Interview with Q.L. Pearce

1. Greetings, can you tell us a little bit about your history and how your work has evolved up to this point?

My first publication was an elementary level activity book about dinosaurs. It came out around the same time as Jurassic Park was published. I was so into dinosaurs I actually figured out that if they made a comeback my favorite, ankylosaurus, would fit in my back yard. I enjoyed writing and researching nonfiction, but my heart had always been set on creating scary short stories. That’s what I loved to read and that’s what I wanted to write. More Scary Stories for Sleep-Overs came out in the early 90s and it was a huge hit! I wrote five books in that series and went on to write several others. I also continued to write nonfiction and branched into biography. With coauthor and illustrator, Gina Capaldi, I wrote Red Bird Sings, which won several awards including a Carter G. Woodson gold medal.

2. What genre, or genres, do you write?

I write for young readers in every age range from picture books to young adult. When it comes to fiction, horror and sci-fi are my favorites.

3.  What is your latest book called and what is it about?

Spinechillers: Hair-Raising Tales is a collection of short stories for a new generation. It includes seven tales about ghosts, monsters, mysteries and mayhem. The stories are generally for tweens and teens, but young horror readers are a unique group who are difficult to categorize so it may appeal to a wider range.

4. What was the inspiration for your book? When did you first get the idea for it?

I have enjoyed ghost stories since a was a child. During my elementary school years I lived on a small island in Florida. My friends and I shared stories and swapped scary comic books. We even formed a ghost-hunting club, though I can’t say we ever found anything. It was fun though. Those days are the inspiration for Spinechillers.

5. How long did it take you to write it? What is your writing process like?

It took about eight months to write the individual stories and another four or five to rewrite. I’m fortunate to have a terrific critique group to help with the process. I’m also very lucky to be able to get feedback from the amazing writing duo, Thorne and Cross. I probably write for a couple of hours a day, and I work on several projects at a time. I’m always on the search for concepts. I love prowling through antique stores or traipsing around in new environments looking for objects and settings that might spark an idea for a tale. My BFF Tamara Thorne and I sometimes go on road trips and we stay in haunted hotels to soak up the atmosphere.

6. What can we expect from you in the future?

I’m working on a new collection of Spinechillers for Book Two. I’m also writing a YA horror novel and a middle grade mystery/adventure series called Mystic Cove, with coauthor Francesca Rusackas.

7. Among your own books, have you a favorite book?  Favorite hero or heroine?

Swimming Lessons, the first story in More Scary Stories for Sleep-Overs has always been one of my favorites. It is based on something that happened to me when I lived on the island. Of course I ratcheted up the experience and made it much scarier then it actually was. Still, reading it is like going back and spending some time as my ten-year-old self.

8. Do you plot ahead of time, or do you let the plot emerge as you write?

I usually have a basic idea for a plot, but I put most of my effort in understanding my characters and developing the setting. Once that is in place I let the characters show me what happens.

9. Who are some of your favorite authors to read? Favorite books?

There are so many! Ray Bradbury, George Orwell and Roald Dahl are among my favorite masters. Modern masters include Neil Gaiman and Holly Black. My favorite book is always changing but Something Wicked This Way Comes, Coraline  and The Graveyard Book are all on the list. I remember when I read Fahrenheit 451 I considered what book I would be if I had to memorize it for posterity. I picked Animal Farm.

10. Where can we buy your book?
Amazon!

About the Author
 
Q.L.Pearce is the author more than 120 books for young readers, from picture books to YA, as well as film tie-in books for the Fox animated film Titan AE and the Universal animated series Land Before Time. Red Bird Sings: The Story of  Zitkala Sa (Carolrhoda Books, with co-author and illustrator, Gina Capaldi), received several awards including a Carter G. Woodson Book Award gold medal from NCSS and a Moonbeam Children’s Book Award gold medal. Her fiction includes the popular middle grade series, Scary Stories for Sleep-Overs (Price, Stern, Sloan). Q believes strongly in the value of scary books for young readers. When asked what credentials she has which qualify her as an expert in this area she replies, "I was a child once. That was very scary."

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Q.L. Pearce – Prose
Excerpt from Spine Chillers

