Author Interview: David Owain Hughes

David Owain Hughes was kind enough to take some time out of his day to stop by and give me an interview. His new book Choice Cuts, new from Burning Willow Press , is currently available!  You can view his Amazon author page HERE. (See below for author website and FB Page.)

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

Apart from getting to stay home all day?! I joke, although that is pretty nice; it’s nice to be out of the ‘rat race’ as they say. Aside from that, I think it’s pretty damn awesome to be able to make stuff up for others so read – to share your craziness with readers in the hope that they will like it enough to want to shout about it; to share it with their friends and family. That’s what it’s all about, right? The thought of entertaining people is probably my favourite thing about being a writer.

That and the staying home thing, of course!

What genre(s) do you write?

I’m strictly a horror writer, although there are different layers to my material. Some of my stories will be written in an extreme way, whilst others are tame; I also like to write with a fair bit of humour, which I feel works well within the horror genre – they seem to go hand-in-hand, don’t you think? Recently, however, I have branched off into erotic horror, which has been a great experience. I’ve also been doing some co-writing, which is totally new to me – one of the stories I’ve been co-writing is a creature-feature. Again, this is very new to me, as it borders the sci-fi genre.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

My latest book, Choice Cuts, is a collection of short stories. Most of the stories involved in this collection were written well before the idea of a putting them together as a tome came to me. Some of the tales are many years old, whilst others were turned as early as six months ago. Assembling a collection is never an easy thing to do, as every story involved in the book has to be as good as the preceding one – they have to shine. I found it difficult in choosing what to put in, and what to leave out, as they are all my babies.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Definitely a pantser – I only need a thread of an idea to get going.

Why do you think people should choose your books over another author?

Wow, that’s a tricky one, as I know there’s a load of good authors out there, who are doing the exact same thing as me. I don’t really see other authors as my competition, but as I’m being put on the spot, I’ll give an open answer. I think my work pushes limits – I’m not scared to go to very bad and dark places with my work. I try to be as shocking as I can, because that’s what I like to read and watch. That’s how I like my horror – works that go close to the bone are fun in my opinion.

What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your stories?

A ‘Wow-Factor’, I guess. A reader told me last week that the dark humour in one of my works had her ‘laughing aloud at times’ – I just loved that.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

There’s a few stories involved in the collection that deal with social behaviour, where a message can be definitely gleaned – don’t be a bastard to your fellow men and women, as you don’t know what they are capable of, whilst your back is turned!

You’ve been warned.

How long have you been a writer? 

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, but on a serious level, five-to-ten years.

How much time did it take from writing your first book to having it published?

Erm, let me think…I believe it took four years. My first novel, Walled In, was published in 2014. I’d started writing it whilst I was doing my final year at university in 2010.   

What other careers have you had?

Phew, I’ve had a few! Let’s see: baker, barman, factory worker (twice), shelf-stacker, painter, call centre worker, journalist…Writer. Writer is definitely the best of them, I’d say! I pretty much did anything I could, as I put myself through university, just so I could keep my writing afloat.

Do you write under more than one name? Why?

No, only David Owain Hughes – I thought by adding my middle name to my works, it would add a bit of glamour.

Are any of your characters based on real people or events?

Hmm…No, I don’t believe so. As much as some people piss me off at times, I would never base my characters on them.

How would you describe yourself if you were “speed dating” your readers?

A fun-loving, happy-go-lucky madman, who has a diabolical panache for rude comments, killer music, and awesome horror film choices.

A lady who likes walks on the beach is a must, however.

What’s something fans would find fascinating about you?

I’m yet to find something fascinating about myself! Again, I kid…I’m sure there’s plenty of things I could tell you…Ooh, I know – a few months back I was lucky enough to do some awesome interviews with a handful of legendary ‘Scream Queens’, which included Linnea Quigley, Barbara Crampton and Brinke Stevens. They were such lovely ladies to talk to, too – I’d grown up watching these women as a lad, so it was a great honour to be able to interview them.

