Developing A Sense of Humor: 9 Questions With Stand-Up Comedian Slade Ham

Slade Ham

By Sean Tuohy

There are few stand-up comics that have the ability to grab you with one joke and keep you interested. Sometimes it takes some time to develop the right rhythm with the audience, and rarely does it happen with one punch line. That is unless you’re comedian Slade Ham.

I was lucky enough to discover Ham's work one night and his on-stage personality and delivery grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go. Recently, the Texas-based comic has been working as a radio DJ and podcast host in addition to spilling jokes on stage.

I chatted with Slade about his career in comedy, his first experience on stage, and the worst whiskey he’s ever had.

Sean Tuohy: What made you become a comic?

Slade Ham: It’s funny, because the things that made me want to be a comic aren’t the same things that still make me want to be a comic. I’ll answer this question the same way in the past: I was a rock DJ on the radio in my hometown, and a huge fan of stand-up throughout the 1990s, and I thought that my clever (in my mind anyway) quips on the air were somehow on par with the people I watched on A&E’s “Evening at the Improv.” It was the natural progression for a delusional 23-year-old.

The reality is that you don’t know anything in your early 20s. You just don’t. The truth was that I had already dropped out of college, moved to Dallas, failed at basic survival, moved home, was in the early stages of a bad relationship, and was scraping by as a bartender. Stand-up really was just one more attempt to find something I was good at. And of course there was the allure of being the center of attention, the guy on stage. What keeps me doing stand-up is that I feel like at 38, I have some pretty solid opinions about some things. I know who I am. I have stuff to say and the stage gives me a platform. At 23, I had nothing to say, even if I didn’t know that at the time. I just needed to feel like I was working toward something.

ST: What was your first time on stage like? Good, bad, or awful?

SH: It was a train wreck. I mean, people laughed, but civilians don’t always know better. Regular people laugh at “that’s what she said” jokes and “The Big Bang Theory.” I don’t say that to be condescending, but non-comedians have an underdeveloped sense of comedy. They think in one step. So to a room full of people in my hometown, people with very little exposure to mainstream stand-up, I definitely did well.

I was also paraphrasing bits from George Carlin and others in those first few weeks. I didn’t know any better. I corrected that really quickly though and I started sucking with my own material instead of someone else’s. No one is good their first time. You are good compared to having never done it before, but no one is good compared to the standard any pro would consider baseline.

ST: How long did it take you to develop your own voice as a comic?

SH: The adage is that it takes seven years. I think it was closer to 10 for me, but there were gaps in my schedule that delayed things. The thing is that your opinions and values change as you get older, so your voice has to as well. The whole concept of “voice” on stage is funny to me—it’s really about being authentic and being able to present what you have to say as honestly as possible. Once you learn to do that, all the other stuff falls into place. You don’t have to worry about whether you write a story or a one liner, or whether the tone of a bit “fits” your voice. You just start to write as “you.” Not only does it solve all those other problems but it simplifies your actual writing process as well. Some days I still feel like I’m working on that, but for the most part I figured out—really, really figured out—who I was on stage around the 10-year mark.

ST: Which stand-up comics influenced you?

SH: I was influenced very heavily by Carlin in the early stages. Carlin, Richard Pryor, and Bill Cosby remain my Holy Trinity of stand-ups. Pryor and Cosby, particularly in regard to storytelling, have turned out to be bigger influences than Carlin though.

ST: You are also a radio host and podcast host of The Whiskey Brothers. Do you approach these platforms differently from stand-up comedy?

SH: They really are such different mediums. When you are on the radio by yourself there is no instant gratification. It’s literally playing to an empty room. No feedback, no laughter, no interaction. Maybe the phone rings, maybe it doesn’t. It’s just you and the microphone. I really don’t know why anyone does it, honestly. I did it initially because at least in the 1990s there was a bit of a rockstar quality to the DJ. It’s what you did if you had no musical talent but still wanted to go to concerts and feel important.

With the podcast (and with "The Outlaw Dave Show"), it’s a group environment. There is interplay and improvisation and you are actually creating something with your peers. It’s a totally different environment than being on stage by yourself. And of course you have to maintain the control. You’re operating on a clock, there are breaks to think about, levels to watch, and a ton of other things to distract you from simply being funny.

ST: Some comics write whole jokes down while others just keep it all in their head. What is your creative process when coming up with a joke?

SH: I used to have a long writing process. I would write every new joke out verbatim. I would use way too many words. I would over think it ridiculously. Now, I do so much of it on stage. I trust myself to throw a loose idea out in the middle of a show and see what happens. I always bring one good punch line with me and if things don’t work, that’s my out. You can always follow it with something old and proven to redeem yourself. It’s the thing the drum into your head in defensive driving classes. Always leave yourself an out. I’m gonna brake check this asshole who’s tailgating me, but if he gets all road ragey I’m going to make sure I have some space to get out of the situation. Not that defensive driving course offer that level of aggressive driving technique, but they do teach you to leave an out. New jokes are sort of that dangerous.

Most of the really good lines in some of my stories have just happened on stage though. You really are in a different mindset during a show—much more free, much more creative, very much the same way that people are in hypnosis shows. There is no over thinking it. It’s live fire, funny or die. I have a huge respect for the guys that can just sit down with a notepad and write “jokes.” I am fascinated by that. I realize that that seems like a racecar driver not knowing how to drive a stick shift, but I really do suck at it.

ST: You are a well-known whiskey drinker. What is your least favorite whiskey to drink?

SH: I was given a bottle of something called Yukon Gold for the podcast once. It’s the only bottle I’ve ever given back to a fan. It tasted like feet and sadness.

ST: I have to ask, did the Asian woman at Dunkin' Donuts ever dial the other "1"?

SH: Haha, that’s such an old bit but such a very true story. Kudos for knowing some of my old stuff that well. I’ve told the stage version of it so many times that I’ve forgotten what parts are true and which ones aren’t. What is true is that I was very much chased by my ex that night and I went to the Dunkin’ Donuts with the very sincere hope that a cop would be there. I remember laughing about that to myself even as her headlights raced toward me in the rearview mirror.

And she very much burst through the door and started throwing anything she could get her hands on—salt shakers, napkin holders, and then eventually one of those big drink machines got shoved off a counter and shattered the plate glass window. The only other person there was that poor little Chinese woman. It was two in the morning and I know I’m putting words in her mouth in the joke. As far as I actually remember, she just stood there as everything broke and watched. And I’m certain she pressed the “9” and both “1s” the second we left.

ST: What is one random fact about yourself?

SH: I take a toy Yoda with me everywhere I go and shoot pictures of him like one of those roaming gnomes. He’s been in something close to 15 countries with me since I got him last October, and I guard him as closely as I do my passport. There is a photo album with him on my Facebook and Flickr, and it’s gotten so bad that people no longer care what I’m doing; they just want to see Yoda in cool places.

To learn more about Slade Ham, check out his official website, like his Facebook page, or follow him on Twitter @sladeham.

The Writer's Bone Interviews Archive

Loving the Music of Language: 9 Questions With Novelist Peter Heller

Peter Heller (Photo credit John Burcham)

By Daniel Ford

I can’t tell you how many times I picked up Peter Heller’s The Dog Stars while frequenting bookstores in New York City. I may have read the entire book in aisles and walking around stores figuring out if I had enough money in my account to buy it (I didn’t).

I wasn’t the only one who fell hard for Heller’s post-apocalyptic story that centered around a man, his dog, and an airplane. It was a New York Times best-seller, the 2012 iTunes novel of the year, and an Atlantic Monthly best book of 2012.

Not bad for a first novel.

Heller took a timeout from promoting his new book The Painter to talk to me about loving the music of language, his early influences, and who he bases his characters on.

Daniel Ford: When did you start writing? Was it something that came to you naturally or was it developed over time?

Peter Heller: My father read to me every night before bed. Started when I was very small. I remember him reading e.e. cummings poems to me when I was six, “Buffalo Bill’s defunct…!” He was a writer and loved words and from that time it was all I wanted to do. When I was eleven, my school librarian handed me In Our Time, that beautiful collection of Ernest Hemingway stories, mostly about Nick Adams in Upper Michigan. My jaw dropped. I wanted to do that.

DF: What is your writing process like? Do you outline? Listen to music?

PH: I write in a coffee shop. Music or no, it doesn’t matter. Something about the hubbub hones my focus. I write fiction starting with the first line. I just love the music of the language, and I let that music carry me into the story. I don’t plot much. I want to be as surprised as the reader, and I know that if I am thrilled, shocked, surprised, she will be, too.

DF: The Dog Stars put you on the map as a writer and was on a ton of best of lists in 2012. How did you go about publishing it and how did it feel to experience that kind of positive reaction for your first novel?

PH: I wrote the book in a white heat in seven months. My agent was bowled over and sold it in a week to Jenny Jackson at Knopf, who is the most wonderful editor. I was blown away by the response. First from the people at Knopf, then from Random House reps who travel the country to booksellers, then from the booksellers and readers. It hit a chord that people responded to in a very powerful way. I was amazed and kind of awed, deeply humbled, and grateful.

DF: The literary landscape is saturated, and in a sense always has been, with apocalyptic stories. During your writing process, what decisions did you make to ensure that The Dog Stars stood out?

PH: I didn’t! I just listened to Hig’s voice and wrote it as fast as I could. About three pages in, I realized, “Holy crap, I’m writing a post-apocalyptic novel. I don’t want to write a post-apocalyptic novel!” For one, I didn’t, as a first time novelist, want to be compared to Cormac McCarthy and The Road. But I could see that my character Hig had a certain joy of life and a sense of humor an that this was a different project, so I persisted.

DF: Your most recent novel, The Painter, is a genre switch, but also focuses on a character trying to survive and overcome the events surrounding him. What was the inspiration for the novel and was the writing process different the second time around?

PH: The process was similar to The Dog Stars. I began with a first line and let it rip. Soon it became apparent that the character narrating the story sounded a lot like my painter friend Jim Wagner. A lot. He has a similar backstory: he is a famous artist from Taos, he shot a guy in a bar, etc. And my character looked and sounded like the real Jim. So I had to call him up and ask permission. He is a huge hearted generous soul like the fictional Jim Stegner, so he laughed and said, “Keep going!” I had to thin a bit more in structuring this book; thought about what might happen next. But only in the broadest terms. The rest, as in The Dog Stars, was about letting the character tell his story, following the music of the language.

DF: Given the nature of The Dog Stars and The Painter, the readers spend a lot of time with your main characters. How much of yourself, or those you interact with on a daily basis, do you put into each character? How do you go about developing your character once you have him or her in your mind?

PH: Hig spoke and I listened and wrote. I suppose he is a lot like me. Except that he can cook! Jim Stegner, as I said, is wholly based on my artist friend Jim Wagner. It’s interesting to experiment with characters who are very similar to real people, characters who are composites, and characters who are wholly invented.

DF: Now that you have two well-received novels under your belt, what’s next?