Prom Date

The Roller Grille was the real deal. An authentic drive-in restaurant with car hops on roller skates delivering trays of burgers and fries to people parked outside. It had been in business for decades. Other than a fresh coat of paint now and then it hadn’t changed from the day it opened.
Tyler, Andy and Jacob threaded around the cars and pushed through the glass doors to the diner. A hostess dressed in a fuzzy sweater and a poodle skirt guided customers to booths covered in red vinyl. A candy-colored jukebox blared from a corner. The laughter and chatter of the crowd was louder than the music. Tyler noticed Shay jammed into a booth with her friends. He raised a hand in greeting but she ignored him.
Andy pointed to the long soda fountain. “There’s room over there.” Tyler nodded and they each claimed a stool.
“What’ll it be?” Randy, the soda jerk adjusted his black bow tie and gave them a toothy grin. The boys ordered shakes.
Andy whirled around once on his stool and stopped to face Jacob. “So do they have any place like this in Phoenix?”
“No. This is pretty cool.” He looked around and his eye settled on a wall of photographs. “Who are those people?”
“Those are the prom kings and queens from the high school,” Tyler answered.
“Wow there’s like a hundred of them. What’s the deal with those two?” Jacob pointed to a black and white photo that was larger than the rest.
Tyler slipped into telling the story that everyone in town knew by heart. “That’s Johnny Tonnarro and his girlfriend, Samantha. He was like a rock star a long time ago. He got killed in an accident off Yetter Point.”
“It was a foggy night. He drove his car off the cliff and got squished like a pancake,” Andy added. “His girlfriend waited for hours in the cold for him to show up. She was all dressed for the prom and crying like a baby.”
Jacob gazed at Samantha’s sweet face. “That’s sad. What happened to her?”
Tyler lowered his voice for effect. “She drowned a year later on the anniversary of the accident. She was down on the jetty throwing flowers out into the ocean, those stinky white ones...gardenias. A wave swept her off the rock. Some people say they’ve seen her.”
“Seen her? What do you mean?”
Andy took up the story again. “Every year around this time her ghost waits out on Thorne Road near Highway One for Johnny to pick her up. Just standing there crying.”
Randy placed the shakes in front of the boys and joined in. “This time of year the evenings are usually foggy,” “They say she waits just off the edge of the road in the mist - lavender gown, white gloves, and gardenias in her long, blonde hair.”
Jacob’s mouth dropped open and his eyes grew wide. “Really? A real ghost? You’ve seen her?”
Taylor and Andy couldn’t hold back their laughter. “Nobody’s seen her,” Andy snickered. “It’s all made up. Not the accident part but the ghost part.
Jacob frowned. “So Samantha didn’t really die?”
“Oh, yeah. She died alright. She drowned. But only little kids and tourists swallow the ghost story. You have to be a real lamebrain to believe it. Last year the town newspaper offered a ten thousand dollar reward for anybody who could get a photograph of her. There were a lot of fakes but nobody’s earned the money yet.”
Still grinning, Tyler turned to take a sip of his milkshake and caught a glimpse of Shay. She was staring toward the entrance. If looks could kill, her eyes were lethal weapons. Tyler followed her gaze.
“Uh oh,” he whispered and his smile faded. His brother was holding the door open for Anilla Jacoby, Shay’s arch-enemy. Anilla beamed up at Lane and slipped her arm through his. The couple slid into a booth. Shay stood and stormed toward the door without looking at them.
“This isn’t good,” Tyler muttered.
A moment later his phone beeped. He read the text. Come outside now. We need to talk. Shay was waiting for him as he pushed open the door.
“I thought I would die of embarrassment. I can’t believe he would show up here in front of everyone with that airhead hanging on him like that. Now I know why he’s been avoiding me.” She turned on Tyler. “How long has this been going on?”
“Don’t ask me. This is the first time I’ve seen him with Anilla.”
“He needs to pay a price for humiliating me like that. I want to embarrass him in front of all of his friends!”
Tyler shifted nervously. “Shay I don’t want to...” “Think of something!”
“Look, Shay. Maybe you should just let it go. He’s my brother. I can’t ...”
“I’m not going to let this go, Tyler.” She leaned in and growled. “You’re with me or against me. And trust me, if you want to survive high school you don’t want to be against me. I can make your life miserable.” Shay turned and stomped away.

Excerpt from Spine Chillers, by Q.L. Pearce
Copyright © Glass Apple Press 2016.

Interview with Shay Robell

Character name: Shay Robell
Book title: Spinechillers: Hair-Raising Tales by Q.L. Pearce


Tell me a little about yourself?
Well it’s not like everyone in town doesn’t already know about me. Last year I was the only freshman on the Queen’s Court at Saltlick Bluffs High. This year I intend to be prom queen.

Where do you live?
Saltlick Bluffs is on the Central California coast. It’s okay for now but I’m a big fish in a little pond. I can’t wait to graduate and move to New York or something. Then I can be a big fish in a big pond.

Who is the most important person in your life?
Me.

What was your childhood like?
Fine I guess. I live with my mom and latest stepdad. She’s been married a couple of times. In a way that’s cool. The stepdad always wants to make a good impression and win me over, so I usually get whatever I want. My parents mean well but they don’t understand the pressures of being one of…no…being the most popular girl at school. My mother has no taste so I’ve been picking out my own clothes since second grade.

Of all the people you've met, who would you LEAST like to be stuck in an elevator with?
My sixth grade homeroom teacher. She’s one of those Kumbaya types. You know? Everyone is valuable. We’re all  in this together. Please!

What is the most important thing in your life? What do you value most?
My tiara from last year.

What is your biggest fear?
Getting into an accident I guess. I wouldn’t want to be scarred or something.

What is the most important thing that ever happened to you? Why?
I was in a music video for Cuthulu’s Cat. They shot part of it on the beach just off Yetter point. The band was out on the beach and there were some girls dancing on the jetty behind them. One of them fell and twisted her ankle. The producer saw me and asked if I wanted to replace her. Well duh! He gave me his card for when I get to New York.

Do you have any special talents or abilities?
I can do it all, model, dance, act. I’m smart too. I know how to get what I want.

How do you see your future?
On the cover of Vogue and as the CEO of something. Something big.

