Interview with Michael Kozlowski
Published 2016-12-27.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
Honestly, I really love holding a book in my hand and turning pages. I have a fairly extensive library, mostly because I can't bear to get rid of any of my books. I'm getting more and more comfortable with e-books all the time and my device of choice is the Kindle. I have a Fire because I like reading comics on it.
What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
I really suck at marketing myself. It's something I know I need to improve. I may never get as good as a lot of people at it but for me it's about connecting with fans more than mass marketing myself so Facebook and Twitter tend to be the places I have a heavy presence.
When did you first start writing?
I always enjoyed writing and was good at it but it mostly consisted of papers for school. I even won a few essay awards. I never considered writing as a profession until I moved to Australia and decided to write a memoir about the experience. That saw some mild success and it was really cool having people contact me that knew me only because of this thing I wrote.
I had a ton of fun researching and writing the book and wanted to do more of it but I wasn't moving anywhere else. As a lifelong horror fan, I figured I'd write what I loved (it's better advice than "write what you know").
What's the story behind your latest book?
I've just wrapped a zombie themed book. I know...zombies....
This one has been a long time in the making. I really started exploring the idea before the wave of zombie love hit. It started as a novel, became a comic for a while and ended up back as a novel. By that time, even though I thought the market might be over saturated with zombie stuff, I had to keep writing it; it was a part of me.
I honestly think it is different enough to make a splash. It's making the rounds to some publishers now, so we'll see. I'm already working on the sequel. It feels like a three book series.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
There are several things I enjoy about writing but the biggest thrill is pleasing the readers.
What do your fans mean to you?
I think I would write even if nobody read any of it but I can't say enough about the support of the fans. So far it has been a steadily growing group; from family and friends to people across the country and even on a few other continents. I affectionately refer to them as The Faithful Few but I'm hoping to have to rename them as they outgrow the title.
Who are your favorite authors?
I am a voracious reader and there are so many great authors out there but here are my Rockstars: Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Bill Bryson, Ambrose Bierce, Neil Gaiman, Joe Hill and Edgar Allen Poe.
What is your writing process?
My process really varies. Stories usually get started with just a small idea; sometimes only a line of dialogue that may be very minor in the grand scheme of things. If it's a short story I don't outline. For a novel, I outline pretty loosely. I rarely know exactly where things are going or where they will end. I get absolutely jacked when I surprise myself with a twist or the characters do things that I was not expecting.
I write the first drafts pretty quick but I suck at revisions. I really have to force myself. The problem is that once I more or less know the story, I want to move on to something else. I'm a reader first and a writer second so once I can't surprise myself I struggle.
I'm getting better though and finding that I can enjoy the revisions by really concentrating on the right words and phrases to make the story even better. And I have to remind myself that writing is a job. It's not all fun and games, even though it is about the coolest job I can think of.
What do you read for pleasure?
I'm all over the map. I think it's important to read outside your genre and I'm genuinely interested in everything. I'm kind of A.D.D. and O.C.D. which means I have a million interests and want to know everything about all of them. The bulk of my library is horror and fantasy but there are history books, religious books, comedies, true crime, sports, comics, mysteries and on and on.
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Books by This Author
Some Days Suck, Some Days Suck Worse
by Michael Kozlowski
Price:
$2.99 USD.
Words: 82,750.
Language:
English.
Published: July 18, 2011
.
Categories:
Fiction »
Anthologies »
Horror
(4.50 from 2 reviews)
Some Days Suck, Some Days Suck Worse is a collection of short horror and suspense stories. The stories run the gamut of fear; monsters, phobias, heartbreak and insanity, even a visit or two from Ol' Scratch, himself.