3Q’s Special – Josh Malerman believes he can put it off!
One thing that I’ve loved hearing back from people who read these and those who I’ve invited to be on the 3Q’s, is just how fun it is, but also how short and snappy it is. The reality is, while I love reading long interviews or watch long interviews, sometimes we just don’t have the time to fit it all in. So much content is being created and it’s getting harder to decide what to consume. 3Q’s was imagined as an interview feature for the social media age. 5-10 minutes of time to check it out, have a laugh, find a good book and ultimately learn just a little bit more about your favorite authors!
Today’s guest really doesn’t need an introduction. Josh Malerman is a force, having written numerous best sellers, hit singles with his band The High Strung, created sought after limited editions and been behind one of the biggest movies (and social media phenomenon’s) on Netflix with Birdbox. I was super grateful that he agreed to do one and was super excited to get his replies back so fast! So, naturally – here he is for a Special 3Q’s!
Please welcome Josh!
Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?
Josh: So, this is exclusive to each book. So far, each book has followed its own routine and has maintained the routine for the duration of the rough draft. Bird Box was written between 8AM and noon every day, an average of 4,300 words a day. The newest, Incidents Around the House, was written between about 8PM and midnight, at about 2,500 words a day. Ghoul n’ The Cape was 1,000 a day. Unbury Carol was 5,300 a day. So… within themselves, in and of themselves: routine. But no overarching routine heading into the first draft. The story kinda tells you, This is when you’re going to write me and this is about how much you’re gonna get out of me each day.
Steve: You end up at an estate sale and discover an unpublished manuscript from an author you love. Do you keep it just for yourself or do you share it with the world?
Josh: Ha. How about I read it first, then definitely share. I couldn’t live with the guilt. And who’d want to do that anyway? It’s an interesting question though. I wonder if a hardcore collector might want it for him/herself. Come to think of it, this is a good story idea. A hardcore collector discovers an unknown novel by a beloved author, keeps it for himself, suffers the horrifying consequences. Maybe the ghost of the author or the author’s family or something starts showing up around the house. (Steve – I would read that!)
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
Josh: Daphne (Del Rey) came out September 20th. We hosted a great theatrical reading: rented out a gymnasium, had fog and lights, scary music playing, and my fiancée Allison hit a fifteen-foot shot as I was narrating her making the shot. Incredible. Daphne, the seven-foot denim-clad whiskey and smoke smelling slasher, absolutely represents a panic attack. And the girls on the Samhattan High School basketball team must contend with her predilection for ballers. The more they think about Daphne? The closer she gets. So, just don’t think about her, right? Riiiight. Just like panic or anxiety, she’s coming. I’d been looking for an angle on anxiety, a prism, for years, and Daphne came to me fully formed.
Steve: Bonus Question! You wake up in a comic book. What is your comic book character and what is your super power?
Josh: Call me Optimo. And my power is that I’m the guy on the superpower team who says, “Hey, actually I think we can pull this off.” And then the people with the real powers say, “Hey, shit man, if Optimo thinks we can… maybe we can.”
Ha! Great answer. Love it.
Thanks so much, Josh, really appreciate it.
As always – check the links to find more of his work!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Josh-Malerman/e/B00K8R9C8Q
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoshMalerman
Website: https://joshmalerman.com/
