Before we dive into the interview, tell us a bit about your upcoming release.
John: We are in the process of re-publishing all of the first seven installments of the Scareville series as we speak! Book 1 – “Welcome to Scareville” and Book 2 – “How to Create a Monster” has already been re-launched. We’re currently working on getting Book 3 – “Monsters of Mt. Hope ready for launch as well.
Tell us about your backstory and your writing journey so far. How do you think your experiences affected your career?
John: I started writing at a very young age, and I had always been told I had a knack for writing. I can recall a time in middle school where (and I’m going to show my age here a bit) the teacher rolled in one of the TV’s on wheels to play a movie for the class. I had no interest in watching the movie, so I started handwriting a zombie story. The teacher came up and yanked it away from my desk – obviously thinking I was writing a note to someone. He came back a few minutes later and apologized.
As I got older and into high school, it is really hammered into your head that you either need to go to college or get a job. No one ever really tells you to pursue your passions. So I got away from writing for a very long time, until a few years ago. I had reached my breaking point with the job I was working at at the time. I went out to a local park to try to clear my head and think about what I wanted to do. I was standing out on a dock and turned to see the local library up on a hill and I had my lightbulb moment. I was going to write books, but what kind. Immediately, I thought about how much of an impact Goosebumps had on me and I knew that was definitely the space I wanted to write in. The flood gates opened at that very moment and I haven’t looked back. I still work a regular job, but am hopeful to one day earn the opportunity to become a full-time writer. My experiences have made me realize what I am meant to do, and that is to write horror stories.
Was there a moment where you thought about giving up, about leaving writing behind and pursuing another career instead?
John: I think every writer battles imposter syndrome from time to time. Writing books is hard. Publishing books is even harder. Selling those published books…well you get the point. I am one that is very open about my mental health at times. It enables others to know they’re not alone and creates a space to connect with people to break the stigma about discussing mental health. I say all that to say this – there have absolutely been times where I wondered if what I was doing was worth it. I always reminded myself of a “what if” scenario. “What if” you are 99% of the way towards your big break and achieving your dreams? Just keep pushing. And that’s what I’ve done and will continue to do!
How did you respond to your very first success as an author? Was it validating or underwhelming? Did it motivate you to achieve more or put your expectations into a different perspective?
John: When I first published Welcome to Scareville, I had no idea what to expect, or whether people would actually read what I wanted to share with the world. Seeing the response to the book was extremely validating. It told me I was on the right path. But I am always my own harshest critic also, and kept reminding myself that it was “just one book” and that I needed to keep pushing. I am always motivated for more, and that insatiable appetite to always want to be better and work hard will always keep me hustling.
Where do you find your support system as an author? Is it friends and family, a network of fellow writers, or a combination of both?
John: When I was first starting out, my biggest support system was definitely friends and family. Now that I’ve branched out and started doing more author events, I’ve found a network of writers that I can now call my friends and we are happy to support each other – which is super important.
Which author most influenced your early career? And who still does?
John: I can honestly say the answer to this question without hesitation, is R.L. Stine. A fellow Ohioan – Stine fostered my love not just for reading horror, but reading horror at a young age. His writing had such a profound impact on me and I wanted to be able to provide that same feeling to young readers today, while also serving up nostalgia for adult readers!
Outside of that, I am a huge fan of Philip Fracassi, William Peter Blatty, Ben Young, Felix Blackwell, and Richard Chizmar. I think reading their works has challenged me to try to improve my own storytelling.
Which story are you the proudest of, a story that managed to capture a piece of who you are or was a singular accomplishment?
John: The fifth installment of the Scareville series – “Got Ghosts?” – is the story from the series I am the most proud of. As a paranormal investigator, I wanted to create a very atmospheric and frightening story that also honored my experience and the community I’ve built in that field as well. I think I really pushed the limits as far as how scary you can make something for young readers, while still having it be perfectly safe for them to read – which was a goal I set out for myself. I wanted Got Ghosts to stand out.
