StanleyWheeler

 Interview with

Cas E. Crowe

Author of The Wayward Haunt

Please tell me a little about your current work in progress.

I’m currently working on book two in my dark fantasy saga called The Wayward Series. The first book is titled The Wayward Haunt, which was published in June 2020. The story is set in a war-torn, dystopian world, where teenage prisoner Zaya Wayward is conscripted into the Haxsan Guard. When malevolent forces haunt her, she suspects her ability to see the dead is the key in a sinister plot to annihilate human existence. The sequel, which picks up directly where the first book ends, is titled The Four Revenants. I’m having a blast writing the second instalment. The entire plot from beginning, middle, to end has been plotted and structured, so it’s really just a matter of writing now. The Four Revenants focuses on the same themes as the first novel, centering on ghosts, hauntings, war, tragic pasts, and star-crossed lovers. When I look back at my writing, it’s interesting to see how the characters have grown and matured throughout the two instalments. Maybe that’s because I have matured throughout the writing process. The first draft should be completed by April 2021, and the book published early 2022.

Where did you get the idea for this book or series?

I have always been fascinated in ghost stories and folklore. They tell us so much about a culture’s history and beliefs. I guess all the ideas for my novel sprang up from these. I’m a creative person. I love to write and draw, so creating my own tales became a huge part of my creative process. Small scenes started playing in my head, which grew into bigger scenes, and somehow, I managed to connect them into a story. Of course, the structure for my story changed drastically during the writing process. Every time I researched a new folktale or ghost story, my brain would be greeted with a new idea. So yes, reading and research is what inspired my idea for The Wayward Series.

Do you write in more than one genre?

The Wayward Haunt and The Four Revenants are my first serious novels. When I was younger, I would write short ghost stories that were honestly terrible, but that was how I learnt to improve. So, at this stage, no. I only write in the dark fantasy, horror, and suspense genres. One day, I am going to try and write a cozy murder mystery, something like Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, but that will be years away. Knowing me, an element of horror will leak into my writing, so it probably won’t be a cozy mystery by the time I’m through with it.

Tell me about something that you believe makes your writing unique or worthy of attention.

The Wayward Series is set in a dystopian fantasy world, but it is based on very real subjects—racial cleansing, labour camps, and totalitarian regimes. My goal is to take readers away from their own world for a while and let them experience something that is different but closer to home than they think. I bring fear and suspense into The Wayward Series because the themes and subject is truly horrifying and shocking. It is something that has happened in our own world, and continues to occur in some countries. Why are there ghosts, monsters, and horrible creatures in the story? Honestly… because I love a good ghost story. In The Wayward Series, they are a reflection of the levels of cruelty people will go to in order to assert total control.

I think people read horror because deep down, even though we try to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe, we enjoy making ourselves frightened and scared. In most novels, the horror isn’t real. The reader has control over it. They can explore their fears in a safe environment. The characters might not meet a happy ending, but for the reader, a happy and safe ending is assured. There is a level of satisfaction completing a horror novel and coming out at the other end. The Wayward Series offers something a little different. Ghosts aren’t real. The creatures and monsters in the story aren’t real. But the underlying horror and themes are.

Is there anything about your personal history or personality that manifests strongly in your writing?

I am highly creative, an introvert, a perfectionist, and overly self-critical. I am working to tame those last two personality traits, and I’m succeeding—or maybe I’m just getting wiser with age. When I first started writing The Wayward Haunt, my main character Zaya was everything I wasn’t. Strongheaded, confident, assertive. She was everything I wished I could be. But as the story progressed and her character started to mature and take shape, I suppose it was inevitable that my own personality would mesh with Zaya’s. Zaya has my good qualities, my bad qualities, and the qualities I wish I had.

What else would be helpful for readers to know about you?

