Ed here: Richard Chizmar is the publisher of the legendary horror-dark suspense magazine "Cemetery Dance" as well the entire line of popular and award-winning novels and collection bearing the Cemetery Dance logo. He is also one of the finest writers of his generation.
1. Tell us about (your new book).
It's called A LONG DECEMBER, and it's coming soon from Subterranean Press. 520 pages, 35 stories, 8,000 words of Story Notes; my first collection in nearly 20 years. The earliest published story in the book is from 1990. The most recent was written a few months ago. Hopefully, readers will enjoy it.
2. Can you give a sense of what you're working on now?
A bunch of new short stories for anthologies and a couple of novellas for Paul Fry and Pete Crowther. Then, on to a suspense novel I have been wanting to write.
3. What is the greatest pleasure of a writing career?
I honestly feel as though I am just beginning the writing part of my career. I've spent the majority of the past 27 years focused on Cemetery Dance Publications as an editor and publisher. In fact, I took about a decade off from writing prose and focused on the publishing side of the business and writing screenplays. Not one published short story in all that time. But I missed it, a lot, and I'm thrilled to be back in the game. I plan to devote the majority of my time in the coming years to writing stories and novels. I'm not getting any younger.
4. What is the greatest DISpleasure?
Probably the same displeasures most writers have…the lack of markets out there (both for stories and novel length work), the sorry state of NY publishing, the disappearing bookstore scene…all that fun stuff.
5. If you have one piece of advice for the publishing world, what is it?
My advice for writers and publishers is pretty similar: expect tough times; learn to embrace hardship and failure as part of the process; don't be afraid to fail; most of all -- and, yes, I know it sounds like a cliche -- don't give up; it's a long road to success in the publishing industry.
Probably the same displeasures most writers have…the lack of markets out there (both for stories and novel length work), the sorry state of NY publishing, the disappearing bookstore scene…all that fun stuff.
5. If you have one piece of advice for the publishing world, what is it?
My advice for writers and publishers is pretty similar: expect tough times; learn to embrace hardship and failure as part of the process; don't be afraid to fail; most of all -- and, yes, I know it sounds like a cliche -- don't give up; it's a long road to success in the publishing industry.
1 comment:
I really admire what Mr. Chizmar has done with Cemetery Dance. I haven't read much of his fiction, but I'll make amends soon.
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