Ask the Author: B.P. Gregory
Answered Questions (8)
B.P. Gregory
Great to hear from you AR, I'm so glad to know you're safe :-)
I've answered your private message as well, but I'm currently still hammering away at The Newru Trail. It's turning out to be a project worth taking my time with, and of course with worldwide and associated stressors underway I'm not putting myself under too much pressure.
I've got a nice little dimension-hopping short story in the works too, in order to give myself the occasional break from the novel.
https://www.bpgregory.com/the-newru-t...
I've answered your private message as well, but I'm currently still hammering away at The Newru Trail. It's turning out to be a project worth taking my time with, and of course with worldwide and associated stressors underway I'm not putting myself under too much pressure.
I've got a nice little dimension-hopping short story in the works too, in order to give myself the occasional break from the novel.
https://www.bpgregory.com/the-newru-t...
B.P. Gregory
I pulled that long, winding hair from my arm but it just kept on coming.
We can't see daylight through the windows anymore.
We can't see daylight through the windows anymore.
B.P. Gregory
As a knee-jerk reaction I want to offer the "oh, I'm just some plain ordinary citizen" defence; nope, no mysteries here, nothing, nup ... BUT
... if we pause our busy day, dim the lights and dare in hushed voices to be honest, everyone is a glorious, tangled, insane mess on the inside. Pretending to be safe and boring won't help you.
Sometimes I'm accused of being a terrible person, because my character was a terrible person who did horrible things and I admit, within the confines of my skull terrible events happened. I thought it up. I dreamed it. I may not LIKE it, but the page didn't vomit that forth spontaneously.
No matter how blandly dressed, how staid and nice, we're all just one crack in normality away from being centre stage in a grand, morbid mystery. Who would have guessed he was building an airplane in his garage? The elevator was only stalled for a second, where did they go? And the most important: why would they DO that, why why why?
... if we pause our busy day, dim the lights and dare in hushed voices to be honest, everyone is a glorious, tangled, insane mess on the inside. Pretending to be safe and boring won't help you.
Sometimes I'm accused of being a terrible person, because my character was a terrible person who did horrible things and I admit, within the confines of my skull terrible events happened. I thought it up. I dreamed it. I may not LIKE it, but the page didn't vomit that forth spontaneously.
No matter how blandly dressed, how staid and nice, we're all just one crack in normality away from being centre stage in a grand, morbid mystery. Who would have guessed he was building an airplane in his garage? The elevator was only stalled for a second, where did they go? And the most important: why would they DO that, why why why?
B.P. Gregory
It's gotta be Royden a.k.a the worst Hindu, the worst magical detective, and without a doubt the worst magical Hindu midget detective in the history of ever teaming up with Cleon a.k.a. Old Man Coolio to fight the forces of chaos and evil in Clinton J Boomer's The Hole Behind Midnight.
Sure it's not a romantic pairing, and with Valentine's Day looming I'm guessing that's what this question is about. It's so much better.
They are two people who have known each other's vagrancies and general assholery for so long that they forgive without a fuss, and are still fired by each other's company and ideas.
The constant, constant stream of fond sarcasm is an especial joy to read! :-)
Sure it's not a romantic pairing, and with Valentine's Day looming I'm guessing that's what this question is about. It's so much better.
They are two people who have known each other's vagrancies and general assholery for so long that they forgive without a fuss, and are still fired by each other's company and ideas.
The constant, constant stream of fond sarcasm is an especial joy to read! :-)
B.P. Gregory
Hi Richard
Just calling it how I see it: Disaster of the Will is awesome, very enjoyable. I have a real soft spot for distinctive, unfettered and unapologetic narrative voice - the chance to crawl inside an unusual perspective and take a look around. Really get it under your nails. Pretty sure you'll be making it to the Twisted 50 printed final and when the book comes out I'll be raising a champagne on your behalf to celebrate :-)
Ha, I'm still falling a bit short of the indie ideal of four new books a year, I'm currently pegging at one annually. But there's a nice spread of weird, awkward and wonderful short stories to appeal to (or horrify) a variety of readers.
