Ask the Duo of Darkness a question, if you dare!

[Evans]

Welcome and thanks for stopping by. Feel free to ask anything and we'll try our best to answer in a sincere and timely fashion!

[Grammar*Kitten]

In the most respectful way possible - what made you both pick up pens instead of seeking out a good psychiatrist? ;)

[Adam]

Andrea, do you know how expensive a good psychiatrist is?

[Cobwebs-Iced-Across-SpaceTime]

Writing is cathartic:)

[Grammar*Kitten]

I'm guessing a pen is a lot more financially viable? ;)

[Adam]

Mallory, you nailed it. Andrea, so did you!

[Grammar*Kitten]

The things you guys write about, I feel it's a very lucky thing that the pen is more cathartic than the sword...

[Evans]

I honestly don't know where all this suspicion about our mental well-being is coming from. As I see it, our writings are just a slice of good, old-fashioned life. What, your spouse has never trapped you in a crawlspace for cheating and made you devour your lover to stay alive? Some people live sheltered lives, I swear!

But really - whenever I feel like I'm slipping towards the deep end and have serious psychological problems, I just talk to Adam. It always leaves me feeling good about my mental state by comparison! ; )

I recommend a conversation with him as cheap and easy therapy for almost anyone with any problem - I guarantee he's got them beat, and by a mile.

Of course I kid. (But that boy ain't quite right either)

[Adam]

Evans doesn't live in a glass house, but there are windows. Just a thought.

[Evans]

Adam wrote: "Evans doesn't live in a glass house, but there are windows. Just a thought."

Touche! Well played, sir, well played.

[Adam]

I learned from the beast... er, I mean, the best! I think that despite Andrea's alleged concern about our mental well being, she really thinks we're pretty cool. Me anyway.

[Adam]

OH! By the way, that is a cool cover for the new story, Evans. I like it better that way.

[Rob]

When you hit the huge wall of writer's block, when gets you over it?

[Grammar*Kitten]

Yes, you guys are pretty cool.

All the scariest ones are.

[Adam]

Thanks, Andrea! I knew it.

[Adam]

Rob, I tend to find that jabbing a pencil deep into my ear is a good method for flushing out all the mental blockage.

[Adam]

Seriously, though, if I do hit that wall, which I do from time to time, I take a break and stop thinking about whatever I am writing, and eventually the muse returns. Usually, the wall comes down when I least expect.

[Evans]

Writer's block? A warm shower usually does the trick for me. I think it's the combination of the womblike environment and the white noise patter of falling water that sets the subconscious free. Sneaking up on my keyboard is another technique, and the one Adam described with the pencil, although radical, can be quite effective, I used to hear (before I tried it myself).

[Adam]

Argh! My kindle is frozen. I can't turn it off. Anyone have this problem before? Any helpful tips?

[Cobwebs-Iced-Across-SpaceTime]

I hold the power button till it shuts down, then wait about 36 seconds, it resets

[Adam]

Mallory, I've tried that and it simply won't power down. I am thinking I need to let the battery die.

[Cobwebs-Iced-Across-SpaceTime]

hmm, that is weird. Customer Service told me once to wait about 26 seconds, and that's where I got the 36 seconds from, I had to go 'em one better. I'm sorry it's not working for you.

[Cobwebs-Iced-Across-SpaceTime]

I'm getting ready to reset mine to default, but we had no Internet all day, us and several cities around here; so I had to wait to make sure I could access the cloud before I did, now I'm waiting on son-in-law to make sure I get the wireless access code before I do, so I feel for you.

[Adam]

Wow. You had it much it much worse than I. No internet sounds horrible.

[Larry]

Who are some of your guys biggest enfluences?

[Larry]

influence's

[Adam]

Poe, Stephen King, Bradbury,

[Adam]

Clive Barker, Joe Lansdale, Mccammon. There are several others, but that's the short list.

[Larry]

I just finally started reading bradbury

[Adam]

I read a lot of Bradbury as a kid. Recently re-read THE ILLUSTRATED MAN. Happy I did.

[Evans]

Adam and I started reading horror together at a fairly young age, so I imagine we share quite a few influences.

Mine would be Poe, Bradbury, King, T.H. White, Douglas Adams - and more recently, Joe Hill and Joe R. Lansdale. I'd say a lot of my current writing voice is a smoothie mix of Bradbury, Hill and Lansdale, with a sprinkle of Matheson on top, and a lot of "Tales from the Crypt" mixed in for an aftertaste that lingers.

[Adam]

I fixed the Kindle. I found the best tool was a claw hammer.

[Adam]

Just kidding.

[Larry]

Cool thank you guys for answering my question. I'm sure I'll think of some more to ask soon

[Adam]

You're welcome, Larry. Evans is right. We really always shared similar tastes.

[Evans]

Maybe we should answer some questions no one has asked?

I'll kick it off:

A: "Why yes, it is true that Adam Light suffers from a full-blown, clinical-grade llama fetish. When this information recently went public with the release of an ill-advised candid photo, an embarrassed Mr. Adam Light claimed it it had been photoshopped.

Was the photo real? Well, I'm not sure 'photoshopped' was the appropriate word; perhaps 'consensual' would have been a more accurate description, especially given the positioning of the fresh ear of corn that was also taking an active role in the menage a trois."

(Of course, this was the answer to the question: "Why does Adam always have white fuzz in his beard?")

I hope this has been informative and edifying for his fans. And if you're a llama who happens to be a fan, you really should call him ASAP. He's got corn to feed you.

[Larry]

I knew that picture was real

[Evans]

Larry wrote: "I knew that picture was real"

I figured you would see through his excuses. I just feel bad for all the poor llamas, mostly.

[Adam]

I was in a bad place back then. I haven't even bought a llama a drink in months.

[Larry]

Im glad that your finally able to admit that you have a problem. Those poor poor llams. I dont think they saw what was coming.

[Adam]

Here is. question for Evans.

When you write THE END on the wall with your own feces, and then calmly eat the contents of a bag of Jelly Bellies, and then break down into hysterics because Michael Jackson died, do you have to be baked?

[Larry]

Llamas*

[Larry]

I dont think he has to be.

[Evans]

Adam wrote: "I was in a bad place back then. I haven't even bought a llama a drink in months."

That means nothing. You told me yourself you prefer that they be sober so they can clearly remember every moment of shame, you sicko!

[Evans]

Larry wrote: "Im glad that your finally able to admit that you have a problem. Those poor poor llams. I dont think they saw what was coming."

A magnifying glass might have helped, is what you're implyng?

[Larry]

Omg they did know!!! Man thats fucked up

[Larry]

Evans of course thats what I meant

[Evans]

Adam wrote: "Here is. question for Evans.

When you write THE END on the wall with your own feces, and then calmly eat the contents of a bag of Jelly Bellies, and then break down into hysterics because Michael ..."

It depends...Yes. No wait - no.

Maybe.

God, I feel so confused right now.

I think I'm going to go eat a bag of baked Michael Jackson in a bathful of jelly beans.

[Adam]

That was supposed to say naked! Damn cell phone!

[Evans]

Adam wrote: "That was supposed to say naked! Damn cell phone!"

Baked was much more appropriate for the situation described!