MADHOUSE PATIENT RIPPED APART BY OBSESSION

PATIENT: CARLA ANDERTON

ILLNESS: RIPPER-LIKE TENDACIES

 

 

How do I sleep at night? Not well…

 

More often than not, when I tell people – particularly my community college students – that I’m an expert on Jack the Ripper, I get at least a handful of strange, bemused looks. I’m never surprised by it. Despite the fact that Jack the Ripper is perhaps the most infamous serial killer of all time, the study of his crimes has a name – Ripperology – and has spawned an entire industry devoted to discovering “whodunnit,” it remains an unusual and admittedly morbid period of history with which to be engrossed.

 

And I am that, thoroughly engrossed. Since my earliest encounter with the spectre of the Ripper on a “Jack the Ripper Walking Tour” in 1995, I’ve been fascinated by the man and the myth. I’ve read perhaps every reputable book on the subject, and a few that were less than credible. I’ve heard all the pet theories, ranging from the believable to the absurd, as to the identify of the elusive killer we call “Jack the Ripper,” “Leather Apron,” “The Fiend of Whitechapel,” etc. The list of monikers is almost as long as the list of suspects.

 

I’ve studied the autopsy and crime scene photos from every angle. Wake me up from a dead sleep and ask me to recite the names and nicknames of the five canonical victims and I can do so without hesitation. Every year, on the anniversaries of their deaths, I pause to honor their memories, whether with a moment of silence or a Facebook posting commemorating the same.

 

As previously stated, I am far from alone in my interest in all things Ripper and yet it never perplexes why I get bewildered looks when I tell others of my love for my main man, Jack. There’s an old adage that appearances can be deceiving, and I’m certain my own appearance is misleading.

 

Diminutive in stature, I’m not particularly menacing, nor do I necessarily convey much of an aura of authority as it pertains to a century plus old crime. Unlike many students of serial murderers, I don’t dress the part, since with two grey and white cats I’ve (mostly) banned dark colors from my wardrobe. I wear glasses, but I’ve never thought they made me look studious or like someone who’s spent whole days poring over the case files. And, yet, in spite of my deceptive exterior, inside my mind I fear I retain too much tragedy.

 

Inside my head are statistics so horrifying it actually alarms me how easily and unemotionally I can rattle them off. From the number of stab wounds sustained by the first –albeit non-canoncial victim–Martha Tabram, to the count of organs the Ripper removed from the body of the alleged last victim, Mary Jane Kelly, I can vividly picture each of Jack’s “Unfortunates” in situ.

 

An early reviewer of my debut novel, The Heart Absent, a tale of Jack the Ripper in love, begged the question of how I manage to sleep with all these ghastly facts crowding my psyche and the answer is simply: Not well. Not well, at all.

 

Still, I continue on as an amateur Ripperologist, and despite my concerns about overexposing myself to evil, I likely will remain fascinated by the Whitechapel Fiend until the end of my days. With the advent of advanced technology and automatic communication, new theories are constantly being put forward, some based in (pseudo)science, others based on cold facts, and even those derived from a fleeting observation or emotion. All these theories provide opportunities for expansion, elaboration and reflection.

 

Which brings me back to The Heart Absent, a fictional novel in which I tried not to answer the question “Who was the Jack the Ripper?” but rather “What sort of man could Jack the Ripper have been, and what sorts of events might trigger such chaotic violence?” Further, I sought to create complex characters, set against a realistic, meticulously researched historical backdrop, and to put those same characters in situations where my reader would be forced to alternately cheer and condemn them.

 

Was I successful? Only my readers can respond to that and, if you like stories about heartbreak and horror, passion and loyalty–or even if you just like a good whodunnit or a complex romance–I think you’ll enjoy The Heart Absent. I welcome your comments here, via email at carla@jozart.com, or over on my web site at www.carlaeanderton.com. You can also add me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Pinterest.

 

BIO: For as long as she can remember, Carla Elizabeth Anderton aspired to become a professional writer, a desire that’s been applauded and supported by her parents, her late grandparents, and nearly every English teacher who’s ever counted her as a student. A voracious reader from an early age, she’s fascinated by history and the human condition, and prefers to read/write fiction based on fact. Her pet subjects include European history, specifically England during the Tudor and Victorian eras. A recognized expert on the infamous serial murderer Jack the Ripper, she made the elusive killer the focus of her debut novel, The Heart Absent, which was published by New Libri Press in April 2013.

 

Anderton earned a Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from California University of Pennsylvania.

 In addition to writing fiction, she has published poetry, essays, articles and plays and has an extensive background in small press journalism. For nearly five years, she was Editor-in-Chief of a regional monthly newsmagazine, California Focus, and since 1994 has edited/produced a literary arts magazine, Peer Amid, at varying intervals. Currently, Anderton is an adjunct professor of English. She also serves as President of the Board of Directors of the Jozart Center for the Arts in California, Pennsylvania where she lives with a tall, talkative computer repairman and her 15-year-old son.

 

NOVEL SYNOPSIS: 14-year-old James Nemo spent most of his youth motherless and under the thumb of a father who hates him. These injustices he quickly forgets, however, in the arms of a beautiful young prostitute named Nelly. Reality conspires against the young lovers, and James is left, alone and angry, to confront the truth behind his mother’s abandonment. Twenty years pass. James, now a respected artist, meets Mary Jane Kelly, an Irish prostitute who bears more than a passing resemblance to Nelly. Convinced his redemption lies in her, James slowly ensnares her into his ever darkening world. His passion for her escalates to a frenzy, amidst the backdrop of Victorian London in the heyday of Jack the Ripper, and threatens to consume them both.

MADHOUSE LEADS PATIENT IN WRIGHT DIRECTION

PATIENT: K. CERES WRIGHT
ILLNESS: WRITER

When did you start writing? Why did you pick the genre you write in?

