Interview with Author David Moody
I have conducted several interviews with authors on behalf of my Facebook group "Moody's Survivors-The Last of the Living." This was our first and crown jewel interview with David Moody Himself, enjoy.
David Moody was born in 1970 and grew up in Birmingham (UK) on a diet of trashy horror and pulp science-fiction books and movies. He worked as a bank manager and as operations manager for a number of financial institutions before giving up the day job to write about the end of the world for a living. He has written a number of horror novels, ...including AUTUMN, which has been downloaded more than half a million times since publication in 2001 and has spawned a series of sequels and a movie starring Dexter Fletcher and David Carradine. Film rights to HATER have been bought by Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth) and Mark Johnson (producer of the Chronicles of Narnia films). Moody lives in the Midlands with his wife and a houseful of daughters and stepdaughters, which may explain his pre-occupation with Armageddon.
Shawn 'Rotting Corpse' Riddle says:
Let me first thank you David for taking your valuable time and agreeing to interview for our group. It's an honour for me to be able to interview you today. All of us here have fallen in Love with your writing and I think I can speak for us all when I say we can't get enough MOODY! I have put together several questions from various members for you.
David Moody: Thank you, Shawn. I'm thrilled that the group has been such a success, and it's extremely gratifying to hear how much everyone has enjoyed my books.
Daniel McMurtry asks:
Back when you were a kid, what job did you see yourself doing when you were older? And is becoming a successful author better than the job you had in mind back then?
David Moody: I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up! As I've said in interviews before, I've had an addiction to end of the world stories for as long as I can remember, and when most kids were thinking about being doctors, train drivers and the like, I was planning how I'd survive the coming Armageddon! Growing up in the 1980's didn't help, when the world felt like it was permanently on the brink of nuclear war.
I guess as I grew up I started to think about writing, but I really wanted to make movies (and I still do). So film director is one of the earliest jobs I can remember wanting, and I think that's on a par with being an author. I get to sit at home and make up stories all day. It's a great way to earn a living and I'm very fortunate to be in this position.
Paul Wiederhold asks:
I would like to know if you would like your children to continue your legacy and become writers themselves?
David Moody: I have a lot of kids (two daughters and three step-daughters, aged between 20 and 10), so there's a good chance one of them will continue the family business. One of the girls is on a media course so she may well end up going into film. The younger two both seem to write a lot of horror in their school work. It makes me proud (and a little scared) when I go to parents evenings and see their books full of zombies!
Harriet Jacklin asks:
Bank manager to horror author....quite a change. Was it difficult?
David Moody: Actually, it was a very gradual changeover. There was no great plan – I left school and just fell into banking because I didn't know what else to do. I did have aspirations to make movies, but unsurprisingly, no-one would take me seriously at the time! I hated it at first when I was working in branches, but I later moved into head office departments and became a line manager for around 100 people which was a lot of fun (honestly!). Having responsibility for all those people was great. I got a lot of inspiration from them for my books. And if someone pissed me off during the day, I'd just go home and create a zombie based on them and write them a bloody and violent death scene! As the books became more successful (and as my family grew in size) I had less and less time to write, but I was made redundant in 2005 which kind of forced my hand to go into writing full-time.
Laura O'Neill asks:
What is your preferred writing environment?
David Moody: When it comes to actually writing, I like an empty house, a clear diary and no interruptions. I have a small office at home. I set a daily word target, shut myself away, and work for hour long chunks of time – any longer and I'm not productive. The biggest distraction is the Internet, and I use a program to switch off my connection when I've got deadlines to hit. But when I need to come up with new ideas, the office is often the worst place to be. I get inspiration when I'm running (I go most days before I start work), when I'm walking the dog... anywhere I'm relaxed. I joke with my wife that I often work lying in the bath. I know she doesn't believe me, but it's true!
Jude Felton asks:
When coming up with the idea for Hater did you already have it in mind as a trilogy before you started? Or was this decision made later on?
