JQM PRESENTS A BLOG POST INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR Jeff Chapman
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF:
I explore fantasy worlds through fiction and am the author of The Merliss Tales fantasy series, The Huckster Tales weird western series, and The Comic Cat Tales series. Trained in history and computer science, I write software by day and explore the fantastic when I should be sleeping. My fiction ranges from fairy tales to fantasy to ghost stories. Most of them share an element of the macabre and many have an element of humor as well. I’m not ashamed to say I’m addicted to dark hot chocolate, and I love cats. If you visited my house, you would notice there are more books than bookshelf space.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO WRITE?
I have a strong desire to craft stories. Where does that desire come from? I don’t know. The inspiration for particular stories is easier to pin down. For example, the Merliss Tales were inspired by a cat that my family adopted off the street. Smokey arrived at our house one day begging for food. She was sick and starving. After a trip to the vet, we had a new cat. Smokey possessed several old battle scars. One of her ears was notched and two of her four canines were missing. This gave me the idea for a character based on an old soul in a cat’s body. Merliss was born.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS? WHY?
Some of my favorite writers include Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Neil Gaiman, Brandon Sanderson, Robert E. Howard, Franz Kafka, Charles Todd, Ann Cleeves, and Michael Connelly. I could list many more. I enjoy many genres of fantasy and stories that dip into the macabre and fear. I also enjoy mysteries.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? WHY?
A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny. This is a dark fantasy told from the perspective of Snuff, a dog serving as a familiar. I read or listen to an audio version every October. This is a wonderful example of a story told from an animal’s perspective.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE LITERARY CHARACTERS? WHY?
Conan–Howard can drop him into various settings and situations and the guy comes across as at home and heroic. Holly Gibney–a recurring character in several Stephen King stories. Holly is psychologically fragile but also possesses an amazing inner strength which allows her to overcome her problems.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR FELLOW AUTHORS AND/OR ASPIRING AUTHORS?
Don’t get discouraged, don’t give up, and read more books. Study the writing craft to learn what goes into a good story. The only failed writer is one who stops writing.
IMAGINE ONE OF YOUR BOOKS IS ABOUT TO BECOME A FILM OR TV SHOW. WHO IS YOUR “DREAM CAST?” AND WHO DO YOU ASK TO CREATE THE SOUNDTRACK?
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH POTENTIAL READERS?
Do you like fantasy? Do you like cats? Do you like dark stories salted with some humor? If you answered yes to any of those questions, I have stories you will enjoy. The Merliss Tales are dark fantasy stories with a human spirit trapped in the body of a cat as the protagonist. The Huckster Tales combine fantasy, horror, and humor in the Weird West.
WHERE CAN WE GO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR LITERARY WORKS?
http://www.jeffchapmanbooks.com/
James Quinlan Meservy - Author 