FIVE MINUTES WITH BRYCE WARREN

Bryce Warren was writing stories and drawing pictures at age five. At thirteen he read The Stand by Stephen King and knew he wanted to be a writer. He has a B.A. from Northern Kentucky University in Literature and Writing, an M.F.A. from Western Michigan University in Creative Writing, and an M.A.T. (Master of Arts in Teaching) from Northern Kentucky University in English Grades 8 – 12. He lives in Northern Kentucky and is currently at work on his next book.

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

I grew up drawing and writing stories. When I couldn’t draw my own invented superheroes well enough to create a comic book, I would write short stories about them. I always liked creating stories in my mind, but I didn’t think about writing seriously until I was thirteen. At that age, I saw the movie The Dead Zone and loved it. It made me seek out my first book by Stephen King. Instead of choosing something shorter, I was compelled to read The Stand which was longest novel at the time. That book made me decide that if Stephen King could write books like that, books that were thoroughly enjoyable and fun to read, then I wanted to do that too. That started my love for reading and writing that continues to this day.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

My favorite thing to do is reading fiction. I don’t always read horror, but when I look for something else to read it usually ends up being something with a dark bent. I like watching horror movies, and of course movies with dark aspects, but I watch drama and other types too. My most favorite activity, besides writing, is going to bookstores! Love spending time browsing and looking for something to grab my attention.

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

Early on, when I was in high school, I was interested in spy novels—especially James Bond. I wrote short spy novels in the spring and summer, and then I wrote short horror novels in the fall and winter. In college I discovered Joyce Carol Oates when I read “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” From that point on she has been a favorite author of mine, and I read as much of everything she writes as I can.

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?

I still like to use the term “horror” because it can occur in any type of story. What I don’t like is that people tend to assume that horror is only about slasher films, and they tend to wrinkle their noses at that. I have started telling people that I write horror AND supernatural suspense or ghost stories. That seems to ease them into what I mean by horror.

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?

The state of the world seems to drive what people write about and what readers want in horror. We’ve seen a lot of zombie apocalypse books because of this. I think the trend will be toward more stories about societal breakdowns and the fear of things being out of control.

What are the books and films that helped to define you as an author?

The Stand by Stephen King started my love of writing horror fiction. I went on to read Ray Bradbury, Something Wicked This Wicked This Way Comes and The October Country. Fahrenheit 451 solidified my love of books and my interest in “transgressive” or “forbidden” books. I made certain to read the books that I was interested in even when they seemed taboo or appeared on censorship lists. I also read Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House and We Have Always Lived in the Castle since Stephen King had mentioned her as a great writer. Because It Is Bitter, and Because It Is My Heart by Joyce Carol Oates spoke loudly to me because of its coming of age depiction of bullying and forbidden love.

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

Ania Ahlborn is one of my newest favorite authors who deserves to become a household name. Everything she writes turns to gold. I especially liked The Devil Crept In. She has a Gothic sensibility and applies it to contemporary settings. Paul Tremblay’s A Head Full of Ghosts took me by surprise and surpassed my expectations. I’m looking forward to reading his latest The Cabin at the End of the World, which is a habitat that could do with the services of house cleaners in Louisville

How would you describe your writing style?

My writing style is very simple and straight forward. Like Joyce Carol Oates, I’m more interested in telling the story than focusing on style. In college, my writing instructors were more in love with style than anything else. However, I decided to stick with what I did best and kept the writing concise and easy to read.

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

One of my favorite reviews of my work Waverly Hills Incursion was one that stated:  “This was like reading The Amityville Horror or Hell House for the first time. I thoroughly enjoyed Waverly Hills Incursion. It is one of the best ghost stories I have ever read. It has this strange and mysterious mix of characters and setting that drive this book. Bryce must be from Louisville. His astute ear can discern the various accents of Louisville, and he clearly has a love for the area that is infectious (except for the part about moving into Waverly Hills). DO NOT MOVE THERE! Read this book instead.”
 
A negative review that sticks with me is one that mentioned the “creep factor” in Waverly Hills Incursion. It stated that sometimes less is more. I really don’t think that Waverly Hills Incursion went too far with the “creep factor” or that it should have been more subtle. I think the fact that it got under the reader’s skin is actually a good thing.
 
What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult?

