7 Questions For: Author Kim Paffenroth

Here is the official bio of Kim Paffenroth from his blog: "I am a professor of religious studies, and the author of several books on the Bible and theology. I grew up in New York, Virginia, and New Mexico. I attended St. John's College, Annapolis, MD (BA, 1988), Harvard Divinity School (MTS, 1990), and the University of Notre Dame (PhD, 1995). I live in upstate New York with my wife and two wonderful kids. Starting in 2006, I had one of those strange midlife things, and turned my analysis towards horror films and literature. I have written Gospel of the Living Dead: George Romero's Visions of Hell on Earth (Baylor, 2006) - WINNER, 2006 Bram Stoker Award; Dying to Live: A Novel of Life among the Undead (Permuted Press, 2007); Orpheus and the Pearl (Magus Press, 2008); and Dying to Live: Life Sentence (Permuted Press, 2008)." Mr. Paffenroth is living my dream of being an award-winning horror novelist and I am so excited that he agreed to do this interview. I love zombies and I love books that examine religion. Mr. Paffenroth had me at hello. 

And now Kim Paffenroth faces the 7 Questions:

Question Seven: What are your top three favorite books?

Moby Dick by Herman Melville

The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

King Lear by William Shakespeare

Question Six: How much time do you spend each week writing? Reading?

It varies, but an average would be 20 hours/week writing, and 10 hours/week reading.

Question Five: What was the path that led you to publication?

In my job as professor, I am expected to publish academic nonfiction on the subject I study - in my case, religion, especially Christianity. I did that for years, and my examinations kept moving outward from my original field of study: I was trained in Biblical Studies, but I started looking at Christian themes and ideas in great literature, and then in pop culture, culminating in my book Gospel of the Living Dead: George Romero's Visions of Hell on Earth (Baylor, 2006), which won the Bram Stoker Award. While I was working on that, I got the idea that maybe, instead of just looking at other people's zombies, I could create my own zombie fiction, in which the zombies would do and mean and symbolize whatever I wanted them to. It's been a fun couple years working on that since.

Question Four: Do you believe writers are born, taught or both? Which was true for you?

Born, I think, though that's no excuse for people not taking advice and not trying to improve their craft by learning rules. And I don't think it's a steady or predictable curve for anyone. My experience was that I wrote (bad) fiction constantly in middle and high school. I found the handwritten pages recently and it was weird and humbling. But when I went to college, I stopped and didn't write for years. I think I (finally) realized that I didn't have anything important to say, and I didn't have the skills yet anyway. So I just read and read. And then I started my nonfiction writing, which brought me back to the fiction after many more years. I doubt that's a typical journey, and I didn't plan it that way, but it's how it worked for me and I'm grateful.

Question Three: What is your favorite thing about writing? What is your least favorite thing?

Favorite: Thinking about a character I've created as though s/he is a real person. Sort of a "What would ____ do?" moment in the day - and I can give a real answer to that, because I know him/her so well, and I value his/her opinion. That's chilling and exciting. Especially if the character's a flesh-eating zombie.

Least favorite: Marketing the thing. I can't stand it. People even use the term "pimping" now as the verb for that, and it's accurate, because you feel like you're sullying your creation and yourself. And then you get the check, and you think, "ZOMG - I just made a complete pest of myself on the Internet for three months, and THIS IS ALL?"

Question Two: What one bit of wisdom would you impart to an aspiring writer? (feel free to include as many other bits of wisdom as you like)

Don't quit your day job? Get used to living on ramen noodles?

Well, having said my route wasn't typical, I'd nonetheless endorse one part of it: read a lot, and not just genre stuff, either. Reading great works gives you a feeling for language and an awe at great ideas - and those are good qualities to have, even if you never make it as a writer on your own.

