Though we've entered another month without reprieve, today I am excited to chat with Steve McCarthy about his pages penned in pandemic.
What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?
Many businesses such as gyms, tours, etc are still not open.
What are some favorite books you've read during quarantine?
The Dark Tower: The Drawing of Three by Stephen King, Joe Hill's Anthology "Strange Weather", and Keith Buckley's "Watch."
Have there been any movies, tv shows, podcasts, etc. that have helped keep you at ease the past few months?
No, not really. I don't really watch TV. I love movies, but none came out!
How has the pandemic affected your writing?
It accelerated it during the full closure times.
Are there any projects you are excited to keep working on? If so, can you give us any details (no spoilers please!) about your project?
My life work, which will be the entire 'Sins of the Gods' series. I've been working on the ideas and building the worlds and stories since I was a junior in High School. 1999!
If you haven't been able to write, are there any projects you're hoping to work on next?
I've been able to write, but after the dark and heavy things of 'The Sins of the Gods', I want to complete my comedy novel. It's about an EMT who opens his own detective agency because the police won't hire him. He springs into action when the horrifying June Bug killer, a woman who is cutting people's body parts out to make herself into a human June Bug, revives after ten years in her cocoon. It's as much Thomas Harris as it is Tim and Eric and/or the Simpsons.
If asked ten years from now what the past few months have taught you about being a writer, what would come to mind?
The more you write, the easier it is. You can't wait for inspiration. You have to get the keys clicking. Turn off the TV and write!
Have there been any fellow writers or people in your life who have helped you stay connected during the pandemic?
Yes, the Lock Keeper Six Writer's Group and the Buffalo Writer's Groups. Virtual feedback sessions and impromptu sessions!
Is there anything that excites you about the changes being incited in the publishing world in light of recent events?
Not in particular.
Is there anything that worries you about the changes being incited in the publishing world in light of recent events?
Just that it may be more difficult to get traditionally published possibly due to layoffs, closures, etc.
Are you a plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between? Has this changed during the pandemic?
Plotter. Very strictly. I have a very strict outline of the history of my series and a formatted picture of how I want to get there.
Where is your favorite place to write? Has this changed during the pandemic?
Dining room table or my chair at the front window. No.
If you curated a playlist for writing life in the pandemic, what top 5 songs would be on your list?
1.) "Stay with Me" by In Flames
2.) "And We Run" by Within Temptation
3.) The entire "Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance" soundtrack
4.) The soundtrack to "The Assassination of Jessie James by the Coward Robert Ford"
5.) "Monaalisa" by Fleshgod Apocalypse.
Without too many spoilers, what is your favorite scene you've written since the pandemic began?
Without a doubt, the opening chapter to "Insurgency" where the near death Sheriff in the late 1870’s New Mexico is approached by a stranger (Necromidius , the Devil's second in command) and offered a deal to assist in hunting down a killer who is assisting three escaped demons from Hell. Necromidius is so fun to write. In my mind, he is the Joker of my world. Morose in his sense of humor, quick to anger, and always laughing.
While the future is just as unknowable as ever, what is something you are most looking forward to this year?
Finishing the major overhauls of the editing process for my debut novel.
Is there any advice you would give to young writers during this time?
The hardest part of writing is the writing. It can seem so daunting and what you see in your mind is sometimes so faraway from the groundwork you have to lay to get there. But just like any project, you break it down into steps. You work at it and you don't stop.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
I will soon be creating a Wordpress website to publish some anthology stories that take place in the Universe of 'The Sins of the Gods' starting with the novella "The Man Who Worshipped Death". Set in Philadelphia in the mid-1970s, it follows a twenty something funeral home owner, Lorenzo, who has the gift of being able to see ghosts on the spiritual plane. When he sees a person die right before his eyes and the Grim Reaper appears to take the person's soul, Lorenzo becomes obsessed with finding out who the tall 'Man in the Shadows' was. Meanwhile, his father is killed in a botched robbery and Lorenzo falls deeper down the spiral of madness and revenge.
About Steve McCarthy
Steve McCarthy is a dark fantasy/horror writer from Amherst, NY. Currently, he is editing the debut novel of his contemporary dark fantasy series 'The Sins of the Gods: The Scars Within". In addition, he is a screenwriter focusing on horror and fantasy scripts. Steve's screenplay "The Glass Casket: The Last Days of Edgar Allen Poe" was selected as a finalist for the Shriekfest Film Festival. He also continues a blog called "The Paranormal Paradox," which discusses his own personal ghost stories and encounters with personal theories on science and physics.
During the pandemic, Steve started running with the idea of 'what happens before the events of this debut novel? Not long after, he jumped in headfirst and is currently working on a companion piece to his debut novel called "Insurgency".
Be sure to follow Steve and his writing journey on Twitter and at his blog.
Thanks for chatting, Steve!
