Interview with Dwayne Bearup

Published 2014-01-05.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
I don't remember the first story I ever read, but I do remember the first story I ever re-read -- Jim Kjellgaard's Big Red. I must have read that book two dozen times one summer, something about it really appealed to me. I think it's because it was the first story intended for a young reader I'd read that was written with some intelligence.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
I sure do, it was the seed that later became On Wings of Gargoyles, currently published here @ Smashwords.
When did you first start writing?
I wrote my first story in high school, but have always been a storyteller.
What is your writing process?
I like sitting down and starting to write. The idea pops into my head and I follow where it leads.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
I'm a handyman, and I spent most of every day in church. That is, I spend a lot of time repairing/remodeling Mormon churches.
How do you approach cover design?
I've drawn quite a few pictures on my computer that I like to use as covers, when the pic is appropriate for the story. Otherwise, I just grab a picture or two off the internet and fix something up.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
I read on my computer, or when I'm out and about I use my Nokia Lumia.
What's the story behind your latest book?
I bought Chinese food. The fortune read, "You will touch the hearts of many." I told a friend about it and he said it meant I have to become either a heart surgeon or a serial killer, and I was to old to become a heart surgeon. Thus, "When Good Fortunes Go Bad" was born.
Who are your favorite authors?
Stephen King, Richard Bachman :), Robert R. McCammon, Clive Barker, Paulo Coelho, Edgar Allen Poe, Orson Scott Card... ach, it's a long list. Check out my Goodreads page for the whole thing.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
I had written over a dozen short stories but they all got rejected by magazines. Yet I often read stories which - in my admittedly biased opinion - were less well-written, so I decided to take matters into my own hands.
What are you working on next?
My current project is about a man who is torn from his world and deposited into an alien zoo, only to be rescued by... and that's as far as I've gotten.
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Latest books by This Author

When Good Fortunes Go Bad
Price: $1.49 USD. Words: 16,520. Language: American English. Published: July 8, 2012 . Categories: Fiction » Horror » Crime, Fiction » Thriller & suspense » Psychological thriller
The story of a man whose fortune cookies conspire to make him a serial killer.
Incompatibility
Price: Free! Words: 620. Language: English. Published: April 30, 2012 . Categories: Fiction » Humor & comedy » Satire
(4.00 from 2 reviews)
Contrary to popular opinion, love does NOT conquer all.
Disfigured
Price: $2.49 USD. Words: 44,290. Language: English. Published: March 7, 2012 . Categories: Fiction » Anthologies » Short stories - single author, Fiction » Anthologies » General
(5.00 from 1 review)
A collection of short fiction - one as short as 104 words, counting the title - spanning and blending genres from paranormal to horror to science fiction to humor.
I Don't Know Why
Price: Free! Words: 600. Language: English. Published: February 8, 2012 . Categories: Fiction » Humor & comedy » Black comedy
(3.00 from 1 review)
The old woman who swallowed the fly wouldn't have fared so well in the real world.
How to Write Better
Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 9,990. Language: English. Published: January 31, 2012 . Categories: Nonfiction » Reference » Writing skills
The advice in this book was gleaned from four years of Writer's Digest articles, from 1998 to 2001. At that time I was incarcerated and, unable to keep the magazines with me, I took to condensing the advice onto notepaper.
Silent Worry Over Unvoiced Fears
Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 2,010. Language: English. Published: January 21, 2012 . Categories: Poetry » Contemporary Poetry, Poetry » Themes & motifs » General
(5.00 from 1 review)
A collection of miscellaneous poetry spanning nearly half my life.
Haiku 2008-2010
Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 890. Language: English. Published: January 21, 2012 . Categories: Poetry » Asian poetry » Japanese, Poetry » Biography
A compilation of fifty-two haiku comprising twenty-seven poems which describe the ebb and flow of my relationship with a young woman.
Mary Had Too Many Limbs
Price: Free! Words: 500. Language: English. Published: January 21, 2012 . Categories: Fiction » Horror » Weird fiction, Fiction » Horror » Crime
(4.50 from 2 reviews)
Some horror stories are cathartic, others are entertaining. This story is merely horrifying. Enjoy!
Belief
Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 1,340. Language: English. Published: January 21, 2012 . Categories: Fiction » Themes & motifs » Spiritual & metaphysical, Fiction » Humor & comedy » General
What does one do with one's afterlife?
Factory Man
Price: Free! Words: 680. Language: English. Published: January 21, 2012 . Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » Short stories, Fiction » Horror » Weird fiction
(4.00 from 1 review)
Nanites are your friends... nanites will cure your body and give you peace of mind... nanites are your friends... let them in.
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