10 Questions with Jonathan Ondrashek
1. What was the genesis for your series The Human-Undead War?
I was enrolled in a short story snail-mail writing course, and a deadline for a fiction piece loomed. I hadn’t delved into genre fiction much and was stuck. Then, I had a vivid dream involving vampires and an ugly, blood-producing mushroom…
That dream turned into a short story, which I felt was brilliant. My instructor didn’t much care for it because it didn’t fit the parameters of a short: it didn’t have an ending. No profound epiphany. No resolution. Nor did it have a true beginning.
I returned to it, determined to make it work. However, the more I pored over the story, the more I realized I’d tried to fit far too much on a tiny stage, and The Human-Undead War was born.
2. What has drawn you to the horror genre?
Rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms and pits, cottonmouth, shaky knees—nothing compares to that kind of adrenaline rush. Whether it be extreme or subtle, horror draws on the darkness which resides inside everyone. And I eat that shit for breakfast. (Blood, gore, and all manners of monsters have always intrigued me as well.)
3. Who is your favorite writer?
Terry Brooks. He’s created an amazing world with Shannara, and the recent television series is pretty badass as well. His Word and Void trilogy in particular still resonates with me—to link seemingly unrelated worlds and eras together is awe-inspiring. I’d like to someday emulate his knack for creating a series that spans generations.
4. What is the coolest haunted house that you ever visited?
I’ve been hunting for the best haunted house since an early age, so I’m glad you asked! Unfortunately, I can’t choose just one.
The Edge of Hell in Kansas City, Missouri has garnered my highest fear rating yet: 8.5 out of 10. It has everything: sensory deprivation, wicked lifelike digital images, animatronics, a seizure-inducing spinning tunnel, and a fun slide as a climax.
The Beast in Kansas City, Missouri has a heart-pounding finale: a two-story jump onto a stunt bag.
And Worlds of Fun has some of the coolest, most graphic themes. Plus, it boasts about 10 different haunted houses onsite.
5. What type of scenes do you most enjoy writing?
Fight and action scenes. It’s exciting to picture each individual movement happening as the words appear on the screen, and sometimes the pre-planned outcome is changed with but a simple thrust or jab.
I also enjoy writing the more emotional scenes, particularly those dealing with death or other such loss. Though they are darker parts of reality most prefer to ignore, they are indeed integral to the human experience—that gut-wrenching feeling reminds us we are alive.
6. What made you start writing?
Sex education. No, seriously.
In the 5th grade, amidst sex education classes at a Catholic elementary school, I created an immature fantasy story about a pencil to submit to a state-wide writing contest. It started off with, “It was big and long…”
It won 2nd place in my grade level.
7. What is your best quality as a writer?
You mean hack, right?
In all seriousness, I like to think I bring a bit of lyricism mixed with bluntness to the fray in my writing. A certain flow. (I’m far from the best and far from the worst. Still coming into my style.)
I also believe my editing is decent enough to convince the masses I know what the hell I’m doing. Boy, are they in for a surprise!
8. If you could pick one other author to collaborate with on a novel or story, living or dead, who would it be?
David Owain Hughes. He’s an all-around demented writer and cool dude. We’ve worked together as co-editors on an upcoming anthology, and he’s hooked us up with Veronica Smith to tackle yet another anthology later this year. If it weren’t for my day job and other growing workloads, we probably would’ve already knocked out a few more projects together by now!
I’d also jump at the chance to work with Kerry Alan Denney and Lindsey Goddard, as I feel their styles are similar to mine. (Or I could just be delusional.)
9. Which person do you most admire?
At this very moment? Bernie Sanders. (Yeah, it just got political in here. And yeah, I may turn some folks off at this point, but I’m okay with that.) It’s not even about all the “free” shit. In my opinion, he’s the embodiment of what it means to be humane, and he gives a shit about the future. It’s refreshing to see such raw energy and naked truthfulness being strapped down spread-eagle before the public eye.
Like him or hate him, it’s impossible to deny the power of millions and millions of progressive, hopeful voices being channeled through one.
10. If you could create a Mount Rushmore of the greatest authors in the horror genre, which four writers would you choose?
Fear Street and Goosebumps are unforgettable series from my youth, so R. L. Stine would be an obvious choice for me.
The great Edgar Allen Poe is another no-brainer. We wouldn’t be where we are today without his dark works.
Frankenstein remains one of my favorite works in existence, so I must include Mary Shelley. Her aforementioned classic even inspired some aspects of The Human-Undead War series.
And, of course, Stephen King. I don’t care for his work, but I fear I’d be hanged by the horror fanatics if I didn’t include his mug on Mount Horrormore.
I was enrolled in a short story snail-mail writing course, and a deadline for a fiction piece loomed. I hadn’t delved into genre fiction much and was stuck. Then, I had a vivid dream involving vampires and an ugly, blood-producing mushroom…
That dream turned into a short story, which I felt was brilliant. My instructor didn’t much care for it because it didn’t fit the parameters of a short: it didn’t have an ending. No profound epiphany. No resolution. Nor did it have a true beginning.
I returned to it, determined to make it work. However, the more I pored over the story, the more I realized I’d tried to fit far too much on a tiny stage, and The Human-Undead War was born.
2. What has drawn you to the horror genre?
Rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms and pits, cottonmouth, shaky knees—nothing compares to that kind of adrenaline rush. Whether it be extreme or subtle, horror draws on the darkness which resides inside everyone. And I eat that shit for breakfast. (Blood, gore, and all manners of monsters have always intrigued me as well.)
3. Who is your favorite writer?
Terry Brooks. He’s created an amazing world with Shannara, and the recent television series is pretty badass as well. His Word and Void trilogy in particular still resonates with me—to link seemingly unrelated worlds and eras together is awe-inspiring. I’d like to someday emulate his knack for creating a series that spans generations.
4. What is the coolest haunted house that you ever visited?
I’ve been hunting for the best haunted house since an early age, so I’m glad you asked! Unfortunately, I can’t choose just one.
The Edge of Hell in Kansas City, Missouri has garnered my highest fear rating yet: 8.5 out of 10. It has everything: sensory deprivation, wicked lifelike digital images, animatronics, a seizure-inducing spinning tunnel, and a fun slide as a climax.
The Beast in Kansas City, Missouri has a heart-pounding finale: a two-story jump onto a stunt bag.
And Worlds of Fun has some of the coolest, most graphic themes. Plus, it boasts about 10 different haunted houses onsite.
5. What type of scenes do you most enjoy writing?
Fight and action scenes. It’s exciting to picture each individual movement happening as the words appear on the screen, and sometimes the pre-planned outcome is changed with but a simple thrust or jab.
I also enjoy writing the more emotional scenes, particularly those dealing with death or other such loss. Though they are darker parts of reality most prefer to ignore, they are indeed integral to the human experience—that gut-wrenching feeling reminds us we are alive.
6. What made you start writing?
Sex education. No, seriously.
In the 5th grade, amidst sex education classes at a Catholic elementary school, I created an immature fantasy story about a pencil to submit to a state-wide writing contest. It started off with, “It was big and long…”
It won 2nd place in my grade level.
7. What is your best quality as a writer?
You mean hack, right?
In all seriousness, I like to think I bring a bit of lyricism mixed with bluntness to the fray in my writing. A certain flow. (I’m far from the best and far from the worst. Still coming into my style.)
I also believe my editing is decent enough to convince the masses I know what the hell I’m doing. Boy, are they in for a surprise!
8. If you could pick one other author to collaborate with on a novel or story, living or dead, who would it be?
David Owain Hughes. He’s an all-around demented writer and cool dude. We’ve worked together as co-editors on an upcoming anthology, and he’s hooked us up with Veronica Smith to tackle yet another anthology later this year. If it weren’t for my day job and other growing workloads, we probably would’ve already knocked out a few more projects together by now!
I’d also jump at the chance to work with Kerry Alan Denney and Lindsey Goddard, as I feel their styles are similar to mine. (Or I could just be delusional.)
9. Which person do you most admire?
At this very moment? Bernie Sanders. (Yeah, it just got political in here. And yeah, I may turn some folks off at this point, but I’m okay with that.) It’s not even about all the “free” shit. In my opinion, he’s the embodiment of what it means to be humane, and he gives a shit about the future. It’s refreshing to see such raw energy and naked truthfulness being strapped down spread-eagle before the public eye.
Like him or hate him, it’s impossible to deny the power of millions and millions of progressive, hopeful voices being channeled through one.
10. If you could create a Mount Rushmore of the greatest authors in the horror genre, which four writers would you choose?
Fear Street and Goosebumps are unforgettable series from my youth, so R. L. Stine would be an obvious choice for me.
The great Edgar Allen Poe is another no-brainer. We wouldn’t be where we are today without his dark works.
Frankenstein remains one of my favorite works in existence, so I must include Mary Shelley. Her aforementioned classic even inspired some aspects of The Human-Undead War series.
And, of course, Stephen King. I don’t care for his work, but I fear I’d be hanged by the horror fanatics if I didn’t include his mug on Mount Horrormore.
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