Author Spotlight: Troy McCombs

Horror fans!  This post is for you! 


Welcome Troy McCombs!

1. What kind of books do you write and how many have you written so far? 

I love writing horror! That's my forte and my favorite genre. I've written a number

of stories, and several novels. I do, however, have a few stories that aren't horror at all.

The Graveyard is a coming-of-age drama with some fantasy elements attached; The Music of 1997 is about a young man who travels back in time while listening to certain songs from a certain era. It all depends on where my imagination wants to go on a given day :) I also write screenplays: some horror; action; drama, etc...

2.  When is your next book being published?

Don't know yet. I'm working on a new novel: a crime/thriller/science fiction tale. I don't want to give out any details yet, though, about it. I do have another horror I wrote last year that I'm trying to publish. It's a post-apocalyptic series entitled 'Darkworld'.

    
3.  When did you start writing and what inspires you the most?

I started writing in third grade. Our teacher made us students write a short story for class credit. I was hooked instantly. I only progressed from there.

It's hard to say what inspires me. A butterfly has to fly. A fish has to swim. I have to write. I don't know why, I just do. Just the thought of creating a new world with new characters inspires me.
    
4.  Why did you pick the genre that you currently write in, and are you currently considering writing in a different genre?  Why or why not?

I've always loved horror for some reason. My second story was a short horror story I remember quite vividly (everything except the title, lol). I'll write in pretty much any genre, as long as the story/characters inspire me and tell me what to do, where to go.

5.  Tell us about your creative writing process.

It comes and goes. Some days I'm hot, some days I'm not. I do get writer's block quite frequently. Who knows how I get out of it. I just do. Sometimes it takes a while, too. I always try to write an outline for my books/stories before I start, even if it's as little as a paragraph or two. Then it gives me a sort of blueprint. I know my story is special when it writes itself.

 
            
6.  Who is your favorite author, past and present, and why?

H.P. Lovecraft. I just fell in love with his style years ago. His stories really frighten me. No writer has made me feel the way he's made me feel by reading his work.

7.  Tell us, what is the central message of your current book and the target audience.

I don't know if my book has a 'message'. Everybody takes a different meaning out of every book. I'd say my target audience is anyone who loves the horror genre, and anyone who's a big fan of 'haunted house' stories and is looking for a new twist on the haunted house theme. Ghosts are the small potatoes in this house.

8.  What do you hope your readers will walk away with after reading your book?

Hopefully, that they've read a book they enjoyed. Something different, something fresh. Since it's horror, maybe even a little frightened.

9.  If you didn’t become an author, what do you think you would be doing now?

I have no idea. I'd probably be confused, without a place in this world.

10.  What’s the worst experience and best experience you ever had as a writer?

The worst experience was getting ripped off one time early in my career. I was promised payment and never received a dime. The best experience was watching a story of mine being produced into a movie.

11.  Where do you see yourself in five years with your writing and your life?

As a best-selling author with many fans—that's where I want to be, anyway. I can always hope for that, right?

12.  Where can people find you and your books on the Internet?

Amazon link to book:
http://www.amazon.com/House-Mayberry-Road-ebook/dp/B0057GEWHE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1327969012&sr=8-2

Barnes and Noble link to book:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-house-on-mayberry-rd-troy-mccombs/1104655736?ean=9781937085254&itm=1&usri=troy+mccombs

tmhorror.blogspot.com   --(my blog)

ehorror.webs.com     --(my website)

World Castle Publishing. You can find me at Facebook; just type in my name: Troy McCombs, (or Troy Ray McCombs) and I should com