Hello faithful readers! Today we have a special treat for you! Internatianally known indie author Jan Miklaszewicz has so graciously agreed to answer some of your questions! You may know Jan Miklaszewicz from his poetry or his short-story collections, which are available on Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B094H49GVZ
Jan gave some very thoughtful answers to our sometimes weird and random questions, and I hope you'll check out his answers here and then check out his books and give them a read!
What inspired you to write your short stories?
Years ago I wanted to write novels and heard that short stories were a good way to practise. Turns out I really enjoyed writing them. The book ‘Exterminator’ by William Burroughs was a good inspiration, too, as it has some really odd stories written in quite a simple style.
Do you think Queer people are going to hell?
I don’t know if queer people are going to hell or not, but I certainly hope they won’t.
(For what it’s worth, I don’t think we really understand what hell even is.)
As for hell, I'm a Christian, so it's not a wild idea to me. I am, however, not an evangelical Christian with all the big opinions that brings. Foremost a believer in Christ and the resurrection. The rest, I'm still working out.
Do you have any regrets? If so, what and why?
I don't have any regrets as I'm in a good place and wouldn't be here without all those wrong turns I took.
Why did you decide to go to the lighter side and be less dark after Forty Four and Istangrade?
A reviewer noted that 'Forty Four' was a bit devoid of hope, which really made me think. And looking then at 'Istangrade', I decided I was getting myself in a rut. We can choose to some extent what we focus on, so I made a point in 'Mutton Dressed as Poetry' of looking at the brighter side a little more.
How do you really feel about the aging process?
I don't worry too much about ageing, although it is a bit rough physically (knees, finger joints, eyesight). The pay-off, being a bit more world wise, is more than worth it.
What do you feel for the 3 legged gecko as it is dismantled?
As for the poor old gecko, it's such a common sight that I'm desensitised to it now. Cats have that seemingly cruel side to them, that's for sure.
What's your favorite horror movie?
Horror movie: Ju-On (the original Grudge) - amazing build up of tension.
Have Horror movies influenced you in any way in your life or your writing?
I don't really think horror movies have influenced my writing, because I seldom watch them (although I did read some horror in my teens - most of the James Herbert novels).
Most of my inspiration just comes from asking 'what if?' or observing the way the world actually works from my own perspective.
As a Christian, do you think horror movies are evil?
I don't think horror movies are evil per se, but I do think being obsessed with them (or anything, for that matter) is unhealthy.
Some of the stories in "In The Hole" seem to have been influenced by horror, or maybe that's just me reading into them, lol. But what inspired you to write these stories?
Back to inspiration for 'In the Hole', one of the stories is definitely horror inspired. That's 'Headman', which is my way of complaining that horror movies don't do enough to explain where the evil comes from. It's so arbitrary. That's why I have the character randomly become possessed without explaining it.
What keeps you going when you want to quit?
Experience stops me from quitting. I've managed to overcome (or get around) most problems in my life, so why should the next problem be any different?
What's your favorite movie of any genre?
My favourite movie? Also too hard to say, though 'Five Easy Pieces' and 'At Eternity's Gate' are definitely up there.
What's your favorite book?
My favourite book? Too hard to say, but one that I have read several times is 'Darkmans' by Nicola Barker. Dark and funny.
No comments:
Post a Comment