Getting to know ... Anthony Price

What genre would you say your novels fall into, or do they defy classification?

I would definitely say that The House of Wood falls in to the horror genre, bordering on thriller.  But it’s more like the 70s and 80s horror.  No vampires, no zombies.  Just good old fashioned chills.

What made you choose that genre?

I’ve always been a big fan of horror literature and film.  In my teens, I’d devour the Point Horror books and R. L. Stein’s Goosebumps series.  Then, as I grew older, I moved on to Stephen King, James Herbert and Dean Koontz.  Writing horror was a natural progression.

How long does it take you to write a book?

That’s a good question.  For me, it tends to vary.  The House of Wood took me nearly three years to complete, but then again, I’m a procrastinator.  If I was to write without gaps, I could probably write a novel in three to four months.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

When I’m really in the zone and excited about a project, I can work for, five, maybe six hours a day.  But I usually have more than one piece on the go and I make sure that I take at least one day a week off, so that I don’t become a complete hermit.

Where do you get your ideas for your books?

I’m very influenced by my favourite authors, but a lot of my inspiration comes from T.V and film.  Music is also another place I get inspiration from.  I guess, in all honesty, my inspiration comes from the things that I’m surrounded by.

When did you write your first book and how old were you?

I actually wrote my first book when I was ten, as part of a school project.  I’m not entirely sure that counts though!  The House of Wood was started three years ago, so I would have been twenty-six.  It seems like a very long time ago.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I’m lucky in the sense that I have a lot of interests outside of writing.  I’m a massive film fanatic, so you can always find me watching a DVD at home, or at the cinema with friends.  I’m also a reader and enjoy a good book, whether it be fiction, or nonfiction.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

I think the most surprising thing that I learnt, was that I could actually sit down and focus long enough to finish a novel.  Up to that point, I’d only ever written short stories and poetry.  I wasn’t sure whether I’d have the drive, or the ability to stretch that in to a novel.  But I did! 

I also learnt that I don’t need to rush the plot along to get to the action.  Novel writing is very different from short stories, in the sense that, you’re given a lot more time and space in a novel to develop the characters and the plot over time, unlike a short story where you might only have a few thousand words to do it in.

How many books have you written?

Since I started getting serious about writing and pursuing it as a career, I’ve completed two, one of which is, The House of Wood, and I’ve got one that’s half finished.  My other completed novel is unpublished at the moment.  However, I’m writing a fourth at the moment.  Plus, I also have my self-published anthology, Tales of Merryville on Amazon.

Which is your favourite and why?

I think that my favourite definitely has to be The House of Wood.   Even though it took me a while to write, I loved every minute of it.  It started off as something so small.  Never in a million years did I think that little exercise in class would turn in to a published novel.  I love the characters, the setting, the plot.  I’m just very proud of it.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

My career aspirations, like most kids, changed a lot as I was growing up.  Writing was something I always enjoyed doing, but it wasn’t until I decided to do an MA in Creative Writing, that I decided to pursue it as a career.  Up to that point, I never really had a fixed idea of what I wanted to do.  I’m very glad that I decided to become a writer.

What are you working on now?

As I said, I’m working on a new horror novel.  It’s kind of a spin-off and centres around a different character.  I’m actually hoping to turn it in to a series of three books.  Apart from that, I’m working on several screenplays and a possible T.V show.  I like to keep myself busy.

Anthony Price is a twenty-eight year old male residing in the UK, in Canterbury.  An avid reader and film fanatic and having always wanted to be a writer, he was first published at age fifteen and since achieving his MA in Creative Writing at Canterbury Christchurch University, has had several short stories published in e-zines and anthologies.  He’s also the author of his own horror anthology titled, Tales of Merryville, which is available to buy in e-book format on Amazon. 

His novel, The House of Wood, published by Crooked Cat Publishing Ltd, has been in the works for three years and started off as a small writing exercise on his MA.  Being a disabled writer, he has had his fair share of doubters, so this novel is extra special.  It made the top 100 list in its genre chart on Amazon.co.uk and is available to buy at the following:

The House of Wood Amazon UK Paperback

The House of Wood Amazon UK Kindle

The House of Wood Amazon US Paperback

The House of Wood Amazon UA Kindle

The House of Wood from Crooked Cat Publishing All digital formats

It's also available to buy at iBooks, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords!

Anthony is currently working on several creative projects to look out for in the future, including more horror novels, a feature film and a TV show.

Follow him on:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/anthonyjpricepage

Twitter - @anthonyprice84

About.Me - http://about.me/anthony_price

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