Arm Cast Podcast Appearance

For those who are interested, you can catch me on Armand Rosamilla's Arm Cast Podcast today along with fellow horror author Frank Edler; you can check it out here, or just listen to the embed below!

A Strange Day, A Strange Reality

It’s a strange day in America.

As I write this, the country is waking up to a new president-elect, one that so many expected would be nothing but a blip on the radar as election night results came in. That blip became an all-consuming one, though, and suddenly—understandably, in many cases—people were forced to see that the country wasn’t what they thought it was.

The arguments have already begun, the fingers are being pointed as people try and figure out how it happened. We are experiencing our own version of Brexit, where everything indicated things would go one way and now that they’ve gone the other, no one is quite ready to accept it or believe it. Maybe in another four years, or eight, or maybe even more, this will fade, once the future arrives and we can reflect back on everything, but for now, it’s still very, very raw.

I'm not all that surprised that things turned out the way they did; this was always a possibility, no matter how remote it seemed. But that so many people are shutting down, closing themselves off, and generally refusing to be anymore. Facebook is never the most wholesome environment, but as I’ve scanned the posts in my feed today, I can’t help but be amazed at how bleak it’s become, how despondent, how utterly devoid of hope and joy. The rest of social media is the same, and the feeling is that it’s not just people’s online behavior that’s been affected. Hate is running rampant, hate and fear, and that’s the tragedy here.

I do understand this to some degree. People had much of themselves invested in this, one way or the other. There are many people rejoicing today, just as there are many who are in mourning. Emotions are high. Some need a chance to heal, to process, to come to whatever acceptance they’re able—if they’re able at all. Others feel vindicated, and need the chance to express that vindication publicly. In many ways, we're experiencing something akin to the shock after 9/11: the country had to process what happened in whatever way they could, good or bad, and then it began to move forward again.

What I hope is that we will see the same thing happen now that happened then. After the initial shock wore off, people pulled together, ignored their differences, and stood united against the common enemy. There were fringe elements, of course—there always will be—but for the majority of the nation, we stood as one. For what might be the last time I can remember, we felt like the United States, and not a bunch of people with their own agendas, all our differences set aside for one brief, uplifting moment amidst the turbulent storm we endured.

As I sat glued to the television, night turning to early morning, watching returns come in, I took one thing away from it all above everything else. We are not a united nation. We are a nation that is dramatically divided. Race, class, creed, morality, distrust; everything is on the table. The things that brought us to this point cannot be laid at the feet of any one thing; to try and do so is a disservice to the reality we all witnessed unfolding. The only way to fix it is to come together like we’ve done in the darker moments of our nation’s past, and go forth together, united as one people, no matter what our background or heritage.

I’m not deluded; I fully understand that is much easier said than done. But it is the only way we can come through this without destroying ourselves.

If you’re one of those people who need to heal and to process, please, by all means do so. Take the time to find the strength within yourself that you’re going to need in the days and years to come. Come to remember what you were so passionate about in the first place, and please don’t let your voices stay silent for long.

If you feel the need to gloat and revel in your victory, one of the great things about this nation is that you have every right to do so. But please understand that hate and intolerance have played a large part in bringing us to this point. You must be willing to find common ground if the country is to heal itself and move on. You don’t have to agree with what someone else believes or thinks or feels, you just have to accept that they believe it or think it or feel it. Differences aren’t all bad; it’s the uniqueness of every individual person that grants us such potential for greatness. You can dislike what someone does, but remember that they are still a person, too, with hopes and dreams and feelings, just like you.

Things look bleak today, but they will only remain that way if we let them. Let’s not do that. 

Everyone talks about how much they love to be an American, so let’s get back to the key word in our country’s name and become the United States once again.

Things Past and Things to Come

Another month is gone, and so I figure it's about time for a quick update on what's going on in my world lately.

First, it is now November, which means NaNoWriMo is officially underway. I'll be working on my coming of age novel, tentatively titled What Sleeps Beneath. After the first session last night, I'm already over 3k words in, so it's off to a fantabulous start. For the record, the progress meter is showing a completion based on the projected final word count, and not the 50k expected for NaNoWriMo. If you want my progress on that, check out my profile under JohnDQuick on the official NaNoWriMo site.

Also, my upcoming short story collection Three Shots and a Chaser is still available for pre-order at only $0.99 for the rest of this month. Once it releases on December 1, the price goes up to $1.99, so make sure to use the links on the right side of this page and grab your copy early!

Additionally, there's some exciting things afoot for Consequences, things I can't really discuss yet. I'll just say there's still more to come from it, and leave it at that. Feel free to grab a copy if you haven't already; the links are conveniently provided for you on the right side of the page.

I did end up having to take a two-week break from the writing thing around the beginning of October while I dealt with a pretty rough case of bronchitis. I am happy to say I'm mostly recovered from that now, at least to the point I'm past the utter exhaustion that seemed to accompany it. It's been a little rough getting back into the swing of things, but it's finally starting to click again, so there should be much more to come from me in the months ahead.

Also, there's some things I'm starting to put together for next year, both related to the impending release of The Journal of Jeremy Todd and in just building my brand. I'm beginning to find my voice, so keep watching for the launch of a newsletter (probably monthly, though I'm still planning this), and possibly something a little more... let's say "vocal". Obviously I'll give more details as they arise.

That's pretty much all I've got. Keep watching for more reviews as I start to get caught up on my backlog, and hopefully I'll have some other things posted on here, some things that have been gestating in my brain for a while now, soon.

Keep watching, and thanks for all the support!

A Review in Two Parts: Jonathan Janz's Witching Hour Theatre

Let me go ahead and get something out of the way right up front: this is going to be different from what I normally do with my reviews, but this is how inspiration works, so bear with me. I’m going to be talking about Jonathan Janz’s novella Witching Hour Theatre, which has just been re-released with some additional content and an essay for the afterword where he talks about some of his influences, his early writing development, Stephen King, and his wife. Since I’m one of those people who read books cover to cover, I read the essay as well, and realized that if I did this, it would be a review in two parts. For part one, I’m wearing my reader hat, and will talk about the story itself. For part two, I’m going to switch perspectives and put on my writer’s hat, and comment on the essay itself. If you’re just curious what I thought about the book, feel free to skip part two, but this was what I was inspired to say, so that’s how I’m compelled to do it.

First, the story itself.

Witching Hour Theatre is a story about Larry Wilson, a horror fan with low self-esteem who spends three nights a week at the local cinema, where they show a triple bill of horror movies at midnight on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. There’s a lot of inner monologue here, which is considerably more compelling than you might think at first glance. We get to know Larry well as he goes through the ritual of buying his ticket, getting his snacks, and settling into the experience the movies provide. The problem is that there’s real horror in the theater, and Larry’s real life gets more and more stressful and adventurous as the flickering images on the screen progress.

I enjoyed the interplay between Larry and the other recurring patrons, their shared bond forged by a love of horror movies—the worse, the better, in some cases. It is very true to what I’ve witnessed myself among the horror community and made the world that much more believable. Also, his interactions with Nichole, the girl at the concession stand, were brilliant, and reminded me of the time when I was single and would find a girl I liked and the trepidation that sometimes ensued when attempting to follow through with those feelings. How it all came together at the end was well-done, and had me on the edge of my seat as the third act—and even the epilogue—scrolled across my Kindle.

There’s some rough edges here, but as the foreword states, this was by design. This is a story from the very start of Janz’s career, and rather than rewrite it with all the knowledge and skill he’s gained since then, he chose to keep it the way it was. This turns out to be a brilliant decision, and one I’m sure was not reached lightly. The end result is seeing what makes a story good; namely, the story. Also, as a fan of Janz’s other works, it was interesting to see his growth in such clear-cut terms. This was by no means bad, and I don’t mean to imply otherwise. It’s just interesting to see, especially being a writer myself.

All in all, definitely pick this one up. It’s a fast read, but it more than achieved the goal of entertaining me for a while, and also had me smiling after I’d closed it when I thought back to the bits that I really liked.

You can grab a copy for yourself here.

And now, let me switch hats and talk a little about the essay and what I got from it as a writer.

While I’ll be the first to admit I’m still a babe in the woods when it comes to this whole “being a published writer” thing, I’ve still managed to come to several realizations since I started that no one tells you about when you first dip your toes into these waters. Primary among those discoveries was that there is a lot of self-doubt that comes along with it. Some people tend to think writers are needy, and constantly seeking some kind of validation, and there’s some truth to that, but it’s also been said that this is a lonely profession at times, and that is also true. When you sit down to write a story, it’s just you and the blank page before you—that’s it. So it’s natural to want someone to tell you that what you’re doing is worthwhile. It doesn’t even have to be direct encouragement; sometimes all it takes is to know that you’re not the only one who’s gone through this, and that it’s completely normal and natural to feel this way, no matter what stage of the game you’re in.

In the essay Janz includes as the afterword to Witching Hour Theatre, amusingly called “My Wife, Stephen King, and Witching Hour Theatre” (which he stresses should not be taken to mean that his wife is Stephen King), he talks about his influences and how he’s absorbed and analyzed them, his burgeoning desire to be a writer and the path he took to get where he is, and how his wife has supported him beyond all measure in his drive to see his work in print. He is open and candid as he discusses these topics, and whether it was his intent or not, it was this approach that made it feel as though he was speaking directly to me as I read it.

See, as it turns out, Jonathan Janz has experienced that same self-doubt. He is familiar with that feeling of nervousness and yes, sheer terror that accompanies handing a story you’ve just spent however long creating to someone—anyone—else and you wait to see if they tell you that you’ve created something worthwhile or that what you’ve typed up is best served lining a waste can. He has felt that frustration as you try to find your own unique voice and move past pale imitation of those other writers who’ve influenced and inspired you to try it yourself. For him, much of this is years in the past; for me, it’s considerably more recent.

Which is why it means so much to read this. While I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Jonathan Janz, or talking with him at length about this sometimes insane path we’re walking, he still reached out and patted me on the back and said “it’s okay, this is normal, we all feel this way, just keep pushing.” To me, this is what makes someone an influence, and a sure sign of someone who will leave a lasting impact on those who follow in his footsteps. As proof of this, there are only two others who managed the same feat through the written word alone: Stephen King, with On Writing, and Richard Laymon, with A Writer’s Tale.

I can’t say that Jonathan Janz is my biggest influence; that honor, as with many writers of my generation and before, belongs to “Uncle Steve”. But I can say that Janz has cemented himself among my stronger influences, and I can only hope to prove myself worthy of that one day.

Stephen King has been branded the “King of Horror Fiction”. I’m going to go on record and say that there is without any doubt a “Prince of Horror Fiction” as well.

His name is Jonathan Janz.