A delicious new take on love and undeath.
This week I took the chance to grab brilliant indie author AM Harte as she jetted past on her endlessly manic journey. February saw the release of her first published collection of short fiction,
Hungry For You, and I thought it was time to ask how things were going.
Me: Well, here it is, and the reviews at
Smashwords have been sensational. Congratulations. AND… soon in print from Amazon. How has the whole process been?
AMH: A rollercoaster of emotions! Every time I receive a positive review I’m shocked. A part of me is still convinced I should have waited longer, that the stories aren’t ready, and I shouldn’t be charging people for it. Another part of me is thrilled to see my name on a book cover.... It feels like I’m getting one step closer to my dream.
Me: Also, you are looking forward to September and the release of the revamped
Above Ground. Has the production of
Hungry For You, from idea right through to digital editions, print edition and distribution, made it more or less daunting to walk the same path with
Above Ground?
AMH: Less daunting, definitely. Producing the
Other Sides anthology for Ergofiction had already made the process seem more straightforward; now with
Hungry For You done I have a better understanding of the timelines and tasks involved.
Of course, I have it easier than most indie authors.
1889 Labs handles all the tough stuff such as making cover art, formatting the ebook, submitting to Amazon etc. So my main focus is writing, editing and marketing!
Me: It’s deliciously dark fiction again, done brilliantly. Is there any inclination to move away from these shadowy depths of experience, or are you happiest examining our less sparkly aspects? Is there a sharp left turn planned sometime in the future?
AMH: I think a story cannot exist without a dark side—without a problem. No one would care if Odysseus had just taken a little rowing boat, gone fishing, and been back home safe and sound in time for dinner. We need the antiheros, the monsters, the villains, and I am no exception. Darkness is fascinating, simple as that.
As for sharp left turns.... I do have a plot idea for a paranormal romance, but even so it will not be a HEA. I suppose I really am just happier on the dark side!
Me: You’ve talked about your love hate relationship with zombies [
MCM,
Soleil Noir] – the study of paradox seems to run strong in your writing. As a time-honoured icon of horror, can Zombies be humanized? Have audiences reacted well when you’ve tipped the mythology sideways?
AMH: I squick easily. I hate disease, and traditional zombies are pretty vile. But everything can be humanised -- perhaps the better question is whether they should be.
I think traditional, mindless zombies have been done to death (pun intended) and that giving them human characteristics raises a lot of interesting questions. To be honest, I was initially worried that audiences would react badly to my take on zombies, since I stray quite far from the accepted mythos, but so far reactions have been positive.
Me: And the paradox is there in your love stories, too. Is human intimacy about boys that yearn and girls who are adored, passion that burns and love that endures through all? Or is it more about violence, deception, anger and betrayal?
AMH: Why does it have to be one or the other? There are two sides to everything: human intimacy can be bright and loving and uplifting, just as it can be dark and hateful and depressing.
Me: Your stories are told from male and female characters’ perspectives equally. Is there a secret to stepping into male shoes? Are they comfortable? Are there gender specific differences to viewing the world?
AMH: I actually set out with the intention of creating a collection that had an equal mix of male and female perspectives, for no other reason than to keep a balance. I don’t find it particularly difficult to step into male shoes -- assuming I do a good job of it, of course!
I suppose when I am writing I’m stepping into a particular character’s head; their gender is only a tiny part of what defines them. Ultimately, male or female, we are all human, and I think many of the concerns we share are the same.
Me: You seem fascinated by the notion of pandemic apocalypse [
Other Sides - Belonging/ Above Ground]. Do you have any real fears for the future of humanity? Are these the thoughts that come in nightmares?
AMH: I’ve never noticed that about myself before! I think I enjoy writing about pandemic apocalypses because I am fascinated by the human struggle for survival. I respect characters who continue to fight despite the odds, and the way someone behaves in an extreme situation really shows a lot about their character.
As for real fears for the future.... If I stop to think, pretty much everything makes me panic. Pollution, global warming, overpopulation, war.... So much could go wrong. Mostly I stick my nose in a book and try not to think about it.
Me: Tell me about the world you see. Reading down through the list of stories, I find sexual subjugation, obsession, domestic violence and revenge, betrayal, depression and addiction, loneliness, post traumatic stress and abandonment. Apart from
Promises and
A Prayer to Garlic, [where love endures all, even mothers-in-law], are love and horror closer than we like to believe? Even in
A Prayer to Garlic there’s a line that points out humanity’s savage selfish ways.
AMH: You make me sound so morbid! I suppose I’ve had occasion to witness the darker side of love.... Love is a beautiful emotion, but when you open yourself to love you’re opening yourself to a lot of risk and hurt as well. There is so much that could go wrong, so if you’re willing to accept love in your life, I think you must be willing to accept a little horror, too.
Me: When dealing with horror and themes as dark as these, how important are the flashes of humour you bring to your stories?
AMH: Very important; we can’t read about uninterrupted doom and gloom forever! As a matter of fact, the print edition of
Hungry For You includes three extra humorous stories to alleviate the darkness somewhat.
Me: What makes your skin tingle, a chilling tale of horror or a dark, seductive sex scene?
AMH: I suppose that would depend on the kind of tingling we’re talking about! I tend to avoid reading horror (I’d rather sleep at night, thank you very much), so I have a lot more experience reading the latter. The level of skin tingling would then depend on the quality of the author!
Me: Apart from finding a wonderful, talented and brilliant publisher – say, like
1889 Labs – what advice would you give to writers heading out in the independent scene; or what advice do you wish you had had when you began? How is working with an independent publisher different to traditional houses?
AMH: I suppose the main thing for new indie authors to keep in mind is that they are not just writers; they are a business. The onus of editing, marketing, formatting, etc all falls upon the author, so it is up to you to make sure you’re happy with the final product.
Indie publishing has a faster turnaround than traditional publishing, and is far more flexible, but requires greater author investment in terms of time and money. Whether you succeed or fail is your responsibility alone, so you need to be prepared to take that risk. It’s a labour of love, but it’s also wonderful to have that control over your work.
Me: Are there any great truths that are ringing clearly in your ears now you have done these hard yards?
AMH: There will always be typos! Also: you will never feel ready.
Me: How much progress has been made on the dream of a tidy bedroom? Do you at least keep your socks in a tidy pile? Can you see your desktop, and is there sufficient flat space to fit a laptop when required? OR does working in the kitchen inspire you -- to add food to the zombie lovin’ mix, for example?
AMH: Errrr.... I’ve made a lot of progress in my mind, does that count? I cannot even see the surface of my desk; it’s covered with piles of clean laundry, papers and make up. The floor has piles of paper, not to mention the suitcase I still haven’t unpacked. Oops?
I don’t have time to tidy the whole house, and the bathroom and kitchen will always trump my bedroom. So I end up writing curled up on my bed (like right now) or in the kitchen for easy access snacking!
Me:
Hungry For You in print;
Above Ground rewritten, edited and soon off to the shops;
Between Worlds and
Dark Sight progressing... What’s next?
AMH: I have no idea! I have plans for a YA dark urban fantasy about a teenaged boy who gains power over people’s lives. I also would like to write a paranormal murdery mystery romance, for amusement more than anything. Who knows! I barely understand my own mind so it’s difficult to predict where my inspiration will take me.
To help support Read an eBook Week Anna is offering Hungry For You for FREE download from Smashwords. This week only! — [coupon code RE100]
Hurry on over by March 12 to grab your copy!