Getting started is the worst for me when I’m writing a longer work. Even when I know what I want to write about and know how to start it, actually sitting down to write is difficult. I always try to find something else to do first. I always think I should read more before starting. Or maybe I should draw some more before I get into writing. Once I get down to it, I tend to stick with it until the end.

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

I can’t write a romance novel. I tend to have romance in my work, but it goes along with dark subject matter or the supernatural. I could never write a Harlequin Romance under a pseudonym. I can’t think of a subject that I would never touch. I would try to write about anything that obsesses me.

How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?

Sometimes I choose names based on the meaning, but not always. I definitely choose names on liking the way they sound. For example, if a female character is dark and sensual, I would use a name like Serena Banister (The Wretched). The name Serena suggests someone sexy.
 
Writing, is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years? 

My writing has certainly become better over the years. I always decided that I would give myself ten years to become a better writer and a better storyteller. After those ten years went by, I always gave myself another ten years to improve. Then I quit counting.

What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?        
 
First of all, you have to read constantly. Read everything—don’t just stick your favorite genre. But also read well in your chosen genre to know what others before you have done and read current work to see where the genre is going. Learn the rules of English and writing. When I knew I wanted to write, I paid special attention to my English classes and focused on grammar, vocabulary and literature. That’s where writing and storytelling gives you a foundation. Then you can also read the stuff that excites you.

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

The best advice was to read the kind of work that you are trying to write, and to write the book that you wish you could read. Create the book that you would love to find out there and the one you would be most excited about reading.

Getting your worked noticed is one of the hardest things for a writer to achieve, how have you tried to approach this subject?

It’s very difficult to find readers. I’ve been using social media to find my readers, and I’ve been branching out to places in social media that I hadn’t considered. I’ve hired a marketer to help me find more places and venues so that I can reach the people who would want to read my books. I’m going to do public readings and book signings at local bookstores and libraries to get my work out there. I’m also planning on attending horror conventions like Horror Hound Weekend and Scarefest.

To many writers, the characters they write become like children, who is your favourite child, and who is your least  favourite to write for and why?

My favorite character is Serena Banister. She’s an aspiring writer and a lover of all things dark. No least favorite yet.

What piece of your own work are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of Waverly Hills Incursion. I went to the real Waverly Hills Sanatorium, an abandoned former TB hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. It’s been featured on many ghost hunting shows. Using many details from the history, the stories of various entities, and the actual building gave me everything I needed to support a story I had already written eight years previously that wasn’t quite working yet. It’s also been my most popular book.

And are there any that you would like to forget about?

No.

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

“We may feel wretched, but we are not wretched.” This is something Serena Banister tells the main character Paul. It’s about how artists and writers, people who are creators, feel sometimes when they are struggling with their art and their place in the world.


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

My most recent book is The Wretched (the Chronicles of Covedale Book 1). It’s about four college students who move into an old Gothic Victorian and decide to create their own entity by thinking it into existence. The setting has a hidden past that is hinted at and that helps to invoke their wishes to come true. However, things don’t turn out the way that they expect them to. They each end up creating their own personal entity which is based on their subconscious desires.
 
I am currently working on the sequel to The Wretched, which involves a male and female character who work for a super-secret government agency that wants them to investigate the Gothic Victorian house of The Wretched. The agency doesn’t offer much information on the situation or on how to investigate, so they find themselves in an awkward and difficult situation. They begin to unearth some of the secret mysteries of the home’s malevolent past.
 
If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

Right now, the biggest horror clichés are stories about zombies and vampires. I wouldn’t eliminate them, but these stories should rely on originality because the clichés have been done to death.


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

Ania Ahlborn’s The Devil Crept In was awesome! It may not be for everyone, but I loved reading it. She took a cool concept and ran with it. It relies heavily on suspension of disbelief, but if you can handle that it works really well.
 
Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero was disappointing. It had a great hook:  the kids are like the characters from Scooby Doo. The story didn’t deliver.

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

What excites you the most about horror fiction? My answer is that I love it when I’m reading a story that grabs ahold of me and makes me forget the world. I love it when I can be completed immersed in the story and taken to another world.




 


Become a Patron!

FILM REVIEW: MY MONSTER (DIRECTED BY IZZY LEE)
HAWKINS, JONES AND CLARK (NO IT'S NOT A REBOOT OF LAST OF THE SUMMER WINE)