INTERVIEW ON GINGER NUTS OF HORROR MAGAZINE

Craig Blends many genres with his Sardonic humor Never shy to be dismal he never fails to destroy “types” he loves flawed characters not bigger than life people.

having been published in several literary journals he returns to his original love of speculative fiction. he lives with his wife of 13 years in Fort Mitchell Ky. he is currently working on novels

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself? 

I wear several hats in vocation. Artist, electronic musician, writer poet / yet down to earth guy if you can peel all my layers my wife thinks I’m funny I think I’m funny. I am southern American Appalachian hillbilly but well read I love old school hard core punk death metal old country western. I’m a big freak of glam metal or anything Ritchie Blackmore ever did with Dio.
 
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Reading if I can find the time record music in my one man band FM R IZ and which I have 9 albums on itunes and amazon. I Watch bad movies mostly horror or art films and lately I keep to myself I hang with the wife and sometimes go to coffee shop when its warmer and read books poolside. I have no social life. Since my nephews have grown up they don’t hang with me as much they have their own lives. Being Mid 40s now I’m in a creative crunch and building mini empires. I wish I had time to be a gamer but I stopped because I feel like It sucks my creativity. I’m not exciting to say the least and I have nothing to envy, and in America I’m pretty much invisible. And if anyone asks what I do they tend to quickly change the subject. I don’t know why. My landlord asked me what I do. When I said I’m a writer she laughed in my face. So I didn’t brag about some of the journals I was in. so I kind of just exist in weird quiet bubble. But I wear headphones blasting Dead Maus or Slayer but mostly hardcore techno. In the Winter I’m a shut the weather is awful
 
What’s your favorite food?

Sushicado, deep dish chicago style Italian pizza chicken vindaloo, kung pow chicken, cocoa pebbles, coffee or cold coffee lattee hummus pringles cheesecake chocolate pie, bugles chicken and dumplings pork chops steak medium rare, ribs, buiscuits and gravey southern style. kavier

Who would be on the soundtrack to your life story?

Beach boys buddy holly elvis, Ministry, Slayer, King Diamond, Johnny Cash, The Cure, Smiths, Depeche mode, Robyn Hitchcock, willie nelson, Dead or Alive, The Damned, Rainbow, Sinatra, Three Dog Night, Slowdive, Skinny Puppy, Prong, Type O Negative, John Maus, Dead Maus, Kavinsky, king crimson, pet shop boys Hanoi Rocks. David Bowie Iggy Pop Brian Eno the velvet underground, Gorillaz Blur, Steve Roach, Front 242 faithless radiohead… etc
 
Tell us a dirty little secret? 

Not really a great secret but it is pathetic Being someone not into realty tv in America they suck so bad. I started downloading british big brother on pirate and watching on you tube and I must confess being an anglophile I was obsessed and watched the entire show over two year period. Now I feel empty and I named Synthesizer Davina and I feel empty without her. Trying to watch Australian big brother. Its seems so fake and forced and can’t stand it
 
What advice would you give to your younger self?
 
Toughen up you will survive you will succeed but a shit storm is coming and you better be serious. No one is going to do your work. Be persistent. Be more patient. Don’t waste your time with shitty friends. And don’t let anyone tell you different. You can achieve anything as long as you believe it to be so.
 
Characters often find themselves in situations they aren’t sure they can get themselves out of. When was the last time you found yourself in a situation that was hard to get out of and what did you do?

This would make an interesting chapter one that is far too painful to discuss and after discussing it with my wife she advised against it since it didn’t become resolved and there is no easy answer and I will never be the same again. Nor was I triumphant and still haunts me to this very day.
 
Who are some of your favorite authors?

Philip K Dick, Hunter S. Thompson Kurt Vonnegut, Albert Camus, Robert Macammon, Joe R Lansdale, Joe McKinney, Cormac McCarthy George RR Martin, David Eddings, Simon R Green, Robert Jackson Bennett William Peter Blatty Stephen King Robert Bloch, Richard Matheson,

What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you?
 
Mr Shivers by Robert Jackson Bennett. Not sure which, But It’s when Stephen King began inserting himself in the gunslinger series. He ruined that for me. But Dr Sleep is good so far.
 
What is your all-time favourite horror novel, and film?

 The Exorcist.
 
Hands down it scared the fuck out of me reading it as a teen. when it was remastered for theatres I went to see it I was the only one there.
 
If you could erase one horror cliché what would it be? 

The explosion of the evil lair at the end of every story or someone is the chosen one. Para military hero protagonists. This is not scarey. Vampires that sparkle. Or anyone who kills for the greater good. Vampires with a heart. Werewolves that do running marathons for make wish foundations
 
Which fictional character would be you perfect neighbour, and who would be your nightmare neighbour? 

Shotgun Sussie. Because she is my literary girlfriend, and nightmare person would be Norman Bates / Mother. I hate old ladys that stand in the way of getting pussy. Even if it’s an inner conflict. Don’t come to my house if you got mother issues. But I would have a sandwich with Norman in the parlor if he offered.
 
If you could kill off any character from any other book who would you chose and how would they die? 

Varys in game of thrones. Although intriguing and important he’s always reminding us that he has no wiener
 
And if you had free range what fictional character would you like to write for?
 
Great question.
 
Not sure I think I think it can be horrific if done right The Ancient Mariner. I am a Coleridge fan

What do you think of the current state of the genre?
 
