An Interview I had with Kristin Johnson, author
The following is a transcript of an interview I provided for author and poet Kristin Johnson of Poems for You.com and book reviewer from MyShelf.com. This interview was submitted sometime last year and details some of my ideas as a writer. Enjoy!
David Conlin McLeod will soon release his fourth book, the prequel to the Dragon's Tear Chronicle that began with Dancing With The Moon. David has also published Two Past Twilight and The Audition. I'm a reviewer and fan of David's books, Two Past Twilight, http://www.myshelf.com/horror/04/twopasttwilight.html, Dancing With The Moon, http://www.myshelf.com/horror/03/dancingwiththemoon.html, and The Audition.
I was curious as to what makes this soulful horror writer, who focuses on vampires as people (much like Anne Rice and Brandon Massey as well as Laurell K. Hamilton), tick, and he kindly sent me his own dream interview:
Kristin: What makes your work in horror different than already established horror writers?
David Conlin McLeod: “I try to illustrate different shades of what is evil, what is horror, and what is terrifying. In the realm of fiction where anything is possible, I try to base much of what I do on shades or varying levels of reality, to not only give the fear or horror plausibility, but to give my readers points of reference. I also try to inject elements of common ground and twist them around to get fears we least expect. I want to try and take what you know and show you something about it that you wouldn’t want to know, twist it and make it somehow more frightening than what is on the obvious surface.”
Kristin: So pretty much the old saying, “Things are not as they seem”?
David Conlin McLeod: “Basically, but I apply it with heroes as well as villains and situations. That’s another difference I inject in my stories. Even the heroes of my stories have a little shade of evil, taint, or impurity. As in reality, nobody is perfect. I want to show dimension in my characters. I’m tired of cardboard, carbon copies of stereotyped heroes and villains. Even my villains have a lighter side to them or at least a cause or motivation behind their evils--as opposed to being evil for the sake of being evil.”
Kristin: It seems you like writing about underdogs, mostly young children or teenagers. It also seems as though these characters share some very common traits, is there a reason behind it?
David Conlin McLeod “Well, what happens to get published of my work is only a percentage of my total works, but generally I do tend to work with patterns, themes, and symbolism. I tend to identify most with children and teenagers, partly because it’s my own opinion that they have the most to be afraid of. They seem to face the most challenges when I think about it. They live in a big world where everything is sort of coming at them all at once, and seldom can they exert any kind of real control. I mean, they have parents telling them what to do, teachers dictate to them, bullies, childhood fears, their own development into adulthood, peer pressure, violence, and all that. I want to tap into that fear, because it makes no sense having heroes or protagonists facing death and not having felt fear. The full-grown macho, gun toting hero who fears no evil has been done too many times to count. I also like to write about kids and teens because there are so many ways to approach them. They are really at the Crossroads in their lives. They could be innocent, jaded, cynical, or whatever. I find adult characters to pretty much have set issues and personalities and motivations. They are what they are and seem too old to change much of who they are. They have too many experiences that have shaped them. “Now about patterns, most of my main characters happen to symbolize innocence and people with struggles that are both ordinary and also extreme. It is their innocence that is generally in danger. The other common trait I inject in these characters is that they have dreams, wishes, or secrets. They have something worth fighting for and something intimate that they can draw inspiration or strength from. Unlike a hero with weapons or guns, these heroes rely on the strength that resides within them.”
Kristin: I have noticed that in the books, “Dancing with the Moon”, “Two Past Twilight”, and “The Audition," there are main characters mostly drawn to ballet or gymnastics. Is there something behind that too?
