Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself? My name's Jon and I'm a novelist who believes that every piece of art should have a little horror in it to feel complete. My debut book, Winterset Hollow, a contemporary dark fantasy with a twist and a terrifying edge, is due to be released in September. Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life? Edward Addington, the author of the book within my book, Winterset Hollow. Nothing scares me more than an entitled person with enough money to fulfill his deepest desires. Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing? The fantasy books that I read as a child—books like The Chronicles of Narnia, A Wrinkle in Time, and alllll of Roald Dahl's stories. All of the things I write seem to twist on some sort of fantasy element, and I'm pretty sure that's where I get it from. 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? I see fantasy horror being the next big thing. I think people are craving escapism right now, and I think the last thing they want to read about is reality closing in on one character or another, because we've all been feeling that in the real world for too long at this point. Given the dark, violent, and at times grotesque nature of the horror genre why do you think so many people enjoy reading it? Morbid curiosity is a powerful thing, and it's always been a driving force in the entertainment we seek. Violence and darkness pique a part of our psyche that nothing else does, and that muscle needs to be exercised every now and then just like any other for us to feel whole. It's just general maintenance if you ask me, and if it was two thousand years ago, we'd be lined up at the coliseum rather than at the bookstore. What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre? That's a really tough question to nail down as there's sooooooo much content out there right now. But honestly, I would say that there's still room for a more literary edge to a lot of the horror that I've seen. Don't get me wrong, I love a good, schlocky horror novel…but it's been a long time since I've read a new release in the genre that's rang academic to me, and I think that would be a breath of fresh air. Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you? They all stay with me, to be honest. I'd like to think that I'm good at brushing aside criticism and soldering on, but the truth is that I'm not. I remember every review, and sometimes it feels like they're all running through my head at all times and there's no way to shut them off. Positive and negative, it seems like they all have endless echoes. What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult? Choosing which story to write in the first place. Hanging a year (or so) of your life on one idea is a terrifying though for me, so the initial choosing of which book to write next is allllways the most nerve-wracking thing. Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? An in-depth minority experience that I haven't personally been through. It's not that I don't think I could write about that sort of thing…I just don't feel like it's my place to. It would feel dishonest to me and so that's something I wouldn't really ever want to undertake. Writing is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years? I've gotten more comfortable with my own voice…and more comfortable with the idea that I'm writing for me and that's it…the idea that I'm writing things that I want to read in a way that I want to read them…and that I don't need to change what I do to accommodate anything or anybody else. What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing? Stay on the story as long as you can…and tell it in the truest way possible. Which of your characters is your favourite? Runny, the rabbit, from Winterset Hollow. Very complex and very flawed, but in a very believable way. I don't know, I'm a sucker for a villain that you can't help but sympathize with lol. Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us? "There are no answers in this life, Eamon. There are only moments in the sun…and moments in the shade…and the trick is to understand where you stand in time enough to make yourself at home. I wish you peace in the fields beyond, because I am certain you will not find it here." Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next? Well, my last book is Winterset Hollow. It's a really fantastic story with a horror edge and I think people will really enjoy it and I can't wait for it to get out there and make some readers happy…or frightened…or anything in between. Next up is a book called Hollywoodland which deals with an artist getting what seems to be everything he's ever wanted from a mysterious muse…of course, that's not quite how it all shakes out. If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice? The ghost of the young girl standing in a hallway in a white night gown. Please go away. What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you? The last great book I read was 11/22/63 by Stephen King, and the last book that disappointed me was The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown…to be fair, I hate all of his books, but I read them anyway for some unknown reason. What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do? And what would be the answer? How do you deal with the anxiety that comes with being an artist? Well… I don't. I try to, believe me—I eat healthy, I work out like a beast, I try to get enough sleep, and I go easy on the mind-altering substances—but the anxiety is always there and it always will be. And as much as I hate it and it claws at my better nature day in and day out, it let's me know I'm alive… so there's that. JONATHAN EDWARD DURHAM Jonathan Edward Durham was born near Philadelphia in one of many satellite rust-belt communities where he read voraciously throughout his youth. After attending William & Mary, where he received a degree in neuroscience, Jonathan waded into the professional world before deciding he was better suited for more artistic pursuits. He now lives with his partner in California where he writes to bring a unique voice to the space between the timeless wonder of his favorite childhood stories and the pop sensibilities of his adolescent literary indulgences. His debut novel, Winterset Hollow, an elevated contemporary fantasy with a twist, follows in that same vein and is available everywhere late 2021. https://www.jonathanedwarddurham.com https://www.facebook.com/jonathanedwarddurham https://www.twitter.com/thisone0verhere https://www.instagram.com/thisone0verhere https://reedsy.com/discovery/user/jonathandurham Winterset Hollow |
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