I always received good grades in English in school, but it wasn't my favorite subject. Math was my favorite. But I was working as a credit analyst for an insurance company in the mid-nineties, and the company had been hemorrhaging money for a few years and decided to lay off people. So in order to relieve some of the stress I was undergoing, I began writing. I wrote a science fiction story about my coworkers and they thought it was hilarious. So I sent it to some publishers, and it was quickly rejected. One editor wrote, "Character development?" on the first page, so I assumed that meant something. In school, I never really was taught how to write a story, only how to analyze one...metaphors, allegories, themes, and the like. But I discovered that I liked writing stories, so I kept at it.

I had become hooked on reading science fiction since about the fourth grade, when I first read, The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet.  I eventually graduated to Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and Arthur C. Clarke. But as I got older, my reading trailed off into mysteries, spy stories, and nonfiction.  Then one day at work, in 2004, I picked up a book called Neuromancer. I was enthralled. So I read more cyberpunk and decided to write a cyberpunk story. Then I wanted to write a book, but I didn't know how. I researched various writing programs and discovered Seton Hill University's (SHU) Writing Popular Fiction Program.

Where do you get your ideas from? Do you journal at all?

My ideas come from current advances in science that I project out about 50 years or so. Or at least I try. I guess we'll see how close I got in 2063. 

No, I don't journal.

What's a normal (writing) day like for you?

I'm not a morning person, so I sleep until the last possible moment....and sometimes more. I don't think I have a normal writing day. If I'm sitting, waiting somewhere, like at the mall, I'll pull out a piece of paper and write.  Or if after I come home from work, make dinner, and have enough energy, I'll write. Research is important, so I may do that on my lunch hour, or at night, as well.  It's hard when I'm just starting a book because I'm not in the groove, so to speak.  But once I'm there, it's usually at night when I write.

Favorite author or book? Who are you currently reading?

My favorite author is Richard K. Morgan. But I'm currently reading Cyberpunk: Stories of Hardware, Software, Wetware, Evolution, and Revolution by various science fiction authors; and Hellbender by Jason Jack Miller.  It's hard for me, as I'm an editor at work so I read all day, and I don't feel like reading when I get home. So I keep books on both my nightstand and in the bathroom, so I can take advantage of whatever free time I may have.

Do you prefer writing poetry or pose? Why one over the other?

I prefer to write prose.  My father's a poet, and while growing up, I had a hard time understanding what he meant in his poems. I decided that one should mean what one says, and say what one means.  None of this 'it's how you interpret it' type of thing I've softened somewhat over the years, and I have written a poem that was nominated for a Rhysling award, but I much prefer prose.

Do you write in silence or with noise?

I mostly write in silence. If I'm at the mall or somewhere there's background noise, I can filter that out, being a mom, but if I'm at home, I write in silence.

Do you have any weird habits when it comes to writing? Do you type or write longhand?

I used to write longhand, but decided it would be quicker to learn how to write while typing, so I taught myself that.

Would you consider yourself a Plotter or a Pancer?

I have to outline a story, or I'll wind up far from where I had intended to go, but after that, I'm definitely a pancer.  Sometimes ideas just flow as soon as I put my fingers to the keys. Other times, I have to sit and think, or take a walk, or sleep on it.

What do you think is the hardest aspect of the craft?

For me, it's the non-writing aspects--marketing, posting updates, speaking in front of people, and the like. I'm an introvert, so being asked to give a talk, or do an interview is quite a challenge for me. But I recently agreed to do media pitching at work for practice so hopefully it'll help.

Current projects?

I'm working on a book with Rachael Pruitt, a fellow SHUer, who writes Arthurian fiction. She wrote The Dragon's Harp, which is about the life of Gwenhwyfar. Our book will be post-apocalyptic, so I think it will be able to highlight both of our talents, telling stories about groups of people who still have access to technology, and those who don't.

How do you balance being a writer?

For me, there's never a constant balance. If something or someone (read: children) requires my attention, it's all there. Writing takes a backseat, at least the focus. I'm always thinking of plots or characters in the back of my mind, just not writing it down. Or I'll file something away for later use. But if everything is going pretty smoothly, then I can sit and get it all down.

What do you think people expect from you with your writing?

I love action, so my readers, I think, will definitely get a fast ride. I try to put a cliffhanger at the end of each chapter to get them to stay up until 3 a.m. to finish my book.

Advice for aspiring writers?

Persevere. We all get rejected but we have to keep putting our work out there.

Keep learning. You never get to the point where you can't learn anything more about the craft, especially grammar. As an editor, I can't stress that enough. If your work is punctuated (see what I did there?) with errors, the story may be great, but an editor will toss it.

Read or listen to interviews given by your favorite authors.  They've been where you are.

PUBLICATIONS:

• Cog. (July 2013). Dog Star Books.
• "Choices" in Hazard Yet Forward (2012).
• "Cyberpunk: Remastered" in Many Genres, One Craft (2011). Headline Books.
• "The Haunting of M117" in Genesis: An Anthology of Black Science Fiction (2011).
• "Doomed" in 2008 Rhysling Anthology. (2008) Science Fiction Poetry Association.

BIO: Daughter to a U.S. Army father, K. Ceres Wright has lived in Anchorage, AK; Chicago, IL; Baltimore, MD; Frankfurt, Oberursel, and Munich Germany; Seoul, Korea; and the Washington and Metropolitan Area.  She attended undergraduate school at the University of Maryland, College Park, with a double major in economics and finance, then worked for 10 years as a credit and treasury analyst before deciding to change careers.