I might write dark fantasy and horror, but I’m not a scary person. I get frightened watching horror movies with lots of blood, gore, torture, and psycho killers. I stay clear of them most of the time. I do like to read and watch ominous, chilling stories that explore characters and themes that are real. I suppose I am similar to audiences out there who read and watch horror because they like to be unsettled and afraid, but know deep inside that they are safe. I write about subjects that frighten me, because it’s an opportunity for me to explore and understand that fear, and is something I can achieve in a safe environment.

Excluding your own work, what underrated author or book would you recommend that more people read? Why?

There are so many authors out there who deserve recognition. I am going to suggest one horror novel that I really enjoyed. If you love the supernatural, ghosts, and dark psychological thrillers with a hint of romance, then I suggest reading Robert Ross’s Where Darkness Lives. I was engrossed by this novel. Ross has cleverly crafted the plot so that characters are not what they seem. It’s only till you get to the end of the novel that you truly understand. The plot is intriguing and mysteries, always leaving you guessing where the story is heading. Some readers might not like the ending, but that is the risk we take when we read horror. Sometimes there are no happy endings—for some characters, at least.

Which of your books do you most highly recommend? Why?

I’m a new author and I have one self-published book, so I recommend The Wayward Haunt.

Which break, event, decision, or fortuitous circumstance has helped you or your writing career the most?

I think joining a writing group was the best decision I could have made to improve my writing skills. Reading the works of other authors helps. You certainly learn about pace, settings and scenes, narration, description, points of view, dialogue, and character development by reading, but I found my own writing improved significantly when other creative minded and talented people read and critiqued my work. They provided so much valuable advice. They picked up on things I’d never noticed in my writing. They offered support and guidance. Eventually, all writers have to get their work out there. I think the best way to start is through a writing group.

What question do you wish you would get asked more often?

Someone once asked me how I stayed motivated long enough to complete a novel. They wanted to know what my process was. Honestly, at the time I couldn’t answer. I suppose it was just sheer determination and stubbornness to achieve what I’d set out to do—to prove that I could write a novel and publish it. I thought about that question for a long time afterward and realised it wasn’t just that. You have to love your story and want to write it. You have to believe that people will enjoy reading it. I decided to come up with a few different ways new authors can stay motivated to complete their first novel. I’m ready for people to ask me now.

Do you have a catch-phrase or quote that you like? What is it? And why do you choose it?

My favourite little saying is “I see, said the blind man to his deaf girl as he picked up his hammer and saw.” I’ve also heard it as “I see, I see, said the blind man to his deaf son.” This idiom always makes me laugh because the idea of it sounds so ridiculous, but I actually think it means to understand something, or see beyond it and be enlightened after a period of confusion.

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Thanks to Cassie for participating in the interview. May she have many good ghost stories in her future.

As for my own writing, I've completed the almost final draft of a short story, made a critical decision about the novel in progress -- which is still set for release in March -- and resumed Iago's story in the novel. 

You'll learn more about the short story later. As for the critical decision on the novel: I've removed nearly 10K words. Those words and more will go into a side novella to accompany this second trilogy. I was getting too far a sea and not developing that particular story line sufficiently. I should do it right, if I'm going to do it at all. As this side adventure is fun and continues to develop a couple of the characters, as well as a new character who joined earlier in the book, I have to do it. If you're going to write it, write it right. You can quote me on that.

Oh, I've also been looking into a book cover for the novel in progress. I believe I've found something quite nice. I'll eventually do a cover reveal, but not until the book is complete.

I've got a recap and review of another Combat! episode that I need to post, and I should also discourse on the dismemberment of a body in which I participated--I'll have to dress it up (the story of the deed, not the actual body) like The Great Christmas Chicken Chase before I present it.

Finally, I'll be doing a monthly newsletter to begin in the next couple months--I'll have a link so you can sign up for it. Here's something that may be included:

I know I had something else to add, but it eludes me at the moment. Oh. I've got a couple movie reviews to write as well. Lots of stuff to keep me entertained.