PH: I’m beginning the third. Once you begin making it all up, there’s no going back.

DF: What advice do you give to up-and-coming writers?

PH: Write a certain amount of words every day, and once you hit that mark, continue a bit until you can stop in the middle of an exciting scene or thought. That way, you can’t wait to get up in the morning and begin again.

DF: Can you tell us one random fact about yourself?

PH: I learned to catch trout by hand a few summers ago. A kid in Paonia, Colorado who is a master tracker taught me how. I’d always thought it was a myth.

To learn more about Peter Heller, check out his official website or like his Facebook page.

The Writer's Bone Interviews Archive

Discovering the Magic City's Musical Bermuda Triangle With Otto von Schirach‏

Otto von Schirach

By Danny DeGennaro and Sean Tuohy

Miami is, by its very nature, scuzzy, gaudy, intoxicating, and driven by hedonistic, selfish principles. One can either denounce the city, or draw inspiration from it. Otto von Schirach, like some ultra-zealous sexual anthropologist, drinks deeply from Miami's sewer water reservoir.

That his songs deal with debauchery isn't to say they aren't sincere. On the contrary, von Schirach's obsession with putting the squish and the viscera back into music and art is indicative of someone who's honestly interested in exploring the physical and psychological impact of relationships. For every errant beat, every tempo change, every breakneck yelp, the listener is pushed into self-awareness. His music demands user input, particularly when there's a funky ass break. Booties will most definitely shake. When von Schirach cites a Prince song, it's not to debase the original; it's to elevate it, to demonstrate that the high and the low aren't far apart, but one in the same.

I'll never forget my first real foray into Miami. I was outside of a tattoo parlor that was selling beer inside. My friend and I were both too young to drink by about a year, so we moped around the entrance, taking hateful swigs of rum out of a bottle we had brought. We got in my car and drove to get Mexican food while I played "Subatomic Disco Divas" at a volume that could induce spontaneous bowel movements. Otto von Schirach's music, for me, will always be a hazy ride up I-95 with all sense of responsibility blissfully, temporarily forgotten.

Do yourself a favor, read Sean Tuohy's interview with von Schirach and then gobble up all of his work if you haven't already.

Sean Tuohy: Who influenced you early on in your career?

OVS:  Cuban Folklore and Miami Nights, Morton Subotnick, Eazy E, Impetigo, Tom Waits, Vic da Kid. Too many to choose.

ST: When did you know that music was going be your calling? 

OVS: In 1989 when I DJ'ed my first house party. It was around midnight and the wall of woofer was sizzling. I put the needle on the record, and felt the earth shake.

ST: How did you get your start in the music business?

OVS: I started selling beats in the neighborhood, but before that I was a DJ for house parties.

ST: Your music is a very  unique sound that can be difficult to describe to someone who have never heard it before. How do you describe your own music to people?

OVS: A journey to the center of the Bermuda Triangle where you find sound vibrations that make you feel groovy.

ST: What drove you to create your avant-booty bass music?

OVS: I wanted to see earthlings freak their booty in a very avant-garde way!

ST: What is your creative process like? Do you have any rituals?

OVS: There are many secrets to the triangle. I use rituals. They help me express more emotion and capture more magic in the recordings.

ST: You are deeply connected to your hometown of Miami. Do you draw any inspiration for your music from the Magic City?

OVS: So much...

ST: What effect, if any,  did your cultural background have on your music?

OVS: Being raised Cuban, with big hints of Germanic blood, gave me a proper dose of weird.

ST: Besides your one of kind sound you have some of the most interesting song titles. Where do you come with song titles? 

OVS: Usually, the song tells me its name as I create it. The songs usually tell me some bizarre, unique name, so I just roll with it.

ST: You have this over the top on stage personality that really brings your live show to a whole another level. How much of that is you and how much of that is an act?

OVS: It's all real. That's all me. I also do gardening at home. That is also me. I do jujitsu. That is also me. I like to do many things. I am blessed.

ST: What does the future hold for Otto von Schirach?  Maybe run for mayor of Miami?

OVS: Good idea!

ST: If you had the chance to share the stage with any artist who it be?

OVS: Bruce Haack, Madonna.

ST: Can you tell us one random fact about yourself?

OVS:  I study the art and lifestyle of living raw.

ST: You helped crave out a Miami identity with your music and your work with the Miami Bass Warriors. How does that make you feel as a Miami native?

OVS: Blessed.

To learn more about Otto von Schirach, visit his official website, like his Facebook page, or follow him on Twitter @ottovonschirach.

The Writer's Bone Interviews Archive

Character Driven: 10 Questions With Author Ben Schwartz

Ben Schwartz

By Daniel Ford

During my most recent trip to RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth, N.H., I picked up a copy of Ben Schwartz’s The Drift of Things, which won the silver medal in the 2014 Piscataqua Press Novel Contest.

I reached out to Schwartz for an interview before I had even finished the book and was delayed sending him my questions because I was so engrossed in his story. The Drift of Things is packed with heart and features some of the best dialogue you’ll read this summer (after you buy the book immediately after reading this).

As an up-and-coming writer, Schwartz lent some valuable insights into the writing process, how to develop characters, and why deadlines are important.

Daniel Ford: When did you start writing? Was it something that came to you naturally or was it developed over time?

Ben Schwartz: I've always enjoyed writing, but more in an abstract sense—as in, that would be a fun thing to do. During and after college I had written some poems and decent enough short stories, but nothing bigger. As I started to finally attempt a novel, I decided I needed a little more guidance or inspiration or something. That's when I enrolled in an MFA program, which was great, both for the instruction and the deadlines. Deadlines help. My writing definitely developed much faster when I was doing it constantly.

DF: What is your writing process like? Do you outline? Listen to music?

BS: It's pretty simple. I don't outline, though I do have ideas scrawled through a notebook. I'm a high school teacher and am married with two boys. So pretty much everything I write is after everyone goes to bed, sitting in the dark. The toughest part was editing out lines or entire chapters that I loved, but didn't fit in with the rest of the book. I kept finding myself trying to structure a whole scene around squeezing in one good line, and that doesn't work. It's forced. The lines which I ended up liking best were the ones that just kind of appeared.

I always listen to music when I write. I have a hard time listening to new music while writing, because I pay too much attention to the lyrics. So it's usually one band for an entire piece of writing, even if they're not my absolute favorite. It also helps pick up where I left off if I start with the same song I finished with the night before. When I wrote The Drift of Things, I listened very heavily to The Hold Steady. I like their lyrics a lot, and in retrospect, it seems many of their themes wound up in the novel.

DF: Your novel The Drift of Things features witty dialogue between characters that genuinely seem to care about each other on a deep level. How did you go about developing that dialogue style and how do you go about developing your characters?

BS: Dialogue is tough. I tried very hard to make it both true and useful. I feel dialogue should really serve no other purpose then to either reveal something about the speaker or move the story along—without seeming heavy-handed. I think a few well-placed spoken lines can serve to negate the need for excessive narration.

My dialogue really came from getting to know the characters very well. As it developed I did a lot of going back and changing tone or vocabulary. I had a professor who said very rarely do you need more than "said" after a line. If you do, they didn't say the right thing. That influenced me to really make the dialogue speak for itself, so to speak.

As far as characters, I started with some very vague ideas about their past, how it relates to their present, and how they reconcile the two. Sarcasm comes probably too naturally for me, and that seeps into the characters. It sounds pat, but I found I really have to let the characters grow on their own. Sometimes they'd surprise me, I didn't expect them to put themselves into that situation, but it worked.

DF: The heart of your novel is the relationship between your main character and his father. Do you have a similar relationship with your father or did those two characters come from another place or your imagination?

BS: I definitely don't have the same relationship with my father as Norm does with Blake. My mother's alive for one thing, nor were my parents together growing up. I think I needed Norm to see someone, more similar to himself than he realizes, who spent his whole life in the town which now terrifies Norm. Their relationship certainly grows over the course of the book. But, as far as where that came from, I guess it came from them. I ended up caring a lot about them. That seems to show in the way they feel about each other.

DF: How much of yourself—and the people you have daily interactions with—did you put into your main characters?

BS: A lot. None of the main characters are me, or anyone specific, but they certainly say things that I would. Or would like to. Many of the minor characters, especially the students, are taken more directly from actual experiences. The more horrifying student-based events are all based in reality. I like paying a lot of attention to people around me, how I would describe them, what their motivations are. Sometimes small pieces of those thoughts end up in my writing.

DF: When you first finished The Drift of Things, which served as your thesis for your MFA program at Southern New Hampshire University, did you know you had something good, or did you have to go through multiple rounds of edits before you had something you felt comfortable sending out into the world?

BS: The Drift of Things was edited so many times that I think I could recite it. The original "finished" version had a different first chapter which I cut. Which was hard, because I liked it a lot. It may end up as a short story. I did like the book, and felt comfortable, probably more comfortable than I should have, sending it out to agents. I've experimented with a different ending, but have ended up sticking pretty true to the original.

DF: What went through your mind when you won the silver medal in the 2014 Piscataqua Press Novel Contest?

BS: It was great. I had received so many outright rejections, and a few interested nibbles, from agents that I was just really glad that that process was over. Piscataqua Press has been great to work with, and I like the small press. I was able to make final decisions on the cover and layout that I may not have been able to with a larger press.

DF: So now that you have a novel under your belt, what’s next for you?

BS: Another one, I guess. I have a few beginnings and ideas. I need to give myself some deadlines, and maybe some more willpower.

DF: What advice would you give to up-and-coming writers?

BS: First off, I am very far from being an established writer and still hope to be up-and-coming. Advice, though? Write a lot. Often. Get to know your characters to the point where in the early morning you're confused about whether or not they're real. Write badly. My favorite writer's quote about writing comes from William Stafford. He wrote for hours every morning. Someone asked him what he did when he didn't like what he wrote, he said, "I lower my standards."

DF: Can you tell us one random fact about yourself?

BS: I've purchased Speedos from a Speedo vending machine. Then I wore them.

To learn more about Ben Schwartz, visit his official website.

The Writer's Bone Interviews Archive 

Always Be Writing: 10 Questions With Thriller Author Brett Battles

Brett Battles

By Sean Tuohy

Brett Battles ushers his readers into a world filled with shadows, shady dealings, and deadly characters. Just like the hero in his novels, Freelance Intelligence operative Jonathan Quinn, Battles navigates the world of international thriller writer with ease and an eye always set to the future.

Brett was able to sit down and talk about his writing process, the meaning of well built characters in thriller novels, and the future of Jonathan Quinn.

Sean Tuohy: When did you start writing? Was it something that came to you naturally or was it developed over time?

Brett Battles: First story I wrote was in sixth grade. At that time, I told anyone who asked what I want to be when I grow up that I was going to write books. It took me a while, but I finally fulfilled that 11-year-old me’s prediction.

ST: How long did it take you to complete your first novel?

