An Interview with H. R. Knight

H. R. Knight attended journalism school at the University of Missouri and film school at U.C.L.A. He has worked in educational television and radio, the insurance industry, and software marketing. Eventually, he gave up trying to convince the people around him that he was normal, and dropped out to write horror stories and mysteries. His first novel, What Rough Beast is published by Leisure Books. The following interview highlights Harry's love of literature and cooking and gives us a glimpse into the working life of an author.

Q: Welcome Mr. Knight. Are you comfortable. Can I get you a glass of wine
A: I'd prefer a bottle. Perhaps one of those charming little whites you have at your local wineries.

Q: Well, if you're ready to put the bong down, lets get on with the interview.
A: *cough, choke* Where did you get this stuff?

Q: I recently published my first book for Kindle and got quite excited when I saw it available on Amazon. Do you still remember publishing your first novel? What was it like holding your book in you hands for the very first time?
A: Scary. Oh my God, now it's got to sell, or I'm toast.

Q: Your book, What Rough Beast, is quite well researched. Do you enjoy doing research? What travels has your research taken you on?
A: Well, since my protagonist was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, I spent a lot of time in England. I was fortunate in that most of the locations in the book are still there--the London hotel he stayed at, the theater where he and Harry Houdini first meet, the the parks, and so on. There was also a wonderful museum in York that had a floor of Edwardian street scenes (life sized) and costumes. It even had a gypsy caravan, that gave me an idea for a scene in the book. And I got to tool around in a Hansom cab, so I could get a firsthand feel for how my heroes would deal with the demon when he attacked them on their ride.

Q: Do you have any advice for fledgling writers who are still trying to get published? Any opinions on societies, agents, publishers, the process?
A: This may sound odd for a horror writer, but if you can find a local chapter of Romance Writers of America, join it. Nobody has a more professional attitude than romance writers--it's the most popular genre published. Those ladies know the publishing business inside and out. And they'll share their knowledge.

For markets, Horror Writers of America has a lot of information on who's buying. You don't have to be published to join.

Agents--that's tough. First, have a finished book to talk about. If you can make it to a writers conference where agents are invited, that's your best bet. Nothing beats face to face contact. You can show them that you're not crazy or scary. And if you hit it off, they may agree to look at your book. If you don't hit it off, they're probably not right for you anyway.

Q: What do you think makes for a really good horror story?
A: Evocative moments--where the writer doesn't tell you exactly what's going on, but gives you enough information that you figure it out for yourself. That's hard to do. But for me those are the most effective chills. The masters--M. R. James especially, knew what to leave out. The horror you imagine in your head is much worse than what you are shown. And anticipation is stronger than fulfillment.

Q: I hear that you're an exceptionial cook. If you were planning a Halloween party, what would be on the menu and why?
A: Ghoulash.

Q: If you were a zombie, what wine would you serve with foot?
A: That really depends on whether it's an appetizer (child) or a main course (adult). When in doubt, a nice champagne goes with everything.

Q: Okay, but seriously, do you have a favorite author? What is your favorite work by this author?
A: M. R. James. I love his The Treasure of Abbot Thomas and Canon Alberic's Scrapbook and The Mezzotint. I'm a sucker for that antiquarian, ancient-evil sort of story. I'm also quite fond of an obscure novel called The Undying Monster by Jessie Douglas Kerruish.

Q: What's your favorite horror movie?
A: Depends on the mood. I'm a fan of all the old Universal films, and Val Lewton's series--Cat People, and so on. I really enjoyed The Ring, too. And The Blair Witch Project had a wonderful Lovecraft sort of feel to it--reminded me a bit of The Terrible Old Man.

Q: I heard a really scary thing about you: that you like surf music. Is this true? What's your favorite band?
A: The Duo Tones. Two guys, two guitars, a ton of tasty licks.

Q: Dogs or cats? Plot or character?
A: Both are important. It's good for dogs to live with cats--it teaches them that size isn't everything. And it teaches cats that there are some boundaries nobody crosses.

Q: Is it easier or harder to have friends who are writers? Are all the writers you know neurotic?
A: I have to have friends who are writers--they're the only ones who'll put up with me. And yes, we're all neurotic. If you didn't start out that way, the publishing industry will do it to you.

Q: Have you ever been at a writers conference with a bunch of beautiful women and told them that you're a editor just to get laid? (P.S. I did and all I got was slapped).
A: You'll have to tell me where this conference is. The Horror conferences I've been to tend to resemble frat parties. But women were in short supply.

Q: Do you have any plans for future projects?
A: I seem to be getting ideas for short stories recently, so that's what I'm doing now--as you can see in this issue of your ezine. I'm also researching an historical project.