If you could spend the day with someone you admire (living or dead or imaginary), who would you pick?
Anna Wintour

If you had a free day with no responsibilities, how would you spend it?
This is just between us, right?  What I would really like to do is spend the day in boxer shorts and a baggy sweatshirt. I wouldn’t brush my hair or put on makeup. I’d just sit on the couch with a giant bag of sour cream potato chips and a pint of salted caramel ice cream, watching reruns of Shaun the Sheep. If you breathe a word of what I said I’ll deny it.

Where can we find out more about you?
I’m the absolutely most important character in Prom Date, the last story in Spinechillers: Hair-Raising Tales Book One.

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​Please tell us about your latest book. My latest book, Koolura and the Mayans, is the third book in the Koolura Series. Each book in the series is loosely connected to the other books in the series, but a reader doesn’t have to read book one to appreciate book three. In this third book, Koolura, a girl with extraordinary psychic powers, visits Oaxaca, Mexico with her deaf friend, Leila for a family wedding. The girls visit Monte Alban, a Mayan archeological site. When they explore one of the ruins the girls are transported over 1000 years into the past where they meet an advanced race of aliens that are enslaving the Mayan people and perhaps planning an invasion of Earth. Can Koolura and Leila prevent a time shift?
 
What can we expect from you in the future? I just started researching for my next book, Gem of Peace: The Story of a Deaf Girl in Iran. It will be a fictionalized account of the life a Jewish girl in Iran during the 1950s-70s. It will be loosely based on the childhood of Jila Haghighat, my fiancé, who died last year from colon cancer.
 
How do we find out about you and your books? You can learn more about my books and my writing on my website at www.michaelthal.com. If you’re interested in young adult novels, visit Pop’s Blog at www.michaelthal.com/blog. Here’s where you can read book reviews written by independent authors as well as traditional authors. I also write about current trends in YA lit and suggest books for kids to read. Here are more links: 
 
The Legend of Koolura: http://www.amazon.com/Legend-Koolura-Michael-L-Thal/dp/1470135337/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458245825&sr=8-1&keywords=the+Legend+of+Koolura
 
Koolura and the Mystery at Camp Saddleback: http://www.amazon.com/Koolura-Mystery-Camp-Saddleback/dp/1494351730/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458245888&sr=8-1&keywords=koolura+and+the+mystery+at+camp+saddleback
 
Koolura and the Mayans: http://amzn.com/B01D3UM8JY
 
Goodbye Tchaikovsky: http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Tchaikovsky-Michael-Thal/dp/0880924691/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458245970&sr=8-1&keywords=Goodbye+Tchaikovsky
 
The Abduction of Joshua Bloom: http://www.amazon.com/Abduction-Joshua-Bloom-Michael-Thal/dp/1625260725/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458246019&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Abduction+of+Joshua+Bloom
 
The books are also available on publisher websites and on Barnes & Noble.
 
How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?  I taught elementary/middle school for 28 years. During that time I learned a lot about the middle grade student. That knowledge has been carved into the personalities and behavior of my characters. For example, Koolura is modeled on the personalities of my daughters, Channie and Koren. I also have a strong belief in being kind to others, so my main characters tend to be friendly and polite. Their antagonists, on the other hand, aren’t as accommodating bringing tension and stress to the stories.
 
When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms? I first started writing seriously after a dream about being abducted by aliens. From that dream I wrote The Abduction of Joshua Bloom. However, that project started during my late 20s. The book didn’t get published until 2012. Back in 2000 I suffered from an irreparable hearing loss that left my right ear deaf and my left ear severely damaged. I couldn’t understand my students any longer. When my ENT specialist suggested disability, I jumped at the opportunity to become a full time writer.
 
Generally, how long does it take you to write a book? That depends on the book. Koolura and the Mayans took two years to write. Goodbye Tchaikovsky, the story of a deaf violinist, took about a year to write.
 
Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow? I try to write a chapter a month. For Gem of Peace, I’m in the research stage and should get started writing the book this summer.
 
What is your writing routine once you start a book? I write a chapter then get together with my writing group, The San Fernando Valley Critters, and share what I’ve written. They read the chapter and provide feedback. I then go home, edit, and then write the next chapter. So it goes until the book is finished. With the finished manuscript I re-read, edit, then send off to trusted friends to read and advise. Once that’s done, I’ll send the edited version to my publisher. She is always impressed with how little work she has to do. LOL.
 
What about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are there constant interruptions? My daughters are adults and don’t live with me any longer. My Jila passed away last year. All I have left to interrupt me is Scribble, my dog. So if she wants to bother me, I give her a bone and that usually shuts her up. LOL!
 
What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries? I visit Channie and my grandchildren or take a trip to Boston to see Koren. But usually, I enjoy going to the gym for a workout.
 
What truly motivates you in general?  In your writing? Once I set a goal for myself I see it through. The monthly meetings of my writing group are a huge motivator to have something to show my writing friends. I refuse to go empty handed.
 
Where do your ideas come from? A few of my ideas came from dreams. Some come when running around beautiful Lake Balboa. And others just pop into my head. I keep a pad of paper nearby and write down ideas so I won’t forget.
 
Do you feel humour is important in YA fiction and why? Yes, humor is very important. For example, in The Legend of Koolura there are many classroom scenes. To keep my kids interested as a teacher I used humor. When kids read they too like to laugh. There are also sad scenes, exciting scenes, and scenes that will make you cry. All the emotions are tugged in my books.
 