David Moody: Hater was initially conceived as a two book series. While I was mapping out the story it became clear that there was a very definite break point where Danny realised what he was and what was happening, and I don't think the book would have worked anywhere near as well as a single volume. When I sold the books to Thomas Dunne in late-2007, my editor at the time suggested a third book to complete the series. With hindsight I think that was a smart move, and it's enabled me to tell much more of Danny's story than I'd originally envisaged.
Aaron Rayner asks:
How long did it take you to write "Straight To You", and how many rejections did you receive before it got accepted?
David Moody: I can tell you exactly (I have a stupid memory for dates and details!). I started writing Straight to You on 1st January 1994 (writing a page a day until I'd finished a novel was the only New Years resolution I've ever kept!), and I finished it in May that year. I spent a while reluctantly showing it to friends, and I didn't start submitting it to publishers until early 1995. I think I wrote to somewhere in the region of 50 publishers before it was accepted.
I'm sure You mentioned a long time ago that you were going to write a short Autumn story called "King of the Dead" will that be getting released with the free fiction you are going to release?
David Moody: I did mention a story called 'King of the Dead' – basically it was a first-person journal of a guy living through the Autumn world. I decided not to pursue it in that form, because it's been done so many times before by many different writers. The idea hasn't died though, it's just been altered. The main character actually appeared in 'The Human Condition' (Jackson), and I'm thinking he'll also appear in Autumn: Aftermath. Other aspects of the story have been used elsewhere. I'm currently writing the script for an Autumn short movie, the beginning of which is based on my original proposal for 'King of the Dead'.
Will you ever go back to self publishing through infected books?
David Moody: It's a definite possibility. I'm thankful that I've been given a huge amount of exposure through various publishers around the world, but I'm also aware that they might not be interested in everything I want to write. Having 'Infected Books' as a back-up means I've still got the option of putting books out myself in the future.
Would you ever allow a few "Autumn" shorts to be written by another writer i.e. Wayne Simmons, Iain Mckinnon or Scott Sigler who are all big fans of your work?
David Moody: I'm not sure they'd want to, but yes – I'd be honoured. A lot of people have asked about writing authorised fan fiction, and it's something I'm looking at. The new Autumn website (www.lastoftheliving.net - don't visit it yet, it's not live!) will eventually have more details on how people can help expand the Autumn universe.
Gregory Solis asks:
What are your favorite horror films of today, and what were your favorites as a teenager?
David Moody: I have hundreds of favourite horror movies! Obviously, Romero's original three 'Dead' films are up near the top of the list, but I'd also have to mention early John Carpenter and David Cronenberg ('The Fly' in particular is one of my all-time favourite films), 'Alien' and 'American Werewolf in London'. I love the Universal horror movies of the 1930's (check out 'The Old Dark House' – the most atmospheric movie ever made) and I have a soft spot for 1950's B movies and Hammer films. I'm currently re-watching another classic 'Quatermass and the Pit'. To be honest, I'm less impressed with more up-to-date movies. I think Hollywood's having an idea drought – most horror movies these days are either torture porn, crappy remakes of films which didn't need to be remade, or pointless sequels. I guess the two films of the last decade which have had the biggest impact on me would have to be '28 Days Later' and 'Children of Men.'
Gemma Kitteh asks:
How the hell do you sleep at night with such thoughts that you write down?
David Moody: Is it wrong to admit that it doesn't bother me too much anymore? I think the stuff I see on the news each day scares me more. We're living through very strange times...
Has your wife ever kicked you out of bed for your nightmares?
David Moody: She's certainly kicked me, but she hasn't kicked me out of bed. Is it also wrong to admit that I love having nightmares? The feeling you get when you realise it was just a dream... I get a real buzz out of that (and I immediately start writing down everything I can remember about the dream just in case it's useful!).
Who is your favorite Horror Author?
David Moody: John Wyndham ('Day of the Triffids') – he made the horror feel real, and that's something I've tried to do too.
Have you ever had a scary fan?
