Crossposting this from my tumblr - woodfiction.tumblr.com
You may have seen me or some of my followers posting about this series already. If not, hello there. If so, hello again!
While my self-published horror series The Analyst has
been enjoying some modest acclaim, it feels like I’m having a hard time
getting new readers to sit down and give it a look— largely because (in
my estimation) on the surface it may appear to be little more than derivative pap that rides the coattails of existing series like The Dresden Files. I’ve been playing my cards close to the chest hoping that the
series’ merits would come out on their own, but now I think maybe it’s
time I talk a little bit about what I’m trying to achieve.
1. I don’t have to cater to a market. Self-publishing
means I get to write what I want, how I want, and I don’t have to
insult the reader’s intelligence. I don’t have to spell everything out
for the reader, and I don’t. Events and relationships are left open to
speculation.
2. The story is about people. While The Analyst
is a horror series, it takes place in a grounded world without magical
solutions or perfect heroes. Along with the fantastical dread and
monsters, I write about race, mental illness, divorce and sexuality. The
horror plays off of the characters.
3. The cast is eclectic. By the end of the third installment, King of Men,
the rotating main cast will include male, female, black, white, Asian,
gay, bi, and trans characters. There are no token roles; I’m not trying
to appease a demographic. These are fully realized and explored
personalities.
4. The horror elements are not Judeo-Christian. Aren’t
you tired of vampires, fairies, demons, zombies and the Devil? Me too.
What I really love is J-horror, and all of my monsters are run through a
filter of Silent Hill- and Junji Ito-style filth. Many of the named
creatures are drawn from eastern mythologies including Japan, China and
India. Any werewolves, vampires and ghosts are run through a grinder
until they’re barely recognizable.
If you’d like to pick up one of my books, you can get them for Kindle or in paperback (Blood Mother paperback coming shortly).
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