John Evans - Midnight Falls #AuthorInterview

Tell us about your latest book.

Midnight Falls is my debut novel, and very much written in the same style as the books that inspired it, that is to say, early Stephen King in that 70s and 80s pulp horror style. Many of the advanced readers have called it, "Salem's Lot" but with werewolves".

A young man and his dog return to his small hometown only to find that the friendly facade remembered from childhood hides a sinister evil. Upon discovering this secret he is forced to choose to either stop running from his problem and face it, or keep running for the rest of his life. Anyone and everyone could be a monster hiding behind the mask of small-town hospitality, knowing who to trust is hard especially when butting heads with the town sheriff who has a grudge against him and an axe to grind, and no intentions of burying it unless maybe his back. The story is told in flashback before the grizzly conclusion, a not-so-classical story of a boy and his dog.

Midnight Falls is a unique take on the werewolf genre, exploring the theme of identity, feeling like an outsider in a place once called home, and choosing how to deal with a negative self-image and doubt that shapes us into who we are.

What are you currently reading?

Ironically, I am currently rereading Salem's Lot, having just read an article stating that the remake of the iconic mini-series has been shelved indefinitely(at this time) and will not be released.

Tell us 3 interesting things about you.

I retired after three years as a PMC(Mercenary) became a BEA(Bounty Hunter) and for a while was a professional Model.

Describe your workspace.

Pure unadulterated chaos. Originally, it was a guest room that was planned to be turned into a home office/gym. It became a sort of extra storage space where extra stuff was crammed to get it out of the way. So I started out sitting on packing boxes and the like, before slowly moving in a desk, chair, and a cot where I can nap after pulling an all-nighter.

It's cozy(totally not cramped or anything) and keeps me out of the way of adults who are doing adult things.

What’s your favorite quote?

So many good ones, but since we are talking about writing I would have to go with one of two quotes by Hemmingway. Either "Writing is easy, all you have to do is sit at the typewriter and bleed" or "The first draft of anything is shit."

What is the best thing and the worst thing, to you, about being an author?

It's got to be coming up with the idea for a story. Every writer loves the idea of a story. It's fun to brainstorm and fantasize about your plot and characters and work on the story in your head. It's endlessly enjoyable. However, eventually, you have to stop daydreaming and transcribe the story in your head onto the page. This is the difficult part because not only is it actual work, but as many writers have experienced something gets lost in the translation. The story in your head is ALWAYS better than the story on the page. Others never even make it that far, and endlessly dream about a book that will never be written.

It's said that everyone has a book in them, but very few manage to complete the arduous task of actually writing one.

Any advice for new writers?

There is no one correct way to write...there are however a hell of a lot of wrong ways to do it. All you can do is try to figure out what works for you. Most importantly write for yourself and write the kinds of books you want to read. The industry is an absolute mess and geared against most writers, and in the end few people "make it". Set your own goals and define your own success that way in the end YOU will have something that YOU are proud of.

If you enjoy it, your readers will too.

Do you listen to music while you read? If so, what’s on your playlist?

Yes, I do. Mostly it's a mixture of 70s and 80s rock music ranging from such bands as The Eagles, Journey, Blondie, Pat Benatar, Billy Idol, The Scorpians, Twisted Sister, AC/DC. It's less about setting a mood and more about letting me just zone out so my brain and work on writing.

What author, past or present, would you most like to meet and get to speak with?

Ray Bradbury, he was one of the few authors I grew up reading and loving that I never got to meet. When he passed away in 2012 I even wrote a short story in his style in honor of his death and the work he did.

What is one genre you’d love to write in, yet haven’t tried yet? Will you be giving it a try?

I wouldn't say never, but while I probably will not try it because it's not in my writing style, I would say Scifi Fantasy. The kind that blends Sword and Sorcery with Spaceships and Aliens. Stuff like: Masters of the Universe, Zardoz, Barbarella, and Flash Gordon.

What’s first: plot, world or characters?

Plot. I get a random idea and chase it until it grows into something like a plot.

Who leads: your or characters?

The Characters. Writers who try to control their characters, the story itself suffers for it.

Sleep in or up early?

Sleep in, sleep late, sleep a lot.

Favorite part of a book: beginning, middle or end?

Depends. If I am reading, I like them all. If I am writing, it's a toss-up between the ending or the beginning, I HATE writing the middle.

Dogs or cats?

I like them both, but my writing would suggest dogs.

Coffee or tea?

Mountain Dew

TV or Movies?

Probably TV, I love a short limited series that is gripping or an anthology.

Spring or fall?

Fall. Less pollen.

Indoors or outdoors?

Indoor. I spent most of my childhood working outside on the farm, and then my early professional adult career. I love Air Conditioning and indoor plumbing.

Meat or vegetables?

I know vegetables are important, but I like my proteins.