BB: Hmmm, that was a long time ago, so I don’t remember exactly, but I think it took about a year and a half. As a side note, it’s one of my two desk novels (books that will probably never see the light of day). It served its purpose, though. Proved I could finish a full novel, and showed me where I needed to improve. Hey, when you first learn how to play baseball, you don’t immediately get called up to the New York Yankees and inserted into the starting lineup.

ST: As a thriller writer do you believe in letting the action build or just throw the reader right in to the mess of the story?

BB: It all depends on what serves the story best. I’ve done both.

The Discarded

ST: Jonathan Quinn is not the standard hero, where did this character come from?

BB: So many places. I have always had a love of spy type thrillers, and wanted to write my own, but I didn’t want to go down the typical James Bond/Jason Bourne route. I’ve also always had a fascination with what I think of as the after story. In other words, what happens after a big event occurs—like after an assassination or car crash or secret meeting gone wrong. I combined these two interests (and other things I’d been thinking about) to create Quinn, a man whose job it is to make the bodies disappear, so basically the ultimate after character.

ST: How important are characters to a thriller novel?

BB: There is nothing more important. You can have the most ingenious plot ever with the coolest twist anyone has thought of, but without good characters the story will fall flat.

ST: What is your writing process like? Do you outline?

BB: I might write down a few notes, but I don’t outline. Why? Well, honestly, I find outlines too restricting. When I follow one while writing a book, I feel like I’m just typing. What I want to feel is the excitement a reader feels when they read a book. I get that when I write without a net. I love the process of discovery as the scene develops. Do I paint myself into corners on occasion? Oh, yeah. But I just back right out and turn in another direction. The only exception to my no outline policy is when I write a book with someone else, like the Alexandra Poe series I write with Robert Gregory Browne. We outline those ahead of time so that we both know the story.

ST: Do you do any research before starting a new project?

BB: Again, depends on the story. Sometimes, yes. Often, though, the research comes as issues arise.

ST: What advice do you give to up and coming writers?

BB: Always be writing. I don’t mean always be putting words on paper or a screen. But real writing is a 24/7 gig. See story everywhere. Describe in your head the people you meet. Look for the little things in real life that will make your story connect with readers. And when you do put those words down, always be open to learning more and improving your craft. I’m constantly trying to improve, and will undoubtedly be doing that through the last thing I ever write.

ST: What does the future hold for Brett Battles? Any upcoming projects?

BB: I always have something going on. Just finishing up a new standalone novel that should be out in August called Rewinder. It’s a thriller with a bit of a sci-fi edge. And I’m really excited about it! Later in the year, the seventh in my Project Eden series should be out. And, of course, more Quinn next year!

ST: Can you tell us one random fact about yourself?

BB: I love peanut butter and ketchup sandwiches. No lie.

To learn more about Brett Battles, check out his official website, like his Facebook page, or follow him on Twitter @BrettBattles.

The Writer's Bone Interviews Archive

Take Every New Opportunity as a Challenge: 9 Questions With Photographer Chris Cardoza

Photographer Chris Cardoza

By Rachel Tyner

Chris Cardoza is an up-and-coming photographer based out of Boston. He began as a temp for Reebok International working in their video production department and quickly turned his new skills and connections into a full blown commercial photography and video production career, working with brands such as Reebok, NHL, Spartan Race, Spaulding Rehab, and ISlide.

I was fortunate to meet Chris at UMASS Amherst, where we both majored in Communication. Over the past three years since graduation he has developed not only professionally, but creatively.

Chris gave me the opportunity to ask him some questions about his career, as well as his advice for artists.

Rachel Tyner: At what age did you first pick up a camera? Have you always been interested in photography, or is this something that developed over time?

Chris Cardoza: I didn’t pick up a camera until I turned 20 years old and started a small production company with my best friend Keith Weiner (an extremely talented photographer and camera operator now in Los Angeles) called Pancakes 4 Life. We shot promo and event videos for small businesses in Massachusetts. Once I got my hands on a DSLR, which we were using for everything, I quickly became obsessed and filmed/photograped everything in sight. I have always been a tech nerd so that translated really well to modern DSLRs. Photography and filmmaking has really become the perfect fusion of creativity and technology for me which is why I am so passionate about the art.

Photo by Chris Cardoza

RT: Who in your life has inspired (and/or encouraged) you the most to pursue your dreams? Who are your creative influences (writers, photographers, etc.)?

CC: Personally my parents have always encouraged me to pursue my dreams. They both owned and operated a pizza and catering business for over 10 years during my childhood and now my father is onto a new venture completely different and my mother is teaching at an elementary school. They have never settled for careers they did not enjoy or feel fulfillment from and encouraged me to do the same. From a professional level my greatest influences are photographers and filmmakers Chase Jarvis, Philip Bloom, Tom Lowe, John Loomis, Gary Land, Tim Hetherington, Sebastian Junger, and many others.

Photo by Chris Cardoza

RT: What is the best advice someone ever gave you, and what would you say to any artist starting out? 

CC: This is a very tough one. Some of the best advice comes from a quote my father loves to tell me about luck. “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”—Seneca

I do feel like one of the luckiest people in this world with all the opportunities I have been given, so with all of this luck I try to really grasp these opportunities no matter how far fetched, outrageous or uncomfortable they may seem. I use to have a very negative first reaction to new opportunities, which was more of a fearful reaction, but now I take every new opportunity as a challenge. In terms of advice to artists starting out I would say be open to opportunities and do not let your ego or fear get in the way.

Photo by Chris Cardoza

RT: On your website, you caption the photo below, “This one is what started everything.” What is the story behind the photo? Do you have a favorite photo that you’ve taken?

CC: I shot this while working for Reebok in the video production department. We flew out to San Francisco to film a piece about kids running in a new pair of shoes. Simultaneously there was a photoshoot for the shoes going on and one of the kids was tired toward the end of the day, so he decided to take a break and rest up against the wall. I was lucky enough to be right there in front of this incredible mural right when he leaned in. The photo gained a lot of attraction around the office and triggered something in me that said “Hey maybe I could capture these moments for a living.” This is one of the first photos I have taken with a professional camera and to this day is my favorite.

Photo by Chris Cardoza

RT: You work with a lot of brands and commercial platforms. How do you balance keeping your own creative voice with portraying the brands' own message? Has this been a challenge?

CC: Luckily I have been able to work with some really talented people who notice that I work best when I am given a lot of freedom to get the right image or video sequence. Since they recognize my process and the results I get for them, most tend to allow me creative freedom. There are some shoots where I lose creative control but it is all part of the business. I try to balance those days with personal shoots or work with clients who give me freedom.

Photo by Chris Cardoza

RT: On your website, you state that you are turning your multimedia studio in Norwood, Mass into a creative paradise. What exactly does “creative paradise” mean to you? And, can the Writer’s Bone crew stop by sometime…?

CC: Definitely come by! It basically means I want my studio to be as relaxing as possible with a plethora of inspiration. I have only had it for a couple months but so far I have filled it with adult bean bag chairs, a gaming desk, some art work, great music and photo books. My goal is to make it a place no one wants to leave and everyone wants to create. For my first year as a freelance photographer I worked strictly out of my apartment on edits which became very lonely and dull. I’m going for the opposite here, which has worked out great.

Photo by Chris Cardoza

RT: You’ve had a lot of success in a short period of time. Something to be very proud of. What has been the most mind blowing part of your experience in the past three years, and what do you hope the next three years will hold for you?

CC: The most mind blowing experiences have to be my travels. Before starting my career, I rarely ever traveled outside of New England and now I have photographed in almost every major city in the United States. Next week I am headed to Rwanda to photograph and film for an amazing nonprofit, www.shootingtouch.com. The whole evolution and speed of my career so far definitely blows my mind and I am forever grateful for all of the people who have guided me and believed in a young creative so far. As for the future, I plan on traveling more, creating more personal photo and film series and working with even more amazing people. I would love to shoot for Vice and Sports Illustrated, too. That would be cool.

Photo by Chris Cardoza

RT: Favorite beer? 5,000 Bonus points if it’s one from our “Happy Hour” page

CC: My favorite beer is Harpoon IPA but I do love a good Shipyard Pumpkinhead in the fall.

RT: What is one random fact about yourself?

CC: I can walk on stilts pretty well.

To learn more about Chris Cardoza, visit his official website, like his Facebook page, or follow him on Twitter @cdozaspeak and Instagram.

The Writer's Bone Interviews Archive

The Song Is Never Finished: 11 Questions With Musician Goh Nakamura

Goh Nakamura

By Sean Tuohy 

Goh Nakamura has been constantly writing music and honing his craft since the 1990s.

During his impressive career, he’s arranged music for award-winning director Ridley Scott, released critically acclaimed albums, and toured the world. Nakamura has even played a parody of himself in two films directed by David Boyle: "Surrogate Valentine" and "Daylight Savings," both of which were met with positive reviews.

Nakamura was nice enough to take time away from touring to sit down and talk with me about music, how he writes songs, and how he never feels that his music is ever finished.

Sean Tuohy: When did you begin writing songs?

Goh Nakamura: I had a 4-track cassette recorder in high school, but I was only recording guitar instrumental pieces, nothing with lyrics. It wasn’t until well after college that I wrote a song that I was happy with. That’d be “Daylight Savings.” I was 30 years old.

ST: Who were some of the artist who influenced you? Was there a song that made you think, "Hey, I want to write music?”

GN: I studied jazz and mostly guitar improvisation way before I attempted to write lyrics, so my influences in that realm are Miles Davis, Bill Frisell, and Chopin. As far as songwriting: The Beatles, Elliott Smith, Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan, and Neil Finn. So many songs made me want to write, but one that comes to mind is “Between The Bars” by Elliott Smith.

ST: How much of yourself do you put into each song you create?

GN: I’m not sure, to be honest. I don’t consider myself to be a confessional songwriter. I write more from wordplay and making the syllables match the structure and architecture of the melody.

ST: You have some of the most fun, playful, and funniest lyrics of any artist I can think of. How did you create this lyric style? Was it something you worked at or did it just come naturally?

GN: Thanks! I don’t think I’ve created anything new stylistically or anything. I’m still working on it, and will always be working on it. The songs never quite feel finished to me. I revise my own lyrics live all the time. If I listen to old stuff, I have to think of it like a photograph…they’re (hopefully) the best I could do at that time, and I have to accept that.

ST: “Surrogate Valentine” is my personal favorite song by you. It's sweet and charming and I will hum it out of tune all day. What is the backstory of the song?

GN: I think I first recorded a demo of that around the late 1990s. I lost the cassette (yeah, I’m dating myself here!). It sounded a lot different. I wish I could hear it, because all I have is a fuzzy memory of it…the melody was the same, but the chords where different and heavier.

ST: Do you know if Natalie Portman has listened to your song "Natalie Portman" yet?

GN: I hope not. That song is/was a joke. Embarrassing.

ST: You have played a fictional version of yourself twice on film, "Surrogate Valentine" and "Daylight Savings." How did you get involved with these projects? Was it difficult to play a version of yourself on screen?

