I’m really excited to interview David C. Cassidy on my blog this week. Authors that gear their writing towards Horror and Suspense have a special place in my heart. Scare me and keep me on my toes, pretty please! So without further ado…
David, can you describe your writing process? Do you outline, plot and plan, or is your writing more organic?
I’m a deep, deep planner. My outlines look like movie scripts but contain much more detail. I always begin with a seed idea for the story, and then I spend weeks or months developing my character profiles—their past, present, and future. By the time I’m finished, I know them inside and out; they become as real to me as family.
My books read like movies. One of the most important things I do is select actors for each character in the book and include a photo of them in each profile—actors who I think would be perfect for the role. In my time-travel thriller Velvet Rain, I chose Hugh Jackman for Kain Richards. In the supernatural horror novel Gateway, Joaquin Phoenix would play Jared Cole. Having these images ingrained in my mind allows me to picture them and their reactions in every scene that I write. They come alive on the page.
As I’m developing my characters, quotes, scenes, and plot points leap out at me. Things they need to say and do. How the story progresses from start to finish. Only then, usually after several months, do I start to write.
This is fascinating, David. I usually have an idea of the beginning, middle and end of my own novels, but besides that, I’m just a big panster I think! Though when I wrote my Kelsey Porter series, I did what you did and I created a 20 page character document with photos and descriptions of each character. Kelsey had 4 full pages just dedicated to her. I know that girl now inside and out!
I want to hear more about your book Gateway. Can you describe it in 10 words or less for people who are just learning about it?
A troubled man with miraculous power. Crazies and killers. Evil unleashed.
Okay … that’s 11 words. But I’m used to breaking so-called “writing rules” all the time. For me, there are no rules.
Shameless plug: The reviewer at TaleFlick.com—a company that pitches books and scripts to major movie studios—awarded Gateway with a “TaleFlick Pick” badge, highlighting it for producers and directors. The reviewer’s summary stated it would make a good film or mini-series and could win awards in the horror and thriller categories.
That is incredible and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you. Having your baby on the big screen is something that would be amazing.
Curious, do you have any odd writing habits?
I do. Whenever I sit down to write, I tap four keys first: L. U. C. K.
Ok, this is SO COOL. It’s like you put your feelings out to the universe. I’m a firm believer in positive thinking. Though with your talent, luck isn’t necessarily needed.
What do you enjoy most about writing horror?
My stories are character-driven, never plot-driven. It’s all about the characters and their overwhelming struggle to carry on. The story—their story—comes from them. From where they’ve been and where they’re going. So for me, writing about real characters—in my mind—that’s gold. I need to feel their purpose and pain. And I do. Many readers have told me the same after reading my books.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Photography—film and digital. I’m very visual, whether it’s in words or images. I love to create art with keyboard and camera.
That’s fantastic, David. Tell me, where can readers find your books?
All my books can be purchased from my online store at www.davidccassidy.com/store. The books are much cheaper there than at the major retailers. I also offer special deals and exclusive bundles at great prices.
Of course, my books can also be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Smashwords, and Kobo.
About Gateway
Sometimes, good people do bad things.
And sometimes … really nasty things.
Jared Cole has it all. Talent. Fame. Success. But this best-selling horror novelist also has an astonishing power: he can see souls. Returning to his sleepy hometown of Torch Falls, Montana after seven years in the grind of New York City, it seems the perfect plan to keep his secret safe and to jump-start his sagging career. But when he unwittingly opens a window—a gateway—into the soul of an epileptic child, his dream of a fresh start becomes a nightmare. A relentless and sinister evil is unleashed, twisting peaceful townsfolk into psychotic crazies and cold-blooded killers. Can Jared close the gateway before the town becomes a graveyard?
For purchase at www.davidccassidy.com/store
Book Trailer for Gateway at https://youtu.be/xtKX1g81cbA
Author BIO
David C. Cassidy is an award-winning author, the twisted mind behind several chilling books of horror and suspense.
His supernatural thriller, The Dark, won the Independent Book Publishers Award and ReadersFavorite.com Award in horror fiction.
If you love horror with unforgettable characters in epic stories that draw you in and won’t let go—stories that haunt you long after the final page—then check out his incredibly rich storytelling.
Websites
Author Website: www.davidccassidy.com
Author Book Shoppe: www.davidccassidy.com/store
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidCCassidyAuthor
X (Twitter): https://x.com/DavidCCassidy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DavidCCassidy
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClxYTXTuEpVuwX6DaQRRQgg
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9885287.David_C_Cassidy
Elyse Salpeter 