David Moody: Who is asking this question?! No, I don't think I've had any scary fans yet. A couple of annoying 'correspondents' though... in particular the guy who launched an incredibly venemous rant at me because a book was delayed. And if you follow my work, you know that happens with alarming regularity... And there was the guy who thought I was trivialising the holocaust because of the gas chambers in Hater, and the chap who sent me an invoice for the time he'd wasted reading my terrible books...!
Dawn Kirby asks:
You've mentioned before that a couple of your characters situations have reflected times in your life (Straight To You & Hater), but are any of your characters actually based on people you know either physically or in personality?
David Moody: I've joked about baseing zombies on people who've annoyed me, but that's as far as it goes. I don't feel comfortable basing characters on specific people for various reasons. What if I upset them? What if they they take offence and sue me? I think the risks are too great. That said, if someone asks to be in a book, I'm happy to do that (and please don't bombard me with emails... I'll be arranging a competition along those lines very soon).
Ryan J. Fleming asks:
What is your favorite zombie apocalypse book? (Not including your own work)
David Moody: I think it would probably be 'The World is Dead' – an anthology I really enjoyed from Permuted Press. My favourite apocalypse (not zombie) book is James Herbert's 'Domain'. That book revolutionised the way I thought about horror writing. The undending scale of the horror in it is remarkable.
What is your favorite zombie apocalypse film? (Not including your own work)
David Moody: I've got a soft spot for Romero's 'Day of the Dead'. I also love 'Shaun of the Dead', primarily because of its focus – it's a film about idiots which happens to have zombies in it, not just a film about zombies.
Charlie Morgan asks:
Any plans (That you can discuss) for what is to come after the conclusion of your "Hater" series?
David Moody: I've spent the last few weeks putting together proposals which I'm hoping to shop around with my agent. There are lots of ideas floating about (some old, some new). I'm really excited about a new series I'm currently planning. I don't want to say too much at the moment, other than it feels like it'll be a combination of Quatermass and Get Carter!
Shawn 'Rotting Corpse' Riddle asks:
With all you have going on in your life, movies, books, signings etc... and even before you became a full time writer, how do you balance the time spent with your family with the time needed for writing? I find it VERY hard myself to be able to write, read, work, and be able to spend time with my family, when the writing bug hits me I know nothing else. How do you break yourself away and enjoy your family when the writing mood is upon you?
David Moody: Without sounding too overdramatic, it's a constant struggle. I always seem to have too much work. Behind where I sit in my office I have a whiteboard and year planner, both of which are already full of dates and projects. There are more than twenty projects in progress right now, believe it or not! Things are particularly bad at the moment because of all the additional work I've been doing revisiting and re-editing the 'Autumn' books.
I think the key is planning – and that's something I'm not great at (ask my wife!). You have to set time aside for the family, exercise, relaxing etc. because it's all as important as work, if not more so. One of the reasons I was happy to sell the 'Autumn' books was because of the work running 'Infected Books' generated. I had a particularly bad year a few years ago when I was working part-time, running a business, and trying to have a life. My father-in-law lived a three hour drive away, he got ill and then he passed away... it was tough and very stressful but it taught me a few lessons. Number one: family time is the most important time.
Chris Bowsman asks:
What was the initial inspiration to leave out the corny "here's how the world ended" explanations?
David Moody: There are two main reasons. Firstly, explanations are not often that important. The stories are about how people deal with events, not what causes them (the old line I always quote at this point – if you get knocked down by a car, does it matter what colour it is?). Secondly, I like to write about ordinary people and how they deal with extraordinary events. I'm not interested in scientists and warriors and politicians etc. In the scenarios I write about, my characters a). wouldn't care what had happened or why it had happened, and b). they'd have no real way of finding out. Crow-barring in forced explanations lessens the impact of the story.
Shawn 'Rotting Corpse' Riddle says:
Again David, we thank you for taking the time to answer all of our questions. As for the success of the group, I am glad that we are all here, but it wouldn't be a success without you leading the way! Keep on writing and we will keep "Spreading the Infection"!
