Q&A with Chris Keane, author of The Girl from the Woods

Now available from Pennant Collective is the paranormal romance The Girl from the Woods by Chris Keane.

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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?

In 1995, I read a book called High Fidelity by Nick Hornby and was blown away. The first person narrative was so real, like being inside the main character’s head. It reminded me of The Catcher in the Rye, but the subject matter was so much more relatable to me (the trials and tribulations of dating and relationships). It was also very funny. This made me want to write about my own experiences but first I had to learn about how to go about formatting a story.

What was your first book/story published?

The e-book short read, Loot (2015). Loot was inspired from my childhood experiences. Growing up during the seventies and eighties in a NJ town transitioning from a farming community to suburban commuter zone, I got the best of both worlds. There were a lot of fun places to hang out and things to do but there was also open and wooded areas to explore with my friends without parental supervision. The story was written in the spirit of Stand by Me and The Goonies.

What inspired you to write The Girl from the Woods?

The Girl from the Woods was inspired by my love for romance and the paranormal. I’ve always been a hopeless romantic so that aspect of the story flows quite naturally. I grew up in the eighties, which were a scary time to be a kid. Every summer the theaters were invaded with horror films like Friday the 13th, Halloween, and A Nightmare on Elm Street. The films used familiar settings, which lead to a lot of sleepless nights for me. But I also fell in love with horror and the paranormal.

What character in The Girl from the Woods is the most/least like you, and in what ways?

Definitely the main character, Dante. He was inspired by that awkward post-teen, pre-adult, period in my life. By that point, most of the teenage thrills have run dry but you are also too young to have built anything substantial to draw from in the adult world.

What is your favorite part in The Girl from the Woods?

My favorite part is when Dante goes on a hike with Angie in an attempt to win her heart. Unlike Angie, Dante has spent most of his life indoors, and he’s ill-equipped for mountainous terrain. It’s a total fish out of water situation, and it’s comical to take in.

What was the hardest part to write?

The ending. You have to make sure all of the characters arcs and plot points come together; it’s a lot to manage.

What would your ideal career be, if you couldn't be an author?

A musician. I love playing the guitar, and would probably try to get a band together.

Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?

Of course I read them! I love the positive feedback. Of course, the negative feedback sucks. But it can be helpful. I’ve actually used constructive criticism. Then there’s the people who write obnoxious attacks of the book. They are just looking for attention. If you don’t have anything constructive to say, I ignore you.

What well-known writers do you admire most?

Steven King, Diane Gabaldon, Khaled Hosseini…there are so many!

Do you have any other books/stories in the works?

Not at the moment! The Girl from the Woods is my debut novel and was just released (April 25th) so I’m busy with promotion. I would like to write a sequel to The Girl from the Woods though.

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About the Author

Chris is a graduate of Rutgers University and studied the art of storytelling at Gotham Writers' Workshop in New York City. Chris' first publication, "Loot," became a bestselling Kindle Short Read, in the category of Young Adult Fiction.

"Loot," set on Halloween in 1977, tells the tale of three boys who skip Halloween to hunt for cash to purchase an Atari in an old farmhouse belonging to one of their deceased aunts. Adventure ensues in his coming-of-age tale in the spirit of Stand by Me and The Goonies.

In addition to authoring prose, Chris is a screenwriter. In 2013 he wrote the screenplay for a short film, The Baseball Card, about three twelve-year old boys who fight over a Don Mattingly baseball card during the summer of 1984. The Baseball Card was an official selection of the Garden State Film Festival, Hoboken International Film Festival, and Maryland International Film Festival in 2014.

The Girl from the Woods is his debut novel.

Follow Chris on Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads.