The story itself flowed quite easily and mostly followed a linear timeline. I really let the main characters run free and I followed along with my Mac to see where they went. 

Ancy C. Wareing – 26 December 2021

The Back Flap

Missing for five days, Edgar is finally found. But what terror has followed him from the dark places he has visited?

Edgar is raving mad and dressed in clothes not his own, and Joseph intends to discover the truth behind his friend’s mysterious disappearance. But his quiet and lonely life is about to be plunged into the perilous world of the supernatural.

Paranormal forces of the occult, forces beyond his comprehension, are gathering. Deception, violence, and terror lie in wait in the menacing gas-lit shadows of 19th century America.

The fate of the earth hangs in the balance. Can Joseph return with the truth, and in time, to help Edgar and save the world that he knows?

Find out now in this inventive, twisting reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe’s final days.

About the book

What is the book about?

The story for the book was inspired by the true and genuinely bizarre events of Edgar Allan Poe’s life and particularly the last few days of his life. His last few days are very well documented although the mystery of where he went for five days has never been solved. The historical events that led up to his death were mysterious and intriguing and lent themselves easily to a paranormal backstory.

When did you start writing the book?

The book required some detailed research as I was intent on retaining many of the actual characters and places from the true story, upon which this book was based. I began researching and then writing in January 2021.

How long did it take you to write it?

It took nearly six months, but we moved back to the USA from England for a few months (don’t ask!) and that was disruptive to the flow of work.

Where did you get the idea from?

I read an article about Edgar’s last few days and was immediately hooked. There is a scene which made it into the book which is historically very well documented. This from the historical records of his life, “”Edgar began to recite the Raven. From a lively mood, he lapsed at once into a manner, expression, and tone of voice gloomy and deep solemnity, gazing as if on something invisible to others, something hiding in the shadows of the corner beyond him, and never changing his position until the recitation was concluded.”

How could that not inspire a horror story?

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

It was my first novel and I didn’t do sufficient planning for the timeframe in which the events occurred. Two of the protagonists set off to New York, and towards the end of the book they both needed to be in Baltimore for the final scene. Of course, the book is set in 1849 and travel between those cities can take a couple of days. I had to re-write several chapters to get them back in time. School boy error I know!

What came easily?

The story itself flowed quite easily and mostly followed a linear timeline. I really let the main characters run free and I followed along with my Mac to see where they went. Probably not the best way to write a story but I enjoyed it.

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

As I say, I leveraged many of the characters from Edgar’s historical record. Doctor Snodgrass and Doctor Carter were all part of those last few days.

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?

Growing up Stephen King was a huge influence. I read everything Stephen R Donaldson ever wrote, I loved the Thomas Covenant series. For Sci-Fi I am a big fan of Orson Scott Card although I struggle to get over some of his political views. I was always a big fan of prose and try to bring an essence of Laurie Lee to my writing.

Do you have a target reader?

Not really, and I think that may be a bigger problem than I realize. I began writing because I love stories and my first books have been about things I wanted to write about. Naïve perhaps, but something I can focus more on in my latest WIP which is a series of Sci-Fi books.

About Writing

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

For the first novel I did not have a process. For the WIP which is a hard Sci-Fi work, there are many more characters smattered across multiple timeframes and I have had to apply much more rigor to my planning. Could still do a lot better here but I find joy in the act of writing itself, and winging it has, I think, turned out some of my better ideas and chapters.

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

I do outline but not extensively. I start with chapter headings in a word table and add in the salient action points against each chapter. As soon as I start to write though, the plan generally gets changed immediately.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I try to write a chapter each writing day and once that’s done, I will edit the previous day’s work.

Did you hire a professional editor?

Not currently. I actually enjoy the editing process and just don’t have the budget at the moment.

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

Nothing but complete silence for me. I will try and write with the TV on in the background sometimes and I will struggle like crazy. Turn it off and the words begin to flow.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

I did and I will do so again with the next WIP.

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

Wild frustration at the time it takes to get a simple rejection was the main driver. I honestly believed I had a great story and, in the end, I couldn’t wait to get it out there and have people read it.

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

I did the original cover myself but while I liked it, clearly nobody else did. For the second go around I liaised with a Facebook group called “Indie Cover Project” who gave great advice and feedback. In the end I bought a standard book cover from https://selfpubbookcovers.com/

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

Not yet but one will be in place if I decide to go Indie again. My plan is to finish at least book two of the series while I am querying. If I don’t get any traction with an agent I will start to work on the plan but will probably have the series complete before I launch.

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

Other than personal memoirs don’t rely on family and friends to read your books and give reviews. They are NOT your readers!

About You

Where did you grow up?

I had a lovely childhood growing up in Southport, a seaside town in the North-West of England.

Where do you live now?

We moved to the United States in 2007 and lived there for fifteen great years. When I decided to pursue writing for a career we moved to Spain for a little while and then ended up in Somerset back in the United Kingdom. My first book, Mistakes were Made was inspired by that journey and adventure, all set amid the worst days of COVID19. It is funny though!

What would you like readers to know about you?

I am very happily married with two adult sons. My dream had been to become a writer and while wild success and some fortune would be wonderful, it has been a pleasure to have people read my stories and (so far) provide great and positive feedback.

What are you working on now?

I am just finishing the first draft of a hard Sci-Fi novel, tentatively called River is Rising. It will be the first in a series of three books all set in the not too far distant future.

End of Interview:

For more from Andy C Wareing visit his website and follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

Get your copy of The Haunting of Edgar Allan Poe from Amazon US or Amazon UK.