Welcome to KitFosterFiction, Griffin!
Where do you get the inspiration for your
stories?
Most
of my inspiration comes from crazy dreams I've had. Malice is one example. I
also tend to ask a lot of 'what if' questions. My latest novel Dark Passage was
born when I asked a simple question: What if your nightmares followed you back
from the dreamworld?
What made you decide to become a writer?
I
spend so much time imagining crazy situations and people watching that the
whole writing thing just seemed like a natural choice. I'm also insanely passionate
about writing and I love every step in the process.
What are the benefits of
self-publishing?
Overall
there are a number of benefits. Freedom and complete control are two major ones.
Ultimately, I'm responsible for how successful I am. I have the final say with
edits, book cover, blurb, formatting. If the book bombs, it's on my shoulders.
A rather scary situation in a way. The real problem comes when, for example, a
book isn't selling.You might not know why. People buying books on Amazon don't
exactly fill out questionnaires on why they decided to skip your book. But so
far, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
Which authors influence your work most?
Arthur
C. Clark, Stephen King, Raymond Chandler, Richard Matheson and Ray Bradbury.
Those are the big boys I admire the most and I've learned something from each
one of them.
In the last six months you've published six
works - an incredible amount by anybody's standards. Which of these do you hold
most dear, and why?
That's
a touch like asking which of your children do you like the most. Each of them
is unique. Hive was loads of fun to write. It had action and zombies and I
pretty much could do whatever I wanted. I'm about to start writing Hive II and
can't wait to get started. But truth be told, after going over a story dozens
of times, scrutinizing every detail, I'm usually a little sick of them and
eager to start something new.
Any tips for aspiring self-publishing
authors?
People
who are thinking of going the self-publishing route often have visions of
overnight success. That does happen, but I think people's expectations have to
be in line with reality. It's a ton of work and it never stops. Between
writing, promoting and everything in the middle, there just aren't enough hours
in the day. That's the reality check. As far as tips, I guess I'd recommend
that self-published authors not try and rush their work to market. Put it out
when it's ready and please have it edited by a professional. You can get this
done for 2-3 hundred dollars and it makes all the difference. Sure, even legacy
books have typos, but we need to change the public perception that we're a
bunch of lazy hacks. Having a great story you intend to fix on the fly isn't
good enough. If you think of it as a business that requires a certain level of
initial investment then good things should follow.
So, what's next for Griffin Hayes?
Lots.
I have writing projects lined up well into 2013. Most of it is top secret
though. What I can tell you is that Hive II is next on my plate and after that
a horror novel involving Nazis. But I may have already said too much…
Just
wanted to give a big thank you to Kit Foster for having me and doing such
amazing work on all my book covers. You're the best!
So head along to Amazon, and grab your copy of Griffin's latest novel 'Dark Passage' now! His earlier works, Hive and Malice are also available from Amazon. Remember to let everyone know what you thought by leaving a review, and if you're feeling really adventurous, let us know what you thought in the comments here!
Click on the covers below to visit the Amazon page, and get your copies today - don't delay, you won't regret it. Griffin Hayes is going places!
Keep up-to-date with new releases - follow Griffin Hayes' blog now at: http://griffin-hayes.blogspot.