David Conlin McLeod: “There’s a lot behind the characters’ interests and loves of ballet or gymnastics. In the case of the story “Wish” as featured in 'Two Past Twilight', I injected gymnastics for the character Alyssa based on a dare among some friends of mine. I normally write strictly vampire stuff, and they dared me to throw in the subject of gymnastics. So I did, but with a twist. I turned gymnastics into something innocent, but also the antagonist’s tool. It became the focal point of struggle. Also with gymnastics in that story, I sort of shed some light on the inherent fears some girls have when approaching that sport for the first time. With ballet, I find ballet beautiful and fascinating. I use ballet as a tool to bolster the imagery of innocence, grace, poise, and things that are fragile. This is very much the case with Amy in 'Dancing with the Moon'. She’s innocence incarnate. Everything about her is extremely innocent, beautiful, playful, and fragile. She is the heroine of that book and that series that will develop who has the most to lose, but what she does have keeps her strong and persistent. Her life revolves ound ‘dancing’ around the evils she encounters. She tries to avoid pain suffering, and things that hurt. It is very much the same for Paige in 'The Audition'.
Kristin: Why female main characters? Is there some reason why all your heroes are female?
David Conlin McLeod: “For some bizarre reason beyond my own understanding, I find them challenging to write about, but also more enjoyable to create and build situations around. I guess as a guy, it seems strange and seemingly unnatural for my fascination with female characters, but if my work had mostly male heroes, I think I would get sort of bored with my efforts. I write challenging characters. Male heroes don’t generally challenge me enough. I mean I don’t want to fall into a rut where I inject some male stereotype into a hero role. With females, I don’t readily think of stereotypes I am familiar with. With writing male heroes, it seems like all I can think about are archetypes that have been done to death.”
Kristin: I have also noted that you seem to inject the theme of child abuse in much of your works. Is there something to that? Why do you choose to base much of your characters in abusive environments?
David Conlin McLeod: “Well it’s a tad complicated. Mostly it’s because I want to illustrate that whole ‘shades of evil’ thing. Evil and hurt can come from many sources and not all of them are entirely fictional. I try to establish contrast. Here’s where the character comes from and why she has what she has and why she relies on the strength she manages to save. Then you see where she’s going and can see that there are greater evils or lesser evils or whatever have you. You see where she succeeds and what made her motivated to succeed. But I want to stress that it is all about character development, how my characters deal with the environments that shape them. How do they deal with extreme situations, or everyday life? How do they deal with cruelty? I suppose I also want to show or illustrate that child abuse is a real danger, not something to be taken lightly. It is the kind of danger that is not only found in fiction. The main characters who happen to be children are sending the message, 'This is how we suffer, and this is how we deal with it. If parents don’t stop, this is how we rise up or fall.' So I guess my stories have some moral lessons in them. I do find myself wanting to write stories that make the readers think, feel, and get something to carry with them for a while, why not some messages about taking care of the young kids among us?”
Kristin: Okay, simple question. Where do you get your ideas for your stories?
David Conlin McLeod: “Well they all spawn from ‘What if’ situations. What if a girl’s wishes were granted, but granted by someone possessing a dark, evil sense of humor? That was the basis for 'Wish'. ‘What if a girl’s grandmother was a vampire?’ That was the basic, basic premise behind ‘Dancing with the Moon.’ ‘What if a ghost story was in fact told by the ghosts themselves?’ That is where ‘Ghost Story’ came from. Lots of these questions and scenarios get their start from ideas I conjure up from shows like 'The Twilight Zone' or 'Night Gallery'. I also get some ideas from fiction I have read and generally find some way to bend situations and plot ideas around my own personal experiences and preferences.”
Kristin: Who are some of your literary influences and why?