GN: I met a director named Dave Boyle at a film festival in San Francisco around 2009. We hit it off, and wanted to collaborate on something. I wrote a song to help promote a film of his called “White on Rice,” and he made a video of me singing it on a rooftop in San Francisco in black and white. I didn’t know it at the time, but I guess that was an audition of sorts for a movie idea he had of a traveling musician. He pitched it to me, and I said “sure” without having any idea of what was in store. I ended up playing the lead role, which is basically an alternate reality version of myself. It was definitely difficult to act, even playing “myself.” I have nothing but the utmost respect for professional actors who do this for a living.

ST: Several of your songs have been featured in Hollywood films, such as “Body of Lies” and “A Good Year.” Has licensing your music been positive for your career?

GN: None of my songs have been licensed, but I did a bunch of guitar work and some co-writing, and arranging on the scores to five Ridley Scott films. The films I did the most on were “A Good Year” and “American Gangster.” Both were incredible experiences, and I hope to do more if I’m going to survive as a musician. I’m still trying to license my music, but it’s akin to winning the lottery.

ST: What is your song writing process? Do you start with lyrics or the music?

GN: It’s different almost every time. Sometimes I intentionally start with one or the other, but most of the time it’s about equal. I’ll change the lyrics to fit the melody and vice versa. They feed on each other.

ST: What advice would you give to young and upcoming singer/song writers?

GN: Learn and write as many songs as you can. Pick them apart and find out what you like and don’t like about them. I wrote so many crappy songs before I was happy with one… I still write crappy songs. It’s okay though, it’s just music. It’s sort of like writing an essay or something, write as many drafts as it takes to strengthen the song. Be able to recognize things that are disposable lyrically, melodically, or architecturally. Not every song needs a “chorus” or a “bridge.” If it gets your message across just with one section, then why dilute it?

ST: Can you tell us one random fact about yourself?

GN: I usually don’t take my own advice. I’m trying though.

To learn more about Goh Nakamura, check out his official website, like his Facbeook page, or follow him on Twitter @gohnakamura. 

The Writer's Bone Interviews Archive 

Noir Hop Artist Zilla Rocca On How He Crafted His Distinct Sound

Zilla Rocca

Photo by Edwin Hay

By Sean Tuohy

Musician Zilla Rocca put together two styles of urban story to spawn his own subgenre he calls “noir hop.”

His latest album, “No Vacation For Murder,” came out a few months ago and showcases the artist’s ability to create tragic tales set to head bobbing beats. His self-made tone is brooding and filled with an uncontrollable creative energy that kicks to break loose.

Rocca sat down with me to discuss his creative process, his views on the music world, and what the future holds for him.

Sean Tuohy: Where did your love of noir and hip hop come from?

Zilla Rocca: I fell in love with hip hop as a kid. I used to watch MTV all day as an only child, going back to when I was really young, when Young MC "Bust a Move" and Tone Loc "Wild Thing" and MC Hammer were on television all day. As I got older and was able to buy my own tapes like Naughty By Nature, Dr. Dre, Wu-Tang and such, I had officially caught the bug and I haven't looked back. I liked the sound of people rhyming, the way people used to dance, and the outfits they wore. It was like nothing going on where I lived in South Philly, which was predominantly working class Irish and Italian people listening to Top 40 or the oldies, like Sinatra.

I was always a big reader too, so I used to read young detective books like Encyclopedia Brown. I always connected with characters that were smart, that were curious, and that weren't afraid to pursue something, so later on when I realized what noir was, it made perfect sense to become a diehard fan of it. Now I read Hard Case Crime books, Elmore Leonard, Frederic Brown, David Goodis, and others. I'm fascinated by crime and how or why people commit it.

ST: When did you decide that you could smash the two worlds of noir and hip hop together?

ZR: Back in 2009, I made an album called "The Slow Twilight" as the collective 5 O'Clock Shadowboxers with Seattle producer Blurry Drones, which was heavily influenced by the noir flick "Blast of Silence." The album is about alienation and anger that never quite bubbles all the way to the surface. I realized then that I made something completely original and that I needed to take ownership of this new style, which I coined "noir hop". And ever since then, it's been my calling card with any project I release, from the artwork to the song titles to the stories on the records. It was the best decision I've ever made musically because it gave me a distinct identity.

ST: What draws you to the world of classic noir?

ZR:  I love classic noir because there's no time for bullshit. People have a clear purpose, whether their intentions are noble or heinous. The writing is quick and brutal. The world of classic noir is seductive and dangerous. The slang is thick, the men are tough, the women are devilish. There's a clear connection between the themes of classic noir and classic hip hop, namely that it's a reaction to a particular city and a particular set of morals. I've lived in almost every part of Philadelphia my whole life, and I've been around people who decided to join the Mafia and people who decided to become cops, people who became dealers and people who became junkies. So that aspect of the literature influenced my writing with hip hop, because hip hop is all about you representing what you know and where you're from.

ST: Which hip hop artist influenced you the most? Which noir writer influenced you the most?

ZR: I'd say Aesop Rock has influenced me the most musically because he showed me a long time ago that you can do whatever you want. For a long time, there were unwritten rules in rap about how you look, what your content should be, who you could emulate, etc. Aesop Rock completely destroyed every rule in the book and has made the most original music for over a decade in rap while always moving forward. His writing is unmatched. His slang is very coded. His production is swampy yet digestible. And his voice is like a death dealer. He gave me confidence to try things that the status quo would frown upon.

There's different noir writers who have influenced different songs and projects. "The Slow Twilight" is very Raymond Chandler influenced. I have songs that haven't been released yet that owe a huge debt to Ed Brubaker and Megan Abbot. My new album "No Vacation For Murder" is probably most influenced by David Goodis because he was a Philly guy who wrote about men near my age in my town making very bad decisions.

Zilla Rocca (Photo by Edwin Hay)

ST: You have built your own sub genre called "noir hop." What does it feel like to be the first of your kind?

ZR: I've noticed that my style and terminology has crept into the subconscious of my peers, which is corny in one way but flattering in another. It means that people have paid attention to my work, but could never fully maximize what I do because they're taking surface level pieces of my stuff—black and white videos, fedoras, whiskey, cigarette smoke, etc. People weren't doing that as much in indie rap before I made that my flag to wave five years ago. I've had other people point these things out to me so I know they too respect the architect.

ST: What is your writing process like? Do you have the lyrics first or the beat?

ZR: I read all of the time and watch a lot of television, so I'll catch a certain phrase and write it down in my notepad app on my iPhone. Or I'll overhear someone say something really slick in a conversation and write that down too. So when it's time to write a song, I skim through my notes for a phrase to spark the concept or hook. I like to write things that are vivid and use phrases no one else has ever uttered in rap, so my notes are like my cheat sheets to accomplish that. I never write without a beat because the beat determines everything: the mood, the flow, the story, the spacing of the words. And the notes I keep help me add some flourishes along the way once I figure out what to do. When I first started out 17 years ago, I used to write lyrics first and match them with a beat. I'll do that once in a while if I wrote a song and it got scrapped so I don't waste any lyrics. But 90 percent of the time, the music creates the words.

ST: You came out with "No Vacation For Murder" not too long ago. Can you give us the background on this album? How long did you work on it?

ZR: The album actually dropped a couple months ago after years of work. It took about two years to write the album and four years total to complete. It was inspired by real life betrayal by people that were the closest to me. I had to take time off from making the record because it was too heavy, so I put out a bunch of other projects that weren't as cumbersome to fill the time.

There's parts on the album that play out like revenge fantasies, and other parts on the album where I take full responsibility for even having those relationships in the first place. I did a lot of growing up from the time I wrote the first song to the time the album was getting mixed and mastered. So the trick was to figure out how to determine the narrative as an album, since I started off feeling like I wanted to exact revenge at all costs on people who had broken my heart, compared to feeling at peace and letting go of all those emotions years later. I can say proudly now that it's my best work, and that unfortunate set of circumstances were the best things to ever happen to me.

ST: Your single "Shoot the Piano Player" is a stunning one-act noir play set to an awesome beat. Where did this song come from? Why did you make this one of the first singles off the new album?

ZR: My producer Blurry Drones, who is the driving force behind The Shadowboxers’ aesthetic, sent me that beat a long time ago. I wasn't really impressed with it. And then one day my friend Has-Lo stumbled across it and thought he and I should tell a quick crime story to it in the vein of Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, two of our biggest influences, for a different project. We did the song pretty quickly, and after hearing it, I told Has-Lo that I had to have it for the album.

My director Pat Murray, who has done several of my past videos, came up with the entire concept. I love working with Pat because he's a visionary—none of the work we've done together looks like anyone else's videos in rap. He understands the mood I want when I do videos, and I give him 100 percent creative control, something most artists don't afford him when they hire him.

ST: The music video for "Shoot the Piano Player" is stylish and original. How did you decide to set the tone for the video?

ZR: Again, that's all Pat. He had previously used that location called the Physick House, a historical landmark in Philly, for a commercial shoot. It was very elegant and built in the 19th century. Lucky for us, we shot it on a Saturday afternoon when it was raining like crazy, so it gave us an added sense of doom. And Pat had the idea very early on to do all long shots for each take, so everything you see in the video had to be filmed non-stop with no edits. If anything was off, we had to start from the beginning and do it for the duration for the song. In short, Pat Murray is untouchable.

Zilla Rocca (Photo by Edwin Hay)

ST: What does the future hold for Zilla Rocca?

ZR: Who knows? I learned recently just to let things happen instead of trying to control everything. Since I've done that, I've been lucky enough to have favorable situations come together. It's better to attract good things rather than chase them.

ST: Can you tell us one random fact about yourself?

ZR: No matter what city I go to, someone will pull over, or stop me in the street, and ask me for directions. It's happened in Philly, Chicago, London, Phoenix, New York City, Los Angeles, and more. I guess I always look like I know where I'm going.

To learn more about Zilla Rocca, like his Facebook page, or follow him on Twitter @ZillaRocca.

The Writer's Bone Interviews Archive

Fiction's Midwife: 8 Questions With Celebrated New Author Jolina Petersheim

Jolina Petersheim

By Daniel Ford

While researching authors for future Writer’s Bone interviews, I kept coming across Jolina Petersheim’s name on Twitter.

The author’s first novel, The Outcast, is a modern retelling of The Scarlet Letter influenced by Petersheim’s Mennonite upbringing. The book was named one of Library Journal’s Best of 2013 and was called a “must-read” by The New York Times.

Petersheim took a break from promoting her second novel, The Midwife, to talk to me about how she was raised, her path to publishing her work, and her writing process while taking care of a newborn.

Daniel Ford: Your backstory is one of the more interesting of any author we’ve come across so far. Can detail some of your history and how it shaped you as a writer?

Jolina Petersheim: My husband and I share a Plain background that originated in Lancaster, Penn., but we actually met here in the mountains of Tennessee (Our fathers even attended the same Mennonite high school). We met at church through my husband’s formerly Amish grandfather, Amos Stoltzfus, who encouraged my family to visit. Grandpa Amos was a wonderful, lively man, and I partly based my character in The Outcast, Amos King, after him.

