Cory A. Jones

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BIO

Cory A. Jones is an independent Writer, Photographer, and Filmmaker from Northern California. While primarily dealing in the Horror genre, Cory explores Western, Noir, Erotic, and Fantasy elements. His background in Screenwriting led to the world of prose with his debut Novel "The Estranged and the Wretched". When not writing, he is usually out somewhere with a camera, or planning his next all night sleazy movie marathon.

WEBSITE LINKS

Website: https://coryajones.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emperorcorndog/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/29757472.Cory_A_Jones

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

I grew up an only child in a pretty small town in Northern California, and I didn’t really have a whole lot to do since there weren’t many other kids in my neighborhood. So, I spent a lot of time entertaining myself, and making up little games and characters to keep myself amused. 
I spent a lot of time at the Video store growing up. I’d get a little allowance every week for doing chores, and spend it renting movies. First Action films, and later got into horror movies once I was old enough not to still be scared of them. I fell in love with it. 
Later, when I was a teenager, I saw the movie Suspiria (still my all-time favorite film), and that flick changed my life. I decided I wanted to make movies, and actually started making my own little movies with my friends. That’s where all of this really started. Once I became an adult, I discovered that filmmaking is extraordinarily difficult for folks with little money, and I started writing prose as a means to get my stories out there while I am struggling to get that elusive first film made. 
Then I fell in love with reading and writing fiction. I’d always been a casual reader, but writing turned me into a pretty voracious reader.
It’s become such a strong passion, that I honestly feel like this is what I should have been doing all along.

Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life?

There aren’t very many that I would like to meet! But I would probably give that particular distinction to ‘Uncle Jack’, the main villain of The Estranged and the Wretched. I don’t think that would end well for me.

Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing?


Actually, I draw a lot of inspiration from other genres. I rarely write strictly horror. There’s almost always some other element that I blend in with it. ‘Estranged’ has a heavy Action/Adventure current running through it. It’s kind of an Action-Horror hybrid, really. 
My next release, called Deadly Visage is an Erotic Horror story. It has a lot of influence from Dark Erotica, and Gothic Romance mixed in with the Supernatural Horror at it’s core.
I love Noir, Westerns, Fantasy, and Mysteries. I draw a bit from everything I find interesting and cool.


The term horror, especially when applied to fiction always carries such heavy connotations.  What’s your feeling on the term “horror” and what do you think we can do to break past these assumptions?


Small minded people will always make assumptions. I don’t think we can do anything except keep creating art that stomps peoples assumptions into bloody smithereens. I’m not particularly interested in influencing people’s thought process other than giving them nightmares.


A lot of good horror movements have arisen as a direct result of the socio/political climate, considering the current state of the world where do you see horror going in the next few years? 


Horror is a cyclical genre, it’ll go where it needs to. It’ll get hot for while, and then it’ll stagnate and go semi-dormant for a while. Trendy subgenres will rise up, bask in their popularity for a spell, and then peter out again.
The process will repeat itself as it’s done throughout history. Movements come and go, and rarely amount to much outside of public discourse passing through time. 
Horror is a genre wherein challenging ideas are thrown in the faces of people who are afraid of them. It mirrors society in many ways, but it often works in consequence of socio-political climates, rather than in service of them.
In-other words, nobody can really predict where it’s going, but it’ll always be interesting to watch how it unfolds. I’m just hoping to be a part of it for a while.


Given the dark, violent and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it? 


Because it’s survivable, whereas reality is not. It’s therapeutic because it makes our real lives feel a little less stressful when you have a fictional story that is much worse that you can compare your real scenarios to. It’s an escape. It’s a thrill.


What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?


A healthy wave of fresh new ideas. I see a lot of familiar concepts, and throwbacks to bygone renaissances but asskickingly original stories feel like a very rare commodity at the moment.

What new and upcoming authors do you think we should take notice off? 


I really like Tory Tallberg, her debut novel Crowe County Hospital is a lot of fun. Probably the most fun horror novels I’ve read from an indie in a while. 
Outside of horror, I always mention my soul sister from across the puddle, Jo De-Lancey, if y’all want to read an excellent pirate-fantasy novel with a great chunk of British charm, check out her book The Crystal Shore.


Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you?


I’m spank-ass brand new to this, so not yet!



What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult?


I’m a two-draft kind of guy, but the second draft is the real hard work draft for me. The first draft is the fun, playtime part of the process. The second is where it becomes cerebral, and tedious. But, it’s a balancing act to make a story work for the reader. So as much as I don’t enjoy the second draft, I power through it knowing that I’m making it for the reader, not for myself.


Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? 


I avoid socio-political topics as much as possible. I can’t always, but I try. It’s just too disagreeable for people. So I stick to focusing on stories of humanity, and elements that everyone can relate to. As best I can, anyway. 
I like to think that I’m more of a populist writer, and I write for everyday people. That said, I’m certainly not above expressing my own views and feelings on hot-button topics. I just try to do it in an open, questioning, and conversational way when I feel the need to do it at all.
For example; In my next book, Deadly Visage, I got pretty deep into the elements of sexual politics. Feminism, Misogyny/Misandry, the ‘Queer Horror’ phenomenon, etc.
I didn’t do that to make any kind of statement, though. Nor was I trying to position myself as some kind of ideological renegade. It was all motivated by the story I wanted to tell. In order to tell it in the way that felt most honest, it felt natural to invoke those ideas. 
So, I wouldn’t say it’s a particular subject that I would never write about, but there is that conceited, impressionistic prerogative that I want to steer clear of, so long as I can help it. If I manage to do so, I can pretty well write about anything.





Writing, is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years?

