Irish Punk Rock Horror: An Interview with Richard Long

Hello hello!

Well, February is coming to a close--the scariest month of the year is almost over. Sigh. However, the gem of the month is HERE: one Richard Long, author of bestseller The Book of Paul. That's right. We have our first ever official CELEBRITY on the blog.

Now, I'd already read The Book of Paul in ebook form. Below is a sample of my reaction when I got an autographed edition from Richard himself.

 This is me, with autographed book, elated beyond belief and human reason. The squealing and jumping up-and-down part, not shown, came immediately afterwards.

Now, as you all know, I like a bit of horror now and again, mostly in the 'Weird Fiction' side of the genre, though offbeat paranormal books also catch my interest. (In the dystopian/horror overlap area, you might remember my interview with sharp new voice JC Eggleton about his book, Brookhaven, from a few months back.)

I like to feature fellow indie authors not only because I am one, but also because it's a great way for my readers to stumble on awesome things that just might not be on bookshelves near them. Today's feature guest, Richard Long, reads like a big-name published author--which, at this rate, he's going to be--is definitely one of the most unmissable. Without further ado and gushing, please give a warm welcome to Richard Long!

*****

Q: Describe yourself in 20 words or less.

A study in contradictions: Iconoclast. Family man. Dark past. Bright future.


Q: Tell us about your novel.

The Book of Paul is…different. There’s a classic Gothic horror, apocalyptic, good
vs. evil struggle. There’s also a Romeo and Juliet love story. It’s dark, creepy,
kinky and funny. The setting is the East Village of New York in the mid-90s. Paul
inhabits a condemned building in Alphabet City. At first you might think he’s
some crazed serial killer with occult obsessions, but as the story progresses you
realize that there is much, much more going on with Paul than you ever would
have expected or could imagine. It’s a very wild ride.


Q: Horror lately has been about vampires and werewolves. Two of the authors
I'm featuring this month are vamp and werewolf writers, though very excellent
ones. Did 'The Book of Paul' diverge from this intentionally?

Traditional monsters don’t hold any fascination for me, but I like the archetypes
that vampires and werewolves represent. A traditional werewolf is a person,
who, through no fault of his own (other than being in the wrong place at the
wrong time), is condemned to a very long life committing countless murders and
atrocities. He is usually tortured by his “other” self and racked with guilt. I think
that’s easy for people to identify with and easy for a writer to play with once you
take the fur and full moon baloney away.

As for our other fanged friends, once you lose the garlic and coffin mattress
trappings, a vampire is essentially a parasitic immortal being. There are a couple
of those in The Book of Paul, but they don’t tap into some unlucky person’s
jugular for a quick pick-me-up. All this being said, I’m developing the ultimate
vampire/werewolf/zombie epic with my 12-year-old son. Probably a screenplay.

From author's website. If you think the cover is gorgeous and elegant, wait until you get to the prose...

Q: You have a very unique tone and writing style, and I don't say that often.
Which writers inspire you?

I’m most inspired by Irish playwrights. Enda Walsh. Martin McDonagh. Beckett.
My style of writing, particularly the way I balance humor and horror, is more
related to their work than any novelists I’ve read.


Q: Paul has a cruel sense of humour, and while readers love him, he's an
ambiguous character at best when it comes to morality. Did writing about
his ...unique approach to solving problems... ever bother you?

Sure, some of the things Paul does are completely reprehensible. I’ve cried on
more than one occasion while writing scenes with Paul. On the other hand, he’s
the more fun to write than any other characterthe ultimate gleeful villain. He’s
exceptionally smart, sophisticated, wise and very funny. Writing Paul is like
taking your Id off the leash.


Q: You mix Celtic folklore, druidism, an illuminati-like society, violence, rock
chicks, and a healthy dose of societal critique in "The Book of Paul". How did you
make such an eclectic idea work?

I don’t write from an outline. It all just comes spewing out from some unlimited
reservoir of oddness. I only write about things that interest meand I have
exceptionally eclectic and varied interests: mythology, ancient cultures, religion,
philosophy, occult lore, science, conspiracy theories, dystopian scenarios,
contemporary society. One of William’s lines that I really like is: “I want to know
how things work.” I want to know how people “work”, particularly marginal
characters like the ones in this story. People on the fringe.


Q: Was anything in 'The Book of Paul' inspired by contemporary issues in
America?

When I first moved to New York City I lived in the East Village/Alphabet City
neighborhood where most of the action takes place. It was a lot of fun, and very
scary at times, back-in-the-day before gentrification. So that edgy quality and the
darkness of the particular lifestyle I was living inspired the general mood. The
tattoo/piercing culture was also influential. The tribalism. The fascination with
pain-pleasure. Outside of those cultural aspects, I’m fairly convinced that we are
on the precipice of a seismic upheaval called the Singularity. Apocalypse soon!

Yes, he really is this terrifyingly handsome. No, he's not actually Paul. Maybe. Kind of. We're not sure yet. 

Q: What do you plan to write or publish next?

I’m finishing the first volume of a YA fantasy series called The Dream Palace and
then it’s back to the sequel of The Book of Paul and a screenplay of The Book of
Paul.


Q: Which foods do you absolutely hate? 

Sea urchin.


Q: What would you do if you ran into Paul in real life?

Buy the man a drink. Cozy up on the barstool next to him. And just listen for as
long as he wanted to talk.


Naturally, you already know you can't live without the book. Buy it here on Amazon. Keep in mind that The Dream Palace, also by Richard, is coming soon!

*****

Thanks for dropping by the nest once again. Don't miss any of the good kind of crazy. Find me on Twitter, Facebook, and on Tumblr. A review of The Hobbit is coming, as well as more info about The Loved, The Lost, The Dreaming in paperback. Spring is going to bring a fantasy theme with it--interviews with fantasy authors, content related to fantasy films and reviews, and some political commentary--the phuquerie you've come to expect from me. Keep checking back to see those surprise posts, too. This is your darling SciFiMagpie, over and out! 

Sex, Blood, and High Stakes: An Interview with Travis Luedke

Hello hello!

To continue with the terrifying theme for February, I have one of the best--perhaps the best--vampire erotica author out there today, the rising star Travis Luedke. Travis' books surprised me. Until I ran into those, I was still thoroughly disgusted by Twilight and even Anne Rice's works; too much porn and not enough blood. With the Nightlife series, I discovered that there were authors who could combine bloodthirsty monsters of the night, hardboiled crime, and kinky sex in ways that didn't make me homicidal.

Be warned, though--Travis tends to write very hot stuff, and if you pick these up, expect plenty of adult content.

So, with your seatbelts on and condoms at the ready, please welcome the one and only Travis Luedke!

*****

Q: Describe yourself in 20 words or less.

Obnoxious, talkative, flirtatious, sarcastic, helpful, intuitive, clever, total sci-fi/horror/fantasy/paranormal/vampire/erotica nerd, irreverent and occasionally irrelevant.

Q: Tell us about your novels.

I write sexy, dangerous misadventures involving vampires and an interesting assortment of wickedly corrupt men and women of the night.  Gangs, pimps, prostitutes, cartel, mafia, drug dealers, addicts, alcoholics, all those wonderfully colorful people you find rubbing elbows in the back alleys, night clubs, and strip joints.

Here’s the tag line:  The Nightlife Series is sexy, violent, and occasionally violently sexy.

Q: Vampires have been very hot since Twilight came out. How is your approach different than, say, the usual romantic vampire book?

Well these creatures are indulgent.  They live in a world of constant blood, sex, and arousal.  The act of feeding is highly erotic, causing the victim to experience multiple orgasms.  A vampire’s bite is the most powerful drug imaginable, exstasy, euphoria, and a near instant addiction if we’re not careful.

They are also lethally violent predators, designed to cut through flesh like a hot knife through butter.  They slip through the nightlife quietly, unobtrusively, until cornered.  Then it gets ugly, people die.

Provided by the author. You can tell he's about to get up to no good. 

Q: Are vampires pure fun to help people escape, or do they have significance in our culture right now in other ways?

There are numerous movements today involving one or more beliefs in real-life vampirism.  There are those who believe they consume the life-energy of other people, and there may be some truth to that.  I have had a few ex-girlfriends who sucked the life right out of me and my pocketbook.  Call me a believer.

There are also men and women today who drink blood on a regular basis and consider it a normal part of their diet, very literal vampires.  Dentally implanted fangs and sharpened claw-like fingernails are only a few of the interesting modifications you find among those who consider themselves true vampires.

Q: You write pretty gritty, sexy stories. In addition to vampires, all three of your books feature involvement with gang and mafia violence. What got you interested in this (excellent) combo?

I actually lived on both sides of the Mexico border for four years.  I had occasion to witness and experience things you might expect from a Quentin Tarantino film.  I have known a number of interesting individuals who made their living in a decidedly illegal trade.  I learned that Tequila has an amazing ability to loosen the tongue.

Many of the interesting characters you meet in my novels have been inspired by people and events I touched on in real life.

Q: You tend to write about unconventional couples, including bisexual women and polyamorous situations. How do you write bisexual women that are more than man-candy?

I’m going to steal one of my favorite lines, “I think of a man and I take away reason and accountability.” ~ Jack Nicholson ~ As Good As It Gets

On a serious note, I don’t find it difficult to imagine all the things I would do to a girl, if I was I girl.  I live very vicariously through my writing. J

And truthfully, I actually had a very close lesbian friend at one point.  We hit the bars together, both hunting for the same thing.  At the end of the night we compared notes to see how many phone numbers we each collected.  I usually won the competition.

Lookie! His newest release has a poll! You can vote on it just below this. Aren't they pretty/?

Q: You're also going to be releasing some young adult novels. What was it like transitioning from your very extreme, balls-out style in the adult novels to the young adult audience?

It’s strange for sure.  It’s like cutting out a piece of my soul to remove the excess sensuality and eroticism from my writing.  But I think I found a balance.  To be sure, my YA is not your goody-two shoes stuff, its gritty, true-life, troubled teens who face difficult challenges as they grow to become adults.  I am sticking with what I know and love, paranormal thrillers, but it’s toned down on the sex and violence for a YA readership.

Q: What do you plan to write or publish next?

I am currently in heavy edits/rewrites of the next novel in the Nightlife Series, The Nightlife Paris.  After that I will begin preparing to publish my first YA novel, The Shepherd.  From there I will move on to The Nightlife London, and then jump back over to another YA novel.  I should have no less than four novels published this year, if not more.

Q: Which foods do you absolutely hate?

Black licorice, mustard, and guacamole.  I couldn’t even imagine eating them individually, a mixture of the three would surely be slop fed to inmates at the seventh circle of hell.

Q: Werewolves: love, hate, or meh?

Though it seems a little overdone in today’s ebook market, I am okay with werewolves.  I have a love for all things supernatural, and I collect books and film of such.  Vampires are my first love.  Werewolves would have to be the second runner up.  I will try my hand at werewolves soon enough.  Your favorite two vampires, Aaron and Michelle will butt heads with werewolves eventually.  Who knows what kinds of things you find in the back alleys of the Nightlife.

That's all we have from Travis for right now, but as you can see, you will need to go shopping after this interview. Even newbies or vamp-haters will love these, and people who already enjoy the genre are falling all over themselves for the Nightlife series. You know I don't gush often--these are really quite good.

The Nightlife: New York

The Nightlife: Las Vegas

The Nightlife: Blood Slave

*****

Thanks for dropping by the nest once again. Don't miss any of the good kind of crazy. Find me on Twitter, Facebook, and on Tumblr. A review of The Hobbit is coming, as well as more info about The Loved, The Lost, The Dreaming in paperback, and there is even another interview still coming for horror month. Keep checking back to see those surprise posts, too. This is your darling SciFiMagpie, over and out!