Four years ago, a family member told a true story about the power of desire that was left unchecked and how it trickled down through an Old Order Mennonite family, not only affecting that generation, but the generations to come. We were all sitting around the kitchen, and after the person finished speaking, I gasped, “That’s a book!” But I did nothing about it. At the time, I was writing Southern fiction and did not want to surrender to “Amish fiction”—a genre my father always told me I should write.

However, a few years later, I was on the London Underground when a tall, stoop-shouldered man in a black suit stepped on board. My best friend and I recognized him as the person who was friends with the woman who was allowing us to stay in her flat. On the subway, this unsung poet and prophet spoke into my best friend’s life. Then later, on the double decker bus, he spoke into mine. He told me I would give up the manuscript I was currently working on and begin writing again. I didn’t know I would listen, but when I came home, I could not hear anything else. I put my current manuscript in a drawer and began writing a fictionalized version of the story that had been told to me. I met this man in 2010, and the story ideas regarding my Plain heritage have not stopped coming in four years.

DF: How did you go about getting your work published?

JP: I had a rather unusual path. I met my agent, Wes Yoder, at an author reading when I was 25,000 words into the first draft of The Outcast. He asked if he could read the portion of the manuscript I had completed. I sent the polished version to him one month later. He told me he thought the story had potential, so I began to write as quickly as I could. I was expecting our little girl at the time; therefore, I knew I had a narrow window in which to finish the manuscript. I completed The Outcast in six months, and Wes and I had a two-book publishing contract with Tyndale House when my firstborn daughter was 12 weeks old. She is now almost 2 years old, and all I can say is that it has been a delightful, somewhat challenging but always rewarding, journey!

DF: What is your writing process? Is it structured or unstructured?

JP: I like to follow a loose synopsis but not an outline, and I guess I’m structured in the fact that I try to write and read every day. Monday through Friday, I get up at 6 a.m. and write in the living room with a cup of coffee. My daughter gets up at 7 a.m., so my husband prepares her breakfast and has some special time with her until he leaves for work around 8 a.m.

I do social media and respond to emails during her bath time, then I start writing again at 11 a.m. when she takes a nap, which sometimes last until 1 p.m. or—miracle of miracles!—even 2 p.m. I read at night, until 10 p.m., averaging about three books a month.

On the weekends, I sleep until 7 a.m., take a break from social media, and spend my daughter’s nap time working on blog posts or interviews, like I’m doing now!

DF: Your first book, The Outcast, was a best-seller on Amazon and was named to a bunch of different “Best of” lists in 2013. What was that experience like as a first-time author?

JP: I have been so touched by the support this debut novel of mine has received! More even than these wonderful accolades, though, countless times I have been moved to tears by messages from dear readers, who contact me to express how The Outcast’s story of heartache, forgiveness, and redemption has transformed their lives. This is truly what it’s all about. I pray The Midwife will touch their hearts to the same extent, as Rhoda’s story is just as personal to me as Rachel’s.

DF: You’re very active on social media, and you maintain a blog on your website. Do you find yourself using social media to interact with fans or just have fun? How has it helped your writing process?

JP: I am an extroverted, stay-at-home mom who lives in the mountains of East Tennessee. Needless to say, on a day-to-day basis, I don’t get to see many people beyond my family. The genuine interaction with my online reading community is surprising and priceless, and I truly love that aspect of my job.

However, social media can become a burden if you let it. You can spend so much of your energy and time establishing connections and marketing old content that you never have energy and time left to create new content. After 11 a.m., I unplug from the Internet and will check back in during the afternoon (around 2 p.m., after my second writing session) to see if I need to reply to any emails or messages.

DF: Your second novel, The Midwife, was recently released. Was the process for writing it any different than the first one?

JP: Oh, yes! I spent up to eight hours a day working on The Outcast, five days a week. I signed a two-book deal with my publisher soon after my daughter was born. Therefore, I started writing The Midwife when she was twelve weeks old. Without knowing it, I trained my newborn to be an insomniac with a voracious appetite, because I believed she would shrivel up if she didn’t eat every two hours. This made it rather hard for a while. But she started sleeping through the night around ten months and really got it down at one year (hooray!).

Through that difficult period, writing The Midwife was my tether. Sometimes, after supper, I would sit on the front porch and write while my husband sat inside, rocking our fussy child. I will admit that there were moments when I did not think I could do it, but that was when my husband, mother, or mother-in-law would come swooping in and make supper, fold laundry, or allow me to go to the library for a few hours to work.

Now that my daughter is 2 years old, it’s certainly gotten easier. My husband has his own business, and therefore can set his own hours; he often comes home early so I can have a few hours to write. Right now, I am writing on the front porch while my daughter naps. One of my favorite times of day!

DF: What is your advice to up-and-coming authors?

JP: Never, ever give up! That afternoon I met my agent, I was 12 weeks pregnant and had reconciled in my heart that it was time to set my writing dream aside. Here, little did I know that my future career was just about to begin! It is a dream come true to work from home and be with our daughter through every simple, exquisite moment. I know I am blessed.

DF: Name one random fact about yourself?

JP: I took mandolin lessons for 12 years, and I still can’t play.

To learn more about Jolina Petersheim, check out her official website, like her Facebook page, or follow her on Twitter @Jolina_Joy.

The Writer's Bone Interviews Archive

Dooty Calls: ‘Enlisted’ Showrunners Kevin Biegel and Mike Royce On Their Careers and Why You Should Watch Their Show

By Sean Tuohy and Daniel Ford

After Sean wrote his love letter to “Enlisted” last week, he reached to the show’s writers on Twitter to see how interested they would be in an interview.

Showrunners Kevin Biegel (also known for “Cougar Town” and “Scrubs”) and Mike Royce (also known for “Everybody Loves Raymond” and “Men of a Certain Age”—a personal favorite of mine) eagerly agreed to answer some of our questions even as they continued to fight hard to keep their show on the air.

The world needs as many well-written comedies as it can get, so do them a favor and tune in to “Enlisted” on Sundays at 7 p.m. on FOX. Biegel is also offering a steak dinner to any Nielsen family that tunes in. So there's that.

Daniel Ford: When did you two decide to become television writers?

Kevin Biegel: I'd always wanted to be a writer. I grew up making and loving movies, but never thought of it as a real profession. Early on after I moved to Los Angeles I got a chance to do roundtable punch up on some movies, and off of that experience I realized that I really enjoyed writing with a group of people like that. Television is pretty much that nonstop, so I decided to pursue it from there.

Mike Royce: I was a television-watching fool growing up and used to make Super 8 films with my friends during my tween/teen years. Then went to film school and started writing there but took a detour to be a standup comic during my twenties and much of my thirties. That led me back to TV writing when "Everybody Loves Raymond" offered me a job.

Sean Tuohy: Where did the idea for “Enlisted” come form? Was it from somewhere personal?

KB: It was very personal. I'm pulling stories and relationships from my life, my relationships with my two younger brothers, and also our feelings/my feelings toward the military because I grew up with it as a reality in my life. My father, grandfather, and uncle all served. I had written on “Scrubs,” and liked being able to write about specific character relationships that I was familiar with in a very specific workplace world.

ST: How did you pitch “Enlisted” to the network?

KB: It was basically as a workplace comedy, albeit a workplace you hadn't seen in a comedy for years. I was really specific about the characters, and also about the tone and feel of the show. I just wanted to ensure that they knew it was something big and inviting and joyous while also being serious at times—that it would shift from comedy to some more dramatic elements at times and then back to comedy. I really tried to show that they could co-exist like they had on shows I had always loved and that I hoped this show could be like in success.

ST: Sergeant Hill has PSTD, which is not a very funny topic, but “Enlisted” approaches in a real way. What research did you do in regards to PTSD? Do you think the show will help shed some more light on this issue? Have you had any feedback from members of the armed services regarding the show?

KB: We did a lot of research, talked to a lot of veterans and men and women currently serving. It was of utmost importance that we didn't fall into the harmful stereotype of "person back from war who is a ticking time bomb." That's not a fair view to take of men and women coming back from deployment, but it's one that a lot of shows unfortunately do because...well, maybe because it's easy, or maybe because they don't want to take the time to show a better, more honest portrayal for the majority of veterans. It's not funny, you're right, but we never intend it to be funny. We want it to be honest to the character, we want to be respectful of it, and we want to be able to address it in the middle of a comedy both because of the challenge and because it's the kind of show we want to make.

I like comedy that challenges me with more emotional stuff, that doesn't always just go "joke joke joke" and then you're done. We want to be funny first and foremost, but if we're going to do a show set in this world we have to address the tougher aspects of it. If we don't, I don't think we're doing a very good job. We've heard from a number of people in the military community, and we are absolutely humbled when they say that the show has helped them go get help, has helped them have a dialogue with their kids about their experience. That's amazing to us. Someone wrote the other day that “Enlisted” has started coming up in their group therapy, just as shorthand to talk about experiences that sometimes aren't so easy to talk about. That blows me away, and it makes me proud to be a part of the show.

ST: Did you receive any support from the Army?

KB: Initially we didn't, because they feared we were just going to mock them; that we were just another piece of pop culture that was going to make fun of them and their way of life. I think now that they see the comedy is coming from a group of people who have very personal connections with the military, they are more open to us in an "official" capacity. We had to prove ourselves, which is totally expected and cool. We should have to prove ourselves!

ST: “Enlisted” is part workplace comedy, part family comedy. Is it difficult to balance these two types of humor?

MR: You know it's funny because workplace comedies are about family in some sense...that group of people becomes a family. That's especially true in the Army—see the phrase "Band of Brothers." In this case we have the added dynamic of the Hill brothers working out their family issues but it just adds to the depth in my opinion. It gives us more places to draw from. I think given the chance to do future episodes we would delve into more family members of both the Hills and the other characters.

ST: Unlike other comedies that take time to establish their humor, “Enlisted” establishes it very well in the pilot. How long did it take the writing staff to discover the show's voice?

MR: Kevin established very specific voices for the characters right from the start. He is drawing from his own trio of brothers for Pete/Derrick/Randy so the back and forth and punching came right out of him. Command Sergeant Major Cody's voice also flowed right out of him, I don't know how but there was a specificity there that was hilarious and really clicked. Sergeant Perez’s badass quality too. Then our amazing cast took those words and their immense talent and took everything to another level. The other platoon members only had one or two lines in the pilot but they immediately showed off their many comedic talents (including some choice ad-libs) and we wrote to all that as quickly as we could.

DF: Workplace comedies used to be staples of the television landscape, but seem to be harder to develop audiences today. Do you think that trend will ever come back, or will these shows find a home on cable or online channels?

