Annie’s Book Stop of Worcester is happy to shine out spotlight on Tom Deady, who will be part of our Saturday Scares event on December 17, from 2:00 – 4:00 PM. Tom will be at our “bigger on the inside” bookstore at 65 James Street, along with Pete Kahle, author and editor of Bloodshot Books, to help you find the right gifts for the people in your life who love the scarier side of celebrations!
Thank you for joining us, Tom! Can you please tell us briefly a little about yourself and your writing? How would you like us to introduce you?
I was born and raised in Malden, MA and have remained a lifelong resident of Massachusetts. I have masters in English and Creative Writing from SNHU. I’ve been writing on and off for most of my life – HAVEN was actually written in fits and starts over a fifteen year period. Since completing that in 2012, I’ve finished three novels and a ton of short stories. Writing full time someday is the dream…
For readers unfamiliar with your work, how would you describe what you write? What can readers expect from HAVEN?
I think Stewart O’Nan summarized HAVEN better than I could: “a big, generous, Stephen King-like small town boys vs. monster epic.”
A more recent comparison was to the Netflix show “Stranger Things.”
A lot of my writing contains a coming-of-age theme. There’s a lot to be said for the “suspension of disbelief” in kids and young adults that somehow fades as people get older. I touch on that a lot in HAVEN.
What character did you love or hate the most while writing? And why?
That’s a tough question. I both loved and hated writing Denny’s character because there’s a lot of myself in him. Writing about your own fears and weaknesses, even when disguised as a fictional character is tough. The same goes for writing about the antagonists (the Crawfords). I hated them because of what they represent…but I loved writing about them because I knew I could do whatever I wanted to them.
How important has the New England setting been to your writing?
I think New England plays a huge part in my writing. There is such a long and sometimes sordid history here. You really don’t have to look too far for inspiration. The Boston Strangler, The Bridgewater Triangle, Lizzie Borden, and of course, the Salem Witch Trials. They play a part in HAVEN.
In addition to the history, the geography and even the weather can provide inspiration. Long country roads, endless stretches of woods with ancient stone walls and crumbling foundations, cool, crisp fall nights…it all adds up to a setting for a horror story.
What else can we expect from you in the near future?
You won’t have to wait long at all for my next release. ETERNAL DARKNESS comes out in early 2017, probably February. I’m thrilled to be working with Bloodshot Books on this one.
Are there any groups, clubs, or organizations that you would recommend to other writers that have helped you in your career?
I’ve never been a “writing group” kind of person, so I can’t really comment on that aspect. I think the writing process is very much solitary. I generally don’t let anyone read my work until the first draft is complete.
As far as clubs and organizations, the Horror Writers Association has a lot of great resources including a mentor program. Locally, the New England Horror Writers group includes an incredible amount of knowledge in both the craft of writing and the business of writing.
I think what has been most helpful for me is attending writing retreats and conventions. StokerCon is put on annually by the HWA. Locally, NECON is an amazing experience.
Where can people find your work? (Besides ABSW ;)–though they should totally check here first!)
The best place (other than Annie’s) is my Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Tom-Deady/e/B00ILC8TOS/
How can we follow your work, share your awesomeness, or otherwise stalk you in a totally non-creepy way?
Definitely sign up for my monthly newsletter at www.tomdeady.com – I always do at least one give-away. I’m also on FB (https://www.facebook.com/tom.deady.5) and Twitter(@deadytom).
Thank you, again, for joining us, Tom Deady! We look forward to having you and Pete Kahle at 65 James Street in Worcester on Saturday, December 17, from 2:00-4:00 PM!!