What kind of research do you do? For Koolura and the Mayans I had to research a lot about Mayan civilization and incorporate that knowledge into my book. In Goodbye Tchaikovsky I researched hearing loss as well as Deaf Culture and specific signs. To be effective I took ASL classes at a community college. As I’m researching for Gem of Peace I am interviewing Jila’s family to learn more about her childhood in Iran, the community in which she lived, the Persian language, Iranian architecture, etc. Writers want our books to feel as realistic as we can make them feel.
 
Would you like to write a different genre than you do now, or sub-genre? The Abduction of Joshua Bloom is science fiction. Goodbye Tchaikovsky is realistic fiction. And the Koolura series is middle grade/YA fantasy. All five books are linked to the middle school/high school audience I write to. However, adults read my books too and enjoy them as much as the kids.
 
What does your husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend think of your writing? Jila was very proud of my writing. Whenever I had a book signing party she’d invite her family and prepare the food.
 
Please tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, education, etc.) I grew up on Long Island, New York during the 1950s and 60s. I earned a BA in History at the University of Buffalo then went on to Washington University to earn a MA in elementary education. I chose to live in Los Angeles because of the warm climate. I have two adult daughters, I enjoy traveling, and exercising at the gym.
 
Fill in the blank favorites - Dessert. City. Season. Type of hero. Type of heroine. My favorite dessert is chocolate ice cream. My favorite city is New York City (in the spring/summer), and my favorite season is summertime. As a boy, my hero was Superman and my favorite heroine was his cousin, Supergirl.
 
What are some of your favorite things to do? I enjoy tutoring children and I volunteer at my local synagogue teaching ESL to Iranian and Russian immigrants.
 
Do you have a favorite author? Favorite book? Right now I’m really into Marissa Meyer’s The Lunar Chronicles. The first in the series is Cinder, which is followed by Scarlet, and then Cress and Winter. I’ve turned into a real Lunatic!
 
Who are some of your other favorite authors to read?  John Grisham’s books always hold my attention. And a little known author, Anne Lauder McGee is excellent. You don’t want to miss her extraordinary historical novel about the Civil War, Anni’s Attic.
 
What do you think of critique groups in general? My critique group has been a huge asset to me.
 
Where do you see yourself in five years? My ex-wife and her husband bought me a condominium in Encino, CA. I plan on being here in five years. I love the place. However, I just started a new job as an International Coordinator for exchange students from Europe and Asia. So I see myself getting involved with that job and taking copious notes for book ideas I may get from that experience.
 
How long have you been writing - have you always wanted to be a writer? I’ve been writing since I was 27 years old, so that’s about 40 years now. Writing professionally began after I left my sixth grade teaching job back in 2001.  My interest in becoming a writer was evolutionary, however losing most of my hearing was a huge impetus.
 
How many books have you written, how many have been published? I’ve written five books and all five have been published.
 
After you've written your book and it's been published, do you ever buy it and/or read it? I always buy a copy for my Kindle. I guess I’ll re-read the books after their 10-year publication dates. Got some time on that. I did re-read Goodbye Tchaikovsky. While writing it I injected the emotions of my hearing loss into David Rothman, the main character. So when I read about David’s trials, I cry every time.
 
Among your own books, have you a favorite book?  Favorite hero or heroine? I feel the closest to David Rothman because we both suffered from an overnight hearing loss. So Goodbye Tchaikovsky is my favorite, and it’s won awards. Recently it won Second Place in the Royal Dragonfly Book Awards.
 
What book for you has been the easiest to write?  The hardest?  The most fun? Goodbye Tchaikovsky was written in a year, the fastest book I’ve written. It was also the hardest because of my emotional involvement with the main character. Koolura and the Mystery at Camp Saddleback as well as Koolura and the Mayans was a lot of fun to write. Having the support of my writing group can attest to that.
 
Which comes first, the story, the characters or the setting? That depends. In The Abduction of Joshua Bloom the story came first. In Goodbye Tchaikovsky the protagonist came first. When I write the Koolura series I first think of Koolura, then the setting, and finally the plot.

What is the hardest part of writing/the easiest for you? The hardest is sitting down and doing it. Once I’m in my seat, time flies.
 
What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer? A teenage girl once said to me, “I love the Koolura Series. I can’t wait until the next book comes out.” I’ll make sure to give her a copy as soon as my print copies are sent to me.
 
If you weren't writing, what would you be doing? I’d probably tutor more children or take on a part time job.
 
Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers? It took over 150 rejections before The Legend of Koolura was accepted by Solstice Publishing for publication. So never give up and make sure when you do submit the work it is your best.

Please tell us about your latest book.

Mother is a psychological thriller in the vein of Psycho and Misery, with a pinch of Peyton Place and a dash of Gaslight. It concerns a young, expectant couple, Claire and Jason Holbrook, who’ve fallen on hard times, forcing them to move in with Claire’s estranged mother. Claire vowed to have no contact with the overbearing woman ever again, but Mother is thrilled at the prospect of a grandchild. At Mother’s, Claire and Jason begin experiencing things that make them determined to leave immediately … but when a cruel twist of fate makes leaving impossible, Claire becomes obsessed with her mother’s motives. Fantasy and fact blur together as her compulsion consumes her, and Jason wonders who the villain really is. When a cache of macabre family secrets is uncovered, Claire and Jason find the answers they’re looking for - answers that will change them forever … assuming anyone can get out of Mother’s house alive.