What else would you like readers to know about you or your work?

There’s one thing I like to do with my work, which people may find interesting. I always try to link my work – I may mention a character, place or object from another story in a current one, which I love doing. I think it’s a fun thing to do.

What books or authors have most influenced your life?

Richard Laymon and his books have influenced me and my work massively over the years, so too has the likes of Jack Ketchum and Brain Keene.

How do your family and/or friends feel about your book or writing venture in general?

My family, friends and girlfriend are very supportive of my work, and of what I’m trying to achieve with it. This can only be a good thing, as I’m surrounded by people who are willing me on. It’s nice.

Where are you from?

Wales, U.K
How do you come up with the titles?

I’ve always been lucking in coming up with titles. A lot of inspiration comes from music, whilst a lot of the time I use play-on-words or take a word(s) from within the story to create its title.

Has your life changed significantly since becoming a published writer?

Yes, I suppose it has. Whereas I used to go out to work every day, I now stay home and write, as I try to build a career out of it. A lot has changed since I left work to write full-time, but I wouldn’t change any of it for the world. I mean, it’s a slight struggle financially, but I’m cool with that; I’m doing the thing I love, which means more than anything to me.

Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task?

Generally, I work on one project at a time. However, of late, I’ve been working on a few things at once – I can do it, but I prefer putting all my concentrated effort into one thing at a time.

When not writing, how do you relax?

I like chilling with a few beers, playing classic games, listening to music and going out for a drive and/or walk.

Please tell us 5 miscellaneous facts about yourself.

• I have a six-year-old son.
• I don’t smoke.
• I have a leg fetish.
• My neighbour’s cat thinks he lives with me.
• I love Hobgoblin ale.

Please share with us your future projects and upcoming releases.

I have three releases coming next year:

The Rack and Cue (Novel) No release date.

Wind-Up Toy (Novel) No release date.

Escapees and Fevered Mind (Novella) No release date

Please check my website for future updates and further information.

Please share any links you would like listed in the Interview. Website, Myspace, blog, facebook, yahoo group etc.

Website:  http://dohughes1103.wix.com/horrorwriter

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/DOHughesAuthor?ref=hl

Bio:

David Owain Hughes is a horror freak! He grew up on ninja, pirate and horror movies from the age of five, which helped rapidly install in him a vivid imagination. When he grows up, he wishes to be a serial killer with a part-time job in women’s lingerie…He’s had several short stories published in various online magazines and anthologies, along with articles, reviews and interviews. He’s written for This Is Horror, Blood Magazine and Horror Geeks Magazine. He’s the author of the popular novel “Walled In” (2014), along with his short story collections “White Walls and Straitjackets” (2015) and “Choice Cuts” (2015). After discovering Richard Laymon, David set out on a path to become the best writer he could, holding a BA and MA in creative writing.

Choice Cuts blurb:

Choice Cuts: A collection of one of the finest splatter-fuelled horror the genre holds, an unflinching set of short stories that will stay with you, horrors that set root into the back of your psyche & taunt your sanity to its limits.

Here lies fourteen tales of all that is baneful & bloodthirsty from David Owain Hughes, an author with an unflinching love for all things close-to-the-bone, grim & grotesque. Once you delve into these pages you will come face to face with an unstoppable force of pure gore. Readers of a delicate disposition may want to put this tome back on the shelf, while those of you who feel ready to be dragged along into the minds of the deranged & disturbed, the murderous & malignant who watch & wait…

Packed with fast-paced thrills & many, many spills. You’ll come face to face with what lies beneath the surface of the mundane & ordinary, step foot into the maze of murder, mania & madness…just be sure to come out in one piece, not just another choice cut.

We had the disquieting dioramas of stealth-like shocks & spills of Laymon…now we present you with Hughes’ own approach towards the antagonistic execution in the realms of the fear & mayhem that can strike when you least expect it. If you’re a fan of Laymon & Lee, you’ll devour Choice Cuts