Wright received her master's degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA, and Cog was her thesis novel for the program. An accomplished poet, Wright's science fiction poem "Doomed" was a nominee for the Rhysling Award, the Science Fiction Poetry Association's highest honor. Her work has appeared in Hazard Yet Forward; Genesis: An Anthology of Black Science Fiction; Many Genres, One Craft; and The 2008 Rhysling Anthology.

She currently works as an editor/writer for a management consulting firm and lives in Crofton, MD with her son, Ian, and daughter, Chloe. Visit her website at http://www.kcereswright.com and find her on Twitter @KCeresWright.

WYTOVICH WORD-SICK AND MAD

PATIENT:  Stephanie M. Wytovich
ILLNESS: Poet
SYMPTIOMS: Insomnia, possession, hallucinations, hysteria
STATUS: Insane, dangerous and delightfully mad

NOTES:

I didn't pick poetry.
Poetry picked me.
Ever since I was little, if I didn't write for a few days, I'd start to feel this ache in my chest that told me I was depressing my creativity. Lately, I've been doing nothing but working on my novel, yet that ache has been eating at me for the past couple of hours. I've come to recognize this feeling and got to know it very well, for now I only get it when a poem is inside of me, and I'm ignoring its words. So as a slave to the pain, I bring tonight's musings to the MADHOUSE, because after all, it is madness that drives me to the page night after night. 

Stay Scared,
Stephanie M. Wytovich

EVIDENCE: "Phantom Beat"

I gave my heart away,

Signed away the rights and

Yet I can still feel the phantom beat

In my chest,

Reminding me that I used to be whole,

And that at one point

I wasn’t so empty

TREATMENT: Beyond help

WYTOVICH PLANTS ROSE IN MADHOUSE

PATIENT: ROSE BLACKTHORN

ILLNESS: WRITER

 

When did you start writing? Why did you pick the genre you write it?

 

When I was in my mid to late teens, I lived with my grandparents in an area that was pretty rural. They owned several acres that were nothing but fields, and I used to just walk around in those fields by myself, telling myself stories. I don’t know how long I did that before it occurred to me if I was to write them down, then I could come back and read them again later. So really, that’s when I consider the start of my writing. They were just stories, daydreams meant for my own entertainment. Then as time went on, I let some of my friends read some of what I’d written. That’s when I realized that other people might get some enjoyment out of my little flights of fancy. I went through a very intense period where all I was writing was poetry/song lyrics, and would stay up half the night being very ‘artistic’ and ‘in touch with my emotions’. Good thing I grew out of that fairly quickly!

 

As far as genre goes, I don’t know that I really picked it. My earliest attempts at actual story-telling with a beginning/middle/end were rock-n-roll romances about the members of rock bands I idolized at the time. But I’d spent most of my teens reading fantasy, sci-fi and horror (thanks to my amazing Mom) and so speculative fiction just feels at home to me. When it comes to short fiction however, I naturally gravitate to horror. Short stories lend themselves to horror, in my opinion. I’ve written some really creepy things that are only 100 words in length, and they’re still effective. It’s kind of funny actually – when I first starting writing purposefully, I could never seem to find the end of the story. It would just go on and on, and I’d end up with these rambling novels. Now I find a great deal of joy and satisfaction in writing shorter pieces, and the challenge of micro-fiction is a blast.

 

 

Where do you get your ideas from? Do you journal at all?

 

Ideas come from everywhere. I’ve gotten story ideas from dreams, from conversations with people, even from commercials on TV. Sometimes the best ideas come from everyday things, if you just look at them from a slightly skewed perspective.

 

As far as journaling, I’d have to say no. My Mom kept diaries, and since she has passed away I’ve gone through and read what she’d written. There were some fascinating things in there, things that we’d never actually talked about, and I never would have known about them if not for her writings. I have tried on more than one occasion to keep a diary or journal. I’ve been in classes that required journaling, and managed (just) to complete them as assignments. But I just don’t have the patience for it, and it seems like when I sit down to write things about me I can’t find anything I want to say. Yet, there are facets of me in every story I’ve ever written.

 

 

What’s a normal (writing) day like for you?

 

I have a day job, like a lot of writers. I am not by any stretch a morning person, so I can’t make myself get out of bed to write before going to work. So, I get up and go to work (I work from home so I have a nice stress-free commute) and put in my hours there. Then in the afternoon and evening, between things that have to get done and spending time with my boyfriend and my dogs, I write or edit or read. Weekends are when I get the majority of writing done, because I can pretty much spend the whole day working on whatever my current project is, with short breaks to take care of other things.

 

 

Favorite author or book? Who are you currently reading?

 

I can’t list a single favorite for either. I’m a huge fan of Patricia McKillip, Anne McCaffery, Jean Auel, Barbara Hambly, PC Hodgell, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Neil Gaiman, and Charles deLint. I’m particularly fond of THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD by McKillip, The Darwath Trilogy from Hambly, and WATCHERS by Koontz.

 

Lately I’ve been reading a lot of anthologies, partly because I’ve been writing so many short stories. Just in the last little while I’ve read Stalking You Now by Jeff Strand, Devil Inside by William Cook, Dragonthology from Untold Press, For the Preservation of the Species by Michael J Evans, Pentacle – A Self Collection by Tom Piccirilli, and From Beyond the Grave from Grinning Skull Press. At the moment I’m reading Knock Knock by S.P.Miskowski, and Horrific History from Hazardous Press.

 

 

Do you prefer writing poetry or prose? Why one over the other?

 

I do write poetry from time to time, but almost always when I’m writing it as one of my characters, as part of a story. I really prefer prose myself, simply because I feel that I have more room to say what I want to say.

 

 

Do you write in silence or with noise (TV, movies, music)?