David Moody was born in 1970 and grew up in Birmingham (UK) on a diet of trashy horror and pulp science-fiction books and movies. He worked as a bank manager and as operations manager for a number of financial institutions before giving up the day job to write about the end of the world for a living. He has written a number of horror novels, ...including AUTUMN, which has been downloaded more than half a million times since publication in 2001 and has spawned a series of sequels and a movie starring Dexter Fletcher and David Carradine. Film rights to HATER have been bought by Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth) and Mark Johnson (producer of the Chronicles of Narnia films). Moody lives in the Midlands with his wife and a houseful of daughters and stepdaughters, which may explain his pre-occupation with Armageddon.
Shawn 'Rotting Corpse' Riddle says:
Let me first thank you David for taking your valuable time and agreeing to interview for our group. It's an honour for me to be able to interview you today. All of us here have fallen in Love with your writing and I think I can speak for us all when I say we can't get enough MOODY! I have put together several questions from various members for you.
David Moody: Thank you, Shawn. I'm thrilled that the group has been such a success, and it's extremely gratifying to hear how much everyone has enjoyed my books.
Daniel McMurtry asks:
Back when you were a kid, what job did you see yourself doing when you were older? And is becoming a successful author better than the job you had in mind back then?
David Moody: I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up! As I've said in interviews before, I've had an addiction to end of the world stories for as long as I can remember, and when most kids were thinking about being doctors, train drivers and the like, I was planning how I'd survive the coming Armageddon! Growing up in the 1980's didn't help, when the world felt like it was permanently on the brink of nuclear war.
I guess as I grew up I started to think about writing, but I really wanted to make movies (and I still do). So film director is one of the earliest jobs I can remember wanting, and I think that's on a par with being an author. I get to sit at home and make up stories all day. It's a great way to earn a living and I'm very fortunate to be in this position.
Paul Wiederhold asks:
I would like to know if you would like your children to continue your legacy and become writers themselves?
David Moody: I have a lot of kids (two daughters and three step-daughters, aged between 20 and 10), so there's a good chance one of them will continue the family business. One of the girls is on a media course so she may well end up going into film. The younger two both seem to write a lot of horror in their school work. It makes me proud (and a little scared) when I go to parents evenings and see their books full of zombies!
Harriet Jacklin asks:
Bank manager to horror author....quite a change. Was it difficult?
David Moody: Actually, it was a very gradual changeover. There was no great plan – I left school and just fell into banking because I didn't know what else to do. I did have aspirations to make movies, but unsurprisingly, no-one would take me seriously at the time! I hated it at first when I was working in branches, but I later moved into head office departments and became a line manager for around 100 people which was a lot of fun (honestly!). Having responsibility for all those people was great. I got a lot of inspiration from them for my books. And if someone pissed me off during the day, I'd just go home and create a zombie based on them and write them a bloody and violent death scene! As the books became more successful (and as my family grew in size) I had less and less time to write, but I was made redundant in 2005 which kind of forced my hand to go into writing full-time.
Laura O'Neill asks:
What is your preferred writing environment?
David Moody: When it comes to actually writing, I like an empty house, a clear diary and no interruptions. I have a small office at home. I set a daily word target, shut myself away, and work for hour long chunks of time – any longer and I'm not productive. The biggest distraction is the Internet, and I use a program to switch off my connection when I've got deadlines to hit. But when I need to come up with new ideas, the office is often the worst place to be. I get inspiration when I'm running (I go most days before I start work), when I'm walking the dog... anywhere I'm relaxed. I joke with my wife that I often work lying in the bath. I know she doesn't believe me, but it's true!
Jude Felton asks:
When coming up with the idea for Hater did you already have it in mind as a trilogy before you started? Or was this decision made later on?
