Terry M. West has written several books in the young adult field (most notably the graphic novel series, Confessions of a Teenage Vampire) and he has also authored several horror stories as well as the novel, Dreg. His short horror work has appeared in FrightNet, Scream Factory, Agony In Black, Lacunae, Jackhammer, House of Pain, Dark Muse and Moonletters.
Can you tell us a bit about your new book, A Psycho’s Medley?
A Psycho’s Medley is a collection that deals with the horror of the psychopath. There’s some older work (including The Night Out, a finalist for the 1997 International Horror Guild award for a short story) as well as a new story and a not so new story that has never been published. It has been getting some very decent reviews.
A Psycho’s Medley is a collection of short stories, which one do you like best yourself?
I have always had an affinity for Hair and Blood Machine. It’s one of my favorites, and a few of the reviewers have really dug it, as well. It’s about a young man trying to pull himself out of the depths of depression and madness who meets a twisted girl. She sees the dark potential he has, and decides to bring it out of him.
What is it about the horror genre that you find so interesting?
There are very few limits to the horror genre. Horror can illicit so many different reactions from you. It can pull you in a million directions. When it’s done correctly, it can really mess with you. But it can teach you something, as well. I’ve learned more about the human condition from guys like Barker, King, Sturgeon and Matheson than I have ever learned from anyone else. And really, when you break it down, that’s what any kind of fiction is all about; the human journey. In horror, the dark detours just make it that much more interesting to me.
You’ve also been involved in film, can you tell us a bit about that?
Yeah, I wrote and directed a few things. I directed Blood for the Muse, an adaptation of my comic book, and Flesh for the Beast, a film for Fever Dreams. There are others I have directed, but I give no more attention to those films. I have also acted in a few projects. I was in director Alan Rowe Kelly’s THE BLOOD SHED and GALLERY OF FEAR. I was also in Joe Monk’s THE BUNKER, the first film directed by a blind director. Kevin Smith is an executive producer.
How do you organise your writing?
I think a story through before it is ever committed to paper. Once I start getting it down, I will complete the journey and then go back and polish several times. I’ll keep polishing something until someone takes it away from me. I’ll try to work out what just isn’t coming across the way I had hoped and discard it completely if I can’t make it stand up on its own.
How do you market your book?
I use social media and word of mouth. My camp and I work tirelessly to get this in front of readers. It is a process that never ends and can make you feel like a needy whore, but it’s necessary. And it’s a lot of hard work.
What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?
We all would love universal acceptance. The bad reviews I received in the movie industry didn’t bother me that much and the good ones were always a nice surprise. When it comes to the fiction, though, I am a little more vulnerable and I will admit it. It’s more where my heart is, and where I feel my strength as a creator lies. I never claimed to be a great filmmaker. But as a writer, I feel I have something unique to offer. So, in a nutshell, yeah; bad reviews suck.
How do you define success as an author?
I define it as having only a modest amount of jealousy towards others, because you have your own thing going. Authors are strange animals. We are solitary creatures who crave attention. So, getting that attention I crave. Yeah, that would define success, to me; being heard. Knowing that someone out there in this very lonely universe is listening.
For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books?
I am loving Ebooks! But, as a collector, I have to have my physical copies. Right now, A Psycho’s Medley is only being offered on Kindle, but there are plans to do a hard print run.
What kind of books do you read?
Whatever grabs my attention and looks interesting. But mostly I read horror. ‘Cause I’m dark, man. I’m really, really dark.
What’s next?
I am currently revising my novel Dreg, putting together another story collection called What Price Gory? and I am working on a fiction novel called Fear and Lesbians in New Jersey which will explore the ultra low budget horror and softcore film market. It’s loosely based on my own exploits and is pretty humorous, actually. You can keep track of all the madness that surrounds me at www.terrymwest.com but wipe your feet before you come in.