 

It really depends on what I’m working on. I occasionally write in silence, and rarely with the TV or a movie on. Most of the time I have music playing, and it has to be something conducive to what I’m writing. When I’m working on something in the fantasy genre, the music tends toward Celtic instrumentals, or sometimes movie soundtracks like Lord of the Rings or Braveheart. Sci-fi stuff can be movie soundtracks again, or some rock music. Horror writing usually works better for me with rock music.

 

 

Do you have any weird habits when it comes to writing? Do you type or write longhand?

 

I don’t know about weird habits, but I’ve found it helpful to find an image that puts me in mind of what I’m writing. When I was working on NEPTUNE DREAMS for the Fear the Abyss anthology, I found a gorgeous rendering of Neptune and some of her moons which I put up as a wallpaper so I could look at it whenever I wanted to. A dark fantasy piece THE LILAC HEDGE takes place in this verdant flower garden, so I put pictures of lilacs and roses and irises on my screen to help me stay in that place. A story I’m working on right now is a post-apocalyptic tale and I found a photo I took myself on the Oregon coast when it was cloudy and foggy, and there was no one to be seen for miles. Just looking at that puts me in the frame of mind I want to be in, and then I can go from there.

 

The only time I write longhand is when I’m writing poetry; it seems to flow better that way. Everything else is typewritten, for practicality. My handwriting is atrocious and I taught myself to type by touch when I was thirteen on an old manual typewriter specifically because of that. It’s helpful too that I type fast enough, I can almost keep up with my brain when a story is really flying.

 

 

Would you consider yourself a Plotter or a Pantser?

 

I am definitely a Pantser. When I first started writing it was all so I could find out where the story would go. If I knew how a story was going to end, there was no point in writing it down. Of course that’s changed a bit now, but I still usually don’t have a clear idea of the end of a story. I can have certain points that I’m working toward, steps that I want to be sure are taken. But that’s about as far as my Plotting goes.

 

 

What do you think is the hardest aspect of the craft?

 

There are a few things. Time is one of those; I am rarely able to spend as much time writing as I would like to. Objectivity is another. Sometimes it can be very difficult, especially when you’re caught up with and emotionally vested in your characters and their stories, to be able to recognize things that shouldn’t be there. Sometimes it’s so much fun writing a scene, that you don’t want take it out even though it really doesn’t need to be there. That takes a certain amount of discipline, and sometimes it’s downright painful to do what you know is best for the story. And last is promotion. I think that’s definitely become a part of the craft of writing, at least if you’re trying to get published. I’m an introvert, and rather shy with people, so trying to put myself out there and make connections and promote myself can be frightening and extremely uncomfortable. But it’s part of being a published author, and so you do your best to let people know you’re there!

 

 

Current projects?

 

I’m working on several short pieces for different submission calls, as well as the first book of an epic fantasy series (working title BARD’S RETURN) and an urban/dark fantasy novella about shape-shifters from another reality who wind up in current day Los Angeles.

 

 

How do you balance being a writer?

 

Mostly I just try to keep my equilibrium, and prioritize. Obviously I need to pay my bills, so the day job is a necessity. I love my family, so I make sure to set aside time for them. But I also have to answer to my own requirements for creativity – whether that be writing, or taking photos, or working on the jewelry I make. Sometimes I wish I could do without sleep! But it’s all about not neglecting the things that are important to you.

 

 

What do you think people expect from you with your writing?

 

I don’t know that I’m at the point where people are expecting anything, but I think readers will always find something of beauty in my stories. Whether the genre is fantasy or horror, I always try to find something that really touches me and I do my best to share that in my writing.

 

 

Advice for aspiring writers?

 

Two things – enjoy yourself, and don’t give up. There’s no point in doing it if you don’t enjoy it. Find a genre or a niche that speaks to you, and go with it. And don’t let anyone tell you stop, not if it’s something you love.

 

 

RELEASED:

• FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE by Grinning Skull Press 
• NECON E-BOOKS BEST OF 2012 FLASH ANTHOLOGY from Necon E-Books
• HORRIFIC HISTORY from Hazardous Press

COMING SOON:

• ANOTHER 100 HORRORS from Cruentus Libris Press
• EULOGIES II: TALES FROM THE CELLAR from Horror World
• BARNYARD HORROR by JWK Fiction
• BLOOD AND ROSES from Scarlett River Press
• WATERLESS from Buzzy Mag
• WHAT WE DO FOR LOVE appearing in the summer issue of 69 Flavors of Paranoia.

BIO: Rose Blackthorn currently lives in the high mountain desert of Eastern Utah with her boyfriend and two dogs. She spends her time writing, reading, beading and doing wire-work, and photographing the surrounding wilderness. An only child, she was lucky enough to have a mother who loved books, and has been surrounded by them her entire life. Thus instead of squabbling with siblings, she learned to be friends with her imagination and the voices in her head are still very much present. She is an affiliate member of the HWA, and suffers from an overactive imagination, but rather than complaining... she just goes with it.

 

 

 

 

 

https://twitter.com/rose_blackthorn

http://roseblackthorn.wordpress.com/

http://www.facebook.com/RoseBlackthorn.Author

http://amazon.com/author/roseblackthorn

MADHOUSE FINDS LOVE IN PATIENT'S FASHION

PATIENT: RANDI LOVE
ILLNESS: FASHION

 

• When did you start creating? Why did you pick the genre/style you work it?

I have always drawn and painted since I can remember but I really started getting into designing clothes when I was around 13. I have notebooks and notebooks full of fashion illustrations and designs. I started to make purses for my friends and I. By highschool, I could not find anything in the stores that I felt made a statement or defined me, so, I made my own. I didn't really "pick" a genre or style I just have always created what I love and what I would want to wear. I've always been into horror movies, heavy metal, and vintage everything so all of that gets incorporated into my creations.

• Did you go to school for it? If so, where and what did you study?