David Moody: Hater was initially conceived as a two book series. While I was mapping out the story it became clear that there was a very definite break point where Danny realised what he was and what was happening, and I don't think the book would have worked anywhere near as well as a single volume. When I sold the books to Thomas Dunne in late-2007, my editor at the time suggested a third book to complete the series. With hindsight I think that was a smart move, and it's enabled me to tell much more of Danny's story than I'd originally envisaged.
Aaron Rayner asks:
How long did it take you to write "Straight To You", and how many rejections did you receive before it got accepted?
David Moody: I can tell you exactly (I have a stupid memory for dates and details!). I started writing Straight to You on 1st January 1994 (writing a page a day until I'd finished a novel was the only New Years resolution I've ever kept!), and I finished it in May that year. I spent a while reluctantly showing it to friends, and I didn't start submitting it to publishers until early 1995. I think I wrote to somewhere in the region of 50 publishers before it was accepted.
I'm sure You mentioned a long time ago that you were going to write a short Autumn story called "King of the Dead" will that be getting released with the free fiction you are going to release?
David Moody: I did mention a story called 'King of the Dead' – basically it was a first-person journal of a guy living through the Autumn world. I decided not to pursue it in that form, because it's been done so many times before by many different writers. The idea hasn't died though, it's just been altered. The main character actually appeared in 'The Human Condition' (Jackson), and I'm thinking he'll also appear in Autumn: Aftermath. Other aspects of the story have been used elsewhere. I'm currently writing the script for an Autumn short movie, the beginning of which is based on my original proposal for 'King of the Dead'.
Will you ever go back to self publishing through infected books?
David Moody: It's a definite possibility. I'm thankful that I've been given a huge amount of exposure through various publishers around the world, but I'm also aware that they might not be interested in everything I want to write. Having 'Infected Books' as a back-up means I've still got the option of putting books out myself in the future.
Would you ever allow a few "Autumn" shorts to be written by another writer i.e. Wayne Simmons, Iain Mckinnon or Scott Sigler who are all big fans of your work?
David Moody: I'm not sure they'd want to, but yes – I'd be honoured. A lot of people have asked about writing authorised fan fiction, and it's something I'm looking at. The new Autumn website (www.lastoftheliving.net - don't visit it yet, it's not live!) will eventually have more details on how people can help expand the Autumn universe.
Gregory Solis asks:
What are your favorite horror films of today, and what were your favorites as a teenager?
David Moody: I have hundreds of favourite horror movies! Obviously, Romero's original three 'Dead' films are up near the top of the list, but I'd also have to mention early John Carpenter and David Cronenberg ('The Fly' in particular is one of my all-time favourite films), 'Alien' and 'American Werewolf in London'. I love the Universal horror movies of the 1930's (check out 'The Old Dark House' – the most atmospheric movie ever made) and I have a soft spot for 1950's B movies and Hammer films. I'm currently re-watching another classic 'Quatermass and the Pit'. To be honest, I'm less impressed with more up-to-date movies. I think Hollywood's having an idea drought – most horror movies these days are either torture porn, crappy remakes of films which didn't need to be remade, or pointless sequels. I guess the two films of the last decade which have had the biggest impact on me would have to be '28 Days Later' and 'Children of Men.'
Gemma Kitteh asks:
How the hell do you sleep at night with such thoughts that you write down?
David Moody: Is it wrong to admit that it doesn't bother me too much anymore? I think the stuff I see on the news each day scares me more. We're living through very strange times...
Has your wife ever kicked you out of bed for your nightmares?
David Moody: She's certainly kicked me, but she hasn't kicked me out of bed. Is it also wrong to admit that I love having nightmares? The feeling you get when you realise it was just a dream... I get a real buzz out of that (and I immediately start writing down everything I can remember about the dream just in case it's useful!).
Who is your favorite Horror Author?
David Moody: John Wyndham ('Day of the Triffids') – he made the horror feel real, and that's something I've tried to do too.
Have you ever had a scary fan?