What is your greatest challenge as a writer? Do you struggle with dialogue, endings, or something else?
John: The number one thing I struggle with at times is definitely mental health and making sure I don’t force myself to write if my brain isn’t wanting to cooperate. If I have a clear and happy headspace (which writing actually fosters within me) I can bust through writing like it’s nobody’s business.
What’s the most difficult subject matter for you to write? Is there a topic, theme, sub-genre, etc. you shy away from? Why or why not?
John: So far, I have not had any difficult subject matter to write about when it comes to Scareville. The biggest challenge there is writing something scary, yet safe for young readers to consume.
That being said, I am beginning to dip my toes into writing adult horror now, which will uncover some more difficult tropes to delve into. One thing I have a difficult time with is unnecessary violence against household pets. If it fits into the scope of the story, that’s fine by me. But simply adding in killing a pet for the shock value really turns me off and is something I will personally avoid doing.
What do you do for fun and relaxation? Is it difficult for you turn off the writing muse?
John: I love travelling and would love to do more of it! I do paranormal investigating as a hobby and really enjoy it. Outside of that, I try to read horror books as much as possible to keep my mind sharp. Shutting off the creative portion of my brain is definitely difficult – and I will often find my brain drifting about different story ideas throughout any given day where I will have to stop what I’m doing and jot it down before I forget.
Tell us a bit about your research process for a book. Is it online and book focused or do you get out in the field with experts? If you do consult with people, are you still friends with some of them?
John: My process is very different from most authors. I am a plotter by nature. I have a formula I use, particularly for Scareville where I will sort out the location, characters that I have in my head that will fit the story, and then list out all the major plot points on a white board that I’d like to hit within the story. I can then fill in the gaps as I am writing from there. I do this, so that in my head I know that there are absolutely no plot holes in the story and can bust the story out from there.
For adult horror, it is definitely a more in depth process that I am still learning about. I have had to do more research to make things as realistic as possible – while still allowing my imagination to run wild. I’ve consulted with a retired law enforcement official, and several healthcare workers that are all still my friends, yes.
Outside of the actual craft, what is the most useful skill you learnt from being an author?
John: I feel like I am learning to be more confident in myself and how to be more personable and outgoing. I’m generally a pretty shy person, but going to author events has really brought me out of my shell and you will almost never see me sitting idle at an author event. If you ever see me, come say Hi!
How did being author change you as a person?
John: It re-wired my thought process. I’ve always been the type to go against the status quo and could never figure out why. I didn’t fit in with any particular groups of people, didn’t enjoy my time in school, and have never been able to find a job that makes me happy. So, with writing, I’d begun to realize that my brain CRAVED being able to create. Writing has taught me about hard work and that it is what I am meant to do. That is where I will be happiest.
Which response/comment from a reader has touched you the most throughout your career?
John: I have had so so many amazing responses and comments from readers – so it’s hard to focus on one particular thing. However, parents shooting messages into my inboxes thanking me for getting their child into reading absolutely always melts my heart and reminds me of why I am doing what I do.
What is your life-long goal as an author?
John: I want to become a full-time writer. Within adult horror as well as Scareville. I just want to create fun, engaging and terrifying stories that satisfy that side of people that enjoy the genre.
One end goal that I hope happens in correlation to writing full-time, is to potentially make enough one day that I can open up my own Halloween haunted house attraction. I still have my little red notebook of ideas for rooms and scene setups from about fifteen years ago.
What legacy do you want to leave behind?
John: This is a multi-faceted answer. I think when it comes to my peers and fellow authors, I want them to remember me as a hard worker that was always willing to help – and that I was a fun author to meet and hang out with at events.
With readers, I want them to understand that I took a leap of faith and pursued my passion, and they should too. The ability to use your imagination for creation is a gift. Use it.
Lastly, I want people to look at my books and be able to smile fondly over their memories of reading them. That is all. I love you all!
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