Ask the Author: Sylvester Barzey
Answered Questions (7)
Sylvester Barzey
Planet Dead really is about showing horror with a new face. I wanted to make a female of color that you knew could make it out alive, or that you were hoping would. I love some other stories but they always had some white guy (ex-military) who just seemed to have the answers to everything.
I feel like that just isn't how life works. You walk down the street and you see tons of different kind of people so why should I believe only one kind of person is fit to carry a horror novel.
I wanted Planet Dead to be fun and filled with action and I wanted to be able to point to it when I look at my kids and say,
"This is Catherine Briggs and she's a fucking badass, be like Catherine"
It started as a short story that grew into so much more.
I feel like that just isn't how life works. You walk down the street and you see tons of different kind of people so why should I believe only one kind of person is fit to carry a horror novel.
I wanted Planet Dead to be fun and filled with action and I wanted to be able to point to it when I look at my kids and say,
"This is Catherine Briggs and she's a fucking badass, be like Catherine"
It started as a short story that grew into so much more.
Sylvester Barzey
Being inspired used to be imporant to me, but now it seems more like an excuse to avoid working. I have deadlines and goals that I've set for myself. I have dreams for my family and mostly for my son.
I can't look at him and say, "Sorry I didn't make it as a writer, I wasn't inspired." The truth is, you're not gonna want to do it when it gets hard. Your mind is wired to make you want to avoid stress, but you have to sit down and push on anyway, that's who find greatness, the people that look for it, not the ones that wait.
I can't look at him and say, "Sorry I didn't make it as a writer, I wasn't inspired." The truth is, you're not gonna want to do it when it gets hard. Your mind is wired to make you want to avoid stress, but you have to sit down and push on anyway, that's who find greatness, the people that look for it, not the ones that wait.
Sylvester Barzey
Right now I'm working on Part two to Planet Dead as well as:
3 short stories for 3 different collections. One is a 90s rock star ghost story, the other is a zombie short set in the world of Planet Dead, where I will be diving into the backstory of The Ringmaster, and the last one I haven't thought of yet.
Lastly, what I want to do before the year ends is start my mystery series. It's a southern gothic urban fantasy about a woman working for the devil to hunt down wicked souls, while she searches for her parent's killer.
3 short stories for 3 different collections. One is a 90s rock star ghost story, the other is a zombie short set in the world of Planet Dead, where I will be diving into the backstory of The Ringmaster, and the last one I haven't thought of yet.
Lastly, what I want to do before the year ends is start my mystery series. It's a southern gothic urban fantasy about a woman working for the devil to hunt down wicked souls, while she searches for her parent's killer.
Sylvester Barzey
Write what you want to read, it makes the whole process easier. I know some people write to market and that's not a bad idea but you have to do what's best for you. I couldn't write to the market, space seems to be big right now but I hate space, so I would not be able to handle it all.
Yet I love horror and I love comedy, so that's what I write. It's amazing, writing it, talking to other horror nuts. Everything seems amazing about it all, because I love my genre.
Yet I love horror and I love comedy, so that's what I write. It's amazing, writing it, talking to other horror nuts. Everything seems amazing about it all, because I love my genre.
Sylvester Barzey
Being able to create new worlds and solve problems. Life isn't easy, things aren't always clear and nothing seems to go your way, but as a writer, you can shape everything. I guess I just enjoy the overall control....which sounds kind of crazy.
Sylvester Barzey
I normally jam out to music and plot...like if I can't get a chapter done, then I plot out what it should be like, or what the ending needs to be.
Yet, for the most part, I just jam out to my playlist for my story and work through it.
Yet, for the most part, I just jam out to my playlist for my story and work through it.
Sylvester Barzey
At the moment I have:
Zombie Fallout 2
It
Death Marked
A book of horror short stories (I don't know the name)
And I'm looking for some mystery novels to get into....not really picky but I would like something urban based in surroundings. IF you have anything, let me know.
Zombie Fallout 2
It
Death Marked
A book of horror short stories (I don't know the name)
And I'm looking for some mystery novels to get into....not really picky but I would like something urban based in surroundings. IF you have anything, let me know.
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