MR: There is a great flattening going on where most comedies draw similar numbers. Networks are trying to adjust their expectations. Comedies need nurturing and I think there's a slow recognition that it's okay to keep something that's doing "so-so" because today's "so-so" is tomorrow's hit in this day and age. That works better than constantly chasing “Big Bang Theory” numbers and ending up with even worse ratings than you had. And if you look at history pretty much every single mega-billion dollar comedy hit started out struggling.

DF: You've both been involved in great television shows with long runs, and television shows that were critically acclaimed, but struggled to find an audience. Has there been any point in your careers when you thought, "I need to do something else, I can't keep going through this."

MR: Everyday! But then I remember I have no other skills. I barely have these skills.

KB: Sure, then I see all the free food in the kitchen at work and I'm like, okay, this is pretty sweet. I should keep trying to do this. Work is all about free food, basically.

DF: What's the best part of working in a writer's room on a television show? What's one of the most memorable moments you had while writing "Enlisted" or any of your other shows?

MR: In a good group, you get to bitch and moan and celebrate and laugh your ass off. There's all these funny people around you making you laugh and then they pay you. It's honestly absurd (don't tell the studio).

KB: It's what Mike said. You get to hang out with funny people all day long, and thankfully they're all really kind and cool as well. We didn't hire one dick! I think as far as a memorable moment, I am kind of partial to that time we sat a table going, "Are we really gonna have a gun that makes people poo their pants? Really?" and then going all in.

ST: Is there any chance that “Enlisted” can live on while on another network?

MR: Yes! And that's all I can say right now. Well that and please watch our last four episodes, Sundays at 7 p.m. EST/6 p.m. CST.

KB: Tell every one of your friends to watch if they can, tell them to tell their friends, and if you can find a Nielsen family we'll buy them a steak dinner if they tune in.

DF: If this is truly the end for "Enlisted," at what point do you start developing a new idea for your next show?

MR: Pretty much now. I'm writing a pilot, but still focused on doing whatever we can for “Enlisted” first.

KB: Kinda always for me, actually. I love “Enlisted” with all my heart, but I'm a writer and I'm always working on something. I beat myself up a lot. I have to do it or I hate myself for not doing it.

DF: Name one random fact about yourselves.

MR: I have a full head of hair that I have hidden since age 25 under a bald cap.

KB: I know the name of every shark that swims in every ocean.

The Writer's Bone Interviews Archive

Hollywood A-Listers Join Forces With Young Storytellers Foundation to Encourage A Life-Long Love of Creativity

By Stephanie Schaefer

The creative arts provide fulfillment and foster imagination in kids young and old, however, unfortunately, the arts are typically the first classes to get cut by strict budgets in the public school system. If last week’s Reading Rainbow Kickstarter news was any indication, millions of Americans agree that literature opens the doors to a world of knowledge.

The Young Storytellers Foundation (YSF) aims to promote childhood literacy though the art of storytelling. This California-based organization uses tactics such as group exercises and one-on-one mentors to provide children in public schools the opportunity to write stories and see them brought to life through performances by well-known actors.

I recently had the privilege to talk to Pilar Alvarez, education director of YSF, about the powerful impact creativity can have on a child’s life.

Stephanie Schaefer: First of all, can you tell me about the mission of the Young Story Tellers Foundation?

Pilar Alvarez: Our mission is to inspire children to discover the power of their own voice. We do that through our main two educational programs, Script to Stage and Young Movie Makers. Both programs use group exercises and mentoring to provide under-served children in the public school system an opportunity to create stories and see them brought to life through performance.

SS: When was the organization founded and how has it expanded since then?

PA: YSF was founded in 1997 by a group of young film students who, in response to cuts to creative arts educational programing, decided to create a free and volunteer based program that they could bring into public schools. The organization began with our founders working with students at one public elementary school. This year our Script to Stage Program is currently implemented at thirty-two elementary schools. A few years ago we added another program, Young Movie Makers, which we have brought into four junior high schools.

SS: Do you think the push for STEM in public schools has taken focus off of writing and the creative arts?

PA: Not necessarily. Right now public schools are working hard to prepare their students to be career and college ready by applying their knowledge in an engaging and hands on way. The arts are a fantastic vehicle for achieving that. My background as a teacher is in theatre, which provides many opportunities for students to physicalize the concepts they are learning in other subjects. One of my favorite teaching moments was acting out the process of photosynthesis with a group of second graders.

SS: Can you describe the initiatives, such as the Young Movie Makers and Script-to-Stage program?

PA: Script to Stage is a nine to 10 week program where we pair fifth graders with mentors (mostly from the entertainment industry) who guide them through the process of creating their own screenplay. Each program has a head mentor who leads the sessions and group exercises that help facilitate the creative process. At the end of the program we bring in professional actors, that the students cast, who bring the screenplays to life at our Big Show.

Young Movie Makers is a program where junior high school students work in small groups to write, direct, shoot, and edit their own movies. Students have an opportunity to work creatively in groups and build their collaborative and communication skills. Each group is paired with a high school mentor who helps the group with their movie making process. It’s also a wonderful leadership opportunity for the participating high school students.

SS: I’ve read the YSF scripts often attract celebrity actors and actresses. Who are some of the well-name stars who have performed at the “Big Show?”

PA: Too many to name but a few of them include: Jennifer Aniston, Max Greenfield, Rashida Jones, Mindy Kaling, Ed Helms, Ben McKenzie, Adam Brody, Dustin Hoffman, Jonah Hill, Leighton Mester, and Casey Wilson. That’s just some of the talented actors who have worked with us. It’s a long list, my apologies to anyone left out. We’ve been really lucky to have many celebrities who see the value of our programming and help bring attention to our work by performing in our shows. We also do a Big Show once a year with members of the crazy-talented cast of "Glee."

SS: How can other, non-famous creative artists contribute to the cause?

PA: The heart of YSF is the amazing volunteers who work with our young writers as mentors by guiding them through the process of creating their own screenplays and actors who bring their stories to life. Our volunteer community is an amazing collection of generous and talented creative people. If anyone reading this is interested in mentoring they can go to www.youngstorytellers.com/mentor/. If you want to perform go to www.youngstorytellers.com/perform/. The application process is very simple, you can do it all on our website.

SS: What has been your most memorable moment working with the organization?

PA: I love watching our young writers at the Big Shows. The Big Shows are an amazing celebration of our talented writers and an opportunity for them to see their work brought to life. It’s difficult for me to pick just one moment because each student responds to that experience differently. It’s an amazing moment where all of their work comes to culmination. The students see their words brought to life and the impact that their script has on the audience. I hope that experience helps them understand that what they have to say and contribute can affect others around them.

SS: We ask all contributors to name one random fact about themselves. Do you care to share an interesting anecdote about yourself?

PA: The arts really saved me as a young adult. When I was in junior high school I had a really low sense of self. My self-worth was mainly dependent on peer approval; it was not based on my own skills and intelligence as a person. I couldn’t see past that moment in my life and so I wasn’t motivated to try in school. The drama program at my High School really pulled me out of that when I started acting in shows and had the opportunity to take on leadership positions. I felt successful and valued for what I had to contribute and as result started doing better in school and received a scholarship to a liberal arts college.

To learn more about the Young Storytellers Foundation, check out its official website, like its Facebook page, or follow the organization on Twitter @youngstory.

The Writer's Bone Interviews Archive

Heroine Worship: 9 Questions With Thriller Writer Seeley James

Seeley James

By Sean Tuohy

In a market place filled with similar plot lines and leading characters, it is always refreshing when you discover an original voice from an author who has a true desire to tell a real story.

Seeley James brought readers to the edge with his Pia Sabel thrillers and brought the fiction world a leading female character that broke the mold. James has never fit in to the crowd of standard thriller writers, always setting himself part by writing hardened thrillers with true heart to them.

He took a break from creating a new thriller to sit down and talk about his writing process, his passion for writing, and his future.

Sean Tuohy: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Seeley James: As long as I can remember. In school, I wrote what today would be called flash fiction: short, satirical reflections on school life. When teachers would assign creative writing projects, I would write a batch of them and sell them to my friends for $10.

ST: Your Pia Sabel thrillers are fantastic reads. Where did this idea come from and how long did you have the character of Pia before you started writing?

SJ: The character was inspired by the resilience of my first daughter. When I was 19 and single, I adopted a 3-year-old girl and raised her up (long, boring blog about it here). When she graduated to adult life, and my second daughter began to exhibit similar character strengths (I married at 36 and started over), I reflected on how resilient young women can be in the face of my many parenting mistakes. I started to write stories featuring a similar, but larger-than-life, heroine. At first I wrote YA stories about a teenager, but I never had the right voice for that genre, so I brought Pia Sabel up to age 25. That journey has been about nine years total.

ST: Pia Sabel stands out as a female lead because does not pine after any man nor does she whine about how tough things are. She is a very real and down to earth character. When can we see her again in a new adventure?

SJ: Thanks, that means a lot to me. I’ve just published the second novel, Bring It, Omnibus Edition, which consolidated six serials. I’d written the serials because many readers thought Pia was too aloof and should pine, etc. I used the serials to experiment with observing Pia through different lenses. Jacob Stearne quickly emerged as a fan favorite.

While the experiment took longer than I’d imagined or would’ve liked, I learned a good deal about how to present Pia. I’m now about a third of the way into a first draft of the third book and am pleased with the shape it’s taking. I think Blue Death (sneak peak) will achieve the voice and pace I’ve been working toward for a decade. I hope to have it published by the end of summer.

ST: What is your writing process?

SJ: That has evolved a good deal over the last couple years. I’m a trial-and-error kinda guy with a heavy emphasis on error. As I write this, I feel that I’ve hit the better scenario: I keep a fluid, light outline going in Microsoft OneNote that keeps my eight-sequence climax points in focus. I add, subtract, change that outline at the beginning and ending of every writing session.

I write in two-hour blocks, sometimes without moving from my chair (which causes stiff joints in these old bones), and intersperse those blocks with book marketing, wasting time on social media, mountain climbing, lunch with pals, bank robbing, and chasing women. I try to put in three to four writing blocks a day. I think it’s like playing the piano or soccer; the more you do it, the better you get.

ST: Do you do a lot of research before you start writing?

SJ: No. Not a ‘lot.’ I think deep research can be an excuse or a time suck, but rarely a good thing. Stephen King said he spent half a day doing a ride along with a cop and that was all he needed for the rest of his career. I read some name-brand authors who constantly fall into the research pit. They want to regurgitate every detail they’ve learned regardless of how unrelated to the story it really is.

Now that doesn’t mean I don’t believe in research. I do a good deal of research. However, that’s all based on my reading and writing. First, I read a lot of non-fiction. Last year, I read Ali Soufan’s Black Banners (a must read for every American citizen) and decided to make waterboarding a plot point in Bring It. So there was a certain amount of organic pre-writing research (I read plenty of other books that don’t inspire me, but teach me something).

As I wrote Bring It, I looked up memoirs of World War II soldiers who were waterboarded, diaries and court cases, treaties and historical documents, and so on. But I only looked up those texts that were directly related to the scene I was writing at that time. I might spend an hour or two on scene-specific research, but only if it is a critical element. In that case, the scene at the end of Episode III has garnered many accolades in reviews, so I think I got it right.

