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Today, I have the pleasure of hanging out with and interviewing Author- Angela Sylvaine-"The Cheerful Goth."
You call yourself the “Cheerful Goth” could you explain what that means? “I’m an extremely positive and enthusiastic person, cheerful to a fault perhaps. I also love horror books and movies, Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I wear black almost exclusively, as well as being a horror writer. So, those two sides meet in the Cheerful Goth.” How many books have you written? “I’ve written one novel, Frost Bite, a novella, Chopping Spree, and a short story collection, The Dead Spot. I also have short fiction and poetry published in over fifty magazines, anthologies, and podcasts.” Could you briefly describe the plot of your latest novel Chopping Spree? “Chopping Spree is a retro 80s mall slasher about a small town in Minnesota famous for two things- its 80s themed mall and a mysterious string of disappearing teens. When the main character, Penny, gets trapped in the mall after hours with a masked killer, she must fight for her life and face disturbing truths she never expected.” What inspired the idea for your latest book? “I love writing nostalgia horror, which takes place in the 80s and 90s, and I was basically raised in a mall. So, writing a mall slasher seemed like a great way to combine several things that resonate with me.” What part of your book was the most fun to write? “I love building characters that feel three dimensional and real, so my favorite part was creating a believable and sympathetic cast of characters.” What part of your book did you have the hardest time writing? “There’s a lot of choreography that takes place in the mall, so I had to really understand and map out the setting.” Which of the characters do you relate to the most and why? “I probably relate most to Penny, who ultimately wants to fit in and impress her mall friends. I was pretty nerdy in high school and like many teens suffered from a lack of self-confidence, so I can identify with wanting to fit in.” What is a significant way your latest book has changed since the first draft? “It started as a much shorter novella, and I’ve lengthened it to add additional characters and plot lines, as well as adding specific elements that are expected in slasher.” How long have you been writing or when did you start? “I started writing later in life, in my early thirties." What/Who inspired you to write? “A friend who was a writer knew I was a big reader and encouraged me to try it, so I did. Once I started, I was hooked!” What comes first for you — the plot or the characters — and why? “Usually a glimmer of a plot, but not the whole thing. It can be a single concept, an object, an event. From there I usually think of what a character I that situation would be.” How do you develop your plot and characters? “I generally let the ideas just flow and see what comes out when I first start a story, then when I’m refining the plot and characters, I’m a little more methodical and organized.” What is the most difficult part of your writing process? “Fitting in writing time around the day job and personal life!” What do the words “writer’s block” mean to you? “Generally, it means the inspiration isn’t striking, but it can also mean lack of focus and allowing oneself to get distracted.” Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? If so, what are some of the ways you get around it? “Sure, many times! I usually try to force myself to write something, even if it has nothing to do with my current project. Writing a quick micro fiction or flash fiction story can work wonders.” Many authors have a soundtrack of their book. What’s your soundtrack. “I love 80s and 90s music, and for Chopping Spree I have a literal soundtrack printed in the back of the book of great 80s songs. If people want to check it out, they can get it on Spotify.” What actors would play your main characters? “That’s a tough one, but I think Kathryn Newton would be great as Penny!” How do you use social media as an author? “I am a pretty heavy user of social media, and I try to use it to promote my own work a little and to promote other authors and books I love a lot. I also post about things I like, like my favorite foods and my cats.” What’s your favorite and least favorite part of publishing? “My favorite part is when people, total strangers, read my stories and resonate with them. My least favorite part is rejection, it’s tough, but it’s just part of the process.” I love your book covers. Did you design them? If so, what would you say to an author who wanted to design their own cover? “Thank you! Luckily we were able to get very talented artists to design the covers for my books with Dark Matter INK. Eric Hibbeler did the artwork for Frost Bite and Dan Fris did the artwork for Chopping Spree.” Do you have an agent? If so, what advice would you give first-time authors on landing an agent. If you are an Indie Author what advice would you give? “I don’t have an agent, but there was a time I was querying to potentially get one. Ultimately, it worked better for me to pitch my work directly to an independent press. There are pros and cons to both, so I think authors need to choose the best path for themselves. For those thinking of going the indie route, I would suggest keeping track of which publishers are putting out work you enjoy and that might be a good fit for you, and then watch for when they might have open calls.” What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book? “Don’t give up! Writing a book can be daunting, and statistics say over 95% of people who start a book never finish it. So, finish it. Then you’ll be in that top 5% and you can do the work of revising and hopefully getting published.” Thanks Angela for an awesome interview! Set your calendars for 9-24-24 for the Release Date for Angela’s latest book: Chopping Spree. Check out her website https://angelasylvaine.com to learn more.
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