Yes I did. I graduated with a BFA in Fashion Design from the Columbus College of Art & Design in Columbus, Ohio.

• Where you get your ideas from? Do you journal, sketch, photograph at all to start?

I get a lot of my inspiration from movies, different genres of music, and different time periods. I am very inspired by fashion in music such as 80s heavy metal and punk rock. I also get very inspired from vintage styles/prints and love 1950s pin-up style.

• What’s a normal designing day like for you? Do you tend to get more down at one time versus another?

Before I start a new project I always have to clean and organize my sewing studio. I feel like I can't start something new until everything is cleaned and put away from a previous project. A clean, clear space helps me have a clean and clear mind. Then the door gets shut, and the music goes on. I usually really like to start working in the evening and into the night.


• Favorite artist or designer? Who are you currently following?
It is way to hard to ever choose a single designer to be my absolute favorite. Some of the high fashion runway designers I always follow are Betsey Johnson, Rick Owens, Michel Berandi, and The Blondes to name a few. I've never really been into name brands though. I also really look up to Sharon Ehman's Toxic Vision and Micheline Pitt's Deadly Dames clothing lines. They both are artists and designers who really inspire me by being able to create and run clothing lines from scratch.

• Do you prefer working in one medium over another? If so, which one and why?

Being that fabric is my favorite medium to work with, I really enjoy working with leather and suede the most. I also really like working with the metal hardware I put on my creations(chain, studs etc.)

• Do you work in silence or with noise (TV, movies, music)?

I can not work without music on.

• Do you have any weird habits when it comes to working on your art?

I probably do a lot of things that are weird to other people, but to me its normal so I wouldn't really know.

 

• Would you consider yourself a Plotter or a Pancer?

I try to plan things out and sketch an idea before I start, but my design usually comes out completely different so I try to just have a vague idea in my mind before starting.

• What do you think is the hardest aspect of the craft?

Sometimes I go through a designers block which would be similar to "writers block" I suppose. For days nothing will come out right in my eyes. To me, that is the most frustrating part of my craft.

• Current projects?

During the spring/summer I set up a tent and sell my clothing, bags and jewelry at local concerts. I am working now to stock up on hand made, printed tank tops and horror movie charm bracelets.

• How do you balance work with art?

Aside to having my own clothing line, I also wait tables. I would love to just do my design work but sometimes being an artist does not bring in as much money as I would like. I try to work my serving job on the weekends that way during the week I can focus on my designs.  

• What do you think people expect from you with your art? 

I want them to expect me to make different, alternative clothing that will make them feel confident and good about who they are. I want people to be able to express themselves with my art.

• Advice for aspiring artists or designers?

Just follow your heart and don't let anyone ever tell you that you can't do something. I've heard so many times that I "should of went to school for something more practical" but its never about getting a job that pays well for me. If I'm not doing what I love doing, I'm not going to be happy no matter how much money I get. Put your whole heart into your work and always give it all that you've got.

You can catch me at SCUMBAGS in Natrona, PA on MAY 11th. I am sponsoring Bad Wolf Productions all day music festival Pandorica. I will be there selling all kinds of good stuff!

BIO: Randi Love is a 25 year old fashion creator, inspired by horror, heavy metal and everything black. Randi studied at Columbus College of Art and Design where she majored in Fashion Design. Since graduation, Randi has put all her time and energy into her original clothing line which focuses on making everything by hand and one of a kind. 

www.facebook.com/randiloveofficial
Etsy Store: www.randiloveclothing.etsy.com
 

WYTOVICH FINDS PATIENT BRAINSICK AND DAMNED

PATIENT: STEPH SCIULLO
ILLNESS: ARTIST

"I am a visual Artist from Pittsburgh PA. I am self taught, undisciplined and unapologetic. In art and in life...I've never taken well to being told what to do, say or think. Art is about freedom and imagination run wild. I have no time for technique, for -isms or labels. I also have no name to hang on whatever it is I do, nor do I have any interest in trying. That is for others to decide. Art is what it is: created in the moment, experienced in the moment. If you appreciate my end result, I thank you."

When did you start creating?

Can't remember a time when I haven't. It's just my nature. Even if all I have is a shred of paper in my hand I'll scrunch it, or tear it ,or shape it into something. Sort of a compulsion I suppose.

Why did you pick the genre/style you work it?

 I didn't pick it. It picked me. My eyes go to certain colors and shapes. Certain subject matter. I know what I like to look at, and I tend to work on something until my eyes approve.

Did you go to school for it?

No, I didn't. In all honesty, I'm glad I didn't. I fear I would have limited myself by having certain techniques and methods pushed on me. Being self taught has given me more freedom of creativity.

Where do you get your ideas from?

99% percent of my stuff is not planned out. So, I don't know that I really work from specific ideas. There are always things floating around in my head and when I sit down to start creating, they eventually manifest themselves in my work. Once in a while I'll think of something specific that I'd like to try and make happen. That's about as specific as I get. With my sculptures, I'll sit down and know that I'm going to make a head or face or body part. What it will look like specifically by the time I'm done, I've no idea.

Do you journal, sketch, photograph at all to start?

I sketch regularly, but I never turn my sketches into something else. They remain as is. If I tried to take a sketch and turn it into a sculpture or a painting, it would be forced. I wouldn't be working with the same flow and feelings I had when I was doing the original.

What’s a normal designing day like for you?

Depends on my mood. It's nothing I can force or schedule. There are days where I'll sit down in the middle of the afternoon, and there's days when I don't start anything until midnight or beyond.

Do you tend to get more done at one time versus another?

I'm a night person. Always have been. It's when I seem to be at my best.

Favorite artist or designer?

