Wednesday, June 24, 2015

20Q7A: An interview with C.V. Hunt

Yippee! It's Misery and Death and the latest edition of 20 Questions, 7 Answers, with author C.V. Hunt!

What's your latest book, and how does it differ from your previous work?

CVH: Misery and Death and Everything Depressing is my latest publication. It’s my first collection of short stories and flash fiction. It also includes a novella.

Do you have any creative endeavors other than writing fiction (art, music, knitting)?

CVH: I have a plethora of paintings collecting dust in my closet. I’ve also been known to sew some costumes here and there and make some lame book trailers. I’ve waffled with the idea of creating music but I’m really lazy.

If it was socially acceptable to wear anything as clothing, how would you dress?

CVH: Loincloths for everyone!

Who or what is your favorite movie monster, and why?

CVH: Hannibal Lecter. I like plausibility.

Do you listen to music when you write, and if so, what? Is it different than what you listen to when you're not writing?

CVH: I listen to music almost all day. Most of it is electronic and trance with some synth pop and grunge mixed in. I actually make playlists on Spotify for the each book I write. If the playlist is marked WIP then the book and the playlist are incomplete.

There’s not much difference between what I listen to while writing and what I listen to throughout the day. Sometimes I prefer to listen to music I’ve heard before while writing so I don’t get distracted by a new beat or lyrics.

What is your writing environment like? (Are you out in public or in seclusion? Is there noise? Is there coffee? Do you type on a laptop or write longhand on lined notebook paper?)

CVH: I write in my living room with headphones and a laptop. A cup of coffee is usually by my side. I use to play music through stereo speakers but my neighbor’s dog has made it impossible to concentrate without blocking the world with earbuds.

What's your secret?

CVH: I’ll never tell. Mwhahaha!

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C.V. Hunt lives in Ohio and has never won anything. She's the author of several unpopular books.

Learn more about C.V. Hunt:
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Youtube / Instagram / Spotify / Amazon

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

20Q7A: An interview with Douglas Hackle

Generic intro for this week's edition of 20 Questions, 7 Answers! Meet weird writer-person Douglas Hackle:

What's your latest book, and how does it differ from your previous work?

DH: I only have one published book, Clown Tear Junkies (Rooster Republic Press), which is a collection of my bizarro short stories. My latest completed works, though, are a novella tentatively titled The Hottest Gay Man Ever Killed in a Shark Attack and a novelette called The Ballad of TERROR TINY TIM, both of which are unpublished. The main difference between these pieces and my previous work is their length, since nearly everything I wrote before them is either short story length or shorter. However, thematically and stylistically, these longer works were written in the same general spirit of reckless, off-the-rails, batshit insanity that characterize the stories in Clown Tear Junkies.

Who or what is your favorite movie monster, and why?

DH: Probably the creature from John Carpenter's The Thing. It’s ability to assimilate and imitate other organisms, hide itself, and wreak havoc through paranoia always terrified and fascinated me. One of my traditions every winter is to watch a double feature of The Thing and Misery (when it’s snowy and cold out, of course). Annie Wilkes is a great movie monster too.

What's the best movie, new or old, that you've seen for the first time in the past 3 months?

DH: Probably either El Topo or Holy Mountain. Yeah, I’m little late to that party, but better late than never, duuude. See you at the pahhty, Richta!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you could have chosen your own name when you were born, what would it have been?

DH: Hmm. Well, if there were no restrictions on length, I would’ve liked to have been named the following:  I Know You’re About to Kill Me and Bury Me in the Shallow Grave That You Just Forced Me at Gunpoint to Dig Out Here in the Woods (I Now Realize That There’s Nothing I Can Do to Change This), but Please Don’t Escape Hospice Care a Year Later to Return Here on the Anniversary of My Death to Dig Up My Body, Gloat Over It, and Poke It with a Stick!!!

If you could survive on one food for the rest of your life with no health repercussions, what would it be?

DH: Totino’s Party Pizzas.

Do you listen to music when you write, and if so, what? Is it different than what you listen to when you're not writing?

DH: No. Most of the time I find music to be distracting when I write. But I do sometimes listen to music when I take breaks during writing.  Unfortunately, I am experiencing a sort of overall aversion to more or less all music. Consequently, my choices of what I can listen too are extremely limited. Specifically, I can listen to “Clowny Clown Clown” by Crispin Glover, “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” (Crispin Glover’s version), “Stay the Night” by Chicago, and “Round and Round” by Ratt.  But as of late, my favorite things to listen to are recordings of babies banging on pianos on Youtube. This is my new jam right here:



If you could share a beverage with any fictional character, who would it be, and what would you drink?

DH: Moby Dick. Jägermeister.

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Douglas Hackle is the author of the Wonderland Award-nominated CLOWN TEAR JUNKIES (Rooster Republic Press), a collection of bizarro/absurdist short stories. A selection of his short fiction is also included in the THE BIZARRO STARTER KIT – RED (Eraserhead Press). Hershel and Joffrey are hawt!!! TERROR MAN. TERROR FACE. TERROR CLOWN. TERROR CHILD. TERROR MAN. TERROR FACE. TERROR CLOWN. TERROR CHILD. TERROR HOUSE. TERROR SHARK. TERROR MOUSE. TERROR ANVIL. TERROR TOT. La la la la la la la la la!!! Tee-hee-hee-hee-hee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Clark Park Festival

If you find yourself in Philadelphia this Saturday, June 20th, stop by the Clark Park Music & Arts Festival in West Philly. I'll be there selling books, and handing out stickers and bookmarks and good vibes.

Lots of other people will be there too. People who make music. People who make art. People who make food. Possibly other people too.

Anyway, come say hi. It starts at noon.