The 7Q Interview: J. Daniel Stone
AUTHOR BIO
J. Daniel Stone writes from NYC where he was born and raised. He is the author of the urban horror novels The Absence of Light and Blood Kiss, the collaborative, standalone novella I Can Taste The Blood and the short story collection Lovebites & Razorlines. In 2016 he was selected by readers to be included in Dread (the Best Horror of Grey Matter Press). He writes under a pseudonym to keep the wolves at bay.
Find him on Twitter and Instagram @SolitarySpiral
QUESTIONS
#1. Looking back, what’s the one fiction book that you feel truly made an impact on your writing? Do you still gravitate towards that author?
#1. The first book that made my jaw drop was Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs. It changed everything I thought I knew about books, period. It proved to me that stories don’t have to be linear or have happy endings; they don’t have to be anything other than what the author wants to read. It proved you don’t need resolve. No boundaries. No rules. No supermarket recipe. Naked Lunch is a book that’s all over the place, kind of like my own mind. There’s nothing out there like it. Everyone hates it, but that’s why I love it.
And yes, I always go home to Burroughs to learn something new, or to remind myself to keep writing and fuck what anyone else thinks but myself. At the end of the day I must be satisfied with my stories. Everyone else comes second.
#2. How do you feel about the use of sub-genres in the industry? How do you describe your work overall?
#2. Nothing wrong with sub-genres. But while they guide some readers to their specific interests, they also also deter readers who like the surprise factor. All depends how you view the glass: half empty or full ?
#3. What about your writing process do you think is unique or quirky? What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever received?
#3. People don’t understand that I’m a true “pantser”, in that I don’t outline or even plot. There are just these constantly shifting ink blots. My style is very organic. I prefer to allow my mind and fingers engage in conversation, the end result those precious words on the page. For me personally, outlining is extremely boring and will kill my vibe. Caitlin R. Kiernan is probably my favorite living writer and she never plots or outlines or does any of that elitist/perfectionist nonsense. And she writes better than us all.
The worst advice I ever received was being told to write to market. How depressing.
#4. How does music and media factor into your writing? Do you feel it plays as much an inspirational role as literature?
#4. Without music I’m nothing. A lot days after the dreaded day job and hitting the gym, I’m left completely wiped out, thus I can’t read or write. But music will save that day. All you have to do is slap on headphones and pick your favorite tunes and reality is erased. As for other media, I don’t watch much television (who has time in NYC to do that?) and I barely get to the movies.
#5. As an author, how much do you engage in social media? Do you feel it is more for your own entertainment, or for marketing and networking?
#5. Facebook can go scratch. It’s become the land of privileged whiners and is going the way of the dinosaur anyway. Twitter and Instagram, however, are 24k gold in my opinion. I use both for entertainment and marketing and all art related interests.
#6. Where do you see the future of horror fiction heading? In turn, what changes would you love to see, either socially or technologically?
#7. The future of horror fiction will still be dominated the Stephen King and Dean Koontz wannabes. Proof is in the titles selling in big numbers today, and the numerous amount of indie authors who write in their style. Their influence is endless.
Any changes I want to see are simply more people reading. And also for more people to exercise their shit detectors.
#7. What can you tell us about any forthcoming projects? What titles would you like to promote now?
#7. I’m just finishing up my third novel that I’m calling Stations of Shadow, and it’s my longest work to date that will probably be 115k words. There’s also another novella, a follow up to I Can Taste The Blood, that is called I Can Hear The Shadows. It’s complete and submitted to a few publishers. This book contains 4 novellas all related to the words “I Can Hear The Shadows”and will feature me, John FD Taff, Erik T. Johnson and Josh Malerman (all who were in the first book).
~~~My other titles can be found on Amazon or Barnes and Noble
AUTHOR PHOTO
