Author’s Note: My buddy Tim’s first anthology comes out in September. You can learn more about it below. He asked me to host an interview given by him to several of the book’s contributors, as a promotional effort. I said yes, and received approximately one metric-fuckton of information. I presented Part One on Thursday and Part Two yesterday.

Fading Light collects 30 monstrous stories by authors new and experienced, in the genres of horror, science fiction, and fantasy, each bringing their own interpretation of what lurks in the dark.

Contributors: Mark Lawrence, Gene O’Neill, William Meikle, David Dalglish, Gord Rollo, Nick Cato, Adam Millard, Stephen McQuiggan, Gary W Olson, Tom Olbert, Malon Edwards, Carl Barker, Jake Elliot, Lee Mather, Georgina Kamsika, Dorian Dawes, Timothy Baker, DL Seymour, Wayne Ligon, TSP Sweeney, Stacey Turner, Gef Fox, Edward M Erdelac, Henry P Gravelle, & Ryan Lawler, with bonus stories from CM Saunders, Regan Campbell, Jonathan Pine, Peter Welmerink, & Alex Marshall.

 

1. Did you a) write for the anthology or b) have a suitable piece ready – & if a) how’d you resist quoting Dylan Thomas? (per Mark Lawrence)

William Meikle: I wrote for the anthology. And as I don’t remember the Dylan Thomas quote, I had no problems at all in that area.

Ed Erdelac: I wrote Theophany of Nyx specifically for the anthology. I didn’t know who Dylan Thomas was. Had to look him up. 

 

2. To steal a question from my friend, Bastard, what’s your favorite alcoholic beverage? Do you imbibe when you write?

Tom Olbert: I don’t imbibe at all.

Jake Elliot: I try not to drink too much when I write unless it is for my anonymous blog that few people know about. My style is night and day when I drink. However, I do enjoy Gentleman Jack on the rocks when I’m kicking around ideas, I might even jot a few notes for me to read the next morning, but once I pass two drinks (always doubles), things can turn ugly fast. Also, I read Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer and decided I didn’t want to come off like that.

Gef Fox: My drinking days are well behind me. When I do, I enjoy a rye & ginger.

CM Saunders: Usually beer (European lager’s such as Carlsberg or Heineken). If I am pushing the boat out, white spirits with mixer. I imbibe as much as possible!

Ryan Lawler: Scotch is one of my best friends, usually mixed with coke, but I will drink it on the rocks if the quality is good enough. I find that a couple of glasses help to lubricate the creative process and push past all the barriers put in place by my analytical mind.

 

3. What books have you read recently? Any new authors you’re impressed by?

William Meikle: Gary McMahon impresses me greatly. He’s got the ability to put what he imagines on the page while still leaving a great deal to the reader’s own imagination. He’s also not afraid to let his feeling bleed out onto the page. Despite that, he has a smooth, readable style, and is growing in stature as a writer with every passing year. I believe he’s going to go on to be huge, and good luck to him.

Nick Cato: I’ve read many good books lately, but the one newer author who I am convinced has a chance to get huge is Rio Youers. His story telling technique is fantastic and his latest novel, WESTLAKE SOUL, actual yanked tears from my eyes (only a very few authors have been able to do that to me). He’s the real deal.

Gene O’Neill: JUBILEE HITCHHIKER—Life and times of Richard Brautigan. I read mostly non-fiction.

Tim Baker: The Horror for Good anthology, Blind Eye to the Rearview by Eric Jackson, A Connecticut Yankee in King Author’s Court by Mark Twain, of late. I’d keep an eye on Rena Mason and Eric Jackson. Eric is a smart writer and has a great gunslinger off-the-hip style. Don’t think he’s that new, but I’m a new fan of Rio Youers. His new novel, Westlake Soul, blew me away.

 

4. Stylistically, what genre is most satisfying to write? Are you married to a genre or do you write across different ones? Is there a specific genre you want to write in but haven’t?

Jake Elliot: I like writing epic fantasy. I don’t like reading fantasy save Robert E. Howard. It might be why I like to write it. I like reading horror and sci-fi, but mostly I read spy books––the pulpier the better. I’ve got an idea for an urban fantasy, but I can’t say what it is yet.

Gene O’Neill: I’m probably a cross-genre writer, and have been since the start.

Carl Barker: I hate to sound like a broken record, but it depends on the story. I can start a piece, thinking it’s going to be in one genre, and then discover that it’s decamped to another of its own accord by the time I’m finished.

I’ve dabbled in most genres at one time or another, with varying degrees of success, but I get the most enjoyment out of a mix and match approach.

Adam Millard: I write mainly horror, but I also like to write steampunk and bizarro. I’m not married exclusively to one genre, but I don’t think you’ll ever see a romance-saga from me.

Ryan Lawler: I always thought I would be a fantasy writer, but as I have started to become more proficient at writing I have found myself wanting to write across a number of different genres. I don’t feel like there is one genre that is most satisfying to write, because if I get the story right it is satisfying regardless of the genre. The one genre I would really like to tell a good story in is the murder mystery / detective genre.

Tim Baker: Horror is my thing. I was raised on it. But I do like crime/thrillers and have written a couple of short stories in that genre. I would like to do sword and sorcery and some science fiction.

5. You’re drunk at a karaoke bar: what one song will get you up and wailing?

Nick Cato: Keep Your Hands to Yourself by GEORGIA SATELLITES. Unfortunately this only shows up at retro 80s night. It’s the perfect drunken karaoke classic.

Ed Erdelac: Mama Tried by Merle Haggard.

 

6. Where can readers find out more about you and your work?

William Meikle: Full details and more waffle on my website at http://www.williammeikle.com

Nick Cato: nickcato.blogspot.com

Tom Olbert: Try my blog: http://tomolbert.blogspot.com

Dorian Dawes: I have a website with links to my currently published work and a series of rants that are the result of my existence on this terrifying thing called the internet, check out doriandawes.com for all the latest updates.

Jake Elliot: I’d recommend jakeelliotfiction.com to start. I’m on Facebook and I’ll friend everybody until I’m offered naked pictures. Remember, my wife can kick my ass and she might get upset if I’m looking at your naked pics. I’m on Goodreads too, and there, you can read the fist 15% of ‘The Wrong Way Down’ for free.

Gene O’Neill: Just Google my name.

Ed Erdelac: www.emerdelac.wordpress.com. Otherwise look me up on Facebook.

Adam Millard: Readers can check out my website for upcoming events and news, which is www.adammillard.co.uk and you can find me on Facebook and also on Twitter @adammillard.

Gef Fox: They can check out my blog (http://waggingthefox.blogspot.com/), or find me on Twitter (@wagthefox) or Facebook (https://facebook.com/wagthefox). I’m elsewhere online, but those are the big three.

CM Saunders: I have a new blog: http://cmsaunders.wordpress.com/

All the usual haunts like Amazon Author Central, Author’s Den, and Goodreads.

And, of course, Facebook and Myspace. I think I am the only person in the civilized world with a deep suspicion of Twitter!

Ryan Lawler: You can follow me on Twitter – @RyanL1986 – or you can check out my blog at http://ryanlawler86.wordpress.com

Tim Baker: They can check me out at: http://www.facebook.com/tim.baker.3532. Will soon have a blog up and running, too.

TSP Sweeney: My personal, all-too-infrequently updated blog is at http://timsweeney.net, and contains links to the various stories I have thrown up around the web, as well as details about my upcoming published works. I can also be tracked down on Twitter @TSPSweeney

Carl Barker: I maintain a web presence at www.holeinthepage.co.uk