Q&A with W.B. Welch

   Welcome WB! Thanks for taking some time to chat about writing. First, a few quick-fire questions: What is the scariest story you’ve read recently? Sweet treats or salty snacks? What is the weirdest phobia you have?
   I actually haven’t read much Horror recently, but I did read a fun one in the latest issue of Thrice Fiction Magazine called “Mountain High Pizza Pie” by Matthew Dexter. Salty snacks. I get weirded out by sweaty feet.

   I think we share the habit of wearing (or having worn) many different hats. You’ve worked in the world of law, at a dentist office, as a personal trainer, and as the founder of a line of natural beauty products before diving into training as a web developer. With such a plethora skills from past pursuits what draws you to writing fiction?

   To become a novelist has been a dream of mine since I was in single digits. I couldn’t tell you exactly why, but I have always romanticized the idea of being able to walk out on my porch with my laptop to write while I smell the ocean breeze. I do think my numerous experiences help to enrich my character development.

"I do think my numerous experiences help to enrich my character development"

   How do you manage your writing schedule and where do you write? Are you highly structured or are you more flexible with when and where you fit your writing time in? Do you write at home or some other place?
   I almost always write at home, and if I am writing draft one of a novel, I must be at my desk with a quiet environment or with my sound canceling headphones on. The time of day isn’t as important, only that I am uninterrupted in this process. I tend to get very into the scene and very into the mood of the character, so even answering a quick question, like, “Mom, where is the extra tissue?” can take me half an hour to recover from. Now, I am a lot less rigid with short stories. I can set up in a coffee shop or anywhere around the house and dump those out.

   Horror as a genre can be quite polarizing but has always drawn a steady readership. What do you think draws people to Horror fiction and what important things can Horror fiction offer readers who don’t usually read the genre?
   I think people are drawn to Horror for different reasons: the adrenaline, for the relief after the scare, for the tropes or monsters themselves. I have always liked to challenge myself, and my first scary movie terrified me, so it became a challenge from that point forward for me to be able to watch scary movies without covering my eyes. For those who don’t typically read the genre, I think many would be surprised to find out how much real life resides amongst the terror; I think, too, that many would be surprised at their ability to stare the monster in the face.

"For those who don’t typically read the genre, I think many would be surprised
to find out how much real life resides amongst the terror"

   Of course, as you are a writer of Horror fiction, I can’t help but ask about the source of your inspiration: Do you base your work off urban myths and folktales, do you mainly reference historical texts, or is your work born purely from your own imagination?
   This is a tricky question. I am sure, deep down in the crevices of my subconscious, that my work is overall inspired by the horror I have consumed over the last almost thirty years, but directly, I don’t commonly pull inspiration from myths or folktales. I get inspired by feelings and vibes, so I often come up with an idea after I have heard a certain song or after seeing a photo that made me feel some type of way.

"I often come up with an idea after I have heard a certain song
or after seeing a photo that made me feel some type of way"

   One of my favorite things about my primary source of inspiration, the Norse Myths, is the monsters: trolls, giants, dragons, sea serpents, wights, etc. What is your all-time favorite monster and why?
   My favorite monster? That’s hard, it’s a battle between dragons and werewolves, but I feel like I would have to say dragons. I watched Dragon Heart with my father when I was very young, and I have loved them since. Smaug in The Hobbit was just gorgeous, and when Hagrid had his baby dragon, I really wanted my own. Why? Because they are just the coolest! I want to be a dragon so I can live a long time and sleep on a pile of gold.

   One of the things that so many new authors get wrong is writing scary scenes; often they are more farcical than fearsome. Do you have advice for writers from any genre that want to add suspense through scary scenes in their novel?
   It’s hard to remember, in writing, that a scene should not be approached like it would in a movie, that you aren’t just going for a jump scare, and that the reader can’t “see” the dim light or the thunderstorm going outside, so you have to make them feel it. Get into the reader’s mind, make sure they sense the tension building allllllll the way until you reach that climatic moment where the jump actually happens so that their nerves are already on end and their stomach in knots. That’s when you release the big bad scare and really hit them hard.

"the reader can’t “see” the dim light or the thunderstorm going outside, so you have to make them feel it"

   You currently have two titles available on Amazon: Brenna’s Wing and Blood Drops. Do you have any advice for writers considering self-publication through Amazon?  
   Phew. That’s an open-ended question that could be discussed for hours. It isn’t easy. There are a lot of i’s that have to be dotted and t’s that have to be crossed. Pay attention to detail; have several beta readers read your work; design your cover, let it sit, work on it more, get feedback, then work on it more; comb your manuscript over and over for spelling and punctuation; figure out a formatting method that works for you (With Brenna’s Wing, I used Microsoft Word only and that was a headache and a half. With Blood Drops, I used Scrivener, which made it a lot easier [after I figured out how to use it].); don’t formally announce your book until you have the pre-order available - the internet moves fast and so do attention spans - you want people to be able to buy it right then and there when you make your big announcement; but do offer a pre-order option, if you can get a good handful of pre-orders before your book drops, it helps start you higher in the rankings. That’s all I have for now. Anyone with any specific guidance questions are welcomed to reach out to me.

 "if you can get a good handful of pre-orders before your book drops,
it helps start you higher in the rankings"

Find Blood Drops, W.B. Welch's chilling collection of short horror stories, on Amazon.