A QUICK LITTLE INTERVIEW WITH THE CURRENT POST MORTEM PRESS FEATURED AUTHOR – LYDIA PEEVER

Q: Tell us a little about your writing. What is your typical genre, your style, the voice you aim for and such.

A: I grew up in a moody little town reading a lot of dark fiction. That tends to dictate my personality today as well as how and what I write. As far as genre, I would like to say I write horror purely and simply, yet I do have a literary tone. As bad as I want to write a hot slasher that leaps off the page I get caught up in the bloody little details. The things that really make humans tick.

Q: What are some of the endeavors you have on the horizon, or have been participating in?

A: Lately, I have been planning a nice launch pad for short horror in a ‘zine format. ‘Single Tale’ will be a series of evil and horrific stories geared toward a very adult audience. Eventually, I also hope to publish a collection of my short horror under an anagram – because I adore anagrams – that has an audio book styled accompaniment. The prototypes of these projects are being tweaked. Over the winter of 2012 I will be doing a lot of planning with Hora Morior as well and hoping to bring a lot of others terrifyingly dark art out through them. Also, the sequel to Nightface. That is the biggest thing in my life right now. Bigger than eating food and getting proper sleep!

Q: Do you prefer longer or shorter fiction? And what do you think each provides for your writing?

A: Short fiction is a lot like a perfect dinner date. It starts, it’s nice, it’s over, you smile and go home. Everyone is happy and it is something nice to think about for a few days. Long fiction is… different. Long fiction is that distressingly hot crush. The toxic relationship that just can’t quit. It can go on for years and tear your mind apart. You love every other minute, but hate the next one. No matter how many short-fiction dinner-dates you go on, this is what is tattooed behind your eyes and thrumming within the beat of every song. I enjoy both and prefer to do them both on a regular basis. Sometimes on the same day.

Q: Let us know a little about your favorite character that you have created, and what makes them your favorite?

A: It is a toss up, really, but I would have to say Turner. Turner is a young man in my short story entitled ‘Thicker Than’ published by West Pigeon Press in the ‘For When The Veil Drops’ anthology. In some ways, he is a male version of me on a bad day even though he is based on someone I used to know. So dark, so sad, everyone can relate to that angst that leaves you nearly mute and a true ticking time bomb. I also like The Farmer in Nightface a lot since he does not really fit into any horror envelope neatly.

Q: What do you typically read and how do those authors help to define your own writing?

A: A tough question! I could list many authors and have people guess at who really influences me, but the truth is I am influenced by life. Non-fiction. The news. People I meet. That is the huge influence, and my own ‘extremely regular’ life. I read a lot so there is truly list of hundreds of authors that could be here but; Richard Laymon and Edward Lee to relax – a clense palate for reality as it were. Kathe Koja, Clive Barker, Chuck Palahniuk and Otsuichi may influence my style – but I did grow up on a steady diet of Stephen King novels and encyclopedias.

Q: What advice might you offer to other writers in their endeavors?

A: Find your groove, and the minute it gets slippery, slide into another one. Test yourself and write longhand. Nothing beats writing out tens of thousands of words with a pen on paper. Read your stuff aloud. Get lost in your words so you can see them from the inside, and how they really work. Then sell it.

Q: What things have you experienced as set backs and potential deal breakers? Also, what things have helped you to gain exposure, bring attention to your stories?

A: My family and friends from home have been a huge support, for sure. Associates at school and partners in business help as well, as I have had several careers in my short time. The musicians and artists I know are a constant boon and huge inspiration as well as those goth, kink, and fellow writer types I adore. Attending any horror-related event always helps and is a great way to blow off steam too. Setbacks? The only setback is not having as many hours in a day as I would like to just f’n write.

Q: Finish this sentence, “Lydia Peever is a…”

A: … typical girl.

Q: Anything else you would like to promote, say, or rant about?

A: I do horror-related work for Ottawa Horror and Hora Morior so please check them out. Also, I get a lot of support from Patron Saint of Plagues – phenomenal horror rock – designed their current website and helped produce a video for ‘Things Arn’t What They Seem’ [sic]. Along with other authors, I get a lot of inspiration from musicians, artists and photographers.

http://nightface.ca/
http://www.facebook.com/Nightface
http://typicallydia.com/
http://www.ottawahorror.com/
http://horamorior.com/
http://www.patronsaintofplagues.com/

Bio: 
Lydia Peever is a journalist and horror author living in Ottawa. With articles in some newspapers and magazines, she is currently working on the sequel to her violent vampire novel, Nightface.

With too many hobbies and diverse interests, you may find her researching genealogy in a dusty library, profiling artists for ottawahorror.com, or taking photos at a punk show. By day, she haunts trendy cafés, tends poison flowerbeds, and photographs roadkill.

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A QUICK LITTLE INTERVIEW WITH THE CURRENT POST MORTEM PRESS FEATURED AUTHOR – GINNY GILROY

Q: Tell us a little about your writing. What is your typical genre, your style, the voice you aim for and such.

A:  I write speculative fiction about extraordinary women. My style can best be described as concise. I often struggle with commas and adjectives, often having not enough of either. In writing as in life I appreciate clarity and directness. Unfortunately, that can sometimes come across as abrupt.

Q: What are some of the endeavors you have on the horizon, or have been participating in?

A: I’m working on my next novel, Jane Gray. It’s a science fiction book based on a short story, The Secret Life of Jane Gray,  published in the Barren Worlds anthology.

Q: Do you prefer longer or shorter fiction? And what do you think each provides for your writing?

A: I can’t choose one over the other. Novels give a writer a great deal of space to create a universe. That’s an advantage in writing science fiction. On the other hand I like writing short stories because they are by nature concise.

Q: Let us know a little about your favorite character that you have created, and what makes them your favorite?

A:  It’s a toss up between Constance and Jane. Constance is in her way very pure. She has an extraordinary ability to focus. Her life is very ordered and carefully arranged.  When her world turns up side down, she doesn’t compromise her identity.  Jane Gray on the other hand is adaptable and manipulative. Being a rebel corporate executive, she’s a kind of Cyber punk antiheroine.

Q: What do you typically read and how do those authors help to define your own writing?

A:  I’ll read everything and anything. One of the reasons I’m so fond of my kindle is because it allows “sampling.” It’s opened me up to books I never would have put my money down to purchase.

Writers I admire, who have influenced my work, are Shirley Jackson, and Frank Herbert. Whenever I get stuck in my prose, I’ll pick up one of their books and just read. Their novels set the bar for my own work.

Q: What advice might you offer to other writers in their endeavors? What things have you experienced as set backs and potential deal breakers? Also, what things have helped you to gain exposure, bring attention to your stories?

A: Write every day. There is no other way. There are no deal breakers. I’ve taken breaks from writing to “reset” but always come back.

Exposure is an issue I struggle with on many levels. Pinterest seems to work for me. It’s  personal but not too personal, and concise. I enjoy the challenge of coming up with  interesting captions.  We’ll see if it leads to sales. Twitter did not work for me at all.  I post to Facebook, but it takes a lot of time and effort to really master. Unfortunately in my world both are in short supply.

Q: Finish this sentence, “Ginny Gilroy is a .”

A: Ginny Gilroy is a work in progress.

Q: Anything else you would like to promote, say, or rant about?

A: Believe me you don’t want to start me on a rant. My website is ginnygilroy.com I update it every quarter or so.

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