The 7Q Interview: Adam Cesare
AUTHOR BIO
Adam Cesare is a New Yorker who lives in Philadelphia. His books include Video Night, The Summer Job, Zero Lives Remaining, and The Con Season. He's an avid fan of horror cinema and runs Project: Black T-Shirt, a YouTube review show where he takes horror films and pairs them with reading suggestions.
QUESTIONS
#1. Looking back, what’s one book that you feel truly made an impact on your writing? Do you still gravitate towards that author?
#1. Answer – I forget what year it was, but I was either 18 or 19 and I read Joe Lansdale’s The Drive-In. I had been dabbling with writing at that point, was a lifelong horror fiction fan but had never read Lansdale before. That book solidified things for me: that I wanted to write. The allure that if I worked hard on craft, I could one day write a book like that, something that had that kind of perfect tonal and thematic unity to it. Still trying. And still reading and loving Lansdale.
#2. How do you feel about the use of sub-genres in the industry? How do you describe your work overall?
#2. Answer – You mean using subgenres as labels? Or self-applying those labels? I don’t mind that. For my first few books I very much was consciously branding myself as the “fun” horror guy or the “books like movies” horror guy, but I don’t do that anymore. I think labels like that can help readers find you, if that’s what they’re into, but can keep others at a distance. I think my work, both the most recent stuff and the newer stuff, tries to look at its characters in a sympathetic, sometimes humorous way, but always wants to care about them, treat them with dignity, even if something horrible is about to happen to them. I don’t know: I write funny, sad, and gooey character-based horror?
#3. What about your writing process do you think is unique or quirky? What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever received?
#3. Answer – Nothing really that quirky, but I do like to write in public places. Libraries, coffee shops. I feel like I get my best work done when I can psychologically trick myself into thinking the strangers around me are holding me accountable!
And it’s not really writing advice, but publishing advice: the idea of “don’t worry about the contract, just be happy you’re getting your work out there” is such a bogus attitude that you sometimes see floating around Facebook or Twitter. I think that no matter the arena (self-pub, small press, big publishers) writers should take their work seriously, value it, and be cognizant of their rights.
#4. How does music and media factor into your writing? Do you feel it plays as much an inspirational role as literature?
#4. Answer – Well, I’m a diehard movie guy and that shows in my work. I try to write about the good and bad of that fandom/obsession, too.
And for music: I like all kinds of music and am especially fond of musicals (both stage and screen), but when I write I listen to music without lyrics. Otherwise I find that it’s like someone saying random numbers while I’m trying to count.
#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. Answer – I think it’s partly for my own entertainment and partly for promo. And I think writers who treat it like wholly one or the other… you can tell when you look at their tweets. The people who act like they’re “forced” to be there are about as engaging as a slice of week-old bread. If you’re not enjoying social media: either learn to enjoy it or get off it. On the flipside if you ONLY enjoy social media, how am I supposed to know you have books to sell me?
#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. Answer – I think children are the future… of horror? I think there’s some amazing stuff happening in the world of YA horror lit. I think that the voices coming out of that scene, being championed by young readers, are diverse and interesting and approach the genre in a way that say… a beardo schlub in a black t-shirt (me) would never think to go.
#7. What can you tell us about any forthcoming projects? What titles would you like to promote now?
#7. Answer – Well, right now (for some titles the sale starts on the 23rd, for a couple others the 25th) 4 of my 5 novel-length books are on sale for only 99 cents each in ebook. If you’ve never read me before that means you can get the bulk of my literary output for less than the price of a cup of coffee (sobs quietly).
Then, in August 2020 my next novel is being released by HarperTeen. It’s called Clown in a Cornfield and it’s far and away the best thing I’ve written. So that’s still a few months away but folks can follow me on twitter or join my mailing list and I’ll certainly be letting them know when that’s closer.
Thanks so much for having me, Brian!
AUTHOR PIC
