Being publishled on October 3rd from NES Publishing, LLC is the supernatural-horror novel The Darkness: Giger, Texas by Joe M. Solomon. The book can be preorderd on Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes.
The author has taken a few minutes out
of his busy schedule for a Q&A about his new novel.
When did you become interested in storytelling?
When I was five or six and used to buy comic books, I never read the books. I would pick and choose images from the comics, cut them out, and create my own story. I actually didn’t come to know the story of Batman until I saw the movie Batman that starred Michael Keaton.
What was your first book/story published?
The Darkness: Giger, Texas is my first published book.
What inspired you to write The Darkness: Giger, Texas?
One night when I was about to go to bed, I turned off the lights in the den and headed for the bedroom. Once there, I realized I had left something behind. So I went back to the den and turned on the lights. Something black—like a shadow—swept by in front of my face, startling me. I assumed it was just one of those weird visual things that can happen when you abruptly shift from shadows to bright light. But the notion of the darkness coming to life when we go to bed popped into my head and wouldn’t leave.
What character in The Darkness: Giger, Texas is the most/least like you, and in what ways?
The Darkness: Giger, Texas boasts a wide variety of characters. Of them all, Curt—the self-proclaimed Italian Stallion—is the least like me. He’s a macho lady’s man who wears his shirt unbuttoned so his muscled chest will be visible. He believes he’s extremely cool, worldly, and so plugged into the latest the trends that he can go retro. And when he does go retro, thinks he’s doubly cool.
What is your favorite part in The Darkness: Giger, Texas?
As the darkness strikes, Hurricane Daniel roars ashore, wipes out power, and plunges much of southeast Texas into blackness. Two of the main characters struggle to reach what they hope will be a safe destination in which they can make a stand against the darkness. And while they are wading through the rising floodwater, they see people trapped in their houses unable to escape the ever-thickening darkness inside. It’s a very eerie scene.
What was the hardest part to write?
I think writing Curt’s character was the hardest part. He is such a jerk. But I didn’t want him to be a one-dimensional character, so I had to envision something good in him, find some tiny shred of it that a fight to survive might bring to light in a guy who just is not the nicest person you’ll meet.
What would your ideal career be, if you couldn't be an author?
I love creating worlds. If I couldn’t be an author, my ideal career would be creating worlds through writing music. I would still, however, want to write stories. But I would combine the stories with music in the form of songs, operas, etc. Whatever path I chose, I would have to write.
Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?
Yes. I’m always interested in how readers respond to my work. Do they influence my writing? Well, I have a world of stories in my head that I have already written long hand without anyone’s input or influence. So I guess I have to say no, not as far as the story ideas and storylines themselves go.
What well-known writers do you admire most?
Stephen King and Clive Barker.
Do you have any other books/stories in the works?
I do. I’m working on an anthology that will release next year, as well as a novel entitled The Light: Houston, Texas.
About the Author
Joe M. Solomon earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of St. Thomas, followed by both master’s and doctoral degrees from Rice University. Joe’s supernatural thriller The Darkness: Giger, Texas released in 2017. A second novel—The Light: Houston, Texas—and a collection of short stories that arise from the macabre will soon follow.
Learn more about Joe at: www.JoeMSolomon.com
Follow Joe on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
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