“My stories have had wildly differing responses from readers, as illustrated in a rejection slip with comments from the editors' voting round: One praised the story to high heaven; the second enjoyed it, but found it too dark for their audience; and the third hated it so much they petitioned to blacklist me.”
Read More“Reading about the pulps and taking Dean Wesley Smith’s workshops felt like permission to write the way I wanted to. I didn't have to use my story as a vehicle for some deep commentary on life. I didn't have to make every story perfect. It was okay to just have fun. I've never been happier, more productive, and more successful as a writer than I am now.”
Read More“What readers get from me is authenticity. That the world is shades of grey, not the black and whites so many on both extremes peddle to those inside their bubble. You’ll find characters who are exhausted at what life has done to them, yet keep putting one foot in front of the other because what else can you do?“
Read More“My characters tend to want things that are bad for themselves or others, and I like to write endings for them that are both tragic and ecstatic. I think the way I write characters is influenced by my theater background—I try to picture them "onstage" in a sense—and I also enjoy observing real people and their bizarre tendencies, something that influences both my writing and my acting.”
Read More“Some of my readers and reviewers have said my work conjures an atmosphere that is a little more alien and peculiar than others. I’ve been happy to hear that, since I observe what Lovecraft said about the aesthetics of weird literature, viz., “atmosphere is all-important.”
Read More“I write what I want to write, but that does not mean I write only for myself. I write also to entertain, to provide diversion, hopefully. If a story is not fun or interesting when it comes to fiction, is there any point to it?”
Read More“I don't really fear the idea of being derivative. I think we are all constantly consuming content and being inspired by it... stealing content is definitely derivative, but being inspired by something? I think that's a high water mark and I hope to be an inspiration some day.”
Read More“I’m always experimenting, everything I write is an experiment in one way or another. Often I put ‘controversial’ themes in my work, consciously or subconsciously, which I’ve had readers get upset over. I’m a firm believer in ‘The author is not your babysitter’.”
Read MoreMatthew Pungitore talks to Cirsova Magazine editor Alex about Italian cinema, sword and sorcery, and the Decadent movement.
Read More“I try to keep the reader reading and guessing. So whether it’s slice-of-life weird horror or dark heroic fantasy, I try to set up and pay off a twist or an image a reader couldn’t possibly anticipate. But the weirdness has to be justified within the story and compelling, not just a gimmick.”
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