What can we expect from you in the future?

More installments of The Witches of Ravencrest, a collaborative sequel to Tamara’s classic vampire novel, Candle Bay, a solo novel from each of us, more collaborations, and an abundance of fascinating dark fiction writers on our radio show, Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE!

How do we find out about you and your books?

Readers can find everything they’re looking for and more at our websites: tamarathorne.com and alistaircross.com  We also have a mutual blog.

How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?

While it’s impossible for an author not to “leak” into his or her stories to some degree, we try never to insert ourselves into our work. Nothing has either of us shutting a book more quickly than the author’s constant presence, peering over our shoulders as we read, telling us what a fascinating person they are, showing us how much they know. The author’s ego is an easy thing to spot, and in our opinion, doesn’t belong in fiction. So we work very hard to not inject our personalities and personal narratives into our work.

When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms?

Tamara: I was in second grade when I wrote my first story simply for the joy of it. I began devouring every last book on writing the library had in those years - there were hundreds - and continued reading and writing throughout school. After a hiatus to try out the “normal world” I decided to write a novel. I submitted it when it was finished. That’s it.

Alistair: I first thought about being a writer when I was in third grade. I began submitting manuscripts when I was in my early thirties and what prompted me to submit them was the hard-earned knowledge that I would never truly be happy until writing was my job and not just my hobby.

Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?

With edits and final research, five to nine months. Basic research begins in spare moments many months before that.

Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?

Absolutely. We write together from 8:30 am to about 7:00 pm Monday through Friday, and put three to six hours in on Saturdays for promotional and other business-related tasks.

What is your writing routine once you start a book?

It always starts with several weeks of research and world-building and brainstorming. Then we write every day, keeping regular hours. As we get close to the finish, we give up other Saturday tasks to finish. Immediately after that, we dive into our major edit, then send it out to the copy editors. While they have it, we begin the research, world-building and brainstorming on the next book. When the completed book comes back, we read it again and do our final edit. Then it goes to the publisher and we’re instantly writing our next novel.

What about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are there constant interruptions?

We set boundaries and made it clear very early on that writing was our job. We don’t receive phone calls or accept visitors during writing hours, the same way we wouldn’t be chatting on our phones or hanging out with friends if we worked for a company. Initially, people do assume that you’re available when you’re working at home, but you just have to shut that down before it gets out of control. Sometimes, you have to be harsh … the people around us wouldn’t really dare interrupt, and that’s the way we like it. Only our cats get a pass.

What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?

Tamara: After a long day at the computer, I like a couple of cats in my lap, a Family Guy or two and then some horror - a Walking Dead, a Supernatural, a horror movie. In bed, what I need is a hard, strapping novel that knows how to make love to my brain.

Alistair: I read. A lot. I’m also a fan of The Walking Dead. And I like going for drives with no destination in mind, listening to really loud music.
 
What truly motivates you in general?  In your writing?

Tamara: Desire for knowledge and love of fun motivate me in equal parts. In my writing, it’s all about being passionately interested in my subject matter - so it’s pretty much the same thing.

Alistair: My primary motivation is to get out the stories that have been milling around in my mind for the majority of my existence. My secondary motivation is a refusal to fail, an unwillingness to be one of those “writers” who never actually writes anything.

Where do your ideas come from?

Everywhere.

Tamara: Often my ideas gel in dreams, though more often, Alistair and I just begin riffing on something small - a tiny detail in a photo, a peculiar word, a place - and we end up brainstorming. Before we know it, we have another book to write.

Alistair: Agreed. The real question is, where don’t you get ideas. Ideas are all around you, all the time.

Do you feel humor is important in the horror and thriller genres and why?

Humor is vital to horror or any other anxiety-inducing genre. Unrelenting stress isn’t any fun for many of us (although we have met a handful of folks who seem to enjoy chronic stress and chaos!) Alfred Hitchcock always made his audience relax or even chuckle before doing something shocking. While we don’t set out to do humor, certain characters inevitably rise up and give some comic relief. We’re grateful - they keep our heads from exploding.
 
What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them difficult to write?

Not at all. While we don’t write full-on romance, there’s plenty of it in many of our books. The Ghosts of Ravencrest is loaded with it and our scenes tend to be quite spicy. Every so often, we enjoy titillating our readers. We’ve been told the section of The Ghosts of Ravencrest titled “Awakening” requires smoking after the, uh, climaxes.

What kind of research do you do?

We do all kinds of research. We always try to get reality right - from housing styles, to types of high heels, to how to get a pike into someone’s skull properly. We discovered we both have a penchant for historical research when we wrote “Christmas Spirits,” a historical novella inside The Ghosts of Ravencrest. For Mother, we researched certain aspects of psychology - both through written material and by consulting a friendly psychologist - to make sure we got everything right. To write outrageous things, your base in reality must be impeccable.

Would you like to write a different genre than you do now, or sub-genre?

