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1. Give us a little background
on yourself, when did you decide that writing was what you wanted to
do?
I always wanted to write. Just loved to read, and
started making my own comic books as a kid (Tales from the Crypt type
stuff). As time went on, I got more and more interested in the arts. For
example, I recall seeing "West Side Story" in a movie theater, and sitting
through it three times (you could do that back in the 1960's) because of
the marriage of writing, acting, dance, music and film. It just blew me
away. After diversions into acting and music, I drifted back towards
writing via song lyrics. I tried my first novel in the early 1980's, but
put it to one side. When my daughter was born, I was 50 years old and
decided "it's now or never." I sold some short fiction to work up the
confidence, and started my first mystery "Memorial Day."
2. Who inspired you to become a
writer?
I had very inspirational teachers growing up,
including one named Dennis Kelly, who took a few of us to see "Hamlet,"
gave me some Russian authors to read and encouraged me to write when I was
only 12 years old. I would have to say he provided the real
spark.
3. You wrote a screenplay "DEAD
AND GONE", which is being directed by Yossi Sasson and is currently in
post. Can you tell us about that project?
Yossi had some
financing available and wanted to do his first film. He was disappointed
in a script a friend had written, and a vague idea in his head, more of an
image than a plot. In the beginning I was trying to encourage him to write
it himself, but the more ideas I threw out, the more the script came into
focus in my own mind. Finally Yossi said "just do it, man," so I did. He
loved it, and we were off and running. "Dead and Gone" is both scary and
funny, kind of a tribute to the Sam Raimi "Evil Dead" films. We're doing
some exterior re-shoots in early April, and then will cut it
together.
4. Why did you decide to write
horror genre books?
I loved horror as a kid, Richard
Matheson and Ray Bradbury and later the early works of Stephen King. My
first novel "Night of the Beast" is an homage to the pulp stuff I devoured
in the late 70's and early 80's. That's the novel I started, put to one
side and returned to later. It came out in 2002, a year before my first
mystery "Memorial Day." I followed it with two other pulp novels, making a
'Night Trilogy,' "Night of the Werewolf" (which one a small-press
Tombstone award in 2003) and "Night of the Daemon." They are currently out
of print but I am hoping to rectify that when I can find the time to
locate a new publisher. These novels are too damned much fun.
5. Tell us about your book Eye
of the Burning Man.
That one climaxes at the Nevada
festival. It is the sequel to "Memorial Day," which introduced a
recovering alcoholic radio shrink, a series character named Mick
Callahan. Mick has got a hot temper and a real knack for getting into
trouble. I'm working on the third Callahan novel now.
6. Along with being a writer,
you are also a composer and music supervisor. Can you tell us about a few
of those projects?
I wrote songs for a number of television
movies and feature films along the way. I was VP Music for Carolco
Pictures (Rambo III, Red Heat, Terminator 2, Rambling Rose) and was a
free-lance music supervisor on "Basic Instinct," "Universal Soldier" and
some other films. I left that part of my life behind to become a full-time
counselor, at least until my daughter was born and I resumed writing.
Harry Manfredini (Friday 13th, House) scored a couple of movies for me at
Carolco, and will be doing the music for "Dead and Gone." I wrote and sang
the title song in addition to the script, and will play a bit part as the
Sheriff.
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7. What has been you're
all-time favorite project to date?
Oh, "Dead and Gone" has
been the most fun overall, since I have had my hand in everything from
script to casting to acting and music. Wonderful bunch of people, too. The
web site is still under construction, but has some stuff. It is at
www.deadandgonethemovie.com
8. Any future projects in the
works?
Yossi Sasson and I would love to do another one
together. Low budget allows creative freedom so it's a lot more fun, butÂ
that's also a major headache for other reasons. I have had a couple of
scripts optioned, but nothing is firmed up. I also have a couple of guys
I'd like to collaborate with, if we can get it together. My first big
thriller "The Pressure of Darkness" comes out in November, and I am
terribly proud of that one. It can be safely pre-ordered (signed) via Matt
Schwartz at Shocklines online bookstore, located at www.shocklines.com
9. Do you have any advice to
aspiring writers or composers?
You've heard this a million
times, but never give up. Study, write, and write and study some more. One
thing I have learned is how valuable a stern critic can be to one's
growth. They are actually quite hard to find. An editor friend was
merciless with me in the early drafts of "Memorial Day," and his demands
made me a far better writer, no doubt about it. I honestly think we only
learn to write by reading and writing, though. Just do it.
10. When all is said and done,
what 3 things would you like for people to remember about you?
That I tried my best to be a good, productive man, showed
compassion for all living things--and was a decent husband and
father.
11. Here's where we give you a
word or phrase and you give us the first thoughts that pop into your
mind.
Biggest regret- I am
proud that I've been sober for over 20 years, but sometimes regret that it
took me so long to see the light.
Biggest prick- George W.
Bush
Toxic Shock TV (shameless
plug)- Sheer Genius
Your biggest "break-thru"
moment- Looking in my daughter's eyes for the very first
time
You can only read 3 books for
the rest of your life, which 3- That's hard! I have a couple of
thousand. Okay, off the of my head---Shogun by James Clavell, The Source
by James Michener, Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. But it
would kill me to not have anything along by James Lee Burke, Cormac
McCarthy, John Connelly, T. Jefferson Parker or Richard Matheson. Not to
mention George Pellicanos, Dennis Lehane, Mo Hayder...oh, never
mind.
You can only listen to 3 songs
for the rest of your life, which 3- Die Rosarie Sonaten by Hans
Biber (cheating, I guess). Okay, "What A Fool Believes" by the Doobie
Brothers with Michael McDonald (alt. "Hotel California" by the Eagles),
damned near anything by Mozart, a Bach cello
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