Ask the Author: S.L. Walker
Answered Questions (15)
S.L. Walker
Who hasn’t been betrayed by someone at some point in their life? When it happens you get this chip on your shoulder. You don’t want to betray others with whom you care for, you are ever vigilant not to have it happen again, you empathize with others who you see have been betrayed as well. It becomes a cornerstone of your character. This plays in to the story as you see how much of a weapon betrayal really is, and what goes around comes around.
S.L. Walker
The story is told from Edwards perspective beginning from childhood up to becoming an adult. He embodies the culture of today’s youth and I feel very relatable for that reasoning. He’s being raised by a very progressive mother who he loves and soaks in every word she says like a sponge only to have her influence stifled due to Nissoue’s quest for immortality. His older brother is ostracized from his life and he is burdened to a life he doesn’t want as a future plantation owner. Edward knows she is evil and that her dark cloak settles over all on the plantation he gets a sort of tunnel vision on Nissoue and trying to stop her. So you really do get to familiarize yourself with Nissoue via Edward.
S.L. Walker
It creates a firestorm. At times it is difficult as you want to be as accurate in speech and other details.
As far as dealing with a time of slavery and a character who is a progressive thinker for that time you do get to tackle the social issues of that time that can easily be a part of our issues today in our society. The book holds no bars when it comes to how life was back then. I didn’t want to sugar coat it in anyway but I didn’t want to immerse my story and drown the real subject line of it all in the atrocities of slavery in the 1800’s. So it is an era, a setting, but it plays into the story.
There are some interesting historical references in the book that I hope aren’t missed by readers, and I am very interested to see if they get pointed out.
As far as dealing with a time of slavery and a character who is a progressive thinker for that time you do get to tackle the social issues of that time that can easily be a part of our issues today in our society. The book holds no bars when it comes to how life was back then. I didn’t want to sugar coat it in anyway but I didn’t want to immerse my story and drown the real subject line of it all in the atrocities of slavery in the 1800’s. So it is an era, a setting, but it plays into the story.
There are some interesting historical references in the book that I hope aren’t missed by readers, and I am very interested to see if they get pointed out.
S.L. Walker
There are so many things that this book is about. It truly is a lead in to an even bigger story where the true antagonist has not been unveiled. This story had to be told in order to familiarize the audience with the protagonist that is Nissoue and her plight of immortality.
S.L. Walker
I believe in realism. Would a real Haitian voodoo priestess recite her chants in English – nope! So why would I write it that way. There are several free translation sites on the web where they can be translated if people feel passionately enough to find out what she is saying and I hope that they do. That’s what you want is that kind of passionate reader. Some may just find it scary and not care to learn what she is saying and if it strikes that much horror in a reader, then that’s just as wonderful.
S.L. Walker
Any book that I write that includes anything sexual would be considered erotica. So with that being said, if I write a horror story that has a sexual encounter it is not something I will gloss over but I will continue to be descriptive. My short story "Gryneli" could be considered erotica as well as horror fiction.
I have never really wanted to be labeled as an author of one genre or another. It limits you when you do that. While I may gather attention from fans or organizations of one genre it does not mean that I will be a one trick pony.
I have never really wanted to be labeled as an author of one genre or another. It limits you when you do that. While I may gather attention from fans or organizations of one genre it does not mean that I will be a one trick pony.
S.L. Walker
I think great characters like hers are not something created or really inspired, they just come to you. She flowed from my fingers onto the keyboard onto my screen with such finesse without any real thought or inspiration for her character -- she just was.
Her name was originally Kyndle but was changed upon hearing ALABAMA SHAKES "Hold On" song... because it was like an AHA moment... so that's when she was renamed Brittany.
Her name was originally Kyndle but was changed upon hearing ALABAMA SHAKES "Hold On" song... because it was like an AHA moment... so that's when she was renamed Brittany.
S.L. Walker
This is a question that I believe you have asked in another forum. I grew up in a melting pot of cultures and if you're someone who pays attention to the people around you, it's like studying them, so when you go to write a character you pull from that.
While I have been warned especially during times such as these when there is much tension between the races, to maybe steer away from writing for a black character or culture. I don't like anyone trying to stifle me in anything I do, so with caution to the wind I am writing a historical horror romance that is set in the 1800's on a plantation -- so there are black characters and while I will not say if it is a protagonist or antagonist or how they fit in the story it is only because I do not want to give too much away.
While I have been warned especially during times such as these when there is much tension between the races, to maybe steer away from writing for a black character or culture. I don't like anyone trying to stifle me in anything I do, so with caution to the wind I am writing a historical horror romance that is set in the 1800's on a plantation -- so there are black characters and while I will not say if it is a protagonist or antagonist or how they fit in the story it is only because I do not want to give too much away.
S.L. Walker
I have a list currently on my website "My Top 10 Favorite Book". There is a description of why each book is important to me.
