Welcome to Part One of Confessions of a Reviewer’s
interview with David Bernstein.
I must admit to not knowing an awful lot about David
before this interview so if you are like me then you are in for a treat.
In tonight's section, David will be answering questions on
his life in general and his writing and influences. As you will read, he has
already led a very interesting life. In Part Two, tomorrow night, David will be
answering specific questions on the two new releases he has coming up, Skinner
and Goblins.
On night three I will be publishing my review of Skinner.
It’s Sunday so sit back and relax, get the roast dinner
in front of you but, most of all………enjoy!
COAR - Whilst doing my research for this interview I
discovered there is very little about your personal life to be found on the
internet so, tell everyone a bit about yourself in general?
DB - I come from a
small town located about an hour north of NYC, but now I live in NYC. I prefer
small town life, the woods and less crowded places. The city has a lot to
offer, but I dislike all the chaos—sirens, honking horns and traffic. I studied
numerous martial arts throughout my years. I started out practicing Karate,
then Aikido before moving into the Chinese arts of Kung Fu—White Crane, Choy Li
Fut, Wing Chun, Hung Gar, and finally Tai Chi. Real, made-for-combat Tai Chi.
It looks pretty and has lots of health benefits, but it's probably the most
deadly. Internal energy is so much more powerful than muscle energy.
I also enjoy
camping with friends, watching movies of all types—if it's good, it's good. But
I do prefer horror and dark thrillers. Heck, my mother is a horror fan and got
me into Alfred Hitchcock when I was a wee little one!
COAR - Why writing? Why decide on writing as a career? What
other jobs have you had?
DB - I wrote my
first short story when I was in kindergarten. It was a haunted house story. I
loved it. I've always loved writing, but never took it seriously until 2009
when I wrote my first short story. It was never published, but my second one
was. I kept at it, loving making up fantastic tales of terror. I spent so many
years hanging out, partying and playing video games—damn addictive MMOs . . .
it was time to put my imagination to work. I wrote my first novel, Amongst the
Dead in 2011. It started out as a short story, but then I said, hhmmm, what
happens to the little girl? From there, my first novel was written. Samhain
loved it and published it.
Other
jobs...I've done it all. I worked in a glass factory, was a slate and tile
roofer, delivered pizza, waited tables, was a stock broker, worked in a laundry
mat, a restaurant manager, worked in an architect firm where I acquired
permits, met with examiners and went over plans.
COAR - If you decided, for whatever reason, to go back to
any of these jobs which would it be? In other words which was your favourite?
DB - Probably
the stock broker job. Only so I could make a lot of money and save it all, then
write full time and not have to work a day job.
COAR - Take us through your process for a story. How do you
start it and follow it through to the final product?
DB - I start with
an idea or a single scene and expand it from there, usually rather quickly. I
write out a rough synopsis for the story, then start from chapter one and keep
going. I write longhand, then transfer it to the computer, which would be the
second draft. My first drafts are crap. I am a sculptor. I like to just get it
out, then work it into shape.
COAR - Does it not take forever writing your stuff longhand
first?
DB - I find
writing longhand rather fast. It's something I am used to. I used notebooks
growing up and I guess it just feels right. I suppose it makes the writing
process longer because I have to transfer, but the transfer stage is like
rewriting the book better. I also never have to worry about my notebook
crashing.
COAR - How do you keep track of your ideas? Do you carry a
notebook with you everywhere or write stuff on the back of your hand?
DB - Occasionally,
I'll write an idea down on a small Post It note, but I usually just write out
the whole story idea from the start. I like to know a publisher is interested
in it so I know it'll have a home.
COAR - You seem to be quite a prolific writer, do you write
every day as a rule or just as it comes to you?
DB - I write
five days a week, sometimes six. Three to five hours a day. I have so many
ideas and projects lined up and I love to write, so I just keep going. I've
also learned to write in short spurts as well as for long periods. This helps
when I go out somewhere and bring my notebook with me.
COAR - You wrote Jackpot with Messrs Rufty, McKenzie and
Cesare. How did that come about? What was your level of input to it?
DB - Shane
approached me with an idea he had—What if a serial killer won the lotto—and
asked if I'd be interested in co-authoring it with a few other twisted fellows. It was originally
supposed to be a Sinister Grin Press members only book by the way—for the
people who belonged to their book club. But it was released to the public,
which turned out great. People really seem to love it. We all wrote about the
same amount of words—Shane a bit more as he started and wrapped it up—taking
the story in whatever direction we wanted and doing whatever we wanted.
I came
up with the Kill Van and had Booker test it out in gory fashion. It was so much
fun that we're writing two more books.
EDIT: I was going to ask at this point if the “two more
books” were Jackpot related but read on!
COAR - Can you tell us if any of the characters in your books
are based on people you have come across in your life or maybe even yourself?
DB - Not
intentionally. I suppose all writers use themselves and people they know at
times, but I do not—at least I don't think I do.
COAR - You are published by a few different publishers and
presses. You must feel quite privileged to be connected to so many?
DB - I'm very
grateful. I love publishing with multiple publishers. It allows me to write
more, compose different kinds of things and it feels good that my work is
wanted and read. I mean, I write stuff because I love to write and I want to
entertain. Give people an escape, for whatever the reason.
COAR - DarkFuse and Samhain would probably be the ones most
people know and most authors would like to be connected with. How do they
differ from each other? How do you decide which books to submit to who or do
you work to demands from them?
DB - Both
publishers are wonderful to work with. Professional and easy going and very
accommodating. They have great staff and answer emails quickly! (I love that)
DarkFuse publishes a multitude of genres, from horror, to sci fi, to crime and
noir, to a mashup of things.
Samhain Publishing (the horror line) is pretty
much pure horror. It's where you go if you want horror of any kind, from gory
slashers to atmospheric ghost tales, to gothic to sci fi horror to bizarre crazy
horror.
COAR - Who would be the authors you would give the credit of
being your influences and who do you just not “get”?
DB - When it
comes to horror, I was a HUGE Leisure fan, so anything the company put out I
read. I know it's what everyone says, but Stephen King has to be numero uno. I
disliked school. Disliked reading. A friend of mine gave me King's It one day
and I couldn't put it down. Reading suddenly wasn't so torturous! In fact, it
was wonderful!
COAR - Can you say who you don't like?
DB - I like
everyone! Seriously, in the writing world, I haven't had an issue with anyone.
COAR - I notice on your Facebook news feed you watch a lot of
movies. Would you like something you have written to be adapted for the big
screen or are you happy with the books?
DB - Hell yes!
I'd love all my work to be adapted for film. For numerous reasons, besides it
simply being so damn cool, but also because, whether the movie sucks or not,
your books sales would go up. And then there's cashing the option check for the
film. I'm sure that's wonderful.
COAR - What’s the most difficult part of writing for you?
DB - Finding
enough time. I always want more. I'm never satisfied. Also, after the first
draft, I sometimes feel like the work is crap. But I keep going, knowing I will
sculpt it into something better with each draft thereafter.
That’s it for part one of the interview. Don’t forget to
come back tomorrow night for part two when David gives us more on his writing
and answers The Ten Confessions.
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