Thursday 3 July 2014

Writing Blog Hop: Author - Stuart Keane

After a few weeks of preparing a wedding, actually getting married and going on a mini honeymoon, it’s time to get back to the writing. What better way to do that then with my very first Writing Blog Hop. A Writing Blog Hop is as it sounds, it’s like a relay between authors. We answer a few questions, tag other authors and they do the same.
The author who tagged me is Shari Sakurai, a British author who wrote Demon’s Blood, an original take on vampires, and the upcoming Perfect World. You can find out more about Shari by visiting Goodreads  or her Website.
So, here are the questions. Let’s do this!
1. What Am I Working On?
Currently, I’m preparing the final format of All or Nothing, my debut feature length novel. It’s due for release on June 30 on Amazon Kindle and paperback. It’s going to be a busy week. I’ve received my ARC reviews back and all were positive so this is becoming a busy, but very exciting time. As well as this, I’m editing two short stories for two upcoming anthologies and I’m currently working on my new novel. 2014 has been a busy year for me thus far and this doesn’t look like changing.
2. How Does My Work Differ From Other’s In It’s Genre?
I don’t think it falls into the one genre which makes it more accessible to a wider audience. The book is primarily a horror. However, it borrows from the psychological/suspense/thriller genres in equal measure. On some counts it’s also a crime thriller and a drama. I like to alternate between genres because it’s not too restrictive and I find it more liberating to write this way. It also can produce some interesting results. After all, horror needs suspense and vice-versa so it’s more a natural process that infuses into my work.
3. Why Do I Write What I Do?
It’s been a life long dream of mine to do this. Since I first read Richard Laymon – and to be honest any book, my first ever when I was three – I’ve always enjoyed being creative. It started from reading, processed through school and college, all the way up until I hit thirty and realised I was ready to do this. Two years later, this January, I started my first novel and released my first novella, The Customer Is Always… which has received some great reviews. In six months, I’ve had several short stories accepted to several anthologies (Terror Train is currently available on Amazon Kindle and paperback) and I’m humbled by the response to my work. This is why I write what I do. I remember being excited when I first read a book that appealed to me and my hope is that I can return this to people who appreciated good horror.
4. How Does My Writing Process Work?
It depends on my current project. For example, All or Nothing I planned from the beginning to the end. I knew where I wanted it to go. This method can be quite taxing. However, on The Customer Is Always…, I just wrote it and waited to see where it went. The characters developed, the story progressed, and the finished product was a taut, tight thriller. I normally will edit as I go, finish a draft and then go back over it, bulk it, fine tune it etc. Sometimes I will write everything, re-read it before I progress and then go back. As a result, I don’t really have a set process but it’s interesting to mix it up with this part of the writing.
The one thing I always do, regardless of project, is develop the key characters first. Even if they change motive, flip from a heel to face etc. I always try to get their basic character down first. This always helps me to lend their motives and challenges clarity, to ensure their development isn’t too erratic or sudden.
Now I’ve answered the questions, I hand this over to my nominated authors. These are four names in the horror genre to keep an eye on. Trust me when I say, you don’t want to miss their work.
Kyle M Scott, author of Consumed: Volume 1. One of my favourite horror books of the year, this volume includes four of the sickest, most depraved horror stories I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. I have the pleasure of working with Kyle on an upcoming collaboration and to say I’m excited is an understatement. You can read more about Kyle on Goodreads or on his Website.
Charie D. La Marr, author of several novels, most notably Bumping Noses and Cherry Pie. Charie is also a keen contributor to several anthologies such as Cut Up!, Axes of Evil, and The Terror Train Anthology – a book I had the privilege of sharing with her. Quirky and wholly original, her work deserves to be read. You can read more about Charie on Goodreads.
Jack Rollins is the author of the Dr Blessing series. Jack is unique as he bases his horror in the 1800′s, in Victorian England. Think Jack The Ripper atmosphere and detail and you’re halfway there. His books are creepy and terrifying in equal measure and a must for anyone who’s a fan of Hammer Horror or classics like Frankenstein and Dracula. You can read more about Jack on Goodreads.
Matt Shaw, author of Sick B*stards and the upcoming Porn. Shaw is the author of over forty books and also has a talent for film making, taking the initiative to adapt his own books into short films. Matt is a hard working individual, one who fully deserves to be recognised for his contribution to the horror genre. His ability to push the boundaries of taste, sex and violence is unparalleled. You can read more about Matt on Goodreads or on his Website.

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