We don’t really think about genre. No matter what we write, it’s unlikely we - alone or collaboratively - are capable of enjoying writing a story that doesn’t have a horrific aspect.

What does your husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend  think of your writing?

We are both very fortunate that our spouses are extremely supportive of our careers and what we write. They love our stories and we love them for it.

Do you ever ask him/her for advice?

Neither of us have ever let our mates read until a book is complete - then both will read for continuity and grammatical errors. We appreciate that, and their praise. It means a lot.

Please tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, education, etc.)

Tamara lives in southern California with her high school sweetheart and a passel of purring felines. Her husband loves to cook and her hobby is encouraging him. Tamara’s educational background is in journalism and psychology.

Alistair also married his high school sweetheart and they live near the mountains with two cats and one blind, deaf, elderly dog. Alistair’s hobbies include poetry, photography, and stalking Stevie Nicks. Well, not stalking exactly, that would be creepy. But, you know, waiting in angst for the next album to drop … googling for pictures he might somehow have never seen before. Things of that nature.  
 
Fill in the blank favorites - Dessert. City. Season. Type of hero. Type of heroine.

Tamara: Lemon sour cream pie. San Francisco. Fall. Deadpool. Feisty.

Alistair: Raspberry cheesecake. New York. Fall. Anyone who dares carve their own path. Spandex pants?

What are some of your favorite things to do?

Tamara: Hike the trails at Joshua Tree National Monument or hike any mountain trail, go to allegedly haunted locations and soak up the atmosphere - or if it’s a touristy haunt, plant ideas in people’s heads to watch reactions. Petting cats. Reading. Roadtrips.

Alistair: Read, go on long drives. Listen to music.

Do you have a favorite author? Favorite book?

Tamara: I teethed on Ray Bradbury and consider him my mentor. His book, Dandelion Wine, is an eternal favorite. Shirley Jackson’s Haunting of Hill House, Andersonville by MacKinlay Kantor, Tolkien, LOTR.  All early favorites, all influences.

Alistair: I have a few favorites. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. It by Stephen King. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Pines by Blake Crouch. The Boy Who Drew Monsters by Keith Donohue. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.

Who are some of your other favorite authors to read?

Tamara: Stephen King and Nelson DeMille - those are two authors whom I will read even if I don’t care for the subject matter. I enjoy many, many more. Graham Masterton, James Blaylock, Douglas Clegg, Peter Straub, Harlan Ellison, Kurt Vonnegut, and of course, Alistair Cross!

Alistair: Stephen King, V.C. Andrews, John Saul, William Peter Blatty, and Tamara Thorne (I know she’s my collaborator, but I’m serious. I’ve been a fan since the 90s)

What do you think of critique groups in general?

They’re great for some people. A good group, free of petty jealousies, is hard to find, but if you like going the critique route, that’s what you need.  Neither of us have ever been joiners. We prefer another writer to critique with - and we have each other for that. We have a good friend, a children’s writer who used to be an editor that we go to for content commentary when we finish a manuscript.  

Where do you see yourself in five years?

No changes except for having lots more books out! And Alistair will be totally buff. He’s working out, you know. Tamara will become buff by osmosis.

How long have you been writing - have you always wanted to be a writer?

We have both been writing since the earliest primary grades and both of us have always wanted to be writers.

How many books have you written, how many have been published?

Tamara: About a dozen, maybe more. All have been published or are about to be.

Alistair: Several collaborations with Tamara, one solo and another on the way.

After you've written your book and it's been published, do you ever buy it and/or read it?

Tamara: No. It’s behind me and I prefer to look forward. Though occasionally, I’ll reread a book that’s a few years old and I don’t remember it so well. That’s fun. Alistair and I are both about to reread my vampire novel, Candle Bay, because we’re writing the sequel together.

Alistair: No. By the time a book goes to print, I’ve already read it anywhere from five to seven times, and by then, I’m clear sick of the sight of it, and eager to get started on the next.

Among your own books, have you a favorite book?  Favorite hero or heroine?

We’re in love with our new psychological thriller, Mother, as well as our ongoing series, The Ravencrest Saga, which pays homage to gothics like Dark Shadows and lots of other things. We’re both very fond of Ravencrest’s Belinda Moorland - we love watching her grow. We’re also crazy about Ravencrest’s Grant Phister - a butler who is more than he appears. And then there’s Coastal Eddie, a DJ/conspiracy nut (or is he?) who first debuted in Candle Bay and now appears in all of our collaborations as the voice of unreason and, perhaps, reason.

What book for you has been the easiest to write?  The hardest?  The most fun?

None of our collaborations have been difficult, but Mother has been, hands down, the most fun. An absolute blast. And despite the fact it flowed onto the page easily, it was also the most difficult to write - it’s been a complicated dance. We should also mention The Cliffhouse Haunting - we shrieked with glee regularly during its writing.

Which comes first, the story, the characters or the setting?

Alistair: Usually, the characters come first for me.

Tamara: It’s often a location, but location is a character. It’s always character.

What are the elements of a great romance for you?

Tamara: Spookiness, mystery.

Alistair: Longing.

What is the hardest part of writing/the easiest for you?

Tamara: The hardest part is getting up in the morning. The easiest is the joy of brainstorming - and writing once we get in the zone.

