Here is our text interview with Will Norton, one of the winners of our StarkLight Press short story contest.
Interview With Will Norton about his upcoming short story and winner of the Starklight Press Literary Award.
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Do you have any sources of inspiration for your world?
I’ve had experience working in the oil industry. I write from personal experience and the soul sucking horror that pays my bills. Every day that I go to work there is a serious chance that I’ve irreprably damaged my health. Danger pay is a huge part of the big wages that I earn, danger and medical expenses both now and in the future. I write what I write as a big fat ‘what if’ that scares the f#%@ out of me everyday. The short answer is my terror and horror at what I do everyday is the inspiration I draw from.
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What do you love most about writing?
The fact that it’s something real and lasting. Most of what I do in my ‘actual’ job has the effect of being used by consumers in about five seconds and it literally just burns away and it’s gone. Well, not gone, the residual effects will impact the environment for a long time to come and so will the wreckage that was once a world and now it’s just a total craphole nightmare.
I mean, these places I go to used to be beautiful and now… anyway, that’s what I love about writing is that it’s worse where I write, but it’s not the world, not yet. I mean, except for the stories that I say are fictional only so they don’t fire my ass from my job. This is a complete lie but, you should know… NONE OF IT IS FICTION! I’VE SEEN IT ALL HAPPEN!!! WE ARE ALL IN HUGE SHIT AND IT KEEPS GETTING WORSE.Also, I’m just a creative person, ya know?
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Who are your favourite writers? Why are they your favourites?
My favorite writer of all time is Stephen King. No one holds a candle to him, he just tells the story and he doesn’t try to get all literary and he doesn’t care what anyone thinks. By that I mean that he’s not self conscious, he’s not worried about the critics, it’s just a story. A totally credible terrifying story. Except for those few times where he does get self conscious and experimental… you all know the books I mean…
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What is the most unique aspect of your universe?
There isn’t anything unique about my universe. It’s only one degree from the real world and it’s a whole lot of things that scare me and should scare you, too. I guess if there was one thing that was unique I would have to say the fact that it’s mine and nobody else’s nightmare. For better or worse I’m married to the horrors of my own mind and my keyboard has split open my mind and birthed the children I have made with my revulsion at the human condition and now you’ve gotten yourself involved. Haha.
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What is your favourite part of your universe?
The fact that I remain outside of it and that my life is marginally better than my protagonists’ tend to be.
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What do you think people will most enjoy about your universe?
I have no clue. I hope it’s because it makes you think a little bit but this question is really hard. I write to get the horrors out of my head and onto the page, why you’d want to put it into your head is seriously beyond my understanding. Having said that, please read my story and buy lots of copies for your friends and families.
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Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I write whenever I get a chance but my full time job is out in the oil patch which is a bitter and demeaning job. I’m bitter and demeaned, that’s one thing about myself that I’m sure many people would enjoy hearing about me. I am a firm believer in the internet rumors that KFC was forced to change its name because they were forbidden from calling their genetically modified half spider/ half chicken monstrosities ‘chicken’ any longer. I’ve seen the pictures and they are emblazoned on my soul. I defy everyone to prove that sh#$ is photoshopped.
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Any words of advice of struggling writers?
Don’t struggle. If you’re struggling you’re doing it all wrong. Go out and live your life and write what comes to mind. Send it out wherever and as much as you can. The internet makes it so easy. Think about what what writers who have preceded you have gone through and quit whining. You just have to click ‘send’, used to be not too long ago that there were self addressed stamped envelopes and hundreds of dollars spent on paper and printing so that you could get rejected, now you have the pleasure of getting rejected for free. You can be rejected so much faster and by so many more people, the internet has revolutionized rejection beyond everyone’s wildest dreams. Anyway, keep on asking, it’s gonna work out eventually… unless your writing is crap, then you’re up some creek without a paddle. And on the internet, somebody’s bound to read it one day anyway.
Read “Breaking Time” in StarkLight Volume 2, soon to be released on ebook and in print. Place your advance orders at starklightdesk@gmail.com. Just tell us how many copies you’d like and we will send you a form today.
Don’t forget to visit Will’s facebook page and friend him, too !
-Tony Stark