There are a few artists who I can specifically sight as influences. Stephen and Timothy Quay, Joel Peter Witkin and Harry Clarke. More than anything though, I am a fan of and have been hugely influenced by anatomical and medical art. The wax sculptures of Joseph Towne and Anna Morandi Manzolini. The botanical and anatomical illustrations of Frederik Ruysch. Countless others.

Who are you currently following?

 I don't really follow anyone in particular, but I look at art in some form or another every day. There are some insanely talented tattoo artists out there doing such inspiring and innovative work. There are people taking chances. People who aren't afraid to let out what's inside of them. People who aren't concerned with keeping it safe. They are making the art they want to make, and that's what I'm interested in seeing. There's some good stuff out there. Instagram is a great place for checking out art these days.

Do you prefer working in one medium over another?

No. I work with whatever I can get my hands on. I don't limit my materials and you'd be hard pressed to find a piece of mine that only contains one medium. It's all mixed in there. Even with a painting, you're likely to find graphite, inks, plaster and wax mixed in.

Do you work in silence or with noise?

Always noise. Although music is such an integral part of my life, you'll mostly find me listening to spoken word while I work.  Either to old horror radio broadcasts like Suspense, The Creaking Door, Beyond Midnight, and Inner Sanctum, to True Crime audio books or to my boyfriend who will sit with me and read aloud.

Do you have any weird habits when it comes to working on your art?

I don't know that anything I do can be considered anything other than weird. I don't know that I can point to anything in particular though.

What do you think is the hardest aspect of the craft?

People not taking what you do, seriously. You're an "artist"? So, you do it all for fun and in your spare time, right? It's hard to even call myself an Artist because of the stigma that seems to be attached with the title. People that wear a shirt and tie to work everyday and punch a clock, usually have a hard time wrapping their heads around the concept of an Artist and the arts. They tend to look down on you and consider what you do to be unimportant. You have to have considerable intestinal fortitude to choose this path.

Current projects?

Odds and ends laying around. Lumps of clay waiting to be shaped. Boxes of rusty parts waiting to be assembled. Paper waiting to be scribbled on. Wood waiting to be painted. That's as specific as I can get :)

How do you balance work with art?

There was a time when I airbrushed in the malls and decorated cakes at various bakeries, and did graphic design work for screen printing companies and had to push my art into my spare time. Now, my art is my work.

What do you think people expect from you with your art?

Don't know. That might be a question for those "people". If I were to venture a guess though, I'd say they're expecting.....fucked up.

Advice for aspiring artists or designers?

Make what you want to see, not what you think others want to see. Put it out there. Chances are, there will be people who appreciate it. Don't let anyone tell you you can't. The people who tell you that you can't aren't worth knowing.

Upcoming Appearances:

I'll have work for sale at the Atrocity Exhibition on May 4th. Work at the Demon House Dark Arts show on June 15th and 16th as well as a feature in Gore Noir Magazine. I'll have a two person show with Macabre Noir opening on June 22nd at ArtForm. I'll be set up at the Eerie Horror Film Fest (next to my boyfriend who will be the festivals guest of honor) on October 18th, 19th, and 20th. There's also talk of a show at Trundle Manor in July but we're still working on dates. I've been working on sets and will be doing the puppets for an upcoming Daggervision film as well. You can always check out my Etsy shop too.

Follow me on Instagram: @stephsciullo
FaceBook facebook.com/brainsickanddamned

IT'S A NEW DAY IN THE MADHOUSE

PATIENT: DAVID DAY
ILLNESS: WRITER

•   When did you start writing? Why did you pick the genre you write in?

Like most authors, I started writing at a young age. One of my earliest stories was an assignment in third or fourth grade. We had to write something like 5-10 pages, one sentence per page with an illustration, and then we bound them by hand. I wrote about a warrior who had to battle demons, avoid traps, travel through dark caverns, and reach the top of a mountain. Or something like that.

I'd like to say I've been an avid writer all my life, but that's not exactly true. I've been an avid reader, but when it comes to writing, I've had something of a rocky relationship. 

I wrote stories on and off until the end of my freshman year of college, when I transferred universities and switched my major from Mathematics to Creative Writing. During my college years, I leaned heavily toward poetry. I joke now that I didn't have the attention span to write anything longer than a few lines, but there may be some truth to it.

Anyhow, I told you so much about that early story as a way to answer the second part. While we can pick genres to work in, I think partly we're drawn to them. Very early on, I had a fascination with the fantastical, and that interest has been a part of me all my life.

•   Where you get your ideas from? Do you journal at all?

My ideas come from a combination of observation, imagination, and a healthy dose of "What if." Part of my personality is to be the quiet observer, and I've always been a dreamer. Nearly every report card during grade school came home with the comment, "does not use time wisely." I realize now I was using my time wisely, because dreaming is healthy, but I wasn't using my time the way my teachers expected.

My mom used to say (and still does occasionally) that I was just content in the playground of my own mind. I spend a lot of time being introspective and pensive, exploring and relating memories and dreams. I don't really see the ideas as coming from somewhere. Our ideas are already inside us, remnants from Yeats' Spiritus Mundi or snippets from the Akashic Records. I just spend a lot of time sifting through them. I get sparks from the outside world--religious texts, classical mythology, other stories, movies, good conversations, the list is endless--but the actual ideas themselves come from internalizing, contemplating, sifting, sifting, sifting...

I've tried journaling and blogging. Fact is, I'd much rather just make things up. Journaling feels too much like homework, and blogging feels like shouting at the wind. That's not to say I don't capture stuff, I just don't focus my efforts on blogs or journals. I used to keep a couple of notebooks and stacks of index cards in strategic places around the house, but in recent years I've made liberal use of some electronic tools, namely Evernote and Remember the Milk, as a dumping ground for ideas. So I gather on the fly and organize later.