Alistair: The hardest part for me is often research, and sometimes setting. The easiest part is dialogue.

Have you experienced writer's block? If so, how did you work through it?

We don’t believe in it. If something isn’t coming, we just write. It can be nonsense, it can have little to do with the project, but before long we’re there. We think writer’s block often emerges when an author trying to force a character or story to do his or her bidding. Listen to your characters, keep typing, and it will flow. Honestly, we consider pleading writer’s block a lazy way to get out of working.

What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?

The short commute to the desk and the comfy clothing are nice, but the best thing about being a writer is getting to create new worlds, to live in them, and feel what our characters feel. Finishing a book is about as satisfying as it gets.

If you weren't writing, what would you be doing?

Tamara: Maybe a profiler - I’ve been told I have a knack for that - and it’s similar to being a writer. Or a forest ranger or a beach bum. Maybe a Halloween-house engineer.

Alistair: Honestly? I’d be miserable. Likely drunk most of the time. Perhaps I’d have a job somewhere, doing something inane and repetitive, assuming I didn’t get fired for being drunk.

Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?

Don’t write to a market because you think you might make money that way - write what you love. Write every day and don’t take advice from anyone who isn’t where you want to be.

MOTHER
 
A Girl’s Worst Nightmare is Her Mother ...
Priscilla Martin. She’s the diva of Morning Glory Circle and a driving force in the quaint California town of Snapdragon. Overseer of garage sales and neighborhood Christmas decorations, she is widely admired. But few people know the real woman behind the perfectly coiffed hair and Opium perfume.
 
Family is Forever. And Ever and Ever ...
Nothing escapes Prissy’s watchful eye, nothing that is, except her son, who committed suicide many years ago, and her daughter, Claire, who left home more than a decade past and hasn’t spoken to her since. But now, Priscilla’s daughter and son-in-law have fallen on hard times. Expecting their first child, the couple is forced to move back … And Prissy is there to welcome them home with open arms … and to reclaim her broken family.
 
Home is Where the Terror Is ...
Jason Holbrook loves his wife. He’s heard Claire’s stories about Priscilla, but now it seems Mother has mended her ways, and as he uncovers a cache of vile family secrets, he begins to wonder who the real monster is. Lives are in danger - and Jason must face a horrifying truth … a truth that may destroy him … and will forever change his definition of “Mother.”

EXCERPT from The Crimson Corset


Untidy, Ryan Closter had called it. The young deputy had a knack for understatement so when Ethan arrived at the scene just after seven a.m., he was prepared to be put off - but this was downright ghastly. This wasn’t the way Ethan liked to start his mornings.

Blood was everywhere, a dried riot of red rust all over the floor, across the bed, and even on the ceiling. It was as if someone had put a bomb in a can of paint. And the smell was unbearable. Flies swarmed like a black cloud above the body.

Closter spoke at Ethan’s side. “A neighbor heard some noises last night. She informed the landlord this morning, and after knocking and getting no response, this is what he walked into.”

At the center of the bed lay the woman, facedown, in a dried pool of her own fluids.

“Her name’s Rose Keller,” Closter said.

Ethan shook his head. “Day manager of the Black Garter.”

“You know her?”

“Our paths crossed recently.” Ethan wouldn’t have been surprised to hear the woman had overdosed on something, but wouldn’t have guessed she’d go like this.

“I’ve never seen anything like it.” Closter looked a little green, and his partner, Nick Grayson, gave Ethan an uncertain glance.

“Why don’t you go get some fresh air, Closter?” Ethan said. “We’ll be fine till the others show up.”

The deputy swallowed and nodded, his face clammy. The last thing they needed was for someone to throw up on the crime scene - not that it’d be the first time.

As Closter stepped out, Ethan heard the buzz of bystanders just outside the door. “Jesus,” someone said. “I’ve never seen so much blood …”

“I heard they can’t find her head,” said another.

The voices faded as the door closed. How eagerly people swarm to violence and death. Like ants to a piece of rotten fruit. It unsettled Ethan.

The room was hot, intensifying the reek of blood, of innards - of death. Dozens of flies crawled lazily over the body and more were landing. Ethan’s own stomach roiled a little. He hadn’t been sick at a scene since his earliest days on the force and he didn’t intend to buckle now, but it wasn’t easy. He’d never seen anything this theatrical; it looked like the police photographs from the Jack the Ripper crimes. But in horrible living color. He moved closer and stared down at the woman on the bed. Two stumps of spine glistened white, jutting out of the mess that was the rest of her. It was as if someone had unzipped her skin, reached inside, and yanked her backbone out. And they’d managed to snap it in half in the process.

“Whoever did this was sending a message.” Deputy Grayson was crouched beside the bed, his gaze roving over the late Ms. Keller. A former quarterback in his early-forties with broad shoulders and the earliest beginnings of a beer gut, Nick Grayson was one of Ethan’s best.

Ethan nodded. “I’ll agree with you on that.”

Grayson’s gaze never left the victim. “A killer doesn’t cause a scene like this unless he wants to make a statement.”

The question was, who was the killer, and what was he trying to say? “No sign of any weapons?”

Grayson shook his head and Ethan noticed new gray at the deputy’s temples. This was the kind of work that would do that. “Nope. Nothing.”

