Author Talk – Steve Boseley

Today we sit down with author Steve Bosely to talk about his work and his inspiration. Please enjoy.

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DM: What is the title and genre of the book you want to tell us about?

SB: My novella, my first book, is Die, Blossom, Bloom.  It crosses over more than one genre, but broadly speaking, it fits into suburban horror, with elements of thriller / mystery.

DM: Can you summarize your book in one sentence?

SB: Die, Blossom, Bloom is a story of grief, guilt, and suspicion in the sleepy village of Haverly.

DM: Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?

SB: Anyone that enjoys horror that doesn’t have vampires or werewolves!  Seriously though, anyone that has ever tackled an impossible situation and watched things get out of control should find something in there to relate to.

People should read it because, despite being horror, it’s also an emotional tale of one man’s grief and what can happen when a situation spirals out of control.

DM: How did you come up with the title?

It went through several names until a group of my readers settled on Die, Blossom, Bloom.  It makes more sense when you read it.

DM: Tell me about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image?

SB: I wanted a stark image for this novella, something open with lots of white space, so I took some suggestions and put the cover together myself.  I’ve got some college fine arts and graphic design students on the case for my next book, so I may come back to DBB in the future for a redesign of this one!

DM: What are your biggest writing influences (another author, another book, a movie, etc.)

SB: It might be an obvious answer, but as a horror writer I’ve been influenced by Stephen King’s work, particularly his Dark Tower series.  I’ve also been reading a lot of HP Lovecraft and still find something new each time.

DM: Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

SB: Ted Harris would be my fave.  He digs his garden while wearing a shirt and tie.  Gotta respect that!

DM: How about your least favorite character?  What makes them less appealing to you?

SB: Easy one to pick: Geraldine Butler-Thompson is a thoroughly unlikeable woman.  Her sense of her position in the village hierarchy makes me mad thinking about it now.

DM: If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be?  Why?

SB: I think I would want to play more on the mystery element.

DM: Can you give us a fun fact  your novella?

SB: The setting for the story, the village of Haverly, appears in several other stories I have written.

DM: What other books are similar to your own?  What makes them alike?

SB: I would say it is a cross between John Connolly’s Nocturnes and Michael Connelly’s crime works.

DM: Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

SB: Singing along to 1980’s pop music whilst cleaning up in the kitchen.

DM: How can we find out more about you and your books?

SB: website: www.authorsteveboseley.com  – get in touch!

Email: authorsteveboseley@gmail.com

Twitter: @steveboseley

DM: What can we expect from you in the future?

SB: I already have my second and third books lined up.  Next up, later this year is A Sinister Six.  It’s a collection of six horror and dark fiction stories.  It includes some of my work that has previously appeared in online horror webzines.

This will also be released as an audiobook, voiced by Charles Hyner (@charles_hyner)

DM: What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

SB: Share the book details with your networks.  Buy a copy (if you can still grab it on pre order, you can get hold of a story in the upcoming A Sinister Six early plus benefit from a reduced price) and if you enjoy it, leave a review!

DM: Do you have any advice for other writers trying to get published?

SB: Write regularly.  Hone your craft.  Look professional even if you’re not.  Learn about marketing your book and yourself as a brand.  Write because you love it.

DM: Can you give us an excerpt from your book ?

SB: Sure.

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He moved to the window.  The rain was still falling, heavier than earlier.  There were a few people out, but not many.  His attention was drawn to the raised patch of earth in the garden.  There was something there that he could not see clearly without his glasses.  He pulled them out of his breast pocket and slipped them on.  He blinked twice to make sure he was seeing what he thought he was seeing.  When he was certain, he ran to the front door, ripped it open, and ran into his garden.  He threw himself down on the grass, shielding his eyes from the rain.  There were two fingers protruding from the earth where the rain had washed it away.  Ted couldn’t be sure, but he thought an animal of some kind had found the fingers as well; there were what looked like claw marks in the soil and bite marks on the fingers.

He rose up from his kneeling position and looked around.  There was no one in sight, so he piled more earth on the fingers and rushed back inside.  Leaving it for another night may be tempting fate so grabbing the roll of plastic bags, he ran back into the garden.  Using his hands, he dug up the pieces of his wife.  They were slick with rain and mud, making them difficult to grasp.  More than once, he dropped one of the pieces, causing him to let out a startled yell.  Each time he did, he rose up on his knees, like a meerkat surveying the prairie, and peered over his garden wall into the street.  A combination of the rain and the hour had driven everyone away, and when satisfied, he gathered up the dropped piece and finished the bagging.

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About Steve Bosely

Steve is a freelance writer, living in Nottingham, UK.

His dark fiction and horror short stories have appeared in several online webzines, and the anthologies The Asylum Within and Dead but Dreaming Halloween Edition. Most recently, Steve was a guest author for the short story collection Deathly Musings.

Steve enjoys writing horror that makes you stop and think: Could that happen to me? Although from time to time, the odd demon can creep in!