The eagerly awaited interview with Joe Schreiber, author of
Death Troopers and
No Doors, No Windows, among other novels, has finally
been posted! In this segment, Schreiber talks about his new novel,
No Doors, No Windows, as well as general horror!
Be sure to check out his answers on recent addition to the Star Wars universe,
Death Troopers, on
NJOE.com, as well as the general Star Wars segment (discussing the upcoming prequel to Death Troopers as well) here on
Immortal Darkness.
1. With the advent of Death Troopers, you've gained a large potential audience who may not have heard of your other works before. What would you like to say to these new fans about your other works, and do you think many of your fans will overlap, given the chance?
I honestly don't know. I hope so. My guess is that if the only thing you like about Death Troopers is that it's a Star Wars book, you probably won't venture too much into my other stuff. But if readers like the way that the Death Troopers story is told, the pacing and type of people that I write about, then they'll like my other novels. My editor told me today that No Doors has gone back to press for another printing, and that didn't happen with my last book, so I'll take it as a good sign. 2. On the subject of No Doors, No Windows, I loved the characters in that book – they felt very true to life. Were you inspired in some way to create these characters, and did any of them take on a life you hadn’t expected?
I spent a long time writing No Doors, No Windows, and rewriting it and editing it. My editor at the time, Keith Clayton, really pushed me to think about the relationships between the main characters, and I think the extra consideration shows in the story. I wanted to come up with people that you felt like you might actually encounter in a small New Hampshire town...people who weren't simply good or bad, but had the potential to make questionable decisions, or show real grace and bravery under the worst circumstances.
3. I noticed two references to Death Troopers in No Doors, No Windows – one overt and one subtle. The overt one is when Scott notices someone reading a book with a severed Stormtrooper’s head on the cover. The second one is the similarity in the Blackwing project and the Darkwing of the Round House. In the second case, is this just me reading too much into things – or is there some subtle connection?
It's deliberate. The name of Frank Mast's book is "The Black Wing," just like the Blackwing virus. Two different kinds of evil, both equally noxious and deadly, stretched across galaxies and time. Both books also feature a character named Austin...a friend of mine in the real world. 4. On that note, how fun was it tying those two books together like that?
Oh, it was great. I wanted to actually find a way to have the same scene in both books, but in the end I just wasn't smart enough to figure out how. Wouldn't that have been wild?
5. There’s so much about No Doors, No Windows that I loved, especially the Round House itself. Was there any real life inspiration for this place?
My first job out of college was as a housesitter in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I got to check out some pretty eccentric houses. One of them had hidden escape passageways so that the owner could get out in an emergency. I'm a big fan of paranoid architecture.
6. Early on in No Doors, No Windows I didn’t like Owen, yet by the end of the story I was very sympathetic to him. Was this a planned arc for his character?
Absolutely. 7. I wasn’t sure what I thought of the reveal near the end of No Doors, No Windows that one character had the piece of information that Scott needed to connect all the dots. It felt a little too convenient, a little out of left field. I’m wondering what your thoughts are in why
you went in that direction instead of having Scott connect the dots himself through his research into the Round House and his own family’s history?
In my mind, the character you're referring to is a kind of emotional dynamite whose fuse stretches back through most of the book, back to the very first chapter. In that sense, I saw what happened as inevitable.
As far as Scott's investigation, and his mental status by the end, I think the case might be made that he'd probably hit a brick wall on his own. 8. On a similar note, I also wasn’t sure what to make of the fact that this great ghost story suddenly turned a little bit ‘slasher movie’ at the end. It didn’t quite work for me, and I’m not really sure why. I’m interested in hearing what your thoughts were in ending the novel this way.
Being a fan of ghost stories and slasher movies, I couldn't help myself.
9. I understand that you were inspired to write No Doors, No Windows because you wanted to do a new take on the Haunted House. What kinds of horror stories do you enjoy, and which books and movies are of particular inspiration to you from this genre?
I don't read much horror. I read Shirley Jackson's "Haunting of Hill House" and Peter Straub's early novels. Also John Farris' classic "All Heads Turn As the Hunt Goes By."
10. Going into more general horror territory, do you have any favorite horror movies?
The usual ones, I guess -- Alien, The Thing, Halloween, The Exorcist and the first Nightmare on Elm Street. I just saw Paranormal Activity, and although I can't recommend it in general, it certainly disturbed the hell out of me. I thought it was genius. 11. Do you have any advice for aspiring horror authors?
To writers in general, I just say, keep writing. Seriously. And read everything you can get your hands on, in all genres. Don't worry about getting an agent until you're absolutely the best you can be. Ninety-nine percent of your work involves sitting down in a chair when everybody else is out sledding down the snowy hill. 12. If you were a horror icon, who would you be?
Vincent Price. For his art collection. And his sense of humor.
13. Do you have any inspiration or role models who've influenced your career or approach?
One of my biggest influences is Harlan Ellison. He is a fearless and seemingly tireless writer, and I grew up wanting to write with the same conviction and imagination.
14. On behalf of the membership of Fight-Evil.com, what do you think of Rawhead Rex, if you're familiar with the movie and title monster?
I read the Clive Barker story about a hundred years ago. I once saw someone bring him a movie poster to sign, and he looked like he wanted to throw up on it.
15. Do you read a lot of horror in your free time? If so, what's your favorite horror novel or author? No, I'm sorry, Joe Schreiber is not a valid answer.
I don't read much horror. If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be Thomas Ligotti.
16. Why horror?
I'm not pretty enough for romance. 17. Are there any unexpected connections between your novels (say, the type that would convince somebody who's read one to buy them all, wink wink)?
They're all written by a guy having the time of his life making stuff up. 18. Outside of your next Star Wars novel and the upcoming Supernatural book, are you working on any other books? Can you give any hints as to what might be next for you? What kinds of stories would you still like to write?
My next novel is called Stillwater. I'm pitching it as Jaws meets Ordinary People. It's the book that I was born to write.
Author