SUNDAY SPECIAL: Jeremy C. Shipp
Sunday, October 24th, 2010I had the pleasure of doing an interview with Jeremy C. Shipp, Bram Stoker Award Finalist. Shipp is the author of Cursed and Vacation. His latest book, Fungus of the Heart, is scheduled for release on November 28th, 2010.
Tell our readers about your upcoming book.
Fungus of the Heart is a dark fiction collection with a heart, a soul. Each story is a universe in itself, and these universes are inhabited by creatures such as zombie polar bears, attic clowns, and yard gnome soldiers.
How did you first come up with the inspiration for this collection?
I think being married inspired me to write a book about relationships. Being in a loving relationship brings certain questions to mind. How far would I go to save my wife? What would it feel like if I lost her? What is true love? What is true friendship? These are the sorts of questions I contemplated when writing some of the stories in my collection.
How long did it take for you to write the book?
38,841 shakes of a lamb’s tail, which is the equivalent to about a year.
What can weird fiction offer that readers won’t find in other genres?
Weird fiction can transport readers to new worlds where the truth of our reality can be examined at new angles. Also, weird stories allow readers to befriend anthropomorphic Styrofoam cups, which is neat.
What inspired you to start writing in general?
I fell in love with storytelling thanks to creative geniuses such as George Lucas, HG Wells, Jim Henson, Jules Verne, Terry Gilliam. When I was thirteen, I decided to write a novel, and I’ve been writing almost constantly ever since.
If you had a chance to make over a popular book or movie and put your own creative stamp on it–what would it be?
I would love to remake the Star Wars prequel trilogy. I would rewrite the script, and use a plethora of puppets.
What do you like to read?
Right now I’m on a quest to read through all the Newbury Medal winning books. I also love horror, bizarro, fantasy. Some of my favorite authors are Arundhati Roy, Kurt Vonnegut, Lois Lowry, Haruki Murakami, and George Orwell.
What was your favorite part of writing this collection?
I loved coming up with so many different realities, and I loved composing the interactions between the characters.
Do you like to set a particular mood for writing? Do you work at a particular time of day?
I write even when writing is the last thing in the universe that I want to do. That being said, I do prefer night. Nighttime is when my brain hamsters like to run in their wheels.
What do you find the most challenging about writing?
In terms of the craft of writing, I find the whole process to be utterly excruciating and entirely blissful. I tend to obsess over every sentence, every word.
How do you come across new story ideas?
Sometimes I brainstorm. Sometimes I borrow ideas from my dreams. But usually I’m just walking around or washing dishes or taking a shower, and an idea bursts in my skull.
What advice would you offer to aspiring writers?
Write every day. Read every day. Don’t let rejections get you down. And eat lots and lots of peanut butter. If you’re allergic to peanuts, almond butter will work as well.
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©2010 Lori Titus