David Moody: Who is asking this question?! No, I don't think I've had any scary fans yet. A couple of annoying 'correspondents' though... in particular the guy who launched an incredibly venemous rant at me because a book was delayed. And if you follow my work, you know that happens with alarming regularity... And there was the guy who thought I was trivialising the holocaust because of the gas chambers in Hater, and the chap who sent me an invoice for the time he'd wasted reading my terrible books...!
Dawn Kirby asks:
You've mentioned before that a couple of your characters situations have reflected times in your life (Straight To You & Hater), but are any of your characters actually based on people you know either physically or in personality?
David Moody: I've joked about baseing zombies on people who've annoyed me, but that's as far as it goes. I don't feel comfortable basing characters on specific people for various reasons. What if I upset them? What if they they take offence and sue me? I think the risks are too great. That said, if someone asks to be in a book, I'm happy to do that (and please don't bombard me with emails... I'll be arranging a competition along those lines very soon).
Ryan J. Fleming asks:
What is your favorite zombie apocalypse book? (Not including your own work)
David Moody: I think it would probably be 'The World is Dead' – an anthology I really enjoyed from Permuted Press. My favourite apocalypse (not zombie) book is James Herbert's 'Domain'. That book revolutionised the way I thought about horror writing. The undending scale of the horror in it is remarkable.
What is your favorite zombie apocalypse film? (Not including your own work)
David Moody: I've got a soft spot for Romero's 'Day of the Dead'. I also love 'Shaun of the Dead', primarily because of its focus – it's a film about idiots which happens to have zombies in it, not just a film about zombies.
Charlie Morgan asks:
Any plans (That you can discuss) for what is to come after the conclusion of your "Hater" series?
David Moody: I've spent the last few weeks putting together proposals which I'm hoping to shop around with my agent. There are lots of ideas floating about (some old, some new). I'm really excited about a new series I'm currently planning. I don't want to say too much at the moment, other than it feels like it'll be a combination of Quatermass and Get Carter!
Shawn 'Rotting Corpse' Riddle asks:
With all you have going on in your life, movies, books, signings etc... and even before you became a full time writer, how do you balance the time spent with your family with the time needed for writing? I find it VERY hard myself to be able to write, read, work, and be able to spend time with my family, when the writing bug hits me I know nothing else. How do you break yourself away and enjoy your family when the writing mood is upon you?
David Moody: Without sounding too overdramatic, it's a constant struggle. I always seem to have too much work. Behind where I sit in my office I have a whiteboard and year planner, both of which are already full of dates and projects. There are more than twenty projects in progress right now, believe it or not! Things are particularly bad at the moment because of all the additional work I've been doing revisiting and re-editing the 'Autumn' books.
I think the key is planning – and that's something I'm not great at (ask my wife!). You have to set time aside for the family, exercise, relaxing etc. because it's all as important as work, if not more so. One of the reasons I was happy to sell the 'Autumn' books was because of the work running 'Infected Books' generated. I had a particularly bad year a few years ago when I was working part-time, running a business, and trying to have a life. My father-in-law lived a three hour drive away, he got ill and then he passed away... it was tough and very stressful but it taught me a few lessons. Number one: family time is the most important time.
Chris Bowsman asks:
What was the initial inspiration to leave out the corny "here's how the world ended" explanations?
David Moody: There are two main reasons. Firstly, explanations are not often that important. The stories are about how people deal with events, not what causes them (the old line I always quote at this point – if you get knocked down by a car, does it matter what colour it is?). Secondly, I like to write about ordinary people and how they deal with extraordinary events. I'm not interested in scientists and warriors and politicians etc. In the scenarios I write about, my characters a). wouldn't care what had happened or why it had happened, and b). they'd have no real way of finding out. Crow-barring in forced explanations lessens the impact of the story.
Shawn 'Rotting Corpse' Riddle says:
Again David, we thank you for taking the time to answer all of our questions. As for the success of the group, I am glad that we are all here, but it wouldn't be a success without you leading the way! Keep on writing and we will keep "Spreading the Infection"!
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