If you go out and research for days, you’re going to regurgitate extraneous crap that will bore the reader. If you already know certain amounts through your every-day interests, then the research is more natural and specific to the story. The readers appreciate that kind of research.

ST: The ebook market place is a great place for a new writer to publish their work, but how does a writer make their work stand out in such a crowded market place?

SJ: It takes time. The Kindle Gold Rush is over. You have to develop an audience, develop your writing to fit that audience, constantly hone your craft, and participate in genre-specific forums as a reader. If you’re not keeping your ear to the chest of your readers, feeling and hearing the heartbeat, you’ll never stand out. At the same time, you can’t pander to them. Readers don’t like weasel-writers, they like strong, confident, bold writers who know them well.

ST: What is your advice to writers who just starting out?

SJ: Humility is your friend. Listen, try, read, try again, study, try harder. Hire a content editor and a copy editor. Seek out harsh critiques and learn from them. No amount of marketing or advertising or word of mouth will sell a bad book. The art of writing is something we’ll never perfect but can always improve.

ST: If you had the chance to sit down and have a meal with fictional character would you share the meal with?

SJ: Hmmm, good question. I’d like to say something intelligent and witty, like Quasimodo before he pushed Frollo. But I like to be honest and I’ve spent a lot of time with one guy lately: Jacob Stearne, my new leading character. He constantly surprises me. He tells me a different story about his past every day. I have a whole childhood-Christmas-disaster story in my head even though our circumstances couldn’t have been more disparate. Most of these stories have nothing to do with the Pia Sabel novels so I’m always wondering why he brings them up. Maybe he thinks I care.

ST: What is one random fact about yourself?

SJ: Just one? How about a slew: I’ve never killed anyone with malice aforethought. I grew up in a tent in the desert. I hiked the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim in ten hours with a pack of young studs and out-paced the whiny, little brats by a long shot. I’m happily married but not sure my wife is. My friends won’t let me drive their Ferraris because of one simple effing miscalculation. I’m a huge fan of your site.

To learn more about Seeley James, check out his official website, like his Facebook page, or follow him on Twitter  @SeeleyJamesAuth.

The Writer's Bone Interviews Archive

Plotting With Disturbia Diaries Author Jennifer Fischetto

Jennifer Fishchetto

By Sean Tuohy

The word that best sums up international best-selling author Jennifer Fischetto is busy. She currently works on two book series and has another one in works. She pens the award-winning, and very fun, Jamie Bond series with Gemma Halliday, while also working on her own YA series Disturbia Diaries. Fischetto has grown in a well-known author thanks to the humor and original tone she fills her novels with.

Fischetto was nice enough to take a moment to sit and chat with Writer's Bone about her works, her writing process, and what the future holds for her.

Sean Tuohy: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Jennifer Fischetto: My mother read fairy tales to me as a young child, and as soon as I knew how to write, I began creating my own stories (although I may have heavily borrowed ideas from these books!). I wrote a lot in junior high, and then in high school. I was a part of a creating writing class. I knew then I wanted to be a writer. I didn't quite believe it was possible though.

ST: Do you remember the first story you wrote?

JF: The clearest one is from eighth grade. We had a writing assignment in English, and, of course, I went full throttle and wrote a story about a 17-year-old girl who hid the fact that her parents died in a car accident so that she and her seven other siblings wouldn't be separated. It was supposed to be a short story, but mine was much longer. I still remember the construction paper cover I created for it.

ST: What attaches you to the YA genre?

JF: There's something special about this age group. There's the confusion and vulnerability of not knowing who you are and where you fit in yet. And there are such limitations when you're that age; between parents, school, and not having the freedom you desire. It's a time of struggle, and writing about that conflict appeals to me.

ST: Your Jamie Bond series is a wonderfully fun series, where did the idea for ex cover model turned P.I. come from?

JF: Actually, this series is the creation of Gemma Halliday. I had nothing to do with creating Jamie's job choices. It was an idea Gemma had started some years ago, but couldn't find the time to write. She and I had originally connected through "Romance Divas," an online community of (mostly) romance writers. Gemma had mentored me back in 2007. Then one day, out of the blue, she messaged me, asking if I was interested in co-authoring this series with her. A lot of what happens in the books comes from my imagination, but Jamie, herself, is Gemma's baby.

ST: Do you do any research for your novels? If so, what is that process like?

JF: Because I write mysteries, most of my research stems around criminal law and police procedure. There is a wonderful Yahoo group, “Crimescenewriters,” that answers all kinds of police procedural questions, and Google is my best friend. But since I write cozies and romantic mysteries, as opposed to, legal thrillers, I don't need to know intricate details.

ST: What is your writing process?

JF: I'm a plotter, so my process usually goes like this:

• Brainstorm idea: I'll get a snippet of an idea for a plot or a character and ask a lot of "what ifs." This is my favorite part of the process. 
• Plot: I plot scene-by-scene in Scrivener. This can be minimal or very detailed. Even with these virtual notecards, I don't always follow it exactly. 
• First draft: I tell myself to write fast and dirty, but that doesn't always happen. In the beginning of a story, I tend to go back and edit a lot, but by time I reach the middle, I lock up my internal editor and just move forward. I write in chronological order. I've tried skipping around and it just confuses me. I tend to hold a lot of information in my head. I make notes, but I prefer going my memory, if I can. 
• Revisions: This is the fun part, making all those words pretty and cohesive. And then finally, I end with polishing/editing. 

Depending on which series I'm writing, I'll either hand over my portion of a Jamie Bond book straight to my co-author, or for my YA series, if time allows, I'll also have my amazing criticism group, "YAFF," take a look.

ST: Do you have a different writing process for YA novels and adult novels?

JF: I do not. Other than the stories themselves, I usually write every book the same way.

ST: If given the chance which of your characters would you spend the day with and what would you do?

JF: I'm currently writing the first book of a new series. It's about a young woman who communicates with ghosts, much like my YA series, but this one is more fun. Her name is Gianna, and she works at her family deli, which is a beacon for ghosts. For reasons she's not sure, the recently departed cross over through the deli. Gianna is a hoot, and a day with her would keep me laughing.

ST: What advice do you give to young writers?

JF: Don't quit. Keep trying. And believe in yourself. Always believe that you can make your dreams come true. It may take time, and it may not be easy, but it's definitely doable. And read, read, read!

ST: What is one random fact about yourself?

JF: I have double-jointed thumbs. Seriously. I can bend them backwards much further than most people. It's something I rarely think about now, but as a kid, my family would always ask me to perform. The circus side show.

To learn more about Jennifer Fischetto, check out her official website, like her Facebook page, or follow her on Twitter @JennFischetto.

The Writer's Bone Interviews Archive

Finding the Humor: 8 Questions With Comic Kelly McCarron

Kelly McCarron

By Sean Tuohy

Funny, awkward, and adorable comedienne Kelly McCarron stands out in the comedy landscape by using her original voice to talk openly about her life. She's able to turn the most embarrassing moments in to side-spiting humor. You can purchase her comedy album "I'd Eat Both"  through her official website.

McCarron chatted with Writer's Bone about her beginnings in comedy and what the future holds for her.

Sean Tuohy: What drew you to stand-up comedy?

Kelly McCarron: I’ve been interested in a career in comedy since I was 16. I wanted to do sketch comedy. I read somewhere that if you want to write comedy, any kind of comedy, you should try stand up for a bit. I followed that advice and ended up loving it.

ST: What was your first experiences on stage like? Good, bad, or awful?

KC: I had three minutes and I didn’t suck. I was prepared to suck, but I didn’t. I think having had experiences being funny on stage in high school helped me.

ST: How long did it take you to develop your own voice as a comic?

KC: I think I’m still developing it to be quite honest. But there are certain things I’ve learned to always do. I always keep an adorable, upbeat demeanor about myself onstage, no matter what I’m talking about. I’ve learned that people feel sorry for me if I talk badly about myself. So if I say self-deprecating things with a cute tone of voice and a smile on my face, in allows the audience to relax and laugh along with me.

ST: A lot of comics use comedy to deal with some type of issue in their lives. Do you use comedy as a type of therapy?

KC: Of course I do! All of my comedy comes from a truth and sometimes that truth is painful. Finding the funny in a painful truth can help me get through it and move on. I’ve been using it in scripts I write as well, basing storylines off of my life. It’s very therapeutic.

ST: "Rejected: The Pilot," which can be viewed on your website, is funny and heartfelt. What is the backstory on this pilot? How long did it take from the time you had the idea till you film the first scene?

KC: The backstory is the story. I was in love with my best friend, another comedian, and I told him how I felt, and he wasn’t in love with me. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a crazy cousin to take me to a weird male strip club, but that’s where creative writing comes in. I did give a candy heart to a boy I had a crush on when I was in the fifth grade. Well, I was too shy, so I had a girl do it for me, and he did throw it on the ground. I started writing the script in the winter of 2011 and we started filming in March of 2013. I have a few more episodes written and a couple more in the works. I would love to have the funds to make more someday.

ST: "I'd Eat Them Both!" was your first comedy album and it's fantastic. Is there a second album in the works?

KC: Thank you! Technically, I suppose another one is in the works, as I am working on new material, but I’m not focused on a new album. I self-produced “I’d Eat Them Both!” and it took a lot of work. If I were to self-produce another one it wouldn’t be for a while.

ST: What does the future hold for Kelly McCarron? Where can we see you next?

KC: I’ve been working on a feature length screenplay called “Siblings.” It’s an odd-couple road trip movie about a brother and sister. I don’t have a relationship with one of my brothers and so I posed the question, “What if I had to drive cross country with him?” And so the idea for “Siblings” was born! I’ve been working on it for about a year now and I’m very proud of it and hope that it can get made!

Cover of McCarron's comedy album

ST: What is one random fact about yourself?

KC: I love chocolate shakes, I love hot chocolate; I will not drink chocolate milk. I know that’s weird.

To learn more about Kelly McCarron, check out her official website, like her Facebook page, or follow her on Twitter @kellybmccarron.

The Writer's Bone Interviews Archive

Flesh Addiction: 10 Questions With Horror Author Stephen Kozeniewski

Stephen Kozeniewski

By Sean Tuohy and Daniel Ford

Zombie private eye. Prohibition. Booze quenches his cravings for human flesh. Severed head as a partner.

Yeah, we’ll read that.

Horror author Stephen Kozeniewski’s Braineater Jones has one of those premises that can’t be anything other than wildly entertaining and terrifying. We’re eager to dig into it…wait…that came out wrong…

Kozeniewski put down the human arm he was devouring long enough to answer a few of Sean’s questions about his series, how his time in the military shaped his writing, and what's next for him as an author.

Sean Tuohy: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Stephen Kozeniewski: I've been writing since I was seven, and I started my first novel at 12. I know hearing that is usually a big turn-on, but sorry, ladies, I'm taken.

