Ask the Author: L. Joseph Shosty
Answered Questions (8)
L. Joseph Shosty
"Pay me, and I'll write you the greatest two-sentence horror story in the world," Louis said.
"Pay you?" the internet shrieked, recoiling, hissing, and clawing its misshapen face in unreasoning terror as it fled to a torrent site like the rat-dicked punk it was.
"Pay you?" the internet shrieked, recoiling, hissing, and clawing its misshapen face in unreasoning terror as it fled to a torrent site like the rat-dicked punk it was.
L. Joseph Shosty
The Wind in the Willows. I'd row my boat along the river, explore the forests, and have pleasant adventures with Toad, Rat, Mole, and Badger.
L. Joseph Shosty
I don't read. Pretty weird that you'd ask me that question while I'm trying to social media, bruh.
Beer.
Beer.
L. Joseph Shosty
I thought I saw a UFO once, while living in Topsy, Louisiana. My friends and I were walking to my home one afternoon when one of them noticed what looked like a large, Christmas tree-shaped vessel flying fairly low above our heads. It was moving quietly, too. I would have never known it was there were it not for my friend yelling and pointing skyward. It seemed to glow, and that glow seemed to change colors. To this day, I couldn't tell you what those colors were. We chased it as far as we could, but Topsy is a pretty heavily wooded area, and we lost the ship in the trees.
So, for many years afterward, I truly believed I had had a UFO experience. It wasn't a life-changing moment, but it was always in the back of my mind.
Years later, when I was a senior in high school, one of my younger cousins had checked out a book of experimental aircraft. I had driven him and my mother to the post office. While she was inside, I picked up his book and flipped through it. And lo and behold, there it was. It was an early design I suppose for a stealth bomber. I couldn't tell you what the book said of it. It was such a shock to see the thing a decade or so later that I'm not sure I even read the passage about it.
The way my life has unfolded, if I were to write about such a strange aircraft, I wouldn't make its appearance a major part of the plot. I think there are plenty of strange occurrences in a young boy's life that a glowing aircraft in the afternoon sky is surely among the least.
So, for many years afterward, I truly believed I had had a UFO experience. It wasn't a life-changing moment, but it was always in the back of my mind.
Years later, when I was a senior in high school, one of my younger cousins had checked out a book of experimental aircraft. I had driven him and my mother to the post office. While she was inside, I picked up his book and flipped through it. And lo and behold, there it was. It was an early design I suppose for a stealth bomber. I couldn't tell you what the book said of it. It was such a shock to see the thing a decade or so later that I'm not sure I even read the passage about it.
The way my life has unfolded, if I were to write about such a strange aircraft, I wouldn't make its appearance a major part of the plot. I think there are plenty of strange occurrences in a young boy's life that a glowing aircraft in the afternoon sky is surely among the least.
L. Joseph Shosty
Scooby-Doo and Shaggy. It's more of a bromance, but that counts, right?
L. Joseph Shosty
Great question!
My character, Johnny Hardwood (Herbie's Diner), is influenced by several actors. Before World War II, Johnny, whose stage name was William Crisp, was a B-movie and radio actor. He was poised to move up in the world, but the war broke out first. I decided on this career trajectory after watching a documentary about Ronald Reagan which suggested WWII derailed Reagan's momentum as a star.
But, while Reagan would switch to television after the film roles dried up, Johnny discovered that, while he was serving his country, Hollywood had inexplicably typecast him. After returning home, he could only get roles playing detectives, heavies, or soldiers who throw themselves on hand grenades. Boris Karloff is an obvious influence here, as he was typecast playing monsters for much of his career.
While the Johnny Hardwood series owes a great deal to radio dramas like Boston Blackie, the template of the wisecracking, fast-talking gumshoe is more that of Mike Shayne. In fact, I use Richard Dennings, who played Shayne in the 60s TV series, as Johnny's physical lookalike.
My character, Johnny Hardwood (Herbie's Diner), is influenced by several actors. Before World War II, Johnny, whose stage name was William Crisp, was a B-movie and radio actor. He was poised to move up in the world, but the war broke out first. I decided on this career trajectory after watching a documentary about Ronald Reagan which suggested WWII derailed Reagan's momentum as a star.
But, while Reagan would switch to television after the film roles dried up, Johnny discovered that, while he was serving his country, Hollywood had inexplicably typecast him. After returning home, he could only get roles playing detectives, heavies, or soldiers who throw themselves on hand grenades. Boris Karloff is an obvious influence here, as he was typecast playing monsters for much of his career.
While the Johnny Hardwood series owes a great deal to radio dramas like Boston Blackie, the template of the wisecracking, fast-talking gumshoe is more that of Mike Shayne. In fact, I use Richard Dennings, who played Shayne in the 60s TV series, as Johnny's physical lookalike.
L. Joseph Shosty
The piles of cash and the adoration of my millions and millions of fans. But mostly the piles of cash. I'm taking a cue from Uncle Scrooge and constructing a money bin where I can swim of an afternoon.
L. Joseph Shosty
I don't get writer's block. I've been keeping a story database for nearly twenty years. It contains over three thousand ideas, and so I never have a shortage of lies to tell people. I also don't work on one project at a time. I typically have anywhere from the three to ten shorts or novels going at once. If a scene doesn't flow, I'll work on something else, and come back later. Shifting creative gears frees my mind to dwell elsewhere. Most writers will agree that they're usually deluged with ideas for new projects while they're caught up writing the current one. It can be frustrating because you get impatient to start these new projects. I use this to my advantage. A solution to the scene I'm having trouble with usually comes to me while I'm working something else. It speeds up productivity and makes my writing time (of which I have very little) more efficient.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more