I actually used to think that I was absolute garbage as a writer, and that my place was behind a camera, directing actors. I’ve learned that if you really allow yourself to explore, and do it with humility, you very well might end up surprising yourself with your own capability. 
From there, I’m just trying to learn a new trick every day. Trying to get better at the craft, and find new tools that I can use to make the stories I write a little more immersive.


What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?


Just keep doing it, never stop.



Which of your characters is your favourite?

In Estranged, it’s my girl Jenna-Marie. I fell in love with her when she first popped into my mind. She’s really the avatar for my spirit in many ways, and I put a lot of effort into making sure she connected to the reader in the same way. I think readers are really gonna like her.
In Deadly Visage, I found a unique situation where the supporting character/love interest is really the spiritual protagonist. Her name is Jonelle, and I think she is the most genuine character I’ve ever come up with. She’s the one who’s always speaking the truth, and trying to make sense of madness. She’s got a great attitude, and sense of humor. I feel like she’s the most multi-dimensional character I’ve produced.
So it’s a battle between those two, and in all honesty, I can’t choose between them. You can’t make me.


Which of your books best represents you?


The Estranged and the Wretched. I’ve got several more books in development, but I still think this first one is the most me.


Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us? 


Oh man, yes indeed. It’s tough to narrow it down to just one little tidbit, but here’s one that comes to mind from Estranged. It’s where the main human villain, ‘Filthy Phil’ Stanton is talking to a captured prisoner he has trapped in a cage:
“Y’know, that look on your face tells me that you just don’t understand. That’s okay. You’re not meant to understand. This world doesn’t want you to understand. It wants you to bleed . . . And so you will,” He continues:
“I see everyone here wants some kind of revenge for past wrongdoings. Some kind of restitution . . .” Phil said. “You know them. They want restitution. They want a restitution in blood,” Phil said, his voice becoming more ominous with each syllable. “Because that’s how it is around here.”


Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?


Well, I’ve said quite a bit about Estranged and Deadly Visage already, but here’s a quick rundown on each.
The Estranged and the Wretched is a tangled web of a yarn about people who are either lost themselves, or have lost someone, into this bizarre, demon infested place called ‘The Outland’. It’s a story of people who will fight straight into the mouth of hell to rescue their loved ones from being swallowed by evil. The best moments are when these people find each other, and their bonds are formed by their common mission. It’s a hyper-gory, high-octane rollercoaster ride, but it’s about loyalty, perseverance, and redemption at its core. It releases on April 21st for the Print and e-book versions, and the audiobook will be out later in the summer.
Deadly Visage is a much more personal, and psychological piece. It’s a novella, so it’s a short read, but it’s a slow burn. The horror comes in strong near the end. I make you wait for it, but the payoff is worth it. It’s about a young woman who is tormented by abusive relationships in her past, and has developed some serious emotional turmoil. As she’s laboring to sort this out, her fears and anger begin to manifest in the form of a horrific Incubus that visits her in the night. I won’t say any more, but I’m so stoked for people to read to the end. I had an absolute blast writing it. It comes out in October.
As for what’s next; I’m currently writing a revenge thriller called Sutter Road. This is an old story from my back catalogue that I’ve dusted off, and given a new coat of paint. This is another novella, but much faster paced than Deadly Visage. I classify it as a thriller, but it’s an extremely brutal thriller. So it fits in the horror genre quite comfortably. It’s adapted from an old short film I made back in 2007, but I feel like it’s even more relevant today given the aforementioned cultural climate. It’s a nasty, mean-mofo of a book. I’m excited to unleash it next year. 
I’ve also got my second full-length novel Black Apostasy, in the works. I won’t say much about it right now because it’s still in its early stages, but it’s by far the most pure-horror project in the pipeline. It’s sick, it’s twisted, and it’s very, very dark.


If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

Clichès are actually kind of important because it helps guide us writers toward newer, fresher ideas. They wouldn’t exist if so many people didn’t find them to be good ideas at one time, but they age out with repetition. 
So I’m usually grateful for them, but if forced to eliminate one cliché then I’d say the casting of stupid teenagers as our protagonists can be retired now. 
I’m surprised at how often I still see horror films with dumbass teens, or college age kids as the people I’m supposed to care about. These are the hardest characters to care about for me personally. Maybe it’s because I’m in my late 30’s now, and I just don’t have the patience for them anymore, but I think most people just find them annoying and hard to care about. 
I want stories about intelligent, responsible people who have real lives facing the horrors that threaten them. Give me some grown adults who are resourceful facing insane danger, and have to overcome insurmountable odds. I love Nancy Thompson, and Kirsty Cotton, and the great teenage final girls we’ve had before, don’t get me wrong, but let’s see something new.

What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you?


Hmmm, Keeping it relevant to Horror I would say the last great one I read was Fevre Dream by George R.R. Martin. Yes, it’s spelled correctly. It’s a fabulous Vampire Tale set on a Steamboat in the 1850’s. What a great setting, and it’s just so well told. I’m not huge on Game of Thrones, and all that, but Martin killed it with this one. Highly recommended.
As for disappointing; I hate to say it, but I think most of Stephen King’s recent output has been pretty disappointing. A lot of people put The Outsider over strong, but I thought it was just okay. Apart from that though, I think the last really good one was Doctor Sleep. I remember being excited for Sleeping Beauties, and man was I bored to tears by that one. I think that was the most disappointing read for me recently. For the most part, I’ve been on a pretty good roll of winners lately.

What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?  And what would be the answer?


Question: Would you like a whole bunch of free Food, Beer, and Sexy Women to party with?
Answer: Why, yes. Yes, I would.