Serious Reading Interview

Serious Reading interviewed Garon Whited for their Author Interview section on the website.

What makes this particular genre you are involved in so special?

“I have a terrible time sticking to one genre. Stories are living things, not to be defined solely by a single set of criteria. I’m not defined solely as a writer; I’m also a computer geek, a physics nerd, a role-playing gamer, an actor, a voice artist, and so many other things. Why should a story be solely “Epic Fantasy,” or solely “Vampire fiction,” or just “Comedy”?
That said, my “Nightlord” series is an epic fantasy with a vampire protagonist. Not the most original idea in the world, perhaps, but a good one. Now twist it a little—he didn’t want to be a vampire; he was made a vampire. As angry as that made him, there came a point when he looked at his situation and had to admit it wasn’t so bad.
Of course, he’s also being hunted by nasty people, challenged by magical monsters, and totally out of his element. I think he has a good Everyman feel to him—how would that theoretical Normal Person react to events? Eric isn’t entirely normal, of course, but I think readers can laugh at him, laugh with him, and empathize with his life choices. Unlife choices. Excuse me.”

When did it dawn upon you that you wanted to be a writer?

I never wanted to be a writer. I wanted to be an astronaut. The problem is that I have inadequate vision, I’m physically lazy, and the stories themselves. They won’t leave me alone. I have to get them out of my head if I expect to sleep at night, and that’s not easy. There are a lot of them arguing for keyboard time. I’ve had to institute a take-a-number system and be firm with them. They seem to behave fairly well as long as they know they’re getting a turn and can see progress being made.
Except for the one about the human private investigator who keeps getting hired by supernatural entities. That one keeps yelling at me about how it’s not fair to make it wait.

How often do you write?

I write every day. I wake up and make that grueling commute to my desk—ten, twelve paces at least. Then I collapse into my chair, exhausted, but I somehow muster the early-morning energy to turn on the computer, load up what I wrote yesterday, and start reading.
Once I get that far, the rest is automatic. I slip back into my world and fly to the end of what I’ve written so far. Then—as I’m sure everyone has wished they could do with a favorite book—I pick up where it stops and continue.

To read the rest of this Author Interview click here