I normally don’t divulge this, but I do read a lot of cereal boxes. Captain Crunch is an amazing writer, and his multi-syllabic prose in the chapters called “Ingredients” has me breaking out the dictionary time and time again.
Morgan Winters – 1 January 2015
The Back Flap
This collection of 25 flash fiction stories features darkly humorous and sometimes creepy works ranging from a ten-year-old serial killer to talking woodland creatures. Each story includes a written prompt and a full-color photograph, so the reader can see how they were twisted to be dark and disturbed.
About the book
What is the book about?
Answer in normal … Yeah, normal’s kind of a problem for me. Is unbold okay? 😉 😛
Dark & Disturbed contains 25 fairly warped and macabre flash fiction stories. You probably won’t want to read these to your kid before bed. Or ever. A dark sense of humour is definitely required.
When did you start writing the book?
Frankly, writing this book was an accident, and I unwittingly began it in 2013.
How long did it take you to write it?
It took about a year for me to collect all the stories.
Where did you get the idea from?
Well, I’m not sure that they want their site linked to my work, but the folks at Indies Unlimited post a flash fiction prompt every Saturday, and when I see one that inspires me, I go in and defile it.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
I’d like to say yes, but no, my demented brain had no problem creating disturbing work from the lovely prompts. Wait! Yes, there was a part where I struggled: my biography.
What came easily?
Unfortunately, the ability to take normal things and completely ruin them comes all too easily to me – and sometimes concerns me. But I get over it.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
Most of the characters are supplied in the writing prompt. Occasionally I will interject a character spoofing on a character from someone else’s writing, but for the most part, they are just my original, demented creations.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
I normally don’t divulge this, but I do read a lot of cereal boxes. Captain Crunch is an amazing writer, and his multi-syllabic prose in the chapters called “Ingredients” has me breaking out the dictionary time and time again. Traveling to far lands must have given him that amazing vocabulary.
Do you have a target reader?
Yes, and I believe he’s in the holding cell in his local police station right now.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
Mostly I get angry when people are jerks, and then I sit down at my computer and devise ways to humiliate and then kill them. Then I link all those sessions together and try to figure out how to work them into a story.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
No, I usually write things out of order and then struggle to patch them together. It’s not a very efficient process.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
You mean like use spell check, right? Kidding. I do both.
Did you hire a professional editor?
I haven’t had a novel published yet, so I’m not certain how I will handle it. I’m sort of afraid for anyone who has to read the project I’m currently working on because, frankly, it frightens even me.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
I don’t usually listen to music because I can’t hear it over the voices in my head.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
Like secret agents? Insurance agents?
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
My situation dictated that I self-publish. I’m a very private person and prefer to fly under the radar. So this basking in obscurity thing really works for me.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
If you’re asking me that, then obviously you haven’t seen it, which hurts me to my core, truly. *sniffles*
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
My plan is: every 90 days, give the book away for free. Watch gleefully as 2 people download it. Put it back to 99 cents and bask in obscurity. Repeat.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Dear aspiring Indie: don’t do anything the way I do it. Go to IndiesUnlimited.com and educate yourself. I found them a bit late in my process, and if I had to do it over again, I’d do it the same way because I’m lazy.
About You
Where did you grow up?
Mostly everywhere, although I hear that your ear lobes never stop growing, and I find that incredibly distressing.
Where do you live now?
I live in a major metropolitan area in eastern North America.
What would you like readers to know about you?
When my plan to rule the world comes to fruition, I plan to give tax deductions to the people who buy my books. But they’ll have to have the receipts. I mean, come on.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on a vampire novel that is so violent and twisted that I can only write it in small segments, because I scare myself.
End of Interview:
For more from Morgan, visit his blog.
Get your copy of Dark and Disturbed from Amazon US or Amazon UK.
