Interview with Charles O'Keefe, the author of Chaos Stories

Now available to purchase on Amazon, Smashwords and Barnes & Noble is the novel The Chaos Stories by Charles O'Keefe.

The author has taken a few minutes out of his busy schedule to talk about his newest book.



When did you become interested in storytelling?

I think it started for me when I was 13, back then I had this crazy idea that I could write the script for video games (and my friend would do the art). I think we did up at least one game, maybe two. It helped that year that I had a teacher I really liked who got the class to do some interesting writing assignments, showed me how to be a better writer and used to lend out comic books for me to read. The other big encouragement was I start playing Dungeons and Dragons then as well, which is a great way to stimulate anyone's imagination.

What was your first book/story published?

It was a long time before I got motivated enough (and organized) to do any serious writing. My first book was published in April of 2012 (I was 36). This was with Penumbra Publishing (who are sadly now gone) and I had been working on the book off and on for about 8 years. Even once it was accepted I was still waiting about 7 months for it to be published, I used my time wisely and had the rough draft of book 2 done by then.

What inspired you to write "The Chaos Stories"?

I had always loved to read short-stories and I had written a few before (I was lucky enough to even have one published at the back of a novel that Penumbra published). I had been reading a lot of short stories beforehand (along with Stephen King's book on writing) and to be honest I find I need to write, With three books published (all vampire) I was ready for a change. I know it sounds corny but my own life and my desire to write is all I need for inspiration.

What character in "The Chaos Stories" is the most/least like you, and in what ways?

That's an easy one for me. About 40% of the book is deleted scenes from my vampire books and one those characters, Joseph, is a younger version of me. That doesn't mean he's identical to me, I'm in my 40s and Joseph will be forever in his 20s physically (since he's a vampire). Joseph also makes different choices than me, never takes over the family business, never gets married, doesn't age, drinks blood and of course often has fights to the death with other vampires. Seriously though, Joseph does have most of the same ideas and principles I do, he's just a little more extreme and outspoken than me, I've mellowed out somewhat as I've gotten older. I agree with him on lots of things, we're both vegetarian, both against animal cruelty and hunting, both big geeks, we both enjoy nature, love women, always been fascinated with red heads, both love literature and both have strong family ties. Also, like Joseph, I often felt alone in my early 20s and longed for companionship, the big difference is how I met my girlfriend (now wife) and how now I enjoy time to myself more than I ever did in my 20s. He represents ultimately what my life could have been if I had made different choices and if vampires were real.

What is your favorite part in "The Chaos Stories"?

There is a moment in "Footprints Part 1" where Marlon, one of the main characters, makes two impossible shots with a rifle. He is blindfolded and still manages to hit two cans hundreds of feet away. I loved how it was something that actually could happen but is so unlikely that it means his skill is beyond human. It's a small thing in the story but it means a lot, when Marlon makes these kinds of insane shots he is indeed using a supernatural power. This supernatural power comes at a cost, when he uses it evil energy follows him and bad things can happen. It is also something that was originally not in the story and a great example of why you need to a good editor to make a story even better and more cohesive.

What was the hardest part to write?

The story "Another Day in Paradise" is written about a real car accident I was in. This was hard to write because it had only been about a month since it had happened and it still bothered me, especially because my dad was in hospital at the time. I always draw from my own experiences but this was one of the only times I drew from a painful (and recent) experience.

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

It's funny you ask that, I don't write full time and am in a career I don't even like. I used to be a teacher and I was good at it (most of the time), I would love to be an English professor at our local university. It would be wonderful to encourage the love of reading and writing with students and be a part of the university community.

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

Oh yes for better or for worse I always read the reviews. I pay attention to the positive ones...just kidding I try to gain something from every review good or bad. While I haven't let one influence my writing, I did make note when a reviewer said that a book wasn't edited carefully and made sure to have an editor for next project.

What well-known writers do you admire most?

Stephen King, Ernest Hemingway, Richard Matheson, Robert Jordan, Jason Aaron and Peter David.

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

Yes I have my fourth vampire book, "War of the Fangs", is half done and should be out sometime in 2018.

Thanks so much for having me, I had fun and really enjoyed the questions!

Giveaway

Charles O'Keefe will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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About the Author

 

Charles O’Keefe lives in the beautiful province of Newfoundland, Canada, with his wife and two feline ‘children,’ Jude and Eleanor. He is a part-owner of a beauty wholesale business. He enjoys many hobbies and activities that include reading, gaming, poker, Pilates, Dungeons and Dragons, and of course, fantasizing about vampires. Charles is the author of three books in the Newfoundland Vampire series, but this is his first collection of short-stories. Look for the fourth Newfoundland Vampire book sometime in the near future.

To find out more about Charles or his other books, go to Twitter and Facebook or visit his web site at http://www.charlesokeefe.com.

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