12 Dark Days: Author Interview Catch Up

​Sadly the internet in certain parts of this wonderful country leaves a lot to be desired so I have been unable to access my site to post these interviews as they appeared. However, today I make up for lost time and bring you editor Dean Drinkel's interviews with: James Everington, himself, Jason D Brawn and Mark West.

James Everington

Dean M Drinkel James had Day Two for our Christmas themed anthology (Two Turtle Doves) – I asked all contributors a number of Questions, here are James’ answers:

Author Name: James Everington
Story Title: Damage
http://jameseverington.blogspot.co.uk

Q: What inspired you to write this particular story? Did you do any research?
JE: As ever, it was a combination of things coming together rather than any single inspiration: I read up on turtle doves, both their real life decline and the ancient myths associated with them. And I was thinking how Christmas can be a lonely time for many. And wanting to write a story about how we can become numb to ourselves. You know, cheery Christmas-cracker stuff like that.

Q: What is the first book which made you cry?
JE: The first one I can remember was Charlotte’s Web.

Q: Are you friends with other writers and do they help you become a better writer?
JE: Yes, I’m friends with a number of writers now, including some in this very book. And yes, they can definitely help you become a better writer; it can be by specific help they give, or simply by being someone you can talk about writing to over a curry at a convention or whatever. Being around creative people is inspiring, in the literal sense of the word.

Q: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
JE: Do the things with your stories you are tempted to but are scared to—it will be alright, you soft git.

Q: Do you base your characters on real people and if so, have they noticed?
JE: No, I don’t. I need my characters to be specific for the tale that they’re in, and for their role within that tale. So they’re bespoke, not off-the-shelf. Which isn’t to say elements of re-al-life people won’t be added to the mix if I think it’s appropriate, but that’s all it is: part of the mix.

Q: How did you select the names for your characters?
JE: With great difficulty, actually. They’re often still called ‘Ms X’ or ‘Mr whatnot’ well into the second draft. I don’t know how I pick the names, they just come at some point and I fill them in. They have to sound right, is all I can say.

Q: What do you think is literary success?
JE: People reading and liking my stories.

Q: What is the best way to market your books?
JE: I’m assuming it’s answering ten Christmas-y questions from Dean M. Drinkel…

Q: Favourite Christmas movie you could watch over and over again.
JE: Gremlins.

Q: What was your favourite book / film as a child?
JE: I remember loving The Tripods books, and as for films it was Star Wars, obviously. Still is, in many ways: I loved The Last Jedi.

To read James’ excellent tale please find the UK Link below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/.../B077.../ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0...Manage
James Everington - Scattershot Writing
"The triumph of Everington’s first novel is that, while hinting at lofty literary precedents, it cumulatively takes on an unsettling voice all of its own." The Guardian
JAMESEVERINGTON.BLOGSPOT.PE

Dean M. Drinkel

According to the song, the third day of Christmas is “Three French Hens.” For the anthology “12 Dark Days: One Hell Of A Christmas” (published by Alex Johnson’s Nocturnicorn Books and supported by John Gilbert / FEAR) I wrote a modern day story set in Paris entitled: “To Their Solemn Graves”. As I asked all my fellow contributors to answer some questions, it was only fair I did the same…
Author Name: Dean M. Drinkel
Story Title: “To Their Solemn Graves”
Twitter: @deanmdrinkel

Q: What inspired you to write this particular story? Did you do any research?
A: Of late most of my stories have been set in Paris and this time I concentrated on my beloved 19th Arrondissement (an area I’ve spent a lot of time over the years and hope to live in the near future), with a lot of the action taking place in an apartment close to the Canal St Martin (based upon a friend’s apartment I’ve visited a few times – I wonder if he will sell it to me?). I was also interested in writing something which had some really strong female characters for a change – I think I was (mainly) successful. Finally, I have always liked to play with the reader’s perception of what a ‘Dean M. Drinkel’ story really is about and I believe (without giving any spoilers away) there is a really nice twist at the end which brought a broad grin to my face I can tell you.

Q: Are you friends with other writers and do they help you become a better writer?
A: Yes I have many writer friends and that is how when I’m asked to put these anthologies together it doesn’t take me long at all to compile the ToC. I’m never left wanting. I’m proud to call them my friends and hopefully we all help each other to become the best writers we can be. Sometimes though it’s not just about the writing – for ’12 Dark Days’, one of my contributors has been very helpful pointing me in the direction of ‘marketing’ opportunities etc because at the end of the day I think that is something that we can all improve on in the small / indie press industry. It is such a shame sometimes that you spend a long time putting these books together and then sales aren’t the best – it’s not because of the quality of the writing it’s because there are so many books being pimped that if not careful you can easily become ‘lost’ and it takes a lot of time / effort to stay ahead of the rest (and with many – if not all – of the small presses having no marketing budget per se, it is down to the authors to help market (and again, some have those skills, others don’t). One thing I need to improve on is the dreaded ‘networking’ – being in France means it isn’t always to do this but it’s one of my goals for 2018…network, network, network!

Q: Do you want each story you write to stand on its own, or do you try to build a body of work with connections between each one?
A: All my stories are connected somewhere along the line even if it’s not that obvious to the reader. A couple of years ago I did create a character called “Doctor Papper” who subsequently appeared in several of my stories – if I have time in 2018 I’d really like to write a novel / novella about him again…the world he lives in is very occult / esoteric and I had a lot of fun creating that…yeah, maybe we could do something…just need to find the right publisher…

Q: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
A: Stick at it – perseverance is the key; YOU WILL get there in the end if you stick at it, keep plugging away, network, expand your knowledge, don’t pigeon-hole yourself, move country, write stories, scripts, plays…believe in yourself…write everyday, watch everything you can, read everything you can…absorb everything…everything is useful…

Q: Do you base your characters on real people and if so, have they noticed?
A: Write what you know, so they say – I say, write who you know! Everyone I know makes it into my stories in some capacity, steal, beg, borrow from that person, add it to a particular character or situation etc etc. People always assume that you’re writing about them anyway – watch the look on their faces when you tell them it’s true…

Q: How did you select the names for your characters?
A: Normally on my friends or actors / actresses I like. Sometimes when I’m reading the newspaper etc a name crops up which is so unusual that I think, yeap, got to use that one. In the first draft I’ve noticed of late that I actually don’t name them it’s just ‘man’ or ‘woman’ or ‘character 1’ etc etc – never done that before…I wonder why now I come to think about it…

Q: What period of your life do you write about most often? 
A: So much has happened the last few years that it has bled into my stories for sure – particularly the influence of being in Cannes / Paris and the people I have come across there. Everyday is usable.

Q: Do you hide secrets in your stories that only those in the know will find?
A: I will admit that I have done this, yes and I won’t say any more.

Q: Do you Google yourself? If so, did you find anything you weren’t expecting?
A: Hasn’t everybody at least once? So sure, I do do it from time to time in case I see any reviews etc that I’ve missed, that sort of thing. In terms of finding things which I wasn’t expecting, not me personally but once I was in Paris with a friend, we were in a VIP area of a bar / club, and whilst there my friend and the guy who owned the club decided to Google me. After a while I noticed they were laughing…at a picture of me – I asked them to show me…it wasn’t me but of another author complete with moustache and a hat, I kept pointing out that it looked nothing like me but for some reason they were convinced…

Q: What was your favourite book / film as a child?
A: Favourite book – THE THREE MUSKETEERS (by Alexandre Dumas) and film…I was going to go for HELLRAISER (Clive Barker) but let’s say: FLASH GORDON (Mike Hodges).
That’s that then.

Enjoy the rest of your festivities!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/…/dp/1981160…/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0…

Jason D Brawn

I was extremely happy to have Jason involved in the “12 Dark Days: One Hell Of A Christmas” anthology (published by Alex Johnson’s Nocturnicorn Press and supported by John Gilbert / FEAR). His ‘day’ was Day Five (five gold rings) and his story was called “The Nameless”. I asked the contributors to answer some questions either about their stories or Christmas in general…here is what Jason had to say:
Author Name: Jason D. Brawn
Story Title: The Nameless
http://jasonbrawn.blogspot.co.uk; https://twitter.com/jasonbrawn

Q: What inspired you to write this particular story? Did you do any research?
JDB: This is a Christmas story that felt close to my heart. It also captures the Christmas tradition of giving and helping others.

Q: What do you not like about Christmas?
JDB: Spending lots of money.

Q: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
JDB: Do not waste your money on how to write books and writing courses.

Q: Do you base your characters on real people and if so, have they noticed?
JDB: Oh yes. Always. I think it would be a lie if I said I didn’t.

Q: What do you think is literary success?
JDB: Once your book gets glowing reviews in The Guardian or The Times, or if it gets nominated for countless awards.

Q: What is the best way to market your books?
JDB: Word of mouth.

Q: Favourite Christmas movie you could watch over and over again.
JDB: Trading Places (1983)

Q: Do you Google yourself? If so, did you find anything you weren’t expecting?
JDB: I hardly ever Google myself. It’s almost like watching yourself on TV all the time.

Q: What was your favourite book / film as a child?
JDB: Dracula / From Beyond the Grave (1973)

Q: What is your favourite ever thing about Christmas?
JDB: Not being at work!
To read Jason’s and all the other stories, here is the UK Link.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/…/dp/B077WHG…/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0…
Mark West

It is always an honour to work with Mark West, he’s never let me down. His story for the “12 Dark Days: One Hell Of A Christmas” anthology (published by Alex Johnson’s Nocturnicorn Books and supported by John Gilbert’s FEAR) is based upon Day Seven (Swans A Swimming) of the famous Christmas song. I asked all the contributors a series of questions either about their respective story or about Christmas. This is how Mark replied:
Author Name: Mark West 
Story Title: A World Outside Your Window
www.markwest.org.uk
Q: Are you friends with other writers and do they help you become a better writer?
MW: I am lucky enough to be friends with a lot of writers and I think they do help to improve my craft, simply by their producing good work and me wanting to do as well. The lovely thing I’ve found about the British small press is that each person is accepted for who they are and what they write, as we sit chatting in the bar at FantasyCon or Edge-Lit, we’re all just creative people.
Q: Do you want each story you write to stand on its own, or do you try to build a body of work with connections between each one?
MW: Most stand alone, though since the bulk take place in my fictional town of Gaffney there’s a lot of linking if you’re looking for it (the cinema is always on Russell Street, for example). Characters don’t normally cross over though when Magellan tries to summon the devil in ‘In The Rain With The Dead’ he uses the room of the protagonist from ‘Speckles’.
Q: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
MW: Just keep going, mate, one day it’ll all come together…
Q: Describe your typical Christmas Day.
MW: Up fairly early with Dude, try not to look disappointed that I didn’t get a load of annuals, board games and toys (anyone’d think I was an adult). Christmas songs on the stereo, down to Mum & Dad’s, with the rest of the family for a meal, an afternoon walk, games and laughter, then Christmas tea. Lovely.
Q: As a writer, what would you choose as your emjoi / avatar / tv (or film character) / spirit animal?
MW: Why would I do that?
Q: Do you base your characters on real people and if so, have they noticed?
MW: All the time, though it’s usually only a small part of each person that gets absorbed into a character, so nobody’d be able to see themselves.
Q: What do you think is literary success?
MW: Sales.
Q: What is the best way to market your books?
MW: I don’t know, what do you suggest?
Q: Do you hide secrets in your stories that only those in the know will find?
MW: Sometimes…
Q: Do you Google yourself? If so, did you find anything you weren’t expecting?
MW: I did, when we first got onto the Internet at home. Nowadays, there’s a lot about wine (there’s a brand named after a county in America which shares my name) and a basketball player, back in the day there was an extremely hairy gay pornstar.
To read Mark’s tale and all the stories, here is the UK Link:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/…/dp/B077WHG…/ref=tmm_kin_sw