Writing is a very visual thing for me. So I am equally influenced by great movies as I am by great writing. 

Austin Dragoon – 9 April 2015

The Back Flap

Ichabod Crane is dead! Everyone knows it. The Horseman took him—like so many others—one dark night in 1790. All that remained of the town’s amiable schoolmaster was his hat on the side of the road, with a shattered pumpkin beside it. But soon the fearful townspeople of Sleepy Hollow realized that the terrifying Horseman, that haunted their region for ages, had also disappeared, inexplicably, after that night. They were free!

That was 10 years ago. And a lone stranger has come to their quiet town.

He is friendly enough, well-mannered, educated, but there is a secret about this man—he is not what he seems. Suspicions grow. The whispers of gossip begin. All of Sleepy Hollow is soon turned upside-down when they learn the truth.

It is only the beginning, as they find themselves in the path of his black vengeance, his hunt for the foul murderer of Ichabod Crane. This stranger threatens not only their lives by his presence, but their very souls by bringing about the return of the hellish Headless Horseman!
For Sleepy Hollow, will death be upon them all?

About the book

What is the book about?

Hollow Blood – Book One of the debut Sleepy Hollow Horrors – takes place ten years after the ‘disappearance’ of Ichabod Crane. A stranger comes to the quiet town of Sleepy Hollow looking for their late schoolmaster. There is a secret about this man—he is not what he seems. He does not believe that Ichabod was killed by their chief apparition of the land— the Headless Horseman.  All of Sleepy Hollow is soon turned upside-down when they learn the truth.

It is only the beginning, as they find themselves in the path of his black vengeance, his hunt for the foul murderer of Ichabod Crane. This stranger threatens not only their lives by his presence, but their very souls by bringing about the return of the hellish Headless Horseman!

For Sleepy Hollow, will death be upon them all?

When did you start writing the book?

I wrote it last year and was based on my own short story that I wrote about 30 years ago when I was a child. It’s amazing that I held onto it all this time, but I wanted to publish a horror story and said to myself, why create a new one when I can bring this one to the public. At first it was only one book and then I expanded it into the two-book Sleepy Hollow Horrors.

How long did it take you to write it?

A month. All my research was already done. All I had to do was dust off my notes from when I was a kid, add my own take as an adult, and write it.

Where did you get the idea from?

Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Disney’s cartoon adaption from 1949.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

No, not really struggled, but when it was all one book, I felt that a part was missing. I was right and you can see what that major part is in the concluding second book.

What came easily?

All of it. I do not suffer from writer’s block. My curse is that I have so many ideas and that the creative process is slowed by own physical limitations in sitting and typing it down. Good thing I have a great memory to recall the ideas when I need to.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

They are all fictitious in this first book. Some are from Irving’s original story, and then there are all the new ones I added.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

Writing is a very visual thing for me. So I am equally influenced by great movies as I am by great writing. On the writing side would have to be Stephen King (more so his earlier work), since this is horror. For movies, The Exorcist and The Shining are the classics I would cite.

Do you have a target reader?

Horror fans, ages 12 and up. I really wanted to keep the same tone as Irving’s original work. There’s violence, but never gratuitous or pointless. The main horror is the atmosphere of foreboding and creepiness the main character, Julian is always aware of on his quest.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

Write every day until the first draft is done. I do research both before and during the process, because I never want finishing the research to be an excuse for not writing. I must always have to have the name of the book before I start writing, but not necessarily the names of every character. I never put a daily word count on what I must write like some authors. That has never made sense to me as it is a completely arbitrary thing. I do but a time limit that I must write during the week and write as much as I want or feel during the weekend.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

Some might be surprised by how brief my outline is. It is usually the list of the chapters and the main action or themes each will cover. That’s it. As a child, I did the outline, synopsis, character study, etc. Not anymore. What I’ve learned is that subconsciously I do all of that in my own head without writing a thing. I would not recommend that to other authors, but I am the exception to the rule.

Did you hire a professional editor?

Yes, in fact I have two of them.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

Sometimes I do. I t just depends on my mood or what I’m writing. Usually when I write action I like music, when it’s dialogue I need quiet.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

Way back at the beginning when I first started my After Eden sci-fi series, but I’m not interested in the traditional publishing route anymore.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

There are many reasons, but I will name just a few. 1) Ownership – I wanted to retain all the rights of my work. 2) Marketing – traditional publishers do not market your work, unless you’re the “big boys” (Patterson, King, Grisham, etc.). So if that’s the case what do I need them for? I’ll do it and can control the whole process. 3) My Writing Madness – In the traditional publishing world, a writer pretty much has to stay in one genre and build that base, but I am the exception to the rule. From 2012 to 2014, I was only a sci-fi writer, which would have fit. But in 2015, I am adding horror, mystery, fantasy, and YA dystopia. Traditional publishing doesn’t really like multi-genre authors and especially ones as prolific as me. Independence is the right fit for me as an author.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

Only professionals. I love working with book cover artists and have so much respect for their craft. Editing and book cover design are the two areas that a writer (I don’t care how independent you are) must pay for.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I have a definite marketing plan which I put together over the past year. 2015 is the year I’m following it now that I will have more than four published works and getting into multiple genres.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

You can never learn enough. We have all the resources at our fingertips. Immerse yourself in the self-publishing world and traditional publishing world to stay abreast of the industry. Things are moving so fast, things are always changing, and there will never be a time when things are not in flux. To create your own path, you need to keep learning.

About You

Where did you grow up? Long Island, NY

Where do you live now? Los Angeles, CA

End of Interview:

For more from Austin, visit his website or follow him on Twitter. If you’d prefer, you can also find him on Pinterest and Google +.

Get your copy of Hollow Blood from Amazon US, Amazon UK, or Barnes & Noble.