Ask the Author: J.G. Faherty
Answered Questions (10)
J.G. Faherty
Sorry, I just saw this! Haven't been on in a while.
Pretty much anything can inspire a story - a song, reading something else and thinking, 'but what if "this" happened instead? Hearing a news story. Having a dream. Reading an old piece of historical non-fiction, like the Donner Party adventure. Visiting some place new.
That's different than what inspires me to write, as in, sit down and put words on a screen. That comes from enjoying reading, and wanting to be like my literary heroes. To tell stories that other people enjoy.
Hope that helps!
Pretty much anything can inspire a story - a song, reading something else and thinking, 'but what if "this" happened instead? Hearing a news story. Having a dream. Reading an old piece of historical non-fiction, like the Donner Party adventure. Visiting some place new.
That's different than what inspires me to write, as in, sit down and put words on a screen. That comes from enjoying reading, and wanting to be like my literary heroes. To tell stories that other people enjoy.
Hope that helps!
J.G. Faherty
I don't know if we're weirder than other writers; perhaps it's just that we're all weird in different ways. That stereotype has come about from people who think horror is weird, and so horror writers must be weird, too. But in reality, I've always found them to be the happiest, most gregarious and fun people to hang out with. Horror writers just have imaginations that conjure up scary stories - and that's no weirder than conjuring westerns, romances, or mysteries. It doesn't bother me that people think of horror writers that way - usually it just makes me laugh.
J.G. Faherty
It's hard to say. Sometimes the title comes to me first, and that triggers the story idea - for instance, that's how I came up with many of my short stories and a couple of my novellas, such as Cult of the Black Jaguar. Other times, the idea of the story sparks the title - that's how it happened with The Cure and Carnival of Fear. Rarely do I have trouble deciding on a title - the real problem is when you get two or three variations on a title and have to decide on the final one.
J.G. Faherty
Actually, I had The Cure written before I submitted any novellas to Samhain. But it was under consideration with another publisher at the time. When that publisher and I parted ways, I offered the book to Don and he loved it. So we just went from there.
J.G. Faherty
There have been books written before about people who can cure by laying hands - such as F. Paul Wilson's THE TOUCH - but never (to my knowledge) about a veterinarian who can do it, or who has other powers besides healing. And I liked the idea that her power has a dark side to it, for her and for others. You need conflict to make a good story.
J.G. Faherty
Inspiration comes in many ways. From ideas, dreams, songs, snippets of conversations... you can never tell where an idea will come from.
J.G. Faherty
A couple of novels and some novellas.
J.G. Faherty
Work hard, learn your craft. Know the rules of the language. Don't think you are perfect- you aren't. Everyone needs critics and beta readers and editors. Don't put something out in print until you are sure it's as close to error free as possible.
J.G. Faherty
Sharing all the crazy ideas in my head and getting paid to do it.
J.G. Faherty
Just keep slogging away. Try working on a different story, or writing on paper instead of on the computer. Sit outside. Just basically change things up.
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