Ask the Author: Vincent Sterling
Answered Questions (4)
Vincent Sterling
No, I didn't always know. In fact, until my late teen years I thought I had an aversion to "real" horror. I was a strange kid. By the time I was eight my favorite films were Conan the Barbarian, Army of Darkness and Young Frankenstein and books were R.L Stine's Goosebumps. So, I didn't mind violence or "perversion" as long as it came with action, a monster or humor but didn't think I liked real horror because "that" was too much. Then as a young teenager I saw Blade Runner and read Dune, The Hobbit and LOTR. They all blew me away, so I thought I'd write fantasy or sci-fi. I created many fantasy and sci-fi worlds, but in every one I'd include too much violence, concentrate on the monster, or develop the villain to the point they were horror hybrids. By my mid twenties I realized horror was my favorite genre despite not liking violence, terror, or perversion for its own sake. I still am not interested in The Human Centipede 2's of the film world or a splatterpunk novel but one of my fondest memories is watching Tales from The Crypt's The Ventriloquist Dummy at a sleep over when I was 10. No one thing has inspired me to write horror, it was a slow burn of the great moments horror gave me. Drunkenly watching a slasher while taking bets on who dies next, terrified under your blankets reading about evil cults and ritual sacrifice but unable to put the book down, and monsters. In the end, it is all about the monsters.
Vincent Sterling
As I am still an aspiring writer, this feels odd to answer but I would say embrace your fear. The reason you're afraid to write is probably valid. But don't let it hold you back. If all you listen to is affirmation about how you have this unique voice, or need to just be you're "fiercest" self, you probably won't do it. I know, my fears held me back for almost 20 years because they were valid. I had to accept I have serious weaknesses as a writer that need to be addressed. Once I accepted them as valid concerns, I could actually see myself working toward putting out material for mass consumption. How? Because once you accept those weaknesses, the critics' exploitation of them won't be a fear. You will see the complaints simply as constructive criticism
Vincent Sterling
I am finishing the next entry in the Tomes of Terror series, a sci-fi short The Mooseman, another short The Fever, and working on the novel End to Genesis.
Vincent Sterling
I had the idea for my latest book, the novella, The Deep Hollow while listening to Candlemass. It was over a decade ago and I was working in an empty Best Buy at 3:30 am. While listening to the tracks Demon of the Deep followed by The Bleeding Baroness I had the idea. I cemented the details over a breakfast burrito at a taqueria and finished a rough draft later that week. I, finally, revisited that rough draft and finished it.
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Feb 26, 2020 02:49PM · flag