Ethan had figured as much. There was something about this scene that didn’t work.

The woman was tangled in white sheets, reminding him, morbidly, of an old barber’s pole. Red and white, red and white, blood and bandages, blood and bandages. He walked around the bed, seeing it from all angles. Every crime scene told a story, you just had to know how to read it. And this one, Ethan was certain, was one hell of a tale.

The more he saw, the more certain he became of two things. One, Rose’s killer was not human, and two, it was not an animal, either. Not in the usual sense, anyway. He bent and moved the victim’s hair back a little, careful not to disturb anything. He saw the bite marks on her neck that confirmed his suspicions. He’d have them checked against dental records and if he was lucky - which was highly unlikely - maybe they’d catch the perp fast.

There were also places along her shoulders and arms where the skin was torn. Someone went to town on her. The thick sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach went colder.

“I’ve been trying to figure that out, too,” said Grayson, watching him. “They’re bites.”

Ethan’s knees popped as he stood and moved to the window. He pinched back the blood-spattered white curtains and stared down. Outside, the Ivory Heights apartment complex was already surrounded by a swarm of onlookers, and it was only going to get worse. Rose Keller’s one-bedroom, second-story apartment would soon be a frenzy of technicians, detectives, plainclothes, more uniforms, a photographer, and videographer. There was no dignity in death, he thought as he looked at the shredded body on the bed. Especially not when you die like that.

Ethan decided it was time to pay Michael Ward another visit.

BIO

Alistair Cross was born in the western United States and began penning his own stories by the age of eight. First published by Damnation Books in 2012, Alistair has since published several more novels. In 2012, he joined forces with international bestselling author, Tamara Thorne, and as Thorne & Cross, they write the successful Gothic series, The Ghosts of Ravencrest. Their newest novel, The Cliffhouse Haunting, is an Amazon Best Seller, and this summer also sees the release of Alistair’s solo novel, The Crimson Corset.

In 2014, Alistair and Tamara began the internet radio show, Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE! Haunted Nights LIVE! premiered to great acclaim and has featured such guests as Chelsea Quinn Yarbro of the Saint-Germain vampire series, Charlaine Harris of the Southern Vampire Mysteries and basis of the HBO series True Blood, Jeff Lindsay, author of the Dexter novels that inspired the hit television series, Jay Bonansinga of the Walking Dead series, Laurell K. Hamilton of the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter novels, and New York Times best sellers Christopher Rice, Jonathan Maberry, and Christopher Moore.

Alistair is currently at work on several projects including a solo novel and a new Thorne & Cross collaboration. His influences include the works of Stephen King, Dean Koontz, John Saul, Ira Levin, and William Peter Blatty.

Media Links

website: alistaircross.com

blog: alistaircross.wordpress.com

twitter: @crossalistair

Facebook: facebook.com/alistaircoss

Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/6517308.Alistair_Cross

Buy links:

The Crimson Corset: http://www.amazon.com/Crimson-Corset-Vampires-Cove-Book-ebook/dp/B0139K6N7Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1438671456&sr=8-2&keywords=crimson+corset

The Cliffhouse Haunting: http://www.amazon.com/Cliffhouse-Haunting-Tamara-Thorne-ebook/dp/B00VL9LUC6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1438206219&sr=8-1&keywords=cliffhouse


The Ghosts of Ravencrest: http://www.alistaircross.com/My-Library

Welcome to Crimson Cove

Sheltered by ancient redwoods overlooking the California coast, the cozy village of Crimson Cove has it all: sophisticated retreats, fine dining, and a notorious nightclub, The Crimson Corset. It seems like a perfect place to relax and get close to nature. But not everything in Crimson Cove is natural.

When Cade Colter moves to town, he expects it to be peaceful to the point of boredom. But he quickly learns that after the sun sets and the fog rolls in, the little tourist town takes on a whole new kind of life – and death.

Darkness at the Edge of Town

Renowned for its wild parties and history of debauchery, The Crimson Corset looms on the edge of town, inviting patrons to sate their most depraved desires and slake their darkest thirsts. Proprietor Gretchen VanTreese has waited centuries to annihilate the Old World vampires on the other side of town and create a new race – a race that she alone will rule. When she realizes Cade Colter has the key that will unlock her plan, she begins laying an elaborate trap that will put everyone around him in mortal danger.

Blood Wars

The streets are running red with blood, and as violence and murder ravage the night, Cade must face the darkest forces inside himself, and perhaps even abandon his own humanity, in order to protect what he loves.

“Put Bram Stoker in a giant cocktail shaker, add a pinch of Laurell K. Hamilton, a shot of John Carpenter, and a healthy jigger of absinthe, and you’ll end up with Alistair Cross’s modern Gothic chiller, “The Crimson Corset” - a deliciously terrifying tale that will sink its teeth into you from page one.”

- Jay Bonansinga, New York Times Bestselling author of THE WALKING DEAD: INVASION and LUCID

“This drop-deadly tale of seduction and terror will leave you begging to be fanged … ”

- Tamara Thorne, international bestselling author of HAUNTED and MOONFALL

“I couldn’t put this book down. It’s got more hooks than a day boat out of San Pedro Harbor!”

- QL Pearce, bestselling author of SCARY STORIES FOR SLEEP-OVERS