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Blog Tour -- A little overdue in placing here...
http://horrorworld.org/msgboards/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=14127
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Author:  tgarsenault [ Wed Nov 19, 2014 3:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Blog Tour -- A little overdue in placing here...

THE WRITING PROCESS BLOG TOUR

I was tagged by Tony Tremblay (T.T. Zuma) to blog about my writing process and pass the torch to two others. Tony is probably the nicest man I have ever met, a great friend, and a great writer. He is also a reviewer for Horrorworld and has appeared in the esteemed Cemetery Dance as well. Best of all, Tony is keeping good care of the goat that we share a love for … a whole other story.

Greetings, Earthlings … ShazBot. I am T.G. Arsenault, author of multiple supernatural and horror short stories that have appeared online and in various print anthologies. My first novel, Forgotten Souls was originally published by Fivestar (cover done by the fabulous Alan Clark; I now own the painting for this piece) and recently released as a trade paperback by Gallows Press. Gallows also released my latest novel, Bleeding the Vein, about the Filipino legend of the Aswang.

WHAT AM I WORKING ON NOW?

Currently, I am in the closing chapters of my third novel, Fall of an Empire, a Young Adult supernatural novel about a town that starts to disappear. I tie in two things that concern me: people’s reliance and fixation on the digital age and the elimination of pieces of history without a second thought. This last bit comes with the destruction of the Empire Theatre in Lewiston, Maine (my original home) to make way for a parking lot, with not one iota of an appeal to save this awesome piece of history, originally constructed in 1903. This novel also contains some history and art of verbal storytelling/communication practiced by Native Americans, in this instance, the Oneida Indian Nation of New York, where the story takes place.

I am also sketching out the details of my next project, tentatively as a novella, about a swamp, a witch, and a cradle of bones.

HOW IS MY WORK DIFFERENT THAN OTHERS IN THE SAME GENRE?

I don’t think my work differs from others trying to tell a story they would enjoy reading. I do like to stay away from everything that has been done repeatedly, such as vampires and zombies. Not that I wouldn’t like to write one, but find it difficult to bring in a totally different angle. Trying to find something new to write about is always a fun challenge. My wife is Filipino and I have always heard stories about the legend of the Aswang in the Philippines from her and her mother, having lived with it growing up. The legend is quite interesting, so with Bleeding the Vein, I thought I would give my own take on something that really hasn’t been covered in the United States.

WHY DO I WRITE AS I DO?

I have been told that my writing is very atmospheric, subtly building up suspense. I guess I do have a tendency to do that, but also like to attack stories differently based on theme and content. Short stories allow me to experiment with different styles and techniques within a shorter time frame, which is very beneficial when applying to a novel.

HOW DOES MY WRITING PROCESS WORK?

I now use Scrivener for everything and highly recommend it for those that haven’t tried it. It’s like a giant bulletin board to place anything you need for reference and notes with easy access.
Every story I write has started out differently. An idea will sprout from images, experiences, dialogue heard in passing, sentences that come to mind, maybe the title of a story alone. Once an idea is in place, I usually jot down notes as fast as I can with no structure or format. This usually leads to more ideas and detail. I never outline (I have tried and do not like it). I enjoy the surprises and “Aha” moments that arise when something out the blue comes up and turns the story in a new and exciting direction.

I have a tendency to edit as a go at times, which some see as a fault. If the words are flowing, I won’t do this and just get words on the page. However, if I am having trouble moving on, I go back and edit, which usually gets the words and ideas flowing again.

PASSING THE TORCH:

PHILLIP TOMASSO is the author of more than 15 novels. He works full time as a First / EMS Dispatcher for 9-1-1. plays guitar and loves to read. He lives in Rochester, NY with his three amazing children.

THOM ERB is a writer/editor of short and long fiction, exploring all shades of darkness and light and varying definitions of heroism. Refusing to pigeonhole his writing, Thom continues to craft tales that blur the line of horror, noir, dark fantasy, thriller, weird western, science fiction for both adult and young adult audiences. He is also an artist/illustrator of murals and comic book/graphic novels. When not writing, Thom enjoys reading, quality films, television shows, role-playing games, playing drums, comic books, and rooting for the Dallas Cowboys and New York Yankees. He lives in upstate New York with his wife Michelle.

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