Horror News | HNN Official Site | Horror Movies,Trailers, Reviews
Interview with Author Christopher Michael Blake (Séance)
Christopher Michael Blake is the author of the horror novel Prey for Dawn and the mystery novella the Cape May Murders. Pyramid of the Parasite is his third book. He lives on the New Jersey shore with his family.
Interview with Author Christopher Michael Blake (Séance)
Christopher Michael Blake is the author of the horror novel Prey for Dawn and the mystery novella the Cape May Murders. Pyramid of the Parasite is his third book. He lives on the New Jersey shore with his family.
Hi Christopher, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me today for Horronews.net. Tell us how you got started, and how this manifested for you?
C.M.B.- About twenty years ago, I had this idea for “Prey For Dawn”, the book. It wasn’t completely formulized; I had the first chapter worked out. I was involved in a business with a buddy of mine, and he wanted me to write a technical manual. I outlined it, and it came out to about thirty chapters, and I could have spent the next year-and-a-half writing that which I had no desire to write… or, I could write what was in my heart which was Prey For Dawn, and I’ve been thinking about for twenty years. I ended splitting with him, and I ended up writing Prey For Dawn. It’s still not perfect till this day but I tried my best with my first book. I called up a friend of mine Frederick Pangborn, who was an author, he passed away, he was a young guy. I called him up one day, and I found out he was a writer, he never told me, and I was working with him for twenty years. One day, I called him up, and I asked him how he published all these books? I said, I need to know. He asked me if I had anything written? I said, yes, I do. I have this book; I’ve been holding on to for a couple of years. He said, send it to my publisher, and if he likes it, he will pick it up. So, I did that, and three weeks later I had a publishing contract. God is so good. If I had waited, I never would have been published.
Did Fred get to see the book or read it?
C.M.B.- Yes, he did. He was very instrumental to me.
What can you tell us about Séance, the newest book.
C.M.B.- Yes, it’s the first in a series of books. There is cursing, nobody dies… it’s more of a clean fiction type of book. Nobody dies, and they are teenagers, they’re the outcasts in the school. The lead girl inherits her mother’s home, and they stumble upon this spell book, and the first spell that they cast is a popularity spell. It completely changes everything. I’ve read the book seven or eight times; I have not grown tired of it. I’m currently working on book number three, and book two is already written. I’m excited about it. It’s a completely different genre that I thought I would never write. The characters are so real, so honest. There is a scene in the book. So, this is an exclusive. I never told anyone this. [in media] You are the first person. The lead character Nancy, the daughter that’s being picked on has chocolate milk poured on her head while she’s eating lunch. That happened to me in high school.
Oh no, oh shit. That’s rotten.
C.M.B.- Yeah! The person that did it didn’t even get detention. I got detention.
Man, go figure. I’m sorry that happened to you.
C.M.B.- [Laughs] Yes.
What would you to say to people that have gone through some terrible stuff in school.
C.M.B.- I was picked on from first grade to eighth grade, and when you get to high school things do get better. People are grown-up, and they don’t. I know that social media is different age that we live in, and there was a suicide in my hometown, and it’s a terrible thing. I don’t want to speculate it was social media related but I can’t help but think that nowadays. You can use that strength to overcome obstacles. I would say, hold on because things do get better, and life goes on.
Do you remember how you felt the first time seeing your book published?
C.M.B.- It was absolutely amazing. It’s every author’s dream.
Where are you heading next? Will you be attending more conventions? You were at Monster-Mania, and did an awesome job.
C.M.B.- I’ll be at Monster-Mania in Cherry Hill. I’ve never had a bad show there. Shoutout to Dave Hagan for all the work he puts into that show. In April, I’ll be at the New Jersey Horror Con, and I’ll be leading the author panel. (April 19th to the 21st).
Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for people who do want to be in this industry?
C.M.B.- My advice would be, have fun with it.
I thank you so much, Christopher for taking the time to talk with me for Horrornews.net.
C.M.B.- Thank you.
https://christophermichaelblake.com/home
