The 7Q Interview: Nate Southard
AUTHOR BIO
Nate Southard is the author of Porcelain, Will the Sun Ever Come Out Again?, Red Sky, Lights Out, Just Like Hell, and the upcoming novel Bad Dogs. When he isn’t writing scary stories, he’s probably cooking. Usually Thai food or fried chicken. He loves fried chicken. Nate lives in Austin, Texas.
QUESTIONS
#1. Looking back, what’s one fiction book that you feel truly made an impact on your writing? Do you still gravitate towards that author?
#1. For me, it’s Peter Straub’s Koko. The way he weaves character and plot and symbolism together to form this single, horrifying piece is something I’ve been trying to achieve since the day I read it. Okay, so I didn’t read Koko in a day, but I’m pretty sure you catch my drift. That novel is utterly horrifying, but Straub creates horror without going over the top. He rides this amazing line between subtle, beautiful prose and Hell on Earth that’s just amazing.
#2. How do you feel about the use of sub-genres in the industry? How do you describe your work overall?
#2. If asked in person, I tend to answer the second question with a cheerful, “I write scary stories!” In a lot of ways, I think that sums it up best. It describes what I do to non-readers, and it lets those who are into the horror scene know I’m a big ol’ dork. With the way my work has shifted in the past five years or so, I’ll sometimes answer it with, “I write scary stories about sad people being sad…plus monsters.” Because sometimes detail is important.
I can’t say I mind sub-genres in the industry, but I don’t particularly pay attention to all the different categories. In a lot of ways, the labeling of sub-genres is like any other form of language: as long as you’re not using it as either a blatant or veiled insult, I really don’t care. It’s all just genre, and I love genre.
#3. What about your writing process do you think is unique or quirky? What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever received?
#3. I’d say it’s more of a flaw than a quirk, but a majority of my books have been written at least twice. The first time, I’m finding the story and the characters and seeing how they all fit together. Then, I send it to Lee Thomas, and he tells me it’s a pile of garbage. So, I start over from page one, word one. That’s happened with Down, Pale Horses, Bad Dogs, Deeper Waters, and Porcelain. Hell, I wrote Porcelain seven times. For the record, I do not recommend this method to anyone.
#4. How does music and media factor into your writing? Do you feel it plays as much an inspirational role as literature?
#4. A lot of my stories come from absorbing little pieces of various media and combining them in interesting ways. I might see something in a documentary I find intriguing and file it away in my brain, then that piece crashes into a bit of song lyric or a news story or something as simple as an image, and suddenly there’s a story brewing in my head. The novel Red Sky was written entirely so I could include a scene at the end that was inspired by roughly five seconds of a music video, for example. I can’t say I go hunting for ideas in music and other media, but I try to keep my brain open to input. You never know when something interesting is going to stick its hooks in your think-meat.
#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. I tend to use it more for my personal entertainment. Whenever I try to market using social media, I feel like a first rate asshole. Since I don’t have the cash to take out ads, I have to use social media to get word out about my books, so I guess it’s a necessary evil, but I’d rather just use it to post things I think are funny and entertaining. Trust me, it’s healthier than before I got sober and would just use social media to snipe at people.
#6. Where do you see the future of horror fiction heading? In turn, what changes would you love to see, either socially or technologically?
#6. I really don’t know. There have been a lot of writers either really coming into their own or appearing out of nowhere to dazzle with amazing debut novels. I hope we’ll continue to see a push for major publishers releasing horror with serious promotional weight behind it. With writers like Paul Tremblay, John Darnielle, and Emma Cline making such big splashes in the past few years, I can’t wait to see what’s next.
#7. What can you tell us about any forthcoming projects? What titles would you like to promote now?
#7. Lethe Press just released my new novel Porcelain. It’s a dark, supernatural story about a comedian facing the horror of himself and his past, trying to get over his issues, and struggling to figure out what’s making his friends commit murder. Plus, there’s sex in it. http://www.lethepressbooks.com/store/p446/Porcelain.html#/
Later this month, Broken River Books will be releasing Bad Dogs.This one’s a novel that rides the line between horror and crime, about a redneck magician trying to save his small town from The Dixie Mafia, their meth business, a werewolf, and zombie dogs. This one’s firmly in the big and fun section. https://brokenriverbooks.com/
Finally, I run a monthly patreon site where I’m slowly spooling out a quartet of weird crime and horror novellas, The Barnyard Series.I also share recipes, behind the scenes stuff, and this month I’m going to start releasing a lost novel of mine. www.patreon.com/natesouthard
AUTHOR PIC