Question One: If you could have lunch with any writer, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

Oh, Dante, of course. It's hard to imagine in our modern world someone as devout as he, and yet as devoted a sensualist - someone so simultaneously intoxicated by God and earthly beauty and delight. I can imagine a three hour lunch with him - four courses, two bottles of wine, and we're talking about God and the soul the whole time, and discreetly checking out the beautiful ladies who walk by. Oh yes, that would be an afternoon to remember.

Actual Interview Date: 9/16/2009

www.gotld.blogspot.com

7 Questions For: Author Scott Appleton

Here is the official bio from Mr. Appleton's website:

"Scott Appleton grew up in the northeast corner of Connecticut.

Homeschooled right through high school, he developed a love for reading and writing from his mother and a love for science from his father. In high school he became involved with an astronomy group out of North Scituate, Rhode Island. His first published piece was an article for their newsletter. Upon graduating from high school at seventeen he traveled to Thailand as a student missionary and stayed for three months, journeying into the Kingdom of Cambodia and through the People's Republic of Laos. Upon his return to the United States he studied Math and English at a community college and later obtained a certificate in Creative Editing through an online course.

Over the course of several years he created the Sword of the Dragon series and published multiple news articles, as well as works of poetry, and short fiction. Currently he works as a freelance reporter, editor, and fiction writer. Also, he is engaged to the most beautiful girl on the planet who shares his hopes and dreams and his love for the Lord."

I had the good fortune of bumping into Scott Appleton at a book signing. I was so pleased to get the chance to talk with him and purchase a signed copy of The Sword of the Dragon. Mr. Appleton is an up and coming fantasy writer to watch.

And now Scott Appleton faces the 7 Questions:

Question Seven: What are your top three favorite books?

Favorites questions are difficult for me. I was homeschooled through high school and my parents fed my love of reading. At one point I averaged at least twenty books read per month. I'm a big fan of old English-type works. Homer's The Iliad, Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, and the King James Version of The Bible printed 1611. I collect old books, particularly of historical significance. I like to use historical references as my inspiration in my novels. For example, the end of one of the traitors in Swords of the Six was inspired by the biblical account of the death of Israel's king Saul.

Question Six: How much time do you spend each week writing? Reading?

When I'm not engaged with book signings and/or speaking engagments I aim for 2,000-words per day. At this time I do not have a lot of reading time. I've found that by reading too many books in my genre I have greater difficulty getting back in the groove with my writing.

Question Five: What was the path that led you to publication?

While submitting to and receiving numerous rejections from magazines and publishing houses, I honed my craft and read books on writing and publishing. One of the most helpful books I found was Dave King and Renni Brown's *Self-editing for the Fiction Writer*. Eventually my first short stories were accepted for publication and from there things snowballed.

Question Four: Do you believe writers are born, taught or both? Which was true for you?

Writers are raised or mentored, in my opinion. Without an encouraging, supportive group of family and friends I would not be where I'm at today. I strongly believe that what you feed your mind is going to directly influence the fruit of your life; I read lots and fed my creative.

Question Three: What is your favorite thing about writing? What is your least favorite thing?

I love to write. The creative process, mulling over the story and seeking ways to strengthen it, writing the story that matters to me, it is my passion. I'd have to say my least favorite thing would be the editing process.

Question Two: What one bit of wisdom would you impart to an aspiring writer? (feel free to include as many other bits of wisdom as you like)

Take critisism gracefully and learn from it; be teachable. Too many aspiring authors have come to me and taken offense when I gave them an honest critique of their work. Also, educate yourself about the writing and publishing process. Read, read, read and then study all aspects of the publication process. The road to publication is a difficult one; grow with it. And, most importantly, write for the love of it.

Question One: If you could have lunch with any writer, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

This is a hard one. I'd have to say Albert Marrin. He wrote a series of biographies on the America Civil War. His books were accurate and he paid amazing attention to detail. My first choice would have been Bryan Davis author of Dragons In Our Midst, but your question seems to be a wish, and I already have had that privilidge. He is a superb writer and has an amazing grasp of telling a story that conveys spiritual truths.

Actual Interview Date: 12/14/2009

www.theswordofthedragon.com