When I first announced that I was going to start reviewing and interviewing, William reached out with a copy of his novel Killer Be Killed* (find his Evil Eval here). He's a super friendly guy, great to interact with, and it was a really fun read! I'll absolutely be looking into more of his work. He did a great job of balancing gruesome with fun, and the suspense absolutely held my attention.
Everyone's teen years contain some level of personal horror, so naturally after reading a terrifying story about a place that typically holds boatloads of fond memories, I had to ask some questions about those years of his life. It just so happens, the same movie left a pretty big impression on both of us! Read on, learn a bit about William, and then go do some reading!
1. After reading Killer Be Killed, I have to ask… did you go to summer camp?
Sort of. I didn’t get to go to a traditional summer camp growing up, but when I was in High School I was a really invested runner. Cross Country, Track, and the like. For two summers I went to a “running camp” in Brevard North Carolina with some friends which sort of functioned as a later-in-life summer camp for me. Besides running there were “camp games” and there was a river that everybody played in. No Blob, sadly.
2. What is your favorite sub-genre of horror to watch and/or read? Do you have
similar tastes in cinema and written word?
I don’t know if I have one set favorite sub-genre! I think depending on my mood there’s a time or a place where any of the subgenres might hit right. Splashy horror movies like Happy Death Day or Ready Or Not get turned on a lot when I want background noise. Darker, “elevated horror” movies (I THINK I know what that means?) tend to get turned on when it’s two in the morning and the rest of the house is asleep.
3. Which character, good or evil, was your favorite in Killer Be Killed?
I know this is going to sound weird, but Jolene was my favorite. My books rarely focus on characters that are as unhinged as she was. The evil characters tend to be side characters, so getting to dive into Jolene’s point of view felt unique and fresh for me. Even though she’s horrendous, her headspace was a fun sort of escapism for me from the real world.
4. If you had to pick between a night in a violently haunted house, or a night at
Camp Green Pines, which would you choose and why?
Green Pines! All the way. At least the things that will kill me at Green Pines will kill me quickly. In a haunted house ghosts tend to mess with you first. I don’t like feeling haunted. If something’s gonna take me out, I think I’d rather it be a quick ax to the head over something crawling slowly up the bed.
5. Is there a particular kind of creature that always gives you the chills?
I might have just told on myself in the last question, but ghosts get under my skin. The idea that there might be things, or people, watching you when you aren’t aware of them, or stalking you from the dark, shadowy recesses of the room…it makes my skin crawl.
6. Are you currently working on any new projects?
So many. I have two books finished that are releasing soon. SYNAPSE is a rewrite of my first novel. A Sci-Fi, Dystopian Horror epic which I tried to write before I really had the skills to pull it off. I revisited it this summer and brought it “up to standard” and I’m really excited to get a good version of that story out there in August. In September I’m releasing my first collection of Short Stories called IRRATIONAL FEARS. I’d be thrilled if people checked either or both out!
7. If you could co-write a book with any horror author of your choosing, who
would you want to work with?
I could list people for hours. Honestly, the horror community is so great right now. Gun to my head though, if I had to pick one, I’d try to co-write a slasher novel with James Sabata. Between his book, FAT CAMP, and my book KILLER BE KILLED, I think we both have an affinity for summer-camps gone wrong and over-the-top kills that would play well off each other in a big novel.
8. Aliens have mercifully landed on Earth to rescue you from the dumpster fire it’s
become – what kind of alien stepping off that ship would terrify you the most?
I think the worst thing would be if they stepped off the ship and they looked and acted just like us. I like the idea that we might be visited by aliens that show us a better way of life. Those types of scifi stories always inspire a sort of optimism in me. But the worst thing would be if Aliens showed up that just echoed our vices back at us. If it just seemed like every sentient species fell into the same traps, I think the implications of that would be more horrifying than any sort of creature design I could come up with.
9. Is there a particular memory you have of an experience that jumpstarted your
love for horror?
Yes! In Middle School I spent the night at my friend Corey Austin’s house and we watched Signs together. It broke me. I had to have at least five cups of water on my nightstand for weeks following that movie and a water gun. It was totally freaky. But it was also, in a strange way that only horror fans can understand, fun. It made me feel a whole array of emotions that I hadn’t dealt with before, and once I came down from the initial terror high, all I wanted was to find more of that.
10. Are there any other mediums you’d enjoy seeing your work in (film, audio
drama, etc.)? How would you like to be involved with those projects?
Oooh. Great question. So I’m actually writing a screenplay right now for a Cross Country movie. It’s a total departure from my usual horror stuff, but I think it’s strange that one of the most populated sports in the country doesn’t have a GOOD sports movie adaptation out there yet. So I’m really trying to correct that.
Sticking with my horror stuff though? I think my first book- THROUGH FROZEN VEINS- would make a really good closed room mystery movie. I’d love to help write a big screen adaptation of it because I think it could be a fun, twisty adventure for a production company to make. To me at least, it feels unique from anything else that’s out there, but also realistic enough to pull off with just some actors and a minimal budget.
To follow William, and find more info:
Twitter: @spooky_sterling
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