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THE EXCHANGE: Chuck Buda

Chuck Buda is a horror author and podcast host from New Jersey. He is best known for his love of pizza and Black Metal. Chuck grew up a fan of the Universal Monster movies and Leonard Nimoy’s In Search Of…Smitten with all things monstrous and unexplained, Chuck began a lifelong journey of searching for new scares and thrills. Chuck Buda co-hosts The Mando Method Podcast on Project Entertainment Network with author, Armand Rosamilia. They talk about all aspects of writing.

#1. At what point did you start writing? Was there any catalyst?

#1. Answer – I started writing around the age of twelve. My reading interests jumped from The Hardy Boys to James Bond and I was immediately mesmerized by the suspense and action. Shortly thereafter, I discovered Dungeons & Dragons which sparked more creativity in the form of creating modules to play with my friends.

#2. Were there any other artistic interests like music, theater, painting, etc.? If so, do you still engage in them?

#2. Answer – I have always considered myself an actor, hamming up performances for family and friends to entertain them. In high school, I performed several leading roles in the community theater plays and musicals. I’ve tried to play saxophone and guitar but both endeavors failed miserably. I stick to fiction these days.

#3. You’re from New Jersey, correct? How has being from New England shaped your storytelling?

#3. Answer – New Jersey is fertile ground for legends and lore. Everything from the mafia to the Jersey Devil, right? The Revolutionary War was fought here; I grew up in the town where Molly Pitcher nursed injured soldiers. There is still a blood stain on the pew inside the church. Yeah, Jersey has it all and the historical perspective (both real and imagined) has fed many stories.

#4. Besides the usual authors, teachers, and family member, or music or movies, what’s something that might have influenced you growing up to become the writer you are now today?

#4. Answer – I must admit I have always been somewhat of a troublemaker. Telling lies, creating exhaustive tales to get myself out of spankings and punishments came naturally to me – and mostly out of necessity! The ability to conjure tales out of thin air has saved my hide from many wooden spoons.

#5. Okay, let’s talk about the more traditional influences. What three authors would you say shaped you and your writing the most?

#5. Answer – Ian Fleming was my first true love. Watching James Bond movies was exciting but reading the stories, gripping the edge of my bed from the first page to the last was an incredible journey. Then I found Stephen King, suggested to me by a neighbor I used to babysit for. The details and the characters were so moving and believable. I couldn’t get enough of his ability to craft a story. My most modern influence is Armand Rosamilia. I’m not saying that just to kiss up to him. His writing taught me to find my own voice, to be comfortable in my own vulnerable space. I spent years pretending to be Stephen King and my writing suffered. With Armand’s craft and tutelage, I discovered myself as a writer, and more importantly, as an artist.

#6. And what three contemporary authors do you see putting out work right now that just blow you away?

#6. Answer – Laird Barron, Ed Kurtz and Tim Meyer. Each brings different talents to the craft but all three are important. Laird’s work is like a painting with so much left open for interpretation by the reader. Ed’s stories are so technically tight and woven with such human emotional fabric that I find myself cowering or crying or terrified by what he has written. Tim’s so gifted on multiple fronts. He can dial up the intensity or ratchet the work down to unease bubbling under the surface. And he comes up with story ideas that I find so interesting to explore.

#7. All this said, the question must be asked… “why horror?”

#7. Answer – Why indeed? I have been fascinated with scares since a young age. I used to lure my siblings down the darkened hallway to frighten them. I would sneak out of my bedroom on Saturday nights to peek behind the couch at Creature Features while the babysitter watched television. I think that horror provides the endless possibilities, much like fantasy, but darker. And that is where my soul resides.

#8. Where would you like to see horror as an industry head in the next five to ten years?

#8. Answer – I would love to see horror find its way back to its roots. I believe that it has become more about jump scares and gore and torture porn rather than the existential darkness of the human condition. Don’t get me wrong – I love splatterpunk. But there is something to be said about the things that live in our closets and under our beds. It is much more horrific to imagine it without truly seeing it or understanding it. I just got chills.

#9. What are your thoughts on the state on the publishing industry? Self-pubbed vs traditional, Kindle prices, the rise of Fanfic, all of it.

#9. Answer – It is a great time to write and publish stories. I find more satisfaction these days with indie books because the stories are fresher and take more risks. Traditional books are too formulaic, mostly. Of course, there is a fine line between quality and price but I think the market values are leveling out and “normalizing.” The fun of the publishing industry, like any business, is the constant evolution. So, it will shift more down the line and in favor of indie authors.

#10. You’re one of the most successful and well-respected self-published authors in our community. Is their any advice you could give to others?