David Conlin McLeod: “Stephen King, right off the bat. He, in my mind, taught me everything I know about honest stories and honest characters. He taught me through his many works what it takes to share a story with the reader and not just dictate it or tell it. I want to walk you through the story, be there by your side and let you explore and roam around a bit. I want to make horror stories that frighten you based on your human experiences and reach you at your level, eye-to-eye, and I think Stephen King has always done this the best. I can only hope to be a fraction as talented as him. Then there is Anne Rice. If Stephen King is my godfather, Anne Rice is the godmother, especially for someone who writes mostly about vampires. She helped me understand that there are no such things as stereotypical vampires. Vampires can be heroes, they can have redemptive values. They can be just as human and humane as us. They can feel. So often that is ignored. Of course I should really be giving credit to Bram Stoker! Without him, we wouldn’t have the vampire at all in contemporary literature, and with Bram Stoker as an influence, he gave history and vampires a direct link. He made me want to believe that vampires do exist. He gave the vampire a solid point of origin. Now as far as other influences are concerned, I have a deep jealousy and respect for J.K. Rowling. I wish I could have some of what she’s got. She has a gift for the imaginative and she is so prolific and makes wonderful worlds and stories. She came from nothing and has become an icon in children’s literature, and yet…she produced works that even adults can enjoy and become engrossed in. She has huge appeal and she deserves every accolade. It’s because of her though that I look down at my efforts in shame half the time. I long for her kind of talent.”
Kristin: What made you decide to choose vampire horror?
David Conlin McLeod: “I regard vampires as the best villains, best tragic heroes, and I find them so fascinating. There are so many stories I could write just based on vampires. I love them. I find so many possibilities in their existences. They deal with so many challenges. They have so much potential for good, as well as evil, and I want to explore more of that potential for good.”
Kristin: Are vampires all you write about? Aren’t you afraid of being typecast?
David Conlin McLeod: “It worked for Anne Rice for the most part. But no, I do plan on writing dark fantasy and maybe one or two erotic thrillers or some science fiction, but in between projects or on the side perhaps. I go where my muse takes me, and she hasn’t let me down yet.”
This article is also available at http://www.poemsforyou.com/davidmcleod.html
Movie reviewer/screenwriter Kristin Johnson composes personalized poems, speeches, toasts, vows, and family memories. Visit http://www.poemsforyou.com to order your personalized memories. She is also co-author of the Midwest Book Review "enthusiastically recommended" pick Christmas Cookies Are For Giving: Stories, Recipes and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts (ISBN: 0-9723473-9-9). A downloadable media kit is available at our Web site, http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com, or e-mail the publisher (info@tyrpublishing.com) to receive a printed media kit and sample copy of the book. More articles available at http://www.bakingchristmascookies.com
David Conlin McLeod will soon release his fourth book, the prequel to the Dragon's Tear Chronicle that began with Dancing With The Moon. David has also published Two Past Twilight and The Audition. I'm a reviewer and fan of David's books, Two Past Twilight, http://www.myshelf.com/horror/04/twopasttwilight.html, Dancing With The Moon, http://www.myshelf.com/horror/03/dancingwiththemoon.html, and The Audition.
I was curious as to what makes this soulful horror writer, who focuses on vampires as people (much like Anne Rice and Brandon Massey as well as Laurell K. Hamilton), tick, and he kindly sent me his own dream interview:
Kristin: What makes your work in horror different than already established horror writers?
David Conlin McLeod: “I try to illustrate different shades of what is evil, what is horror, and what is terrifying. In the realm of fiction where anything is possible, I try to base much of what I do on shades or varying levels of reality, to not only give the fear or horror plausibility, but to give my readers points of reference. I also try to inject elements of common ground and twist them around to get fears we least expect. I want to try and take what you know and show you something about it that you wouldn’t want to know, twist it and make it somehow more frightening than what is on the obvious surface.”
Kristin: So pretty much the old saying, “Things are not as they seem”?
David Conlin McLeod: “Basically, but I apply it with heroes as well as villains and situations. That’s another difference I inject in my stories. Even the heroes of my stories have a little shade of evil, taint, or impurity. As in reality, nobody is perfect. I want to show dimension in my characters. I’m tired of cardboard, carbon copies of stereotyped heroes and villains. Even my villains have a lighter side to them or at least a cause or motivation behind their evils--as opposed to being evil for the sake of being evil.”
Kristin: It seems you like writing about underdogs, mostly young children or teenagers. It also seems as though these characters share some very common traits, is there a reason behind it?
David Conlin McLeod “Well, what happens to get published of my work is only a percentage of my total works, but generally I do tend to work with patterns, themes, and symbolism. I tend to identify most with children and teenagers, partly because it’s my own opinion that they have the most to be afraid of. They seem to face the most challenges when I think about it. They live in a big world where everything is sort of coming at them all at once, and seldom can they exert any kind of real control. I mean, they have parents telling them what to do, teachers dictate to them, bullies, childhood fears, their own development into adulthood, peer pressure, violence, and all that. I want to tap into that fear, because it makes no sense having heroes or protagonists facing death and not having felt fear. The full-grown macho, gun toting hero who fears no evil has been done too many times to count. I also like to write about kids and teens because there are so many ways to approach them. They are really at the Crossroads in their lives. They could be innocent, jaded, cynical, or whatever. I find adult characters to pretty much have set issues and personalities and motivations. They are what they are and seem too old to change much of who they are. They have too many experiences that have shaped them. “Now about patterns, most of my main characters happen to symbolize innocence and people with struggles that are both ordinary and also extreme. It is their innocence that is generally in danger. The other common trait I inject in these characters is that they have dreams, wishes, or secrets. They have something worth fighting for and something intimate that they can draw inspiration or strength from. Unlike a hero with weapons or guns, these heroes rely on the strength that resides within them.”
Kristin: I have noticed that in the books, “Dancing with the Moon”, “Two Past Twilight”, and “The Audition," there are main characters mostly drawn to ballet or gymnastics. Is there something behind that too?
David Conlin McLeod: “There’s a lot behind the characters’ interests and loves of ballet or gymnastics. In the case of the story “Wish” as featured in 'Two Past Twilight', I injected gymnastics for the character Alyssa based on a dare among some friends of mine. I normally write strictly vampire stuff, and they dared me to throw in the subject of gymnastics. So I did, but with a twist. I turned gymnastics into something innocent, but also the antagonist’s tool. It became the focal point of struggle. Also with gymnastics in that story, I sort of shed some light on the inherent fears some girls have when approaching that sport for the first time. With ballet, I find ballet beautiful and fascinating. I use ballet as a tool to bolster the imagery of innocence, grace, poise, and things that are fragile. This is very much the case with Amy in 'Dancing with the Moon'. She’s innocence incarnate. Everything about her is extremely innocent, beautiful, playful, and fragile. She is the heroine of that book and that series that will develop who has the most to lose, but what she does have keeps her strong and persistent. Her life revolves ound ‘dancing’ around the evils she encounters. She tries to avoid pain suffering, and things that hurt. It is very much the same for Paige in 'The Audition'.
Kristin: Why female main characters? Is there some reason why all your heroes are female?
David Conlin McLeod: “For some bizarre reason beyond my own understanding, I find them challenging to write about, but also more enjoyable to create and build situations around. I guess as a guy, it seems strange and seemingly unnatural for my fascination with female characters, but if my work had mostly male heroes, I think I would get sort of bored with my efforts. I write challenging characters. Male heroes don’t generally challenge me enough. I mean I don’t want to fall into a rut where I inject some male stereotype into a hero role. With females, I don’t readily think of stereotypes I am familiar with. With writing male heroes, it seems like all I can think about are archetypes that have been done to death.”
Kristin: I have also noted that you seem to inject the theme of child abuse in much of your works. Is there something to that? Why do you choose to base much of your characters in abusive environments?
David Conlin McLeod: “Well it’s a tad complicated. Mostly it’s because I want to illustrate that whole ‘shades of evil’ thing. Evil and hurt can come from many sources and not all of them are entirely fictional. I try to establish contrast. Here’s where the character comes from and why she has what she has and why she relies on the strength she manages to save. Then you see where she’s going and can see that there are greater evils or lesser evils or whatever have you. You see where she succeeds and what made her motivated to succeed. But I want to stress that it is all about character development, how my characters deal with the environments that shape them. How do they deal with extreme situations, or everyday life? How do they deal with cruelty? I suppose I also want to show or illustrate that child abuse is a real danger, not something to be taken lightly. It is the kind of danger that is not only found in fiction. The main characters who happen to be children are sending the message, 'This is how we suffer, and this is how we deal with it. If parents don’t stop, this is how we rise up or fall.' So I guess my stories have some moral lessons in them. I do find myself wanting to write stories that make the readers think, feel, and get something to carry with them for a while, why not some messages about taking care of the young kids among us?”
Kristin: Okay, simple question. Where do you get your ideas for your stories?
David Conlin McLeod: “Well they all spawn from ‘What if’ situations. What if a girl’s wishes were granted, but granted by someone possessing a dark, evil sense of humor? That was the basis for 'Wish'. ‘What if a girl’s grandmother was a vampire?’ That was the basic, basic premise behind ‘Dancing with the Moon.’ ‘What if a ghost story was in fact told by the ghosts themselves?’ That is where ‘Ghost Story’ came from. Lots of these questions and scenarios get their start from ideas I conjure up from shows like 'The Twilight Zone' or 'Night Gallery'. I also get some ideas from fiction I have read and generally find some way to bend situations and plot ideas around my own personal experiences and preferences.”
Kristin: Who are some of your literary influences and why?
David Conlin McLeod: “Stephen King, right off the bat. He, in my mind, taught me everything I know about honest stories and honest characters. He taught me through his many works what it takes to share a story with the reader and not just dictate it or tell it. I want to walk you through the story, be there by your side and let you explore and roam around a bit. I want to make horror stories that frighten you based on your human experiences and reach you at your level, eye-to-eye, and I think Stephen King has always done this the best. I can only hope to be a fraction as talented as him. Then there is Anne Rice. If Stephen King is my godfather, Anne Rice is the godmother, especially for someone who writes mostly about vampires. She helped me understand that there are no such things as stereotypical vampires. Vampires can be heroes, they can have redemptive values. They can be just as human and humane as us. They can feel. So often that is ignored. Of course I should really be giving credit to Bram Stoker! Without him, we wouldn’t have the vampire at all in contemporary literature, and with Bram Stoker as an influence, he gave history and vampires a direct link. He made me want to believe that vampires do exist. He gave the vampire a solid point of origin. Now as far as other influences are concerned, I have a deep jealousy and respect for J.K. Rowling. I wish I could have some of what she’s got. She has a gift for the imaginative and she is so prolific and makes wonderful worlds and stories. She came from nothing and has become an icon in children’s literature, and yet…she produced works that even adults can enjoy and become engrossed in. She has huge appeal and she deserves every accolade. It’s because of her though that I look down at my efforts in shame half the time. I long for her kind of talent.”
Kristin: What made you decide to choose vampire horror?
David Conlin McLeod: “I regard vampires as the best villains, best tragic heroes, and I find them so fascinating. There are so many stories I could write just based on vampires. I love them. I find so many possibilities in their existences. They deal with so many challenges. They have so much potential for good, as well as evil, and I want to explore more of that potential for good.”
Kristin: Are vampires all you write about? Aren’t you afraid of being typecast?
David Conlin McLeod: “It worked for Anne Rice for the most part. But no, I do plan on writing dark fantasy and maybe one or two erotic thrillers or some science fiction, but in between projects or on the side perhaps. I go where my muse takes me, and she hasn’t let me down yet.”
This article is also available at http://www.poemsforyou.com/davidmcleod.html
Movie reviewer/screenwriter Kristin Johnson composes personalized poems, speeches, toasts, vows, and family memories. Visit http://www.poemsforyou.com to order your personalized memories. She is also co-author of the Midwest Book Review "enthusiastically recommended" pick Christmas Cookies Are For Giving: Stories, Recipes and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts (ISBN: 0-9723473-9-9). A downloadable media kit is available at our Web site, http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com, or e-mail the publisher (info@tyrpublishing.com) to receive a printed media kit and sample copy of the book. More articles available at http://www.bakingchristmascookies.com
posted by The Vampire, David at 9:34 AM
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