ST: You were in the military for several years. Did that affect your writing at all?

SK: Well, the most obvious way it affected my writing is that for several years I didn't attempt to publish. There's no rule that specifically states soldiers can't publish (for instance, Mikhail Lerma and Weston Ochse are both active duty horror authors), but I felt that the starkly political nature of some of my writing directly contradicted my obligation as an officer to remain apolitical. To put it simply: I didn't want anything I said to be misrepresented as something the Army said. So I held off for a few years, which means I missed the boom times of the 1990s and 2000s, but I think my writing is probably better for it.

ST: What draws you to the horror/zombie genre?

SK: I've pontificated elsewhere about the appeal/repulsion of the zombie genre, so I think I'll focus a bit on the horror part here. I actually recently attended Central Pennsylvania Comic Con with my fellow authors Mary Fan and Elizabeth Corrigan where we did a light-hearted "Battle of the Genres" panel. I, naturally, argued the appeal of horror over sci-fi and fantasy. I hope to do it again with a videographer present so I can just direct you to YouTube, but for now, to summarize my point, fear is the primal emotion. Not hope, not wonder, fear. Horror will always be able to strike the deepest chord with us of any kind of fiction because it strikes at the very core of our lizard brains.

ST: Braineater Jones is not your typical zombie book. Where did idea come from?

SK: The character name "Braineater Jones" actually pre-dated any sort of concept by many, many years. I had no idea who Braineater Jones was, but I knew that the name sounded great. I knew he had to be a zombie...but what kind of a zombie has a name? Then one day it occurred to me that Braineater Jones had to be a name for a private eye, and with that everything else practically spilled out of me: He was solving his own murder, it had to be during Prohibition, zombies needed booze to think, The Old Man sat in a vat of liquor, etc. etc.

ST: Braineater Jones is a zombie novel but feels very neo-noir. Was this done on purpose or did the story just come out that way?

SK: It was a deliberate genre mashup, à la Pride and Prejudice and Zombies or Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. At the time I thought it was unique and nobody could ever come up with such a genius idea as a noir zombie. But of course, since then I've discovered Dead Dick, Dan Shamble, Stubbs the Zombie, Matt Richter, etc. etc. I'm still, of course, very proud of my unique contribution to the sub-sub-genre.

ST: How long did it take to turn Braineater Jones from idea in to a novel?

SK: One month. Braineater Jones was a 2009 NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month for the uninitiated) entry. I don't recommend the one-month process for every kind of novel, but Braineater Jones was intentionally stream-of-consciousness in style. I think that forcing myself to pound out whatever was in my mind day after day led to the wonky, skewed worldview that makes Braineater Jones what it is.

ST: What is your writing process?

SK: Well, I just described the abnormal writing process I used for my debut novel. Normally, I hunker down in my home office, light a candle, grab a cup of coffee or something harder depending on the time of night, and just pound away at it. The novel, I mean.

ST: What does your future hold for you as a writer?

SK: The good news is I just signed a nine-book deal with Permuted Press ("Yay! Hooray! You go, boy!")! So I'm locked in for about the next two to three years on some science fiction and vampire novels. But fans of my zombie work shouldn't fret! I'm already about a third of the way through the sequel to The Ghoul Archipelago, so look for that in the next year or so. I'm also working with voiceover artist extraordinaire Steve Rimpici and legendary animator Zee Risek to bring you a Braineater Jones cartoon series. It's still in development now, so I can't promise anything on the timeframe, but I do know that a successful existing property is easier to sell than an unsuccessful one so if you want to help, the best thing you can do is help me pimp the novel.

ST: What advice do you give to other writers?

SK: Don't take writing advice.

ST: Can you tell us one random fact about you?

SK: I once ate an onion like an apple to prove how tough I was.

To learn more about Stephen Kozeniewski, like his Facebook page or follow him on Twitter @outfortune.

The Writer's Bone Interviews Archive

Destroyer of Worlds: 8 Questions With Author Jacqueline Druga

Jacqueline Druga

By Sean Tuohy

Nuclear war, biological war, disasters. 

If you're going to keep yourself up at night reading topics like those, why not let best-selling author Jacqueline Druga guide your way through these deadly tales? 

Druga is the author of the Beginnings Series—which has swelled to 26 books and counting—and routinely plunges her characters into the apocalypse.

Druga was nice enough to swing by Writer's Bone's end of the world bunker to chat about her writing.

Sean Tuohy: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Jacqueline Druga: I went through different stages of writing. I started writing short stories and poems when I was about 10 years old. Then, when I hit my teen years, I started writing novels. 

My first one was an alien invasion novel, then I moved on to mystery romance. I have a bin with 18 manuscripts from my teen years. But…being a serious writer, that drive didn’t hit me until I was 30 and I just didn’t stop.

ST: Who were some of your early writing influences ?

JD: Writer Pat Frank. Pat Frank. Pat Frank. Major influence. He wrote a book in 1957 called How to Survive the H Bomb. Awesome book. Comical in some aspects. He also wrote the classic, Alas, Babylon. 

But the biggest influence in my life was Charlton Heston. I loved him. He made me want to create heroes. 

ST: You write in many different genres but mostly within the post-apocalypse genres. What draws you to these stories?

JD: I have been obsessed with the topic since I was a kid. Nuclear war, biological war, disasters. Some say it was my mother. Prior to my birth she was so afraid the world was going to end, that the doctor told her to get pregnant before she had a breakdown. She did. That baby was me. Her fear went away and it became my obsession. Sort of a maternal-fetal apocalypse transfusion.

ST: Your Beginnings Series is made up of more than 20 books. Do you plan on continuing the series?

JD: Actually 26, with an additional three sidebar books. And eventually it will end, but not in the next 10 books. I love the series. Live and breathe it. The characters in that series are as real to me as my family.

ST: Your novels are filled with wonderful and realistic characters. Are they based on real people?

JD: Some of them are. In my novel, Dust, every single person on her list is someone I know and I based my knowledge and friendship with these people to determine how they would end up in the apocalypse. Joe, the leader of Beginnings is based on my father. Actually, I wrote Silent Victor to create a character reflective and as a tribute to my dad. A way to keep my father alive in a way. In my mind, he’d never be gone as long as someone reads and loved Joe.

ST: What is your writing process like?

JD: It starts with an idea that doesn’t grow until I find the right song. Music is a major influence on my writing. I listen to the same song over and over. Usually I have only two to three songs per book. 

The Sleeper Series theme song is Fuel’s "Falls on Me." I believe I listened to it 347 times during Sleepers 4. 

But once I find the right song, the book takes off. I think, outline, then write the first chapter and every night before I close down, I outline the next day’s work. I write every day, midnight to 6 a.m. 

ST: What advice would you give to up-and-coming writers?

JD: After the initial stock advice all established authors give—which is read—I’d say...write. You want to be a writer you have to write. Every day, no matter what, no excuses. Don’t act the part…work to be the part.

ST: Can you tell us one random fact about yourself?

JD: I barely sleep and, aside from tons of Starbucks, I eat pickled green tomatoes for an extra boost of energy.

To learn more about Jacqueline Druga, check out her official website, like her Facebook page, subscribe to her YouTube channel, or follow her on Twitter @gojake.  

The Writer's Bone Interviews Archive

Unlocking The Mystery of Writing: 10 Questions With Author A.G. Riddle

A.G. Riddle

By Sean Tuohy

In a marketplace crowded with countless ebook authors, one name stands out: A.G. Riddle, author of the award winning and best-selling The Atlantis Gene series. The well-crafted series explores the origins of mankind and is filled with great detailed research and edge of your seat action scenes. In my opinion, its is one of the best original ebook series currently on the market.

I sat down with Riddle and talked about the origins of his writing career and his future plans.

Cover of Book 1 of The Atlantis Gene series

Sean Tuohy: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

A.G. Riddle: I didn't grow up wanting to be a writer. I had a reasonably successful business career and was looking for my real calling in life. I thought that could be writing, but I didn't realize it until I finished my first draft of The Atlantis Gene. It was an amazing feeling—finishing and being proud of what I'd created (it's not a perfect novel by any means, but it was the best I could produce at the time, and that's how I measure success).

ST: Who were some of your early influences?

AGR: I loved sci-fi as a kid. I would watch and read about anything I could get my hands on. "Star Trek," "The X-Files," "Star Wars."

ST: What is your writing process? Do you have any pre- or post-writing rituals?

AGR: If I'm in the thick of writing, I usually read the previous few chapters and consult my outline, then get started. If I'm in the research phase, I look at the background and see what I need to fill in; it's a little more methodical then.

ST: How did you get started publishing? Was it through the traditional publishing road or did you go the ebook platform?

AGR: Ebook only. I really wanted to get my work out there to see what folks thought. I hadn't told anyone I was writing a novel except my mother and girlfriend. When the book became popular in the summer of 2013, I considered taking a traditional publishing contract, but I decided that I didn't want to give up the freedom of self-publishing.

Cover of The Atlantis Plague

ST: The Atlantis Gene is one of best and original thriller series to come down the pike in years. Where did the story come from? Had it been brewing in you for years or did it just come to you?

AGR: First, thanks! I spent almost two years researching and writing The Atlantis Gene. I started with a mystery that had always intrigued me: 70,000 years ago, the human race almost went extinct. From there, I did a lot of research and wrote a ton of background, pulling together several topics of interest for me (everything from Nazi conspiracies to Atlantis to autism research).

ST: The third part of your Atlantis series, The Atlantis World, will be coming out shortly; did you always know that this was going to be a series?

AGR: I had written the long-arc of a series, but I didn't know how many books it would be (or if anyone would turn out to read them). I had already started on the second book when The Atlantis Gene came out, otherwise I never would have been able to write and release the trilogy so quickly.

Cover of The Atlantis World

ST: Unlike so many thriller novels your series has well-crafted characters, do you believe having strong characters is the back bone to a solid thriller?

AGR: I do. I have to admit, I'm a sucker for a high-concept, plot-driven story, but what I really love is a character-driven story with some big ideas at the center. That's what I try to write.

ST: What is next for you as a writer, a new series or maybe a stand alone novel?

AGR: A new series. I've been working on it a while, and I still have a lot of work to do. And, I'll have a few announcements soon regarding the Atlantis/Origin mystery series.

ST: What advice would you give to up and coming writers?

AGR: Don't let anyone else define success for you. Figure out what you want from writing, then set your own goals (and adjust them based on what you learn).

Success to you might mean writing the book you want to write. Or it could mean earning enough money to take your spouse out to dinner once a month. Or making some list. Or selling X number of copies.

Take some time to figure out what's really important to you, and when you do, don't listen to anyone else. Success isn't a one-size-fits-all in the business of writing.

ST: Can you tell us one random fact about yourself?

AGR: I grew up in a small town in North Carolina with only one stop light.

To learn more about A.G. Riddle, check out his official website, like his Facebook page, or follow him on Twitter @Riddlist.

The Writer's Bone Interviews Archive