As an independent author writing is unfortunately not my main staple of income, so I decided to take time away to focus on my other career. I also wanted to clear my mind of my series, and to really stop myself from adding to the series. I feel so many Authors continue a series and ultimately ruin it, sometimes you should just end on a high note.
As an independent author writing is unfortunately not my main staple of income, so I decided to take time away to focus on my other career. I also wanted to clear my mind of my series, and to really stop myself from adding to the series. I feel so many Authors continue a series and ultimately ruin it, sometimes you should just end on a high note.
S.L. Walker
I would really love to just blurt out what "Gryneli" is about but if I did, well it's a short story, so it would leave nothing to read.
This isn't the first time I've been asked since I announced the story would be featured in "Femme Fatal" a short story collection to be released in October 2015... because the title itself isn't something that is telling of the subject matter at all and that's what I want. It's a mystery everyone will have to uncover.
My next novel is really about a series of events that will eventually lead to everyone knowing how the main character in "Gryneli" came to be. I'm working hard on it and am really excited about it.
I have no plans on extending the series of "The Accidental Killer" but do know that if I were to do that how I could -- so it's not something I haven't thought about but really would like to retire those characters.
This isn't the first time I've been asked since I announced the story would be featured in "Femme Fatal" a short story collection to be released in October 2015... because the title itself isn't something that is telling of the subject matter at all and that's what I want. It's a mystery everyone will have to uncover.
My next novel is really about a series of events that will eventually lead to everyone knowing how the main character in "Gryneli" came to be. I'm working hard on it and am really excited about it.
I have no plans on extending the series of "The Accidental Killer" but do know that if I were to do that how I could -- so it's not something I haven't thought about but really would like to retire those characters.
S.L. Walker
Truly, I believe that "The Accidental Killer" Series teetered on the edge of being a horror fiction. One thing that I loved was that different reviewers referred to it as macabre.
I have always been a major fan of horror and if you were to visit my web page you could read a list of my top ten favorite horror films.
Writing, I can never be rid of the Erotica side as every story is steeped in sex or sexual tension. It is as natural as breathing for sex to be a part of a story when writing about adults and when it is glossed over or ignored in a novel regarding adults I am often dissatisfied.
I have always been a major fan of horror and if you were to visit my web page you could read a list of my top ten favorite horror films.
Writing, I can never be rid of the Erotica side as every story is steeped in sex or sexual tension. It is as natural as breathing for sex to be a part of a story when writing about adults and when it is glossed over or ignored in a novel regarding adults I am often dissatisfied.
S.L. Walker
While I had a direction that I wanted to go with "The Warmth" I felt a real regret that I placed "Part I" in the title because it almost felt like it was a disservice to the story.
If I ended the story at this point there would be many unanswered questions but yet the way things were left between the two main characters I felt was something that would haunt people and something about that makes me happy.
However once you start something you can't just stop so I am hoping to receive reviews and feedback so that I can release part 2 in the new year.
If I ended the story at this point there would be many unanswered questions but yet the way things were left between the two main characters I felt was something that would haunt people and something about that makes me happy.
However once you start something you can't just stop so I am hoping to receive reviews and feedback so that I can release part 2 in the new year.
S.L. Walker
I had been playing with the idea in my mind for a week and then I was watching a "Masters of Horror" episode and then it hit me like a brick.
My subject matter wasn't anything to do with the hour long show so why it came to me during this episode I believe was because it was an episode about Edgar Allen Poe titled "Black Cat".
It was as though he sent the story directly to me via the episode, LOL, if you believe that sort of thing - and I do.
My subject matter wasn't anything to do with the hour long show so why it came to me during this episode I believe was because it was an episode about Edgar Allen Poe titled "Black Cat".
It was as though he sent the story directly to me via the episode, LOL, if you believe that sort of thing - and I do.
S.L. Walker
Time is a healer when it comes to the illness that is writer's block. A good day or two away from whatever you may be writing at the time always helps.
Sometimes I will listen to a CD that may reflect the mood of my writing because it will get you emotionally connected to the feelings of characters in your story. So if I were writing a story about a woman who was hell bent on revenge because the love of her life has cheated on her, I may pop in a Taylor Swift album :P
Sleeping is another biggie -- because what dreams may come... If you're so into your story and feel blocked, laying down thinking of the story then usually my dreams will be about the story and will kind of lead me to the next writing session. I like to use my unconscious mind to help guise me sometimes.
Sometimes I will listen to a CD that may reflect the mood of my writing because it will get you emotionally connected to the feelings of characters in your story. So if I were writing a story about a woman who was hell bent on revenge because the love of her life has cheated on her, I may pop in a Taylor Swift album :P
Sleeping is another biggie -- because what dreams may come... If you're so into your story and feel blocked, laying down thinking of the story then usually my dreams will be about the story and will kind of lead me to the next writing session. I like to use my unconscious mind to help guise me sometimes.
S.L. Walker
I am currently working on a romantic horror that is actually a precursor to a short story titled "Gryneli" that will be featured in a Kensington Gore's Hammered Horror short story collection "Femme Fatal" due out in October 2015.
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