Eric Woods, Author

A.W. Mason lives in Florida with his cats Wallace and Belle, retired extreme parkour artists (who look so dapper in their little helmets and knee pads). He enjoys all the nachos, getting lost in the woods, and naps.

Mason has published several books including A Haunt of Travels, The Cleanup Crew, The Scampering (co-authored with Alana K Drex), and Judy Martin’s Final Curtain Call. His short stories have appeared in various anthologies. Find him at the social media below:

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QUESTIONS:

1. Tell our readers a little about yourself and your writing (including publications).
   My name is A.W. Mason, and I am a dark fiction and horror author from Central Florida. I have two books being released in May, my new release Judy Martin’s Final Curtain Call and a re-release of my 1^st collection, A Haunt of Travels, which will now be available through Velox books. I’ve also published the dystopian alternate reality novella The Cleanup Crew and the chapbook The Scampering, co-authored with Alana K. Drex.
   
2. What writing projects are you currently working on?
   I’m currently working on my next book, tentatively titled The Shovel and the Grave which will be a werewolf novel exploring grief, found family, guilt, and addiction. I’m also working on a book full of different types of flash fiction, adding to it when the mood strikes!
   
3. Are you a daytime writer, a mid-day writer, a nighttime writer, or just someone who writes when the mood hits you?
   I used to call myself a weekend writer because I do have a full time Monday through Friday gig. So anytime I can find time to write is a good time for me, whether that’s at my laptop or something scribbled on a piece of scrap paper.
   
4. Do you have a writing “Bucket List” (goals you want to accomplish as a writer)?
   My goals are to be a consistent writer, always aiming to improve my craft with each new release. I think it’d be super neat to get a book deal with some indie presses I really respect, like Darklit or Grindhouse. My biggest goal is to just keep writing.
   
5. Who is your favorite author and why?
   There are a ton of writers I adore and respect, and it may seem a bit cliché, but Stephen King has been my favorite author from a young age and is the most influential in my own writing. I appreciate that his work is approachable for a variety of different readers and doesn’t always produce “horror.” His On Writing book is a must read for all writers.
   
6. How many books do you read in a month? What are your favorite genres?
   If I’m editing, I’ll be lucky to get two or three reads because I re-read my own book multiple times. I’m also a slow reader otherwise. If I can get between twenty and thirty books read a year, I’m pretty happy. I gravitate toward horror, anything dark or extreme but still has an underlying message about society which I feel most horror does and does well. But I still throw in some David Sedaris or non-fiction as a little change of pace.
   
7. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
   I’ve enjoyed writing since grade school, making up little worlds and trying to emulate books from my childhood like Hatchet or The Giver. I actually just found some Darkwing Duck fan fiction from when I was around seven years old! Eventually I wanted to challenge myself to write and complete something and after learning about self/indie publishing, the writing bug sank its fangs in a little deeper. That propelled me to where I am today.
   
8. HORROR FANS (pick 1-3): What was the first horror movie you ever saw? What is your favorite horror movie? What is the worst horror movie you have ever seen?
   The first horror movie I saw was the original A Nightmare on Elm Street, which is still my favorite horror movie even all these years later. I was probably too young to properly appreciate it, but I remembered being scared to hell and so fascinated at the same time. The story was so unique for the golden age of slasher films, and the practical effects were aces.
   
9. Do you have any “rules” when you write?
   I don’t think I have any rules as far as output. I do try to avoid gore just for the sake of gore, shock just for the sake of shock, etc. While I do incorporate some dark and visceral imagery, I also want it to mean something to the characters or the plot.
   
10. Speaking of animals, do you have any pets?
    I do! I have a 15-year-old tabby named Belle whom I rescued a few years ago, and a part Siamese big boy named Wallace. He’s 11 now but I adopted him when he was two.
    
11. What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a writer?
    Just write. Get out of your own head, keep the outside distractions to a minimum and just get the words on the paper. You can figure out the rest afterwards!