There are 2 ways to
receive this special access written interview with
Anton Lee Richards
On horror writing, escapism, monsters & more
1. Click on
link below for the pdf
OR
2. Read the
interview below
Welcome to
Write Volumes: Behind the Volume presents Shades of Writers 8 at 8 Author
Interview series. Our goal is to give diverse voices an outlet for expression
and to bring attention to diverse writers and our thoughts. In this monthly newsletter we are featuring
interviews of our wonderful writers to help people like you to get to know them
better.
Our first
written interview features Anton Lee Richards.
Anton is an LGBTQ humorous novelist from Chicago and the author of
Blueberry Pancakes. He also wrote “Not Like Them” in Shades of Horror &
Strangeness as well as “Lost Its Diversity” and “Sassy’s Subs” in Shades of
Transition & Transformation. In a previous life, he worked in IT. In a
previous life before that, he was a songwriter.
WV: Did writing horror change your writing
process?
ALR: I had to research how to write a horror
story, what the genre expectations were, and how to end the story. In horror,
the conclusion isn’t just a wrap-up of all the events, it’s supposed to leave
the reader feeling unsettled, something that I’m not used to doing in my
pieces.
WV: There are
always outside factors in life. With the Pandemic, riots, closures,
unemployment, quarantines, curfews, family, friends etc. What motivates you to
keep writing during this time? How
important is writing (to you or in general)?
ALR: Like a reader who picks up a book as a form
of escapism, writing is the same for me. I get to pretend to be a “character”
who has a life that more glamourous than my own and is sometimes even heroic.
WV: What is the
responsibility of a writer to their readers? What contract exists between a
writer and reader?
ALR: When a reader agrees to read your story or
buy your book, they are trusting you with their time and money. An author has
the responsibility for taking their time seriously.
Readers today are overwhelmed
by choice. There are 70,000 books published on Amazon per month, cable TV,
Netflix, social media, smartphones. Authors need to give readers a reason to
choose to spend their time with your book.
An author needs to put the story
first, readers second, and the author themselves third, in that order. An
author who believes they are “brilliant” or has a definite agenda is sure to be
a turnoff for many readers. Literature’s purpose is not to boost the ego of the
writer, but to convey a message for the reader’s benefit.
WV: How would
you describe your style? Would you put yourself in any particular movement or
school?
ALR: Contrary to my horror story in this
anthology, my style is humorous and light, or at least that’s what I aim for in
my mainstream pieces.
More questions
for Anton:
WV: Do you have a favorite horror story or movie?
Why?
ALR: The Haunting of Hill House, a Netflix series
based on Shirley Jackson’s novel. It is a character-based show, where the
horror is only one element of the storyline.
WV: If you could be any monster, what would you
be and why?
ALR: Frankenstein. I love the idea of being both a
man-made creature and something that turns out to be much worse than anyone
could have expected.
WV: Who are
some of your favorite authors? Why are
they important to you?
ALR: I like Janet Evanovich, Jami Albright, and Nick
Hornby because they have created humorous books without becoming overly cheesy.
WV: What ways do personal transitions inform your
writing on this topic?
ALR: I wrote two stories for the Transitions
anthology. Both take place in the same North Side of Chicago setting that I
live in real life. Both stories are about events taking place around me and
affect me.
“Lost Its Diversity” is about a
neighborhood quickly gentrifying. I have been witnessing the changes in my
neighborhood and am concerned about rising prices pricing me out.
“Sassy’s Subs” is about generational
differences in the LGBTQ community. I seem to have been born within the
generation between the two presented in the story and have witnessed both
sides, both arguments.
WV: What’s next
for you?
ALR: I’m switching to a new genre: M/M romantic
comedy, sometimes known as “chick lit” in Britain. It will be the LGBTQ version
of light, humorous beach reads in the style of Sophie Kinsella or Meg Cabot.
MORE INFO ON
ANTON
WV: Where can
readers find you if they would like to connect with you more?
ALR: www.antonleerichards.com
www.facebook.com/antonleerichards
www.twitter.com/antonleerichard
WV: Where can
readers find more of your work? Any releases approaching (where and when)?
ALR: I’m hoping to have a new novel done by the
end of the year.
Thank you for
your time and thank you so much for your writing, Anton.
We also want to thank everyone for reading.
This is Behind
the Volume a look at Write Volumes in the making. Please continue to check out writevolumes.com
for our latest info. You can also find
us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
And remember
together we can write volumes!
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