INTERVIEW FROM THE CRYPT
First of all I would just like to say welcome to The
Crypt and thank you for stopping by today.
Thanks, Julez. I really appreciate you having me here!
So Robert why don’t you introduce yourself
to my creatures of the night and tell us a little about yourself.
Sure. My name is Robert Wacaster, and I’ve written
and self published seven books so far, including Hell Bound, which you’re kind
enough to help me promo today. I
continue to write and have recently started submitting to digital publishers
trying to find someone else to publish me.
In real life, to eat and pay rent, I work security at a Las Vegas Strip
casino.
When did you first begin to write? Was there
a specific moment or did something happen to make you think ‘I could be a
writer’?
I’ve actually been
writing since high school, but never kept anything I had written, and never
took writing as a serious career until around 2007. After working security at a Las Vegas casino
called Luxor, I realised that the things going on there were just too funny not
to write about. I started a blog on
Myspace, and after writing on that for a while, decided I needed to write a
book. And thus came my first book, Adventures
in Casino Security. I don’t actually consider this my best work,
but it still sells on the Kindle and in paperback form!
What are you currently working on? Would you
mind giving the readers a quick synopsis in 100 words or less?
Currently, I’m working
on a story about a guy in the U.S. Air Force who ends up blinded by a mortar
blast at Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan.
The story goes into his struggle with nightmares, and how he and an Air
Force nurse end up falling in love during his recovery. I think it’s a good story, hopefully everyone
else will, too.
Where do you draw your inspiration for your
stories, characters and settings?
For the casino books
I’ve written (Adventures in Casino Security, Terminating Vegas, and
Vegas Ramblings) the inspiration
comes from real life. I work a graveyard
shift, and things that go on where I work are usually pretty insane most of the
time. I just put things down on a
written page. As for the other
books...I don’t know. I have a pretty
active imagination, and once I really get a story going inside my head, I can’t
stop thinking about it until I get it written down. Ideas just kind of show up sometimes. *chuckle*
Is there one particular genre you prefer
writing in and is there a genre you would never attempt and if so why?
I’ve moved through
several different genres during my writing career, including black comedy,
romance, and even a military story. Most
recently, I’m not sure what you would call Hell Bound. Horror, adventure? Some stories are just hard to classify.
I’m not sure if there
is anything I wouldn’t attempt
to write. I might not be the best at
certain genres, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t at least try writing in
them. For instance, I’ve started a story
about a werewolf in a prison, and how he begins killing other prisoners during
a riot. I never found my muse for that
one and it remains unfinished. But at
least I took a shot at horror, right?
*chuckle*
If you weren’t a writer/ couldn’t write
anymore what would you do?
Probably keep working
security, like I do now. I’d love to
support myself with just my writing. But
for right now, I’m just not at that point.
If you could become a member of the opposite
sex for 24 hours what would be the first thing you would do?
The first thing I’d
do? Wow.
I guess look myself over in a mirror?
*chuckle* I do have a story (Shh! It’s part of what I have submitted to the
publisher!) about a girl who was fat and unattractive all her life and goes to
a resort where everyone is put into the body of a fantastically beautiful
person. That’s the first thing she does,
stare in the mirror at her new self.
*chuckle*
Which fantasy creature/being do you like the
most?
Fantasy creature? Wow, you do have the tough questions, don’t
you? I’m mostly grounded in the real
world and don’t recall thinking about creatures of the night too much. Probably a werewolf. One of my favourite movies is An American
Werewolf in London. So yes, I’d have to
say werewolf.
If you could be your favourite fantasy
figure what would be the first thing you would do?
Hmm, another tough
one. In a way, I live out a lot of what
I write inside my head. I always seem to
be able to imagine myself in the shoes of my heros...if you can call some of my
characters heros. *chuckle*
If you mean werewolf,
I’d be happy to change, sit by a Las Vegas road, and tear out the throats of
the bad drivers here.
What scares you the most?
Oh, revealing a
weakness? Wow...ok, I’m afraid of
snakes.
Favourite film?
Do I just have to pick
one? I have a number of favourite films
including Scent of a Woman, Spies Like Us, An American Werewolf
in London and Avatar.
Worst film you have ever seen?
I can remember walking
out in the middle of some Annette Funichello movie back in the 80’s. I guess they were trying to remake a 50’s
beach movie, but it was just AWFUL! And
I’ve also walked out on the Jack Nicholson film Wolf. The
story was just stupid to me.
Favourite book?
The Stand
by Stephen King.
When you go shopping what is the one thing
that you always HAVE to buy?
M&M’s. Either those, or video games. I’m hooked on games, and love M&M’s,
especially the almond ones!
Going back to favourite film write an erotic
scene featuring the main characters in 100 words or less.
Uh...Spies
Like Us is pretty much a goofball
comedy, and erotic won’t work there. Avatar...uh sex between blue people? I dunno about that. American Werewolf in London and werewolf sex? I consider myself a good writer, but I’m not
sure I’m ready for that one.
*chuckle* And as for Scent
of a Woman, an erotic scene
between a blind man and a woman? That’ll
be coming in my current work. Can’t
spoil that, sorry. *chuckle*
And finally, just for a light hearted end to
the interview.
Oh...can’t wait for
this! I love “light hearted!”
What words would you want etched on your
tombstone ?
I’d prefer to be
cremated and my family knows this. But
feel free to write “Don’t play with the ashes!” on my urn.
Thank you for joining me today and I would
like to wish you all the best in future endeavours.
Thanks Julez, and I
wish you the best in return! The blog
looks great, and thanks again for having me as a guest!
