Wednesday 12 October 2011

Interview from The Crypt: Robert Wacaster


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:

Jean Joachim Books said...

Great interview, as always! Good luck with your newest book, Robert. Love the cover of Hellbound.

Robert Wacaster said...

Thanks, Jean. And also many thanks to Julez for having me!