Kind of stale because of Paramilitary dream characters who have already prepared mad skills or characters with dream jobs like scientist. Nobody truly vulnerable, and atmosphere is lacking and chick lit disguised as horror. And it seems to be preoccupied by establishment of relationships of who is dating who. To me this boring Sookie Stackhouse crap. And its not scarey. Sexy is not Scarey
 
What do you think is the biggest problem facing horror fiction right now?
 
Remakes of classics to me is blasphemy. Not a fan of classical spin novels with vampires or zombies.
 
What’s next Huckleberry Fin AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS!
 
Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you?
 
Recently a blog wrote something about my newest novella Carny Folk, and two reviews on Amazon came after that one girl said she read book twice. I almost cried I don’t get much feedback from people and I’ve been busting my balls since 2010 to accomplish something.
 
What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult?
 
Staying inspired. Sometimes feeling not worth it or I’m not reaching anyone.
 
Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?
 
I wouldn’t write this. But have noticed of all the weird things people want to know about what makes people tick. No matter the fetish or style or confession. Or documentary. No one has written Confession of Crap Eater. At least not to my knowledge…. I’m not doing the research I don’t want to get in your head
 
What do you think makes a good story?
 
Ordinary people caught incredible moments it doesn’t have to be horror. Just something that changes their lives forever. I think of Vonnegut at Dresden and he became one of the most amazing writers I admire most. He makes writing look effortless.
 
How important are names to you in your books?
 
I am flexible because usually title changes during the middle and end and then the final process. If it’s a title I like and there is a damn good reason to change I want to hear it

What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers? 

Ambient Music during the writing phase, and serious hardcore metal or industrial for rewrites because that’s when it’s a chore
 
What is the best piece of advice you ever received from another author?
 
I asked Joe who wrote the tagline for my novella about agents and he told me in the beginning that don’t even bother seeking an agent because of the market of horror their only looking for big names even if they say they’re not. Shoot for smaller presses you’ll better luck
 
What is the most demeaning thing said about you as a writer?
 
I was paying an editor to edit my last novel which took her forever to do and her comment was that my writing was too disjointed and she didn’t understand a lot of it. Now when I actually looked at her work she took liberties at deleting thoughts a character had which I thought was important. I soon realized she was just not paying attention to what I was writing. For example in one scene the protagonist was at a sword play group. He was being annoyed buy a girl who kept talking to him about her obsession with Thom Bombadil and Legolas. She edited that sentence and changed Legolas to Legos. Now in my book if you’re going to be in the world of writing especially speculative fiction. And you can’t identify and Tolkien Character. You shouldn’t be an editor. You might to work in Romance
  
How do you market your work?  

What avenues have you found to work best for your genre? I use tumblr face book twitter. I just started with wordpress blog. About stuff I like and I promote my books there. I get better stats there than anywhere else.
 
Who is your favorite character from your book and why? 

In Carny Folk There is Lafanu he is a dark animal that is more than meets the eye as you find out. I feel a sequel or prequel in him somewhere how came to be.
 
How about the least favourite character?

What makes them less appealing to you? It’s a short novella the minor characters I wish I could have develop them more. There isn’t much peaks and valley tried to it up tempo
 
What piece of your own work are you most proud of? 

I created a video installation on several TV monitors and I showed footage of things at wrongs speeds going in different intervals and some guy recorded in some ambient music. It was very under much underappreciated and that exhibition bombed because the art gallery didn’t promote the show like they should and I live in town that cares nothing for art. But I loved that video.
 
And are there any that you would like to forget about?
 
Some poems I wished I didn’t write
 
For those who haven’t read any of your books, what book of yours do you think best represents your work and why? 

Carny Folk. Because it shows my heart my humour and storytelling I let it fly on that I didn’t hold back. But It was safe enough to show my mother in law
 
What are you working on right now? Two books
 
Darker Werld

I’m writing about drug dealing kids and mind bending drug with many street name. The main protagonist has a trach and he is a runaway from the hospital and he in lives sleepy ghost town that is a haven for crime. It’s a multidimensional world

Werld Gone Wrong

A zombie epic with a paranormal twist… yeah another zombie. But I love the genre even though we’re being saturated but when you stop thinking about it. it’s fun again.

What’s the one question you wish you would get asked but never do? And what would be the answer?
 
I want Brian Eno to ask me to collaborate on double album and the answer would be Hell Yes!

Website

 music page with videos and blog

 my blog about my passions things I read videos I watch and shameless PR

Twitter

Amazon Author Page

“Carny Folk is an hallucinogenic trip on the freaky side, made all the more surprising, and beautiful, for the love and great sympathy with which Craig Caudill develops his cast of eccentrics. This book has depth.” 
-Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Dog Days and Plague of the Undead

In an age of cold war cowardice in a world devoid of magic, Carnival People brought it with them in spades
LEOPOLD IS A MAN OF SKINNY POSSIBILITIES… the story opens with the narration by Fin a carnival Hand with various skills one most notably Flamenco guitar virtuosity. He guides us into this world, revealing key players and the history of Leopold Limelight’s League of Luna Lustre. We learn of the Circus rivalry that goes back years.
Fin, Leopold and the Gang find themselves trapped in a sleepy town that is haunted than sleepy
They soon find themselves locked in a battle of Good versus Evil. A battle they were not prepared for by a long shot. A novella that was twenty years in the making comes to life for the first time. COME ONE, COME ALL AND JOIN US IF YOU DARE!!!