SYNOPSIS
Robert finds
himself on one of the lower planes of Hell. He can't remember who he is, or how
he arrived there. He somehow finds a way out, and as he goes on a journey he
didn't even know he needed to make, he begins to remember his past life. Was
there truly good in him? Or was he rightfully Hell Bound?
EXCERPT (First chapter, I think that’s a good
excerpt.)
Arrival
Blackness. At first he couldn’t hear anything at
all. Silence. No sound or sights seemed almost a
relief. He was thirsty and hungry at the
same time, and yet…he wasn’t. He hurt,
and yet felt ok. Things slowly began to
come into view. The world looked a bit
like flames. And yet, there was no
fire. Everything looked a deep red. He seemed to be lying on the ground. He sat upright and looked around him. Everything was fuzzy as he tried to remember
what had happened. He could recall
bars. Steel bars. He wondered where he was.
As he sat up and looked around, he could
see other figures both moving around and sitting on the ground. He felt heat from the flames around him, and
yet didn’t feel heat. He seemed to be in
some kind of huge room, however he couldn’t seem to find the walls. As he turned his head this way and that, when
he thought he saw a wall it would just recede back into the flames. He stood up and felt his body ache.
“Guard?” he called out to no one in
particular. “Guard, where the hell am
I?”
There came no answer. The other figures moved by without even
seeming to acknowledge him. The hunger
pangs came again and a small table seemed to appear a few yards away. He walked towards it and saw it was covered
with food. He could smell fresh cooked
steak, potatoes, and freshly baked bread.
He stopped for a moment and took in the smell. He was famished, but as he got to the table
and reached out a hand to take some food, searing pain rushed up his arm to his
shoulder. He was so hungry, but he
couldn’t figure out what had burned him.
He reached out again, and once again felt the searing pain. He stood there confused, looking at his
hand. There was no evidence of a
burn. The pain still fresh in his mind,
he stood staring at the food.
“Have some, it’s fresh.” a voice nearby
said.
He turned and saw a robed figure who’s
face was hidden somewhere inside the hood.
“It’s delicious!” the robed figure
exclaimed as it reached over and plucked up a steak, “Have some!”
He watched carefully. The robed figure didn’t seem to burn
itself. He reached over slowly and
carefully, but as soon as his hand got near the food the pain went up to his
shoulder once again. He yanked back his
hand, scowling at the robed figure.
“Try again.” the figure mocked. “I’m sure
you’ll get some this time.”
Even though his hunger was almost
overpowering, he turned and walked away from the table. He could hear the figure behind him calling
for him to return and have some of the delicious food. He could still smell the delectable scent, as
he walked away. Finally, after walking
and walking but not finding a wall inside the room, he sat down on the
floor. He had walked for what had seemed
at least thirty minutes, however the table and robed figure seemed to still be
only a few feet away. The figure still
beckoned for him to come and eat. He
ignored the figure and tried to remember how he had gotten where he was. The bars.
There had to be a clue there. If
he could just remember. The hunger made
it hard to think and the smell of the food wasn’t helping either. He concentrated as hard as he could. He pushed away the deep hunger he felt and
tried to think. Faces flashed through
his mind. Places, bars and…and a
chair. He had been strapped in a
chair. Why would someone have strapped
him down? Uniforms flashed across his
memory.
“Do you have any last words?”
“Last words, what do you want me to say?
It shouldn’t have happened.”
He remembered that. It seemed recent, too. It shouldn’t have happened…what had he meant by that?
He could remember saying it now, but it was hard to focus and remember
anything else. Another figure sat down
next to him. He looked over and saw what
looked like just a skeleton. For some
reason, it didn’t surprise him. The
skeleton looked back at him for a minute.
“Trying to remember?” it asked.
“Who the hell are you?” he asked sharply.
“And who the hell said you could sit down near me?”
“Who am I?” the skeleton replied. “Does
it really matter who I am now? Or who I was,
for that matter? We’re here now, and
that’s that.”
The voice seemed almost familiar. “Do I know you?” he asked. “Who the fuck are
you?”
“Do you mean who was I?” the skeleton
answered.
His head almost hurt trying to remember
where he knew the voice from. He didn’t
recall knowing any skeletons, however in some bizarre way the skeleton looked
familiar. The way it moved, the way it
cocked it’s head when it spoke. He just
couldn’t remember.
“You aren’t supposed to remember.” the
skeleton said as it got back up on it’s feet. “You’re just supposed to spend
eternity here doing your penance. I saw
you reaching for the food, Robert. Did
it hurt? Are you hungry? Is that your penance, feeling hungry?”
“My penance?” Robert asked. “What the
hell are you talking about?” He stopped
and thought for a minute. “Yes, my
name’s Robert, isn’t it? Why couldn’t I
remember that before now?”
Images flashed quickly through his
head. Being led down a long hallway into
a room with a chair and being strapped down.
Sitting in a cell while other people talked to him, a guard smacking a
club against the bars telling them to be quiet.
There was even a quick flash of holding a gun, of shooting someone. Everything was still fuzzy. As the skeleton got up and began walking
away, a name came into Robert’s head:
“Anthony?” Robert asked.
The skeleton turned it’s head around and
one eye socket seemed to wink at him.
“Welcome to hell, Robert.”
Amazon.com link for paperback:
and the Smashwords link:
So there we go my creatures yet another victim devoured and once again it is time to go in search of the next tasty morseL. This is Julez S. Morbius saying remember to keep your necks clean, you never know when I'll come calling.
T.T.F.N
2 comments:
Great interview, as always! Good luck with your newest book, Robert. Love the cover of Hellbound.
Thanks, Jean. And also many thanks to Julez for having me!
Post a Comment