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The 7Q Interview: Ken Stark

AUTHOR BIO

Ken Stark is a horror and dark fiction writer from Vancouver, Canada. When he isn't hunched over a keyboard, you will most often find Ken slapping paint onto an unsuspecting canvas, reading, or making friends with every animal he meets.

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. Salem's Lot by Stephen King. Not my favorite book and not even my favorite author, but after growing up on all the horror classics, Salem's Lot was like a cold, hard slap in the face. It was the first book I read that really brought the horror home. It didn't take place in a remote castle or in the seamy underbelly of a centuries-old city on the far side of the globe. Salem's Lot was right here, right now, which made the horror more real. I haven't read much of King's work lately, but the man will always be an inspiration for all that he's accomplished and for keeping his books grounded in the real world.

#2. How do you feel about the use of sub-genres in the industry? How do you describe your work overall?

#2. I say bring 'em on! Every new story only adds richness to the whole, and the more diversity, the better. But a writer should be more concerned with telling the story they have in their head rather than upon which shelf that story will eventually sit. The story is all. If it means crossing boundaries or creating an entirely new sub-sub-genre, so be it.

I call myself a horror writer simply because it is the broadest terms possible, and I would never impose limitations on what I do. I want to give the reader thrills and chills, and most of all, I want them to believe that such horrible things could actually happen. Hopefully, exploring that dark side also sheds a little light on what it means to be human, but as long as my stories entertain, I'll take that as a win.

#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 don't know how quirky it is, but I love slipping obscure references into my stories. Maybe a quote from a movie, or something from a comic book, or even naming a character after another author or a character in one of their books. If the reader doesn't catch on, then no harm done, but if that obscure reference rings a bell, it's like the reader and I just shared a private little joke.

#4. How does music and media factor into your writing? Do you feel it plays as much an inspirational role as literature?

#4. I draw inspiration from everything in life, be it music, art, television, books, or just a trip to the grocery store. Any single person, event, or song lyric might trigger the birth of an idea. The writing itself comes from a lifetime of those experiences I carry around with me. Just like drawing water from a well, I don't need to know where every individual drop was acquired as long as the words flow.

#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. Social media is absolutely vital for any creative person. It not only helps spread the word, but we have now raised an entire generation that has never known a world without social media. They want to know you, they want to know what else you've done, they want to be able to connect on a personal level, and they want it all right this second.

I know I spend far too much time on social media, but aside from marketing my own books and occasional blog posts, I'm always on the lookout for an exciting new read, and I love sharing the hard work of so many wonderfully creative 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. Horror stories can take place anywhere and any when, so I expect to see writers taking the genre to places it's never been before. We are on the cusp of a very strange future, and horror writers are very adept at seeing the worst-case scenario in all things, so I expect more science-driven horror stories involving things like AI gone wrong, or human genetic modification taken to the extreme.

As for what I would like to see in the future, I repeat what I said earlier. The story is all. I don't give a rat's heinie what it's about, as long as it's done well.

#7. What can you tell us about any forthcoming projects? What titles would you like to promote now?

#7. My plan going forward is to alternate releases between the next book in the Stage 3 series and a more traditional stand-alone novel, so I am hard at work on two separate books. I'm hoping for a summer release for my next project, still untitled as yet, about a horrifying worldwide event as seen through the eyes of a handful of townspeople in rural America. After that will come Stage 3: Charlie, which picks up a few weeks after the end of Stage 3: Bravo and has our little ragtag group of survivors coming upon a threat unlike anything they've ever encountered before.

As well, I am always adding new short stories to my website, so I invite everyone to drop by and download a story or two for free. The latest is Killing Joe Prince, about a man who takes his obsession with a best-selling author a tad too far. No spoilers, but Killing Joe Prince was my way of paying homage to the man who gave me that cold, hard slap in the face so many years ago.

Author's website: https://www.kenstark.ca/

Follow Ken Stark on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PennilessScribe

Follow Ken Stark on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ken.stark.52

AUTHOR PIC

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