Interview - Edmund Stone

An accomplished writer and author of numerous stories and anthologies in his career, Edmund Stone has crafted a strong legacy using his unique voice and experiences wherever his work takes him. Now, in honor of his latest book, "Descension," being released through the Sinister Smiles imprint of Crystal Lake Publishing, I talk with him about his early interest in writing, his process for creating his work, and the book itself.

Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general?

Edmund Stone: I didn’t until I was about thirteen years old and was introduced to films like John Carpenter’s The Thing and Alien. When I was sixteen, I started reading horror books and was introduced to Clive Barker’s Books of Blood. I was instantly hooked. King’s books were too large for my brain at the time to wrap around, but Barker had the best little tidbits. I could also skip around to different stories if I got bored with one. I never did, though; all the stories are fantastic.

Me: What films or books specifically got you into watching horror movies?

ES: I was about thirteen years old. I watched John Carpenter’s The Thing all the way through. I was into sci-fi so watching the movie blend the two genres hooked me as a horror fan. Afterward, I wanted more, so I watched Alien and Plan 9 from Outer Space. Before those, the only thing I watched was things like Chiller Theatre. It was so corny but scared me when I was a kid. I suppose the feeling stuck with me until I was old enough to appreciate it.

Me: Who were some of your favorite writers growing up?

ES: Clive Barker, Stephen King, Jack Ketchum, Edgar Allen Poe, HP Lovecraft, Michael Crichton. Those were a few I read back in the day, but Barker was the one I read the most.

Me: Do you try to take influences from their style with your own voice in your work?

ES: Definitely. I feel like I try to emulate the wild flair of Barker, but the practicality of King. I also find myself dabbling with certain aspects of cosmic horror. I would have Poe and HP to thank for that one.

Me: What was the starting point of becoming a writer?

ES: I started with poetry mostly, and a few short stories, when I was a teenager. Some of the poetry was dark and some sappy to catch the attention of girls, but I enjoyed writing them. I continued writing off and on during my adult years, but until 2016, I never pursued publishing. I guess I thought other than family, no one would want to read anything. I was surprised when, in 2017, I published my first poems and then later in the year, a short story. After the validation, I couldn’t stop and knew I wanted to make this a career. It’s still not my main job, but I hope it will be soon.

Me: Were you always into writing growing up?

ES: No. I was mostly into drawing and sketching, but I would try to draw comic books where I created dialogue. I still have a few of those in a case. I was always an artist at heart but would change back and forth to different media. Writing, though, is the most natural for me.

Me: What is your writing process?

ES: I write in the morning and evening usually. I have a minimum word count of 500 words per day, no matter what, then more if I can. I don’t count anything done in rewrites. Those are totally separate. Sometimes I push myself for a few minutes before midnight to get those last few words. Those are days when I have a bunch of extra things to do, like rewriting or maybe marketing-related things. If I know I’m going to be on the road, I use my phone to get the 500 words.

Me: How do you stay focused on writing?

ES: It’s not always easy. I have ADHD, so I’m easily distracted. The best thing I’ve found is a timer. If I have 30 minutes to write, I set the timer for the appropriate time. For me, it works so well. I find myself typing faster the closer I get to the end of the timer. Lol

Me: Is there any specific genre you prefer to write?

ES: I mean, other than horror, I dabble in sci-fi and Southern Gothic, maybe a few dark romance themes, but those are usually for certain parts of the book, not the whole thing. I use crime thriller elements, but typically from a small-town perspective like in Descension. I do have ideas for a crime thriller type book and hope to write one soon.

Me: Is there a style or format that you find easier to get into, even if you don't have a preference?

ES: I use Scrivener for rough drafts of novels, and it sets most everything for you ahead of time. I’m a panster, so it’s easier for me to have things ready so I don’t lose the flow.

Me: Having contributed to various anthologies early in your career, what tools and skills do you acquire working on those that transferred to future projects?

ES: Some of my earlier works turned into novels eventually. Back then, I had no way of gauging how long the work would be. I hadn’t developed the nuance of keeping something to a certain word count and instead wrote without abandon. Now, when I sit down to write a novel or novella, I know that’s what it will be. Short stories are what I work on when I’m preparing for my next novel. Most of the time, I’m invited to submit to anthologies, so it’s good to have a few on the ready.

Me: What is the general process for getting involved in these projects?

ES: Usually an invite, but I have written collections with previously published works and some new ones. It’s been six years since my last one, so it may be time to start putting one together. I have lots of published work I could pull from. Once I started writing novels, I found I had little time to do much else.

Me: That brings us to your latest book, “Descension.” Where did the inspiration for the book come from? Were there any unique stories about its conception?

ES: I originally sat down to write a prequel to my popular book, Tent Revival, but soon found out Descension took on a life of its own. It’s set in the Tent Revival universe and takes place in the fictional town of Salt Flat in the early 2000’s, but the characters are very different than the ones in Tent Revival. In this one, I drew from my time as an emergency worker and from my cousin, who was a Deputy Sheriff, to write the crime scenes in the book. Lots of stories from him and other local law enforcement about the drug activity in the county where the book takes place. Salt Flat is fictional, but takes a bunch from the small town I live and grew up in. The mine, I researched through my father, who is a retired mine worker. He gave me insight into what a mining operation would look like and what it’s like to be underground.

Me: When writing a new project, what's the one fallback tactic that you're always able to draw inspiration from?

ES: Past experiences of mine and others. I’m all about finding the hidden gem in all of us. Stories come from experience, and research is key to giving a story the extra sauce it needs. I Google things, but hearing it from the so-called horse's mouth is the best. I also study people as much as possible. When I develop characters, I want them to be as real as possible, and the best way is to talk to those who have been there.

Me: Was there any special significance to making the characters fight off a supernatural evil in their town?

ES: I was always a big fan of small-town horror, especially when something strange is going on that can’t be explained. I think of lots of King books and movies like The Evil Dead, where there’s a cabin in the woods, and something under the floorboards is talking back to you creepily. I’m not necessarily claustrophobic, but I feel a special chill when confronted with a closed-in space and things talking from the shadows. It has always creeped me out.

Me: What went into creating this kind of universe to be immersive for the reader?

ES: Talking to local police, retired and working. Getting the perspective of what it was like to be a mine worker. The fear of going into a pit of darkness for the first time. Once there, I can come up with all kinds of things to bring fear to life, but unless you have experienced the feeling of being in a cave or mine, you can’t truly understand what it is like.

Me: Was there anything while writing the characters that you were surprised by in telling the story?

ES: Yes. How little I knew about my dad’s life as a mine worker. I thought I knew everything, but as he told me stories of what it was like being underground, I found it was hard work, and you are exposed to the elements at times. You breathe in diesel fuel fumes, and the oxygen isn’t always great down there. Learning this allowed me to get a better feel for Ray Stanley. He's the mine foreman and one of the main characters. He's a hard man and, as a result, is flawed in some ways, but he cares deeply for his men and his family. I think readers will relate to him on many levels.

Me: Once it was finally written, what was the process for having it published?

ES: I was invited initially by the owners of Sinister Smile Press to submit a novel, right after they became affiliated with Crystal Lake Publishing. They also invited me to submit to a few of their anthologies. Steve and Bob are great guys, and now Crys Evans is running things. I see great things coming from them in the future. I’m slowly transitioning away from self-publishing. My last two novels have been published with Crystal Lake, and I have at least two coming. Finding a great publisher isn’t easy, but once you do, it makes all the difference.

Me: What do you do to keep your creative energy flowing?

ES: Write and rewrite, but also, I read quite a bit, traditional and Indie. I watch horror films to help get me in the right mindset for writing horror.

Me: Lastly, what else are you working on that you’d like to share with our readers?

ES: I just finished the rough draft for my unnamed follow-up to Soul Mirror. It’s under contract for release by Crystal Lake Publishing in 2027. I finished my first grief horror book, called The Anchor. It’s in the process of being rewritten at the moment.

Thank you for your time!