Let’s start with the most important thing: your books. Tell me a bit about the novel you want to talk about today.
A.R. My latest release is “Dying Days”, an extreme zombie novella featuring Darlene Bobich, who first appeared in the short story “Rear Guard”, the bonus story in my first extreme zombie release, “Highway To Hell”… it’s about a woman, not too strong and not too weak, who has to deal with surviving in a world overrun with zombies who don’t just want to bite you, they want to rip you apart… sexually… yeah, extreme…
M.F. Wow, that does sound extreme! So what are you working on at the moment? Have you got any new projects in the pipeline?
A.R. Always! I’m in the midst of writing half a dozen zombie stories for various anthologies, editing anthologies for Rymfire eBooks like the “State of Horror” series, and working on something completely different for me… erotic paranormal stories! I also write a non-fiction series about women into Heavy metal music called “Metal Queens”… always busy…
A.R. I’ve been writing since high school, with sporadic stories published over the last 20+ years since I graduated in ’88… but in the last four or five years I’ve had several sales… the biggest to date was probably my “Death Metal” urban horror novella released by Sam’s Dot Publishing in 2009 and recently re-released by Rymfire eBooks…
M.F. What do you make of the changes in the industry, with so many people going ‘indie’?
A.R. I love it! There’s no longer that stigma of writers releasing their own works… one of my favorite writers, Scott Nicholson, does an amazing job putting out new work and re-releasing his older material…
M.F. I'll have to check him out. Who is your greatest influence when it comes to your writing?
A.R. My mother, because she allowed me at an early age to read her Stephen King, Dean Koontz and other horror writers… but the one author that I loved as a child was Robert E. Howard…
M.F. I had to laugh at that! I did exactly the same thing and grew up reading my mother's Stephen King and Dean Koontz. So while we're on the topic...Stephen King says when he writes, it is for his wife Tabitha. When you write, is there anyone you’re writing for?
A.R. I write for myself… I find that when I target a certain audience or worry about what my mother or my fiancé Kim will think, I get lost… when I write the story naturally, they end up liking it anyway… although my mother won’t read my extreme zombie stories…
M.F. What sort of books do you read yourself?
A.R. I am a huge fan of horror (obviously), fantasy and non-fiction entertainment books about music (Heavy Metal fan), pro wrestling, biographies, writing books… Kim bought me a Kindle for Valentine’s Day and I can’t stay away from it…
A.R. Conan the barbarian, but not the Arnold version, I’d be the Robert E. Howard version, battling, whoring and drinking as I conquer the land before me… or an orc from Lord of The Rings… either way…
M.F. If aliens landed in front of you and offered you anything you wanted, what would it be?
A.R. Since this isn’t an erotic blog… the power to have a secret room, where time stops for five extra hours per day, that allows me to write in silence… I’d get more done that way… or comfortable shoes…
M.F. That sounds like my idea of heaven. Tell us something quirky/interesting that people probably don’t know about you.
A.R. Most people know too much about me already, since I tend to talk too much when I meet you… hmm… I was a Dungeons & Dragons geek in junior high and high school that dressed and loved Heavy Metal… I had a mullet like everyone else growing up in the ‘80’s in New Jersey… I have a very dry sense of humor… I love to say mean or inappropriate things for a laugh, if that makes sense… I’m a horrible flirt but love my Kim… I’m a chubby chaser… yeah, I said it… I’ve only ridden a bike twice in my life, I have horrible balance… I’m afraid of stray dogs… I hate pets, but have three in the house… and I eat too much chocolate…
Now for the giveaway!!! Armand would like to give away three ebook copies of his new novella, Dying Days. So just leave him a comment, together with an email addy or blog link so we can contact you if you win. Good luck everyone!
My bald buddy is up on Friday the 13th. What an honor that is. Maybe he's the reason Blogger went crazy. I must do some checking into that.
ReplyDeleteAt any rate, it is nice to find out more about my friend Armand. I never had a mullet, but I'm old enough to be his daddy, which means we didn't have them when I was young. I honestly think it's interesting that so many horror writers come from the Garden State. One thing for certain about Armand is that he writes some gritty tales, and he writes them well. That means I'm a reader as well as a friend and fellow writer.
Another great interview, Marissa. And, Armand: thanks for dropping by. You are a great writer and a good guy.
Sounds like some interesting books.
ReplyDeletekaiodan@gmail.com