Kiss Me Where It Smells Funny is now on Amazon and an interview I did for JD Allen
My newest Extreme Horror short is now available on Amazon. Watch the Book Trailer and then head over to Godless or Amazon and check it out.
Godless: Click Here
Amazon: Click Here
Audibles - coming soon
In case you missed it, I did an interview on J D Allen's Facebook page. You should give him a follow and check out his novella, THEY’RE COMING TO GET YOU, BARBARA!
SKULL TO SKULL – CRANIUM # 7 J.D. ALLEN INTERVIEWS ERIC BUTLER
JDA - The life of a writer can be filled with unexpected plot twists and misadventures. Tell us some of the highlights in your life story.
EB – The 2 biggest highlights were meeting my wife in college, and the birth of my son. Although the road to meeting my wife was full of twists and turns. My father was in the Army twice, which led to me being born in Germany and returning a second time when I was 4. It was here that my family became close to another family stationed in the same building complex. It was here I met the people I consider my brother and sister. They are still a big part of my life, 40+ years later. My parents divorced when I was heading to Middle School. My mom remarried – to another Army guy – and we moved to Panama for my Junior Year in High School. After 1 year there, I was able to move to Texas to stay with the family we met in Germany (like I said they’ve always been a big part of my life). I graduated from High School and then after a year or so of working and getting my basic classes out of the way at the local Community College, I went to The University of Texas in Arlington. It was here I met my wife, and the rest is history. I wouldn’t have ever pursued my writing without her support and encouragement.
JDA - Since storytelling can often be as difficult as extracting brain cells from the frontal lobe and making them live on a page, what compels you to write?
EB – I always used writing to stretch my creative legs, but the stories were always just for me and a few close friends. It never occurred to me to pursue it as anything else. As life got more complicated, and work responsibilities piled up, I stopped writing for the most part. Instead, I would jot down ideas and fragments of stories, thinking one day I might get a chance to flesh them out. Once or twice a year, I experienced an overwhelming need to get some words down, but often life would get in the way. My son was diagnosed with Crohn’s in 2015, and in 2019 I stepped away from my job to stay at home to help him get through High School. He no longer could go to school, and we found a good online program. It was during this time that I dove in to writing with the expectation of sharing it with others.
JDA - Who or what influences your storytelling?
EB – If we’re talking writers, I think the 2 biggest influences are Richard Laymon and Robert Jordan. When I first discovered laymen, he just clicked something on in my head. It was a true “a-ha” moment. I’ve always loved Jordan’s style, and the way he lets us peak inside his character’s heads while having those characters tell the story through their point of view.
JDA - Do you have any writing rituals or routines? Any tips for aspiring writers?
EB – I would suggest just writing, if not every day, then as many days as you can during the week. Set realistic word/chapter/page goals and build off of your success. Don’t forget to make time for editing, but don’t always try to edit while you are writing. You can always go back and fix something, and I’ve had whole days wasted because I let editing get in the way of putting words on paper. It’s not going to be perfect the first time. The first time is for getting it down.
JDA – Your debut novel, THE SHADOW WITHIN, is considered an extreme horror tale. What can you tell us about this story without giving any spoilers?
EB – It’s what I like to call a love letter to laymen. The main story is about Jill who is going on an extended vacation with her boyfriend for the first time. The catch is his children, who are older, will be going as well. At the same time, a man returns home with the need to create nothing but bloody mayhem. Too bad for Jill, it’s at the same time.
JDA – THE SINS OF THE PAST (THE EPHRAIM GODWIN CHRONICLES) has been called a Lovecraftian tale set in the world of Victorian era spiritualists. What can readers expect from this tale, and will the saga continue as indicated?
EB – I didn’t write this one to be as extreme in nature as my other works as my wife isn’t a fan of horror and I wanted something for her to read. It’s very Lovecraft meets Sherlock Holmes but with a definite supernatural vibe throughout. Its very character driven, and I have at least 2 more books in mind with the series. The plan is for the second one to be out before 2023 ends.
JDA - Arguably one of your most successful and critically acclaimed stories is THE POPE LICK MASSACRE, another extreme horror novel. For what should readers brace themselves when picking up this dark tale?
EB – I wrote Pope Lick to come across as frantic, and a bit scattered. I wanted the tension to flow throughout and I feel like it does a good job of ramping up as the reader turns the pages. It’s a fun and bloody creature feature.
JDA – With five publications set on a timeframe spanning over a century, you’ve created a town (and Magnum Opus) from THE DONN, TX COLLECTION. It’s a town with a dark and sordid history told over many creepy and foreboding interconnected stories. What inspired this epic web of tales, and can readers expect to make another trip to this brooding burg via new stories in the future?
EB - I originally planned for every year to be shorter tales. You can see this with 1969 and 1865. The plan was to release them as eBooks until there were enough pages to fill a paperback collection. I was able to follow this blueprint for the first 4 years: 1952, 1969, 1865, and 1926. They comprised the Vol 1 collection. However, 1926 started a trend of the next story being much longer than the year before. I decided to release 2002 and 1978 as their own paperback, and I believe the next one I release will also be long enough to release that way. The fun part about reading, and writing, Donn, TX is each story is self-contained but also builds on the overall mythology of the town. You can read them in any order. I decided to skip around by year to keep the world fresh and fun for me, and hopefully, that comes through to the reader. I have plans for at least 1 more in 2023, but I have outlined 6 or 7 more stories for the future.
JDA – When scratch & sniff books become a routine thing, I can think of no title more deserving of an edition than your novella KISS ME WHERE IT SMELLS FUNNY, lol. But that title is somewhat misleading. This is a tale about a beast of urban legend, not misplaced affections. Available exclusively at Godless, what can readers expect from this story?
EB – They can expect a bloody good time within a quick read. The story is the first in a series of one-shots I’m releasing on Godless throughout the year. The next will be out February 12th. After a month, I will also put them up on Amazon.
JDA - What kind of plot twists can fans of Eric Butler expect from the upcoming chapters of your life?
EB – The biggest plot twists will be me showing up to events. I’m more of a homebody, and really not someone who likes going to things. I am going to Scares That Care 2, Texas Author Con 2, and Killer Con this year. Other than that, I hope to keep pumping out entertaining and fun books of horror.
JDA - Thank you, Eric, for allowing me to metaphorically x-ray the ole cranium to expose the brain of a published author to readers, fans, and aspiring writers. I look forward to whatever that brain of yours comes up with next.
EB – Thanks for the opportunity. I appreciate it.
JDA - Eric Butler’s books can be found on Godless and Amazon.