Personally, I just don't buy into the idea that every writer must have a blog. If a writer has the time, energy, and enthusiasm for a blog, hey, that's great. There are a lot of writers who make blogging work for them (Stephanie, for instance). As for me, I have to be very economical with my time and energy. I have a tubmlr account I loosely refer to as my blog, but when I set it up, I gave myself permission to post only when I felt like it.

•   What’s a normal (writing) day like for you?

I get up early--somewhere between 3:30 and 4:00 in the morning. First thing I do? I go to Facebook (gasp!) and post birthday wishes to anyone I care about who has a birthday that day.

My first drafts are always the stories I want to tell. But fiction is a serious, challenging form of communication and for communication to work there has to be an audience. Wishing people happy birthday in the morning reminds me that a first draft is never enough. I have to put in the extra effort to refine the work, craft it carefully as if it were a present.

The rest of my time varies. Until last week, I had been splitting my mornings between drafting short stories and minutia related to the release of TEARSTONE. A few months ago, I finished a first draft of my next project, and now that TEARSTONE is out, I've turned my attention towards revisions. My mornings are: Happy Birthdays, type up one or two chapters of revision from the previous day, revise one or two chapters by hand (yes, on paper), nap, shower, breakfast with family, then on to the day job.

I'm also focused on developing my short story skills in 2013, so between novel revisions, I'll take a week or two to work on short stories. I also recently volunteered to slush read for a magazine (intentionally not saying which one). They're closed for submissions right now, but once they reopen I'll read a story or two from their submissions each morning as well.

•   Favorite author or book? Who are you currently reading?

My all-time favorite book is Kurt Vonnegut's Sirens of Titan. It's rife with Vonnegut's unique sense of humor and appeals to my perspective on organized religion.

Wait. Actually, Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End might be my favorite. Then again, maybe it's Stephen King's Dark Tower series. Phfft. This question always frustrates me. I hate trying to pick one piece of fiction, holding it up, and saying, "This is it! Best. Book. Ever." I can't do it. But King, Vonnegut, and Clarke--and specifically the works I mentioned--are always somewhere at or near the top.

Here are a few books I'm reading or have read lately:

* A History of Secret Societies by Arkon Daraul

* Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

* Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King

* Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

* Floating Staircase by Ronald Malfi

* Far Dark Fields by Gary A. Braunbeck

* The Croning by Laird Baron

* The Men Upstairs by Tim Waggoner 

•   Do you write in silence or with noise (TV, movies, music)?

I usually write in silence, but sometimes I'll play a little music to pump some extra energy into the work. My favorite band is Nine Inch Nails--even the mellow stuff seethes with a raw power, like a quiet breeze just before a raging storm. That energy comes in handy when writing scenes that draw heavily on my emotions.

•   Do you have any weird habits when it comes to writing? Do you type or write longhand?

I wear glasses with a fairly mild prescription. I can see without them, even drive if necessary, but the world becomes a bit fuzzy. When my internal critic starts making too much noise and I lack the strength to mentally choke out the little shit, I'll take my glasses off. I can see well enough to type (I suppose because I touch type), but I have to strain to actually read the words on the monitor, and I definitely can't tell if I've misspelled something (no squiggly lines, I turn spell check off for first drafts). My critic falls silent, as if I've plucked the eyes from his head and stuffed them in his mouth. I'm always amazed at how well this works.

 

 

•   Would you consider yourself a Plotter or a Pancer?

On the surface, I'm a pancer. However, I believe that we're all plotters. The real difference is in how we plot. I don't see how a writer can finish a work without having noodled out the plot. Some people plot using outlines, some use index cards, and some use the first draft.

I'm working hard to put plotting first. I mentioned before my need to be economical with my time, and I've come to realize that plotting by first draft is highly inefficient. Somewhere about half way through the first draft of my current project, I forced myself out of the word processor and into an iPad program called Index Card. I plotted out the rest of the work in a program that forced me to think only about plot and made it impossible for me to wander across pages, spilling out words behind me like transmission fluid. I finished the plot, then went back and drafted the actual pages. I cut my time in half roughly. For my next project, I plan to use Storyist, which is a more elaborate plotting / writing tool, and I plan to test out a rigorous timeline. Ultimately, I'd like to be able to produce a first draft of a reasonable size (say 100K words) in three months.

 

•   What do you think is the hardest aspect of the craft?

Here is a quote by T.S. Eliot I keep at the back of my mind:

"When forced to work within a strict framework the imagination is taxed to its utmost - and will produce its richest ideas. Given total freedom the work is likely to sprawl."

This is the hardest part of the craft: finding and adhering to a strict framework.

I tend to ramble when I write, and for the longest time I struggled with creating tight prose. And this tendency is true of me on a larger scale. I'll go back to that ever-present comment on my grade-school report cards about not using time wisely. My mind wanders easily, ideas swirl, converge, break, and reform in my head, sometimes so much so I have trouble focusing on a conversation or an activity. 

I am sprawl.

Over the past five or so years, I've worked at becoming mindful of my tendency to sprawl. In my day job, my responsibilities have steadily increased, and I reached a point where there was no hope of ever getting things done just by randomly tackling tasks. So I studied personal productivity, experimented with different ways of organizing the things I needed or wanted to do, and wrestled with understanding my life priorities.

Writers are creative creatures. There's a wonderful book by master choreographer Twyla Tharp called The Creative Habit. She makes a great case for creativity happening not through random sparks or epiphanies, but through careful planning and preparation (among other things). This is the framework I'm talking about. Our lives, when left to chance, produce random results. The same holds true for writing, or any creative endeavor. I'm learning to approach my writing with a structural framework to tax my imagination. Learning to plot is part of that framework, as are setting aside a regular time to write and setting specific goals for those designated writing times.

This takes a lot of the "sexy" out of writing, but it's necessary. We hear this advice time after time from successful people across creative fields. Make a schedule and stick to it. Plan your work. Set goals and measure your progress. I think creative types tend to buck these notions for fear the structure will squash their creativity the same way a droning, repetitive, soul-sucking job would. But we have to come to terms with the need for structure.

Repetition and structure do not suck the soul out of us. Repetition and structure provide the discipline that helps us excel in our craft. Our souls dry and wither when there's no meaning in what we're doing, not because we approach the act of creation methodically.

•   Current projects?

I mentioned earlier that I'm starting revisions on a novel. It's called THE GALVANIZED MAN. It's still a bit of a mystery to me, but here's what I can tell you so far. The story centers on a young woman who lives in a near-future society damaged and altered by the failed invasion from a strange race of angelic beings. Her father's dying, she's broke from medical bills, and her abusive ex-boyfriend shows up after doing a stint in prison. She's forced to take on a quest by a man who promises to save her father. She and her companions must travel deep into the desert in search of a missing part of a mysterious machine. She becomes a pawn in a war between two cults to control reality. What she finds when she reaches her destination changes her, and her world, forever. 

In the next few months, I plan to start plotting out a sequel to TEARSTONE. During edits and revisions with my publisher, and a great conversation with my mom (an ordained minister) about Leonid Andreyev's wonderful short story "Lazarus," I discovered a minor factual error in TEARSTONE. Fixing the error in no way changed the novel, but it clarified the larger story arc I'd been mulling over. I know now there are at least two more books in this story, possibly four. I know the arcs of the two biggest characters. I know how it all ends. I have my framework.

•   How do you balance being an editor and being a writer? (Or double jobs, being a mom/dad, etc.- apply to your situation)

I like to say I have two jobs: writing, and my day job. My wife says I have four jobs: father, husband, writing, and my day job.

She's right, of course. 

I hate to sound like a broken record, but balance comes from planning. I know how many hours my day job requires (gotta eat), and how much time I have left for my other three jobs. And sleep. Yeah, I should do that too.

It's like this:

1. I work eight or so hours a day. I have no choice right now.

2. I sleep roughly five hours a night. Used to be more but I experimented with sleep, measured my quality of sleep, and got it down to about five. Some nights it's four, some nights it's six, but that's okay. Gotta give the body what it needs and roll with it, baby.

3. I get up before the rest of my family and write for two or three hours. I get this in before the chaotic carnival of life can drain my energy.

4. Last, but most importantly, I spend time with my wife and kids. Sometimes it's just with the wife (rare); sometimes it's just with one or both boys. Sometimes we have planned activities (zoo, skate park, vacation, snipe hunting), and sometimes we wing it. But whatever we do, it's family time. 

That's how we make it work. Writing may be a solitary act (and boy is it), but I don't believe for an instant that most writers live a life of solitude. We make it work because my writing isn't just a part of my life; it's a part of who I am as a father and husband, as a person.

That's my answer, but I'm going to wander off here a moment to share. Logan (my oldest son) is in first grade, and part of what he's learning at school is storytelling. It absolutely thrills me. His teacher is great about sending daily emails on what they did in class, and I talk to him (as much as he'll let me) about the importance of stories and storytelling. My wife sent his teacher an email to let her know I'm a writer and asking if she'd like to have me come speak to the class. Logan's teacher was very excited, to say the least. She said Logan's talked a lot about how his dad is a writer and that she'd love to have me come and talk about her class and maybe even read a little from my book if I could find something appropriate. (TEARSTONE has absolutely nothing appropriate to read to a first grade class, so I'll be reading one of Logan's favorite stories.) My point is a writer makes multiple jobs work in part through the support and excitement of the other people in their lives. Our families, our communities, and our fans all contribute to helping us balance our lives.

•   What do you think people expect from you with your writing? EX: Can they always count on a good gross out? 

My career is too young to say what people expect from me specifically. I suppose in broad terms they expect creepy and disturbing mixed with touching and sorrowful. I will do the gross out or bloody when it fits, but I don't rely them.

•   Advice for aspiring writers?

A well-worn aphorism chanted by writers is to write what you know. I think that statement is incomplete. Too often, I've seen it interpreted as meaning a writer should only write about things they've experienced personally. Let me modify and clarify: 

Write what you know in your heart.

Fiction isn't about facts; it's about the human condition. It's about the emotions we all feel regardless of if they're rational. Be they romance, western, mystery, bizarro, horror, science fiction, fantasy, inspirational, and on and on and on... the stories we connect to best are those that reflect what we feel to be true regardless of what we know as fact. Suspension of disbelief comes from listening to that soft-spoken voice inside, the one that says satyrs and the Graeae are real, that magic really happens, and that for one brief moment whether the world is round, flat, square, or otherwise no longer matters.

--------- 

Bio: David L. Day grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and spent many childhood summers camping in Hocking Hills, a place full of wonder and mystery, fertile soil for a dark imagination. He’s always had a deep interest in writing, scribbling poetry in notebook margins from a very early age. Having lived in a couple of different places, Day now resides in the Columbus area with his wife Denna, their two sons, their two suspicious cats, and their loyal dog, Zoe. He’s a 2011 graduate of Seton Hill University’s Master’s in Writing Popular Fiction program. TEARSTONE is his first novel.

 

Website: http://www.davidlday.com

Bibliography: http://www.davidlday.com/bibliography.html

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

TEARSTONE, my debut occult horror novel, published by Belfire Press.

* Publisher: http://belfirepress.com/main/our-titles/tearstone/

* Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Tearstone-David-L-Day/dp/1927580145/

I'm actively looking for reviewers. Connect with me via my website (http://www.davidlday.com/social.html) to request a reviewer's copy.