#10. Answer – Who did you poll because I would love to buy them steak dinners! My advice to new authors is to go for it. I spent almost thirty years writing for myself, fearing what the world would think of my stories. That time is gone and can never be recovered. Write today and everyday and ignore the critics. Nobody is tougher on us than ourselves anyway. Finally, write what you want to write. Chasing markets works for some but you need to be happy with your creations. I try to write the stories I would want to read. And I think that is what authors should strive for.

#11. You’re well known for numerous trilogies and series that span a variety of sub-genres such as Son of Earp, Gushers, and The Debt Collector. What makes you want to explore all these different stories in these formats?

#11. Answer – First of all, I am very Sagittarius which means I have to chase many shiny distractions. Second, my mind works better when it conceptualizes tales explored over time. I envision serials like many of the television shows I grew up watching as a youngster. Plus, I like to live with the characters longer. Some of them mean so much to me. Like family. I couldn’t imagine closing the back cover and sliding them onto a shelf forever. I know the truth of it even if I choose not to acknowledge it. HAHA

#12. You even wrote a non-fiction book, Surviving Corporate Downsizing. Would you ever consider writing another one, a sequel or one on a completely different topic?

#12. Answer - I have some more non-fiction ideas germinating but I have no imminent plans to return to that market. The non-fiction book was cathartic, helping me to grieve over my third job loss in twenty-five years. It was extremely devastating. It was one of the lowest moments of my life and writing that book brought me back from depression. I stared down all my fears and self-doubts and got to work on something I had hoped would make a difference in others’ lives. It made all the difference in my own life.

#13. We’ve seen a number of your short stories appear in anthologies, but you seem to prefer longer work. Would you say you enjoy writing novels to short stories?

#13. Answer - Definitely! I find short stories to be far more challenging than novels. The economy of words is a huge hurdle. Then you have to figure out how to squeeze a three-act arc into five thousand words? It’s crazy. I’m getting better at it but it is something I continually struggle to master.

#14. Along with the popular podcast The Mando Method, you’ve also collaborated with Armand Rosamilia on two books in the Keyport Cthulhu series. What was it like working on those books?

#14. Answers – Fun, scary, exciting, living the dream. All wrapped in one. I was honored when Armand invited me to join him on the projects. And to have him tell me when he was floored by what I had written – I cried a little. When one of your idols compliments your work, it is a surreal experience. I loved reading his chapters before the world, too. It’s like getting a sneak preview to a blockbuster movie!

#15. Beers and Fears is a fantastic concept for both a book and a signing tour. Can you tell me a little more about how that all played out?

#15. Answer – Like everything else, Armand tells me to do something and I do it. Immediately. Seriously, though, the first time I met Armand in person, he was doing a book signing at Belford Brewing. The place was packed with fans and friends. I got to drink beer and talk about writing with him for a few hours and it just felt natural. No carnival barking to buy books. Just chatting over drinks. It went so well for him that he designed the annual book tour around his visits to the “old neighborhood” and I was lucky enough to be asked to come along for the ride. So much beer…

#16. Book tour, podcast, I even met you at a convention. You’re all over Twitter. What do you think is the most successful means of getting books into the hands of readers?

#16. Answer – This is one question I wish I knew the answer to. I have studied indie publishing for six years now and some things work and some don’t. I think the key is to keep experimenting to find what works for YOU. There is no one size fits all to marketing and promotion. If there were, we’d all be rich! The best prescription is probably being genuine. Readers aren’t fools. If you come across as a slimy salesperson, you may sell a book today but you won’t pick up a fan. If you engage with readers like you would people at a neighborhood mixer, then you have a better chance of making a lasting impression – which can lead to word of mouth referrals and social media shares. I like to keep it real, yo.

#17. Everything said, what’s the biggest hurdle? In this industry, what gives Chuck the most massive headache?

#17. Answer – Time. I don’t have enough time to write, re-write, edit, promote, engage, increase discoverability, network, etc. Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping…

#18. What’s something you’d love to tackle in the literary world that you haven’t yet?

#18. Answer – You ask such introspective questions. I would love to write a more mainstream story. I’ve started working on something with my son but it is at least two years out. If that book could get some attention, I would be floored. And to do it with my little boy would be incredible. He’s not so little anymore but he will always be my little boy. Aww.

#19. What are you currently reading?

#19. Answer – I am currently reading two novellas by authors who have asked me for blurbs. I would love to mention their names and the titles but I’m not sure if I have their permission. When the time comes, I will definitely tweet about them. Oh, and Ogromny by Armand Rosamilia. That answer was a layup.

#20. What’s coming next?

#20. Answer – I’m wrapping up the fourth book in the Son of Earp series, Desert Fangs. Also working on Caged 6 in my Zombie Lockup series. And four or five short stories that I need to finish up for anthologies. A few of them have killer table of contents so I’m really fired up.

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