And So it Begins

Photo: Redd Angelo

​You don’t know me. I don’t know you. Not yet, at least, but I’d like to. I'm fairly shy, to be honest, but I do like people, probably because I'm curious and inquisitive, which is a pretty way of saying that I'm kind of a gossip. The trait's come in handy, especially back when I used to work in lifestyle journalism and public relations. But now it’s all about fiction.

Let's Talk About Specs

I won’t mince words. Everything that goes here will cover things that interest me, mainly stuff pertaining to the darker aspects of horror, romance, fantasy, and science fiction, in whatever form that might take. I love entertainment across the spectrum – you might say it was part of my job description – so if it’s gritty, creepy, or mildly depressing, I’m all in. Films, books, video games, whatever. And if you’re into the same stuff, then I’d love to have you along for the ride. 

Oh, and there will be boy talk. I realize that doesn’t quite fit into the grand scheme of things but come on, I write gay romance. And up until my last boyfriend I lived gay romance, but hey, that’s neither here nor there. But yes, there will be discussions about the many wonderful merits of boys and men, as well as the body parts that specifically make them so wonderful. And if you’re into the same stuff, then we should probably be best friends.

All this to say that there are two main forces driving my work, the same ones that spur us on in our lives: fear and love. It’s crazy just how much I’ve learned about both over the course of writing my first few books. The fear is the strongest. Will anyone even care about what I’ve created? What will I do with myself if I don’t succeed at this? 

Fear and Loathing

I was – and still am – constantly afraid of failure, but I’ve pressed on regardless because I know in my gut that this is something I was meant to do. It’s cliched as hell but my chest hurts if it fills up with too many things left untold or unsaid, but when it’s three in the morning and I’m hacking away at the keyboard my fingers feel like they’re flying and my heart soars and sings. 

As a fan of fiction, I’m sure you know this as well as I do. Writing, or really any creative endeavor, it’s like magic. You’re actually creating worlds from the tips of your fingers. For a scant few hours you cease being human and become this all-powerful other creature, this thing that is only capable of making and making more and more beauty. For the smallest span of time fear ceases to exist, and all that remains is your body hollowed out and filled with the purest passion for what you truly love to do.

Looking back over my manuscripts I didn’t even realize how strongly those two forces came into play. Each of the novels follows people who act out of fear in order to protect everything they love. It's a pattern as old as the spoken word itself, and for good reason. 

Influential Forces

Fear and love are fundamental, so primal and powerful that they weave neatly into every narrative, even into the thirty-second pitch that nearly every industry in the world uses to sell you its wares. Preserve your beauty, or no one will love you. Buy insurance, or risk losing everything you hold dear. 

It's hard to fight something that's so ingrained in modern society that it assaults you from every angle. I think I've come to embrace it in a way. I’m afraid of everything. I love horror to bits, even though I always need to sleep with the lights on after watching even the tamest movies. And like everyone I yearn for love, whether romantic, filial, or friendly. 

I blame my favorite authors for driving me straight into this bizarre intersection: Anne Rice and her supernatural sensuality, Chuck Palahniuk and his love of shock and human horror, and HP Lovecraft for staining the genre forever with despair and madness. Oh, and for birthing the things that will someday consume us all.

So to sum up, if you’re into dark fantasy, romantic horror, beautiful boys, and the occasional ramble about the writing process, then I invite you to stick around for what’s to come. You just might enjoy yourself. Sign up for the newsletter and bag a free book. Say hello in the comments, even. I won’t bite, I promise. Here, I’ll start.

Hi there. I’m Soren. It’s nice to meet you.