Just calling it how I see it: Disaster of the Will is awesome, very enjoyable. I have a real soft spot for distinctive, unfettered and unapologetic narrative voice - the chance to crawl inside an unusual perspective and take a look around. Really get it under your nails. Pretty sure you'll be making it to the Twisted 50 printed final and when the book comes out I'll be raising a champagne on your behalf to celebrate :-)
Ha, I'm still falling a bit short of the indie ideal of four new books a year, I'm currently pegging at one annually. But there's a nice spread of weird, awkward and wonderful short stories to appeal to (or horrify) a variety of readers.
B.P. Gregory
Hi A.R., good question!
It's difficult to kneel at the altar of horror these days and not feel Lovecraft's hand on your shoulder. My father took "reading to the kids" as including us on whatever he was into, so from a very young age my brain got lashings of Herbert, Wheatley, Lovecraft, etc. An underlying mythos does touch all the stories I've written, short and long, and the more you read the tighter the threads gather.
I especially love the nauseating threat of the inexplicable. An event so far out of a character's terroir that it breaks their brain trying to reconcile it.
But my point of divergence from Cosmicism is my interest in the frail squishy person who finds themselves caught up in forces beyond ken, micro over macro. Rather than being indifferent to the crawling ants my environments are often warped by what human obsessions play out on them (perhaps a touch of Emily Bronte). For those who have faith, in a deity or in each other, it acts as a bracing force for the spirit. Horror is leavened with absurdity and humour: while some characters aquiesce to suffering like lambs or even hurl themselves up the slaughterhouse ramp, their fellows choose to laugh over weeping.
House of Leaves is one of those magical reads that lends itself beautifully to interpretation and personal philosophy - like an empty room, it invites the occupant to bring colour and meaning. I found that the story spoke to me about the individual person's ability to redeem or damn themselves and their limitations in the face of cosmic horror, of an ungraspable truth.
I hope this answers your question but feel free to ask more if I haven't covered it, I would love to hear what you took from House of Leaves.
It's difficult to kneel at the altar of horror these days and not feel Lovecraft's hand on your shoulder. My father took "reading to the kids" as including us on whatever he was into, so from a very young age my brain got lashings of Herbert, Wheatley, Lovecraft, etc. An underlying mythos does touch all the stories I've written, short and long, and the more you read the tighter the threads gather.
I especially love the nauseating threat of the inexplicable. An event so far out of a character's terroir that it breaks their brain trying to reconcile it.
But my point of divergence from Cosmicism is my interest in the frail squishy person who finds themselves caught up in forces beyond ken, micro over macro. Rather than being indifferent to the crawling ants my environments are often warped by what human obsessions play out on them (perhaps a touch of Emily Bronte). For those who have faith, in a deity or in each other, it acts as a bracing force for the spirit. Horror is leavened with absurdity and humour: while some characters aquiesce to suffering like lambs or even hurl themselves up the slaughterhouse ramp, their fellows choose to laugh over weeping.
House of Leaves is one of those magical reads that lends itself beautifully to interpretation and personal philosophy - like an empty room, it invites the occupant to bring colour and meaning. I found that the story spoke to me about the individual person's ability to redeem or damn themselves and their limitations in the face of cosmic horror, of an ungraspable truth.
I hope this answers your question but feel free to ask more if I haven't covered it, I would love to hear what you took from House of Leaves.
B.P. Gregory
I've never had writer's block, but I'm fermenting a pet theory that it might have to do with the characters not wanting to do what you're trying to force them into. You go to all the trouble of creating interesting, fully formed characters, so it's no surprise if they suddenly refuse the bridle of the plot.
If you can't believe your character would take certain action, the audience won't either so if you're stuck, try giving your feisty characters their head and seeing which direction they run in.
If you can't believe your character would take certain action, the audience won't either so if you're stuck, try giving your feisty characters their head and seeing which direction they run in.
B.P. Gregory
I think the best advice for any aspiring writer is to write something. Don't be daunted by the process of getting your material to market, don't be intimidated by the scope of your project, and don't put it off 'til tomorrow. As long as your story remains locked away in your head, nobody else can enjoy it!
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