I didn’t realize I was learning these lessons at the time. I just knew I was enjoying the show.

Brian: If you were ever famous enough to be on Dancing with the Stars what three dances would you choose to win the trophy?

Martin: Hahaha! You’ve clearly done your research. The Jive, the Paso Doble, and the Tango.

Brian: I happened to take ballroom dancing myself and learned over 22 dances. My favorites are The East Coast Swing, Rumba, and Salsa. Let’s get back to talking horror. Describe your next novel project.

Martin: I’m currently working on a vampire novel. My goal, among other things, is to write novel that will appeal both to fans of the genre, but also to readers who assume they don’t like vampires. While it has elements of horror, it’s a much lighter book than Inside the Outside and I think it will definitely display the more quirky and offbeat side of my imagination. I’m definitely paying tribute too a lot of the classic vampire mythology that fans are familiar with, but I’m also adding my own wrinkles to it. I also have a few tricks up my sleeve that I’m pretty certain nobody has ever tried before. Also, professional wrestling plays an important role in the story.

Brian: Where can people find your books?

Martin: Inside the Outside is available in paperback and eBook on all major online retailers, including Amazon and BarnesandNoble.

Brian: Thanks, Martin. I've enjoyed having you as a guest. For readers looking for a fresh new look at horror, go to your favorite bookseller and purchase a copy of Inside the Outside.
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MARTIN LASTRAPES is an award-winning writer who grew up in the Inland Empire. He studied at Cal State San Bernardino, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in English and a Master's Degree in Composition. Inside the Outside is his first novel. If you want to learn more, you can visit http://www.martinlastrapes.com/. You can also check out Martin’s Facebook and GoodReads pages, as well as follow him on Twitter.

Excerpt: The Dealer of Needs

For a limited time, from now until Halloween, you can read my horror short story "The Dealer of Needs" for free at my second blog THE CRYPT OF